Zoey is nesting and I can't stop it

[melj780]

Zoey is driving me crazy. I'm wondering if she's pregnant?
There is nothing in the cage that she can make a nest of so she is tipping over the gravel bowl & emptying the food bowl to sit in like a nest. I get home and the water dish eis empty and shes sitting in it! I have seen Skittles trying to mount her and she has been "receptive" but I haven't seen them finish the act. Is this normal for a hormonal bird or is she trying to tell me that she's about to lay eggs?

[thebubbleking]

Hrmm my lovies dont produce eggs as of yet so cant help you i am sure someone will chime in soon what i am worried about is your gravel bowl lovebirds dont need grit or gravel and infact such material can impact thier crops and is not digested and just takes up crop and stomach space. Lovebirds hull thier seeds so have no need for grit or gravel.

[melj780]

ya, i've never seen them eat any of it, the lady i bought them from told me to use it, and their food always has "seed dust" in it. if they dont need gravel i'll take it out, one less thing for her to try to nest in!

[momo]

elmo turns over her water bowls and food bowls as well..
so i got him one of those water bottle things.. but not like the guinea pig one.. ones that have a small bit where they get the water out of.. i will take a photo later on tonight.

ive also begged his food bowls down so she can't lift them up..

in terms of being nesty and pregnant.. i havent had any experience but i am sure someone else will :)

[melj780]

the food bowl is one that is attached to the cage with a spill guard over it. she can't tip it over, so she empties it by digging out the food then sits in it. thats what worries most. she's throwing away food to nest. last night she tried tearing apart her perch and a toy made of rope. she was really going after it. usually she is territorial and gets defensive if i put my hand near the cage, every now and then for the past week, she would just freak out and try to get away from me, she's also been quieter than normal. she's not acting sick, but she is definatly not herself, a little less playful and more concerned with nesting than playing with skittles, her food, ect... its like shes obsessed

[Bubblelady]

its like shes obsessed

Gives new insight into the old phrase "Nesting instinct", doesn't it! Humans who are in this mode don't sit in bowls, but they sure do invest a lot of time/money & head off to the fertility clinic if necessary. When you want to be a mom, you WANT TO BE A MOM!!! One of my friends, who used to breed lovies, commented that they don't need a nest to lay an egg. She said she'd had hens lay eggs on the floor behind her sofa when there was no nest available! Just keep a careful eye out for signs of egg binding. Linda will know if you should give her something to sit in, to save the food bowl for eating. Sounds like she needs to keep her strength up :) Good luck!

[melj780]

so if she does lay an egg what do i do? i have no clue how to take care of babies and certainly don't have the time or resources for more birds than i have. i don't want to do anything to upset her, our relationship isn't the greatest as it is.....
i don't think that i could find anyone to take babies off my hands and i wouldn't want Zoey & Skittles to hurt them either. i'm not even sure that they would be fertilized! i feel like i've gotten myself into more than i can handle!

[michael]

so if she does lay an egg what do i do? i have no clue how to take care of babies and certainly don't have the time or resources for more birds than i have. i don't want to do anything to upset her, our relationship isn't the greatest as it is.....
i don't think that i could find anyone to take babies off my hands and i wouldn't want Zoey & Skittles to hurt them either. i'm not even sure that they would be fertilized! i feel like i've gotten myself into more than i can handle!

Try not to worry. Really, there are steps you can still take to avoid ending up with baby lovebirds. As per the information you've given already it sounds as though the chances Zoey's eggs may be fertile are very good. For now, I would supply her with calcium rich foods and continue to keep the nesting materials away. Should you happen to find an egg, boil it for about a minute, let it cool, then return it complete with some nesting material in a trimmed down margarine container or other suitable container to the area in which you found it. That way she can sit out her egg (or eggs) until she loses interest (about 21-28 days). This will help keep her from producing more eggs which would then place her at an even higher risk for egg binding. Make sure you mark each egg you boil with a pencil or small dab of food colouring to help keep track. Many first time clutches are often 2-3 eggs, but then again you may find more!.....:omg:.....And who knows, maybe just ONE........:wink:

If your still unsure about some details here, please don't hesitate to ask more questions. If you think there's an emergency, post in the "I need help now!" forum and/or call your vet. More often than not though these things will pass without incident. So you know, regardless of the measures we can take, some lovies will still produce a couple mysterious eggs. I would read through the breeding forum and the "Lovebird Resource Library" and try to familiarize yourself with how to best manage your lovebirds care and breeding habits. I'm sure you can manage just fine, as regardless who we are, it takes time to learn about our birds.................:)

[melj780]

so on the off chance she is about to lay a fertile egg, should i put something in there for her to lay it in? i don't want to promote laying eggs if shes not going to, but i am afraid that she won't lay one if she doesn't have something to lay them in and become bound?

i read through all the info in the library and it was helpful. i don't think this is an emergency, i just appreciate the help!

[michael]

I would continue to exercise whatever steps you feel are necessary to keep her from laying eggs. Shorter days, a little less seed, re-arrange or move her cage a bit, etc. Another words, if she's going to lay, she will likely do so even without a nest. If she does lay an egg, then you can provide a nest for her.

Right now its very important to keep a close eye on her. Be sure to watch for any signs she may be ready to lay, such as larger or less frequent droppings, or hanging around the bottom of her cage too long. If you suspect she's in any kind of distress what so ever, or is unresponsive towards her usual activities, be sure to call your vet ASAP.

Do you know the age and true gender of your lovebirds? How long have you had them?

[melj780]

I've had them since august, they were about 3 months old when I got them. I would say about 8 months old. This is what I was told by the pet store, so I'm not completely sure. I am basing their sexes on the behavior I've seen, and now that we are going through this I am going to have them sexed. She seems perfectly healthy, happy, no change in her attitude, she is still playful with Skittles and eating. They are both hanging around the bottom of the cage more frequently, and Skittles looked like he was gagging himself to feed her (his head was moving back and forth then he would obviously be giving her something like the way you see a mommy feed a baby)
I think I def. have a nesting hen on my hands, but there's nothing I can do about it now! I'll just have to let nature take its course, watch her, and make sure she is ok.....

[michael]

By carefully observing both their behavior your affording them good care. I'm sure if you've read through some of the forums and other information here, by now you understand the hazards involved with a lovebird who becomes broody at too early an age. Sometimes though, a determined young hen will produce eggs no matter how hard you try to discourage it. Of course, there are other times you may find three years later that georgie's a girl.

As per where you stand now. I think if you were to follow through with having them sexed, that would sooner ease your transition into better providing for their care. While you may be correct in assuming your dealing with a hen, sometimes the guessing can be more trouble than its worth, especially if your dealing with a pair. Best wishes, and please keep us posted!............:)