Daffy has been acting strange lately. She is kicking all of the seed out of the seed cups. I have 3 large cups and a couple smaller cups in there. Every time I put seed in, she gets in there and starts kicking it out until it is basically empty. My cage has grates on the bottom so it falls through and the birds can't get at it. What is causing this behaviour? Is there something in the seed mix she doesn't like? Is she trying to make a nesting spot?

 

I've thought of putting paper on the bottom to catch the seed, but I don't like the idea of poop in with it. And I don't like wasting so much seed either. I guess it isn't wasted because the outside birds get it, but I also worry about her emptying the dishes while I'm at work and the birds going hungry.

 

I'm going to look for new seed dispensers this weekend - something that she can't kick the seed out of. But I like what I'm using now because 2-3 budgies can sit at the same time and eat. Any suggestions on types of seed containers - they would need to be larger as I have 10 budgies?

 

Thanks!

Is Daffy just a couple of months old? Like less than 10? If so, the kicking out of the seed is a normal behavior of growing up. :budgiedance: Mine used to do it also, eventually they stop. I have a lot of birds too, and just keep as many seed cups as there are birds in the cage, plus one. The smaller cups they usually left alone, just the big ones they can easily sit in are the ones they kicked seed out of. It is very annoying, but thankfully they won't starve in the time you are at work.

You can also look at containers designed for other animals, the ones with a resoirvoir to refill the dish with dry food. I use a large one in my aviaries, but I am sure you can find a suitable one for your cage

go to bird4less.com I saw a really cool seed dispenser that recycles it is a bit costy but with the number of birds you have it will save you money.

Then sometime it doesn't stop :budgiedance: Freckle is being a pain and doing this to all the new ones I just got for them. Silly one I know with her it's a nesting thing.

go to bird4less.com I saw a really cool seed dispenser that recycles it is a bit costy but with the number of birds you have it will save you money.

 

Those look really neat and I'm sure are well worth the money. I'll likely end up ordering one.

 

 

 

Is Daffy just a couple of months old? Like less than 10? If so, the kicking out of the seed is a normal behavior of growing up. :budgiedance: Mine used to do it also, eventually they stop. I have a lot of birds too, and just keep as many seed cups as there are birds in the cage, plus one. The smaller cups they usually left alone, just the big ones they can easily sit in are the ones they kicked seed out of. It is very annoying, but thankfully they won't starve in the time you are at work.

 

 

Not sure on Daffy's age but I think she is between 8 months and a year. How old would they be at a second molt? I'm just guessing that this would be her second, but it could possibly be her third.

I would think 2nd molt