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Budgies/parakeets breeding
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Question
I have a male & female parakeet. They are tearing up the newspaper around there cage and piling it in the corner of the cage. Are they trying to nest ? If so should we clean the cage every week or should we buy a nesting box. We have had these birds for about a year. This is the first time we have seen this. Thank-you for your quick response.
Hi, Janet,
Yes, your birds are going to nest. They are just now old enough. What you do depends on what you want in your birds. If you buy a nesting box, they will go to nest for sure. However, if they start laying eggs on the cage bottom and you remove eggs, they will continue to lay and lay and lay until they have a full clutch. If you don't want babies, do not put newspaper or anything they can tear up and make a nest from in the cage. Some birds will lay eggs in their food dishes, etc. If you don't want eggs/babies, you really need to separate them if keeping nesting material out of the cage doesn't work. Reduce their available light to 10-12 (or 8-10) hours per day to discourage breeding. A certified avian vet can give the female an injection to stop her from laying eggs for about 9 months. This is what happens sometimes when female/male birds are together!
Chrys
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Thank-you so much for your quick response. My husband and I may let them bred because we let them fly free in the house all the time. Thank-you again I would gladly refer people to your site for answers. | ||
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Chrys Meatyard
Expertise
I`ve been raising/breeding/handfeeding/selling parrots for over 20 years (parakeets/budgies, cockatiels, 6 subspecies of conures, parrotlets, amazons, lovebirds, etc.). I've been published in "Budgies" and "Cockatiels" offered by Bow Tie Productions, and have written avian articles for publication in England. I can provide advice in raising healthy birds, handfeeding/weaning babies, some health problems, nail/beak/wing clipping, general husbandry, etc. I also have experience with racing/showing homing pigeons. I cannot diagnose specific illness over this website. If you suspect your bird is ill or if you have an emergency, contact a certified avian veterinarian or emergency pet clinic ASAP.
Experience
Over 20 years breeding/raising/handfeeding/selling 15 different species of parrots.
Education/Credentials
American Federation of Aviculture, completed Level I course, Fundamentals of Aviculture. Keeping/breeding parrots and other birds for over 20 years.
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