Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 6/1/2007

Question
Hey, I want to start breeding budgies, I have a large cage and wanted to know if I can put a pair of budgies together with a pair of zebra finches and have them breed? I also wanted to know if the location of the nestbox matters, because i can only fit the nestbox in the lower part of my cage, Its a homemade cage, will they still enter the nestbox if its located at the bottom of the cage and not the top?

Answer
Hi, John.

It's great you want to start breeding budgies, but I have to tell you, you have a whole lot more to learn before you should try doing so.

I would not breed budgies and zebra finches in the same cage.  You should separate each pair into their own breeding cage with their separate nesting boxes.  

As far as location in the cage for the nesting box, most birds don't care whether the box is at the top or bottom of the cage, but it would be best if you positioned the nesting box outside the cage instead of inside.  You need to be able to access the inside of the nesting box from outside the cage via the top of the nesting box.  If the box is inside the cage, you can't do this without getting inside the cage first.  In addition, the birds will poo all over the nesting box on the outside and this isn't good.  All you want is the entrance hole to the nesting box inside the cage.  Finches use basket-type nests that can be hung inside the cage.  You won't need to access the finches basket like you will the budgies' nesting box.  

Chrys