Hi everyone.

 

I have a male budgie (Ziggy) and my parents have a female (Dibbie). They are both tame and fly around the house only visiting their cage to eat and sleep. I went on holiday to visit my parents and the two birds really hit it off. We gave them a nesting box and they have nested twice now and both times the eggs have been infertile! I know they have been mating as i've seen them going at it. I don't want them to mate again as i feel it is taking its toll on the female. I looked at the pictures on this forum and her cere is similar to the ones which are NOT fit for mating.

 

1. How do we stop them mating?

 

2. If we take the nesting box away, will she nest somewhere else in the house? She still uses the nesting box occasionally to escape the male, but there are no eggs in there.

 

3. If i wanted to take my male back home with me, is it mean to separate them? Do they mate for life?

 

4. How many infertile batches should you let them lay without harming the female?

 

Sorry if these are silly questions, I'm really new at this nesting business! I love them immensely and don't want to harm them.

 

Thanks for you help.

Hi, budgies don't mate for life but they are very social and LOVE to be with their own kind. Just remove the nest box and Dibbie should stop producing eggs.

Hi everyone.

 

I have a male budgie (Ziggy) and my parents have a female (Dibbie). They are both tame and fly around the house only visiting their cage to eat and sleep. I went on holiday to visit my parents and the two birds really hit it off. We gave them a nesting box and they have nested twice now and both times the eggs have been infertile! I know they have been mating as i've seen them going at it. I don't want them to mate again as i feel it is taking its toll on the female. I looked at the pictures on this forum and her cere is similar to the ones which are NOT fit for mating.

 

1. How do we stop them mating?

 

2. If we take the nesting box away, will she nest somewhere else in the house? She still uses the nesting box occasionally to escape the male, but there are no eggs in there.

 

3. If i wanted to take my male back home with me, is it mean to separate them? Do they mate for life?

 

4. How many infertile batches should you let them lay without harming the female?

 

Sorry if these are silly questions, I'm really new at this nesting business! I love them immensely and don't want to harm them.

 

Thanks for you help.

I'm no expert but will try and answer best I can.

1. How do we stop them mating? You can't stop them mating, but it's also normal for budgies to have recreational sex... without leading to eggs and chicks.

2. If we take the nesting box away, will she nest somewhere else in the house? She still uses the nesting box occasionally to escape the male, but there are no eggs in there. She may still nest somewhere and lay elsewhere, but if you don't want her to lay, I'd remove the nest box straight away. They don't need them unless they are breeding. If you find she picks another spot to nest, move things around as she wont feel comfortable nesting there if things change.

3. If i wanted to take my male back home with me, is it mean to separate them? Do they mate for life? How long have they been together? It's not mean to separate them, considering they have lived appart previously. Initially they will probably miss each other, but if you both spend plenty of time with your individual birds, they'll get over it and be fine! Just expect some different behavious, possibly loss of appitite etc... Lots of TLC will help them though.

4. How many infertile batches should you let them lay without harming the female? If a pair was to mate, lay eggs and raise chicks, it's recommended not to let them have any more then 3 clutches in a row without a substantial rest. However considering your hen hasn't raised any chicks, just layed eggs and looked after them, I would think it wouldn't have as much of a toll on her. I however would probably still stick to three and then a rest, as producing and laying eggs is still hard work.

 

Good luck and let us know how you go!

Thanks so much for all your help guys!

 

We've taken the nesting box away and she hasnt tried to nest anywhere else in the house *phew*. However, we thought at first that she was grumpy with us for taking away her box as she was being very antisocial. But a day later she has been throwing up all her seed and seems very weak. She's all puffed up and i dont know what to do!

 

Suggestions?

She sounds unwell if she is throwing up all her seed and and is all fluffed up.

 

Do you ahve any calcivet? Add it to her water suppluy. It will not hurt her but it will aid in helping her rebuild her strength.

 

If she is constantly fluffed up and throwing up, she may need meds.

 

Take her to an Avian vet.

 

It is very hard for us to diagnose illness over the net.

I gave her some rescue remedy and she's getting better. She's eating her seed, preening and ringing her bell again. I don't think ill give her any other food (fruit and biscuits etc) until she's 100% better, just to be safe.

She has a cuttlefish to nibble on if she wants to. She's been resting up and Ziggy is leaving her alone to sleep (i think he knows she's not feeling well).

Thank god she's getting better, i don't know what id do without her!

Just an update. Dibby is all better.

I decided to leave Ziggy at my parents house with her because they are such good friends now.