Believe me, I have tried everything short of getting them new cage partners!! Have had them side by side in different cages, in different rooms (which was very difficult for me, not to mention them), it just doesn't work, I believe that hormone shots are the only options left. Besides the male is 11 and he is only responding to the female so should we get her stuff under control, he should lay off and continue being the loving partner that he is.

Hormone shots are a really extreme measure. I've only heard them recommended when the bird is actually causing itself harm that can't be avoided otherwise. For example, a woman from another board had a wild-caught blue front amazon that refused to eat during hormonal periods. The shots were a last resort to pretty much keep her alive. She was also very very aggressive.

 

I'm just saying that I wouldn't put a budgie through the pain/stress/risk of regular injections unless it was life threatening and there was no other way. At this point you have two options. Keep the pair separated or go for the shots. I'm not in your exact position so I can't say I know exactly what it's like. But I have a cockatiel who screams for hours on end every day (sometimes at night). He's louder than all four of my budgies combined. So, when I say that it might be better to deal with the screaming I'm not completely unable to relate to you. I know how it grates on the nerves and annoys a person. It's hard to concentrate with a screaming bird but how bad would it feel to keep the birds together and lose the female to egg binding or prolapsing? Or to have to drag her into the vet's office and have her restrained and jabbed when there is a way to avoid that?

 

You haven't tried the fake eggs yet, have you? And just skimming back through the topic, it sounds like the problem was solved when you moved them into another room and reduced daylight and such? Am I wrong on that?

Imagine the stress the female must be going through laying all these eggs..

I'd be separating them for THEIR own health and wellbeing and investing in some earplugs if required, they will get use to being in different living conditions (may take a while though) but in the long run you will have healthier and happier birds for it i'm sure

Cheers :beer:

Una

:ausb: I have looked in several stores but haven't been able to find fake eggs. My Rosey Bourke (partnerless) starting laying eggs compulsively at 2 years of age and finally became eggbound. After that all got sorted out, we started her on hormone shots about 2 to 3 times a year, and eventually she stopped and has been egg free for over a year now. So I had a positive (and expensive) experience with hormones, don't get me wrong, I don't even like that stuff for "me" but when all else fails.........Will leave it in the hands of my vet. If you saw this pair together you would be loath to separate them, they just ADORE each other! :ygbudgie:

 

:ausb: Sorry Lin, was reviewing my finances last night and I have to take my pretty new dig camera back!!

Too many bills to pay off and need to get my new computer bought, a question of priorities, maybe by spring.

Edited January 2, 200619 yr by Phoebe

Oh can you borrow one? Or scan a normal picture in? i NEED to see this funny pose :ausb:

:ausb: I have never seen them like that, before or since, maybe it was a one time thing? Comet usually spends a lot of time on the floor visiting Star but maybe he was extra lonely and really wanted to cuddle with her, that is why I don't want to separate th two of them. :ausb:

 

Yes Lin, it is defininitely "budgie love", he has been sitting on the floor beside her for the longest time and she has her head pressed tightly against his belly and he is quietly singing to her........

Edited January 2, 200619 yr by Phoebe

Oh I need to see these birds :ausb: Stop teasing! :ausb:

:ausb: okay, maybe I can buy a really cheap dig cam, just went and spent big bucks on my new 'puter today, a friend is checking it out and updating stuff on it. :ausb:

:ausb: I have been home most of today and have been waiting for the female to poop, she finally did (don't like to let them out before that as they make a visit to the "enemy" budgie's cage and dump in there) Comet started eating it (gross) so I changed the cage paper and added eggshells from this morning which Star has been chomping down. Weird, just a few hours until we visit with the vet for her assessment.

Okay, we just returned from the vet. She agreed that a radical measure must be taken to stop the current situation and gave the female a hormone shot to disrupt the cycle. She also gave me the number of a bird supply place that should be able to order me "fake" eggs and suggested I contact the Provincial Budgie Breeders Association as well as apparently there is not a great need for such a product here. Everytime I take my other birds to the vet or observe other people's birds, they are quiet and looked scared stiff. Not this pair, after a couple of minutes they resumed their "lovey dovey" behaviour in bunch of a front of strangers who thought it was "so cute". Right, anyhow the vet can see how difficult it is to separate them.

