Is Ricki Nesting?

[Guest Peta]

I had all 8 of my birds out for a play and when it was time to go back to the cage I could only find 7.

 

After a little investigating I found ricki in the TV stand with the video's.

 

She is my most tame and she had never bitten me before this.

 

Here is a couple of videos of where she was and what she did,

What do you think she is doing? and why did she lashed out at me?

 

http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/Pet...MOV000153gp.flv

 

and my partner offering a foot, she would usually jump on a foot and go for a ride but not this time:

http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/Pet...MOV000163gp.flv

[Elly 0]

she probably is nesting and she is finding this to be her own special place. I would rearrange things or move it around to remove what entices her. Don't feel bad about her behavior it is natural for her to feel this way.

[Guest Peta]

she probably is nesting and she is finding this to be her own special place. I would rearrange things or move it around to remove what entices her. Don't feel bad about her behavior it is natural for her to feel this way.

 

Thanks lovely

 

I have now taped cardboard over the hole so she cant get in there but she won't stop going behind the TV. she is about 2years old and is coming into breeding condition for the 3rd time and also going through a heavy molt. I really don't understand why she has never done this before and she has been quite mean to 2 of the boys (nothing serious just kicking them off the pirches cause she wants it). Do you think this will pass?

[Elly 0]

Yes it will pass, can you keep her in a separate cage until she is back to her old self. It sounds like her moult could be the cause of her not feeling well. Is there a way you can block the T.V. or if you can give her something else that may interest her? When she is out can you give her a small box with toys in to it play with? Brainstorming here

[Guest Peta]

Thanks for your common sense, I just stress so much when it comes to my babies.

 

She will get no more play time in the Lounge Room. She has too many toys, but she finds my hair more interesting, so it will have to be helping me with the house work (sitting on my shoulder while i make the bed and vacume(she is the only bird that does not fret when i turn the vacume on) and play with my hair) and no more play time without the others as she tends to get away from me that way.

[Elly 0]

she sounds like a sweetheart

[Rainbow 0]

That hole is about the size of a nestbox hole, and I'll bet she finds it nice there is a perch coming out of it too. It's good you closed it up. She is protecting her nesting site, and may be a bit grumpy with the boys because they are not interested in starting a family right now. Two years old is a good age to start a family, as she is fully mature both physically and emotionally. The behavior will pass, but she may be like this for a month or so. I would give her new toys, and change up her routine a little if possible. She is such a pretty girl.

[Guest Peta]

Thanks and here is a little update:

 

I have now Isolated ricki, but she still gets time with the others but only when i'm watching.

I think she knows that if she is bad she will be taken away, because she is being nice. But when she gets isolated she sqwarks a little.

 

Last night when they all were together Little Dale went for a flight and landed on ricki but she didn't want it so she knocked him off.

 

I have given her some zip ties looped around the pirch, she likes to pick them up and throw them, there are a couple with bells on them.

 

She has been hanging around with me in my bedroom but I think she likes the fan more than me, as she flies to it at every chance. But at least she comes when i tell her to.

[Sailorwolf 0]

She sounds good. Note of caution: Zip ties can have poisonous zinc in them which is harmful to birds.

I find a good toy is to cut up toilet paper rolls into rings and to put them on the perches. They love trying to rip them off.

[Guest Peta]

My parner manages a hardware store and he believes that they are just PVC- plastic,

so he made a big mistake, they will be gone when i get home. I might put the bells up with string or is that bad too??

I will try that toilet roll, she loves to tear things apart, and so do the rest.

[*Nerwen* 0]

toilet roles are good as long as the rolls are not scented. I use string all the time, if it looks a bit ratty from chewing I replace it.

 

I must say Ricki looks stunning.

[Guest Lin]

Another thing you can try is to cover her up earlier. A hen will go into breeding mode if she gets suffiecient light, so, try limiting it to 10 hours, and slowly increase up to 12 hours.

[Guest Peta]

They only get about 9 hours of light a day at the moment as it is winter and keep them all covered until about 10am.

 

But here is ricki being a very good girl: http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/Pet...MOV000203gp.flv

[Guest Peta]

Well Ricki has gotten really angry now.

 

When i change the seed and do anything in or around the cage she bites me. I can't believe the change in her behavior. she has finished her molt and is getting worse.

 

She has drawn blood 5 times now.

 

Anyway on sunday, i woke up and she was making noise while breathing and I rushed her to the avarian vet that happened to be 1 and a half hours away. I put her in a travel box with a towel on the bottom with water and food. 30mins into the trip she started tearing the place up and trying to get under the towel. She had stopped making noises and did not look like a sick bird.

 

The vet did some tests after she bit him and said there is nothing wrong and that the noise was because she was ready to lay- less than a week away from laying. also from her behavior lately i agree.

 

The vet suggested letting her breed as that would give her somthing else to focus on.

 

I'm a little unsure about this. I used to breed budgies before i moved interstate and had not planned on breeding ricki as she was my favorite tame budgie. but i do have the set up waiting for my breeding pair in a couple of months. she has a "mate" sort of, he is about 1 year and 4 months old and they groom each other. and i do have space for more birds.

 

what do you think?

Is this a good idea? or should i keep her isolated until she gets over it?