Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 8/26/2007

Question
I have a budgie pair that kiss 24/7. I put them in their nest box and the male was scared to death! He screams. The female has gone in it in the past and won't none they're not eating the best diet but it is pretty good. I put some woodchips and feathers in the box. They are two years old and can not be separated.(love budgies!) The male has tried to mount her in the past but she gets very angry about. Please reply soon.

Answer
Hi, Isabella,

You should not put the birds in the nesting box yourself.  You have to let them go inside themselves or they will be scared and may never go inside the box.  Take the wood chips and feathers out of the box.  This is another reason they probably dislike the box.  Budgies normally don't want anything in their nest.  

Perhaps these 2 birds aren't compatible.  Just because we put 2 birds together doesn't mean they will like each other.  Kissing is OK (called "beaking" and is a greeting sign with budgies), but is the male feeding the female beak-to-beak?  This is a sign of pair-bonding.  A pair of birds has to be pair-bonded before they will raise offspring together.  Also, you need to get your birds on a healthy diet.  "Pretty good" diet isn't good enough, especially if you want them to produce offspring.  If you don't have healthy adults, the offspring won't be healthy.

Chrys