Anyhow, Star should lay a couple of more eggs and then her ovaries will shut down for awhile. So you shan't be seeing anymore posts on this, wish me luck! :hap: :greenb: :ygbudgie:

Oh there goes the best entertainment we've had

Seriously though, I do hope it works, let us know

Well I have tried to see the humorous side of it all but sometimes like today with my vet saying "I don't understand it" and she does aviary consultations, makes it kind of hard (not to mention the $$). Did you see my other floor bred, two brothers picture posts? Will hope the hormone shots have the desired effect and get on with other trying issues in my life, love them all though.

I really hope this works and there'll be an end to all these eggs!

Thanks Bea, so do I. Have been in touch with my rescue bird lady to see if I can round them up same sex companions within the next couple of months, told her that THEY MUST BE ABSOLUTELY SURE ON THE GENDER OF THEM, IT IS OF EXTREME IMPORTANCE.

:ausb: Well, Star has laid 2 more perfect little eggs, one of which was totally expected and one of which was maybe expected, so it is just a waiting game. Comet was once again leaping on her today, PLEASE cut it out OLD guy!!. My rescue lady has 2 birds in mind for me to pair with the couple should I have to separate them which is looking more likely every day, one female, 8 years, one male, 7 years . Don't know if these older budgies would be up to the demands of their cage mates but the rescue lady wants to let them live out the rest of their years in a good home so I can agree to that. She also has a couple of younger budgies coming in which must be quarantined for 30 days so may look into that, I guess it is just a day to day thing, never thought that budgie ownership would be this complicated, hey, my parents had a couple when I was a kid and it was so smoooottttthhhh. Just bought 30 bucks worth of ladders and high perches to keep my lovebird outta my nasty budgies reach, he keeps jumping on their cage as I suppose he wants to be higher up and they keep nipping his poor little toes..........

Well you should quite love this Lin, the male is resting sideways on the female so that they form an X!! Have finally gotten some fake eggs and will pick them up tomorrow. Star is sitting on 5 eggs per the norm. The male is starting to approach my disabled female cockatiel but she has told him who is boss!! Have been in touch with my rescue lady and have 2 same sex buds picked out for them as cage partners, my guys are so goofy. I told her that the male has to be up to the antics of my geriatric male and hopefully the females will get along. Still haven't connected my new computer but a dig cam is on the immediate horizon!

Oh I can't wait for pictures. I love the sounds of your old male Have the hormone shots worked yet?

Can't say for sure as they have always stopped when they have "5" but with Comet now looking elsewhere, must definitely separate the little goofs.

Buying fake eggs was a waste of money, Star knows that they aren't her eggs and won't lay on them;they are bigger than hers anyhow and the lady showed me finch and cockatiel eggs and assured me that these were indeed, "budgie" eggs. Will leave them in to see if she has a change of heart.

:ausb: Star did have a go of it but the eggs were quite a bit larger than the ones she lays and they kept "popping" out. She finally gave up and slept up on the perch with her man. I have taken them away. :grbud:

:ausb: I am so much enjoying the "normal" budgie behaviour, singing, being happy, grooming and preening each other, I too am so happy. But I do know that it is inevitable, that after the hormone shots wear off, that they will be messing around again. Will be providing them with rescue same sex mates towards the end of the month, it's just a process of matching them with the same suitable companions which is very difficult!! (even in the human world)

I was told the hormone shots would last around 3 months but I see they are at it again!! Don't know if Comet is just bugging Star or it is the real thing, may have to get them same sex companions sooner than I wanted (or didn't want to). On top of that, I had my "killer" lovebird Phoebe on me tonight and Mango the lovebird jumps off his cage, scales the couch, I carefully watch them and Phoebe starts with weird behaviour that I have never seen before, back in the cage she went. Budgies and Lovebirds both are not supposed to breed without a nest box, WHY, WHY, WHY?? :parrot:

Phoebe its like Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park saying NATURE has a way !!!!!!

 

 

Hope they are adorable snow Budgies Regards Docca

Edited January 20, 200619 yr by Docca

:fear Yes, they are very persistent and they just look like "normal" budgies. P.S. No snow here, it's in the mountains, high of 11 today. :fear:

And this post has ended, refer to my new one, "They are defying hormone shots!"

 

As for me, will go to bed, tomorrow is another day and will take on the challenge (and it is a challenge), tomorrow. :ygbudgie: