lmdarling
09-28-2008, 06:01 PM
Hello all, I am new to the community. Firstly, sorry about the length of this first post, but a bit of background is necessary.
I have 3 lovebirds. A 3 month old DNAd male, a 15 month old female named Remi, and a 19 month old suspected male named Cisco. I have had Remi for about a year, and decided to buy her a male friend. 2 weeks ago, I bought Cisco and the baby. The breeder told me that Cisco was a male, but we all know that only DNA is for sure (that’s why I sent off for the DNA kit).
I am beginning to wonder if Cisco is a girl. He has shown no interest in breeding with Remi, despite her very numerous assertions. She dotingly grooms him, and postures for him, and asks him to regurgitate for her but he does nothing in return. He does not even groom her back. The baby on the other hand, worships the ground Remi flies over. He regurgitates to her and grooms her, and does a pretty dance for her during play sessions where I let all 3 out together. She accepts his attentions, and reciprocates, but still goes back to Cisco to preen him as well.
Cisco hates the baby. He bites the baby’s toes or anything else he can reach, and gets irate when the baby tries for Remi’s affections. He even makes special trips to the baby’s closed cage when only Remi and Cisco are out together to shake the cage door and bite at the baby thru the bars. When I let all 3 out together, Remi often steps between Cisco and the baby to keep Cisco from hurting the baby.
Remi and Cisco do cuddle, but they also bicker, and most of the squabbles, with the exception of occasional overzealous preening by Remi that annoys Cisco, are started by Cisco. Poor Remi has gotten so desperate for Cisco’s attentions that she runs under him to physically place him on her back, at which point he still does nothing, or climbs off.
My two males do not seem to play with the toys nearly as much as Remi, though all 3 enjoy a good paper shredding time. Remi is the only bird who tucks the shreds. Cisco seems mostly to sit and to eat, as does the baby.
I have a nesting box about 12”x8”x8” in the adult bird’s cage which is 3’x2’x2’, but after an initial poke of the head inside, neither bird, Remi, nor Cisco has shown further interest in the box. I have given lots of hay and other nesting materials but Cisco and Remi just chew the pieces and let them drop to the floor.
Would Remi posture to another female? Why doesn’t Cisco reciprocate if he likes her well enough to accept her advances? Does what Cisco does sound like a male lovebird defending his female, or a female that just doesn’t like the baby?
Thanks all for your input…
I have 3 lovebirds. A 3 month old DNAd male, a 15 month old female named Remi, and a 19 month old suspected male named Cisco. I have had Remi for about a year, and decided to buy her a male friend. 2 weeks ago, I bought Cisco and the baby. The breeder told me that Cisco was a male, but we all know that only DNA is for sure (that’s why I sent off for the DNA kit).
I am beginning to wonder if Cisco is a girl. He has shown no interest in breeding with Remi, despite her very numerous assertions. She dotingly grooms him, and postures for him, and asks him to regurgitate for her but he does nothing in return. He does not even groom her back. The baby on the other hand, worships the ground Remi flies over. He regurgitates to her and grooms her, and does a pretty dance for her during play sessions where I let all 3 out together. She accepts his attentions, and reciprocates, but still goes back to Cisco to preen him as well.
Cisco hates the baby. He bites the baby’s toes or anything else he can reach, and gets irate when the baby tries for Remi’s affections. He even makes special trips to the baby’s closed cage when only Remi and Cisco are out together to shake the cage door and bite at the baby thru the bars. When I let all 3 out together, Remi often steps between Cisco and the baby to keep Cisco from hurting the baby.
Remi and Cisco do cuddle, but they also bicker, and most of the squabbles, with the exception of occasional overzealous preening by Remi that annoys Cisco, are started by Cisco. Poor Remi has gotten so desperate for Cisco’s attentions that she runs under him to physically place him on her back, at which point he still does nothing, or climbs off.
My two males do not seem to play with the toys nearly as much as Remi, though all 3 enjoy a good paper shredding time. Remi is the only bird who tucks the shreds. Cisco seems mostly to sit and to eat, as does the baby.
I have a nesting box about 12”x8”x8” in the adult bird’s cage which is 3’x2’x2’, but after an initial poke of the head inside, neither bird, Remi, nor Cisco has shown further interest in the box. I have given lots of hay and other nesting materials but Cisco and Remi just chew the pieces and let them drop to the floor.
Would Remi posture to another female? Why doesn’t Cisco reciprocate if he likes her well enough to accept her advances? Does what Cisco does sound like a male lovebird defending his female, or a female that just doesn’t like the baby?
Thanks all for your input…