AboutLeah Expertise I can answer questions relating to feeding, setting up cages, behavior, sexing, and many other subjects. I don't have much experience with breeding, but I can try to help.
Experience I've raised budgies for over ten years, and have hand raised several of them.
Question Hi! I have two budgies that are very well bonded and are sexually mature. I am going to breed them and I have attached a plastic breeding box on their cage. I filled it with shredded paper and the female removed it all. She is also keeping it this way. Will this cause any problems to the chicks i.e splayed legs, etc. The past few days, she has been in the nest box and the male is poking his head in and it looks like he is feeding the female. I don't know if they have mated yet. In the cage, I have a swing and a short perch that trims their nails. If they mate, won't it be difficult for them? How can I tell if the female is pregnant? Sometimes, when the male pokes his head in, she starts fighting with him. Why is this? Someone else said that it could be play fighting. Please answer soon!
Answer This is normal breeding behavior. The female will try to keep the nest as clean as possible, and her obsession with cleaning will not cause any harm to the babies. In the wild, they don't use any nesting material. Keep in mind that in the Australian Outback, where budgies are from, there isn't much to use so they make do with hollows in trees usually.
If she is laying or sitting on eggs, the male will feed his mate. They have probably already mated, seeing as she's spending a lot of time in the nest, and he is feeding her. And don't worry about them having difficulty mating; if they want to mate, they will find a way.
The females can be a bit aggressive during this time, protecting herself and her eggs from even her mate. They could be play fighting too, its a sign of affection.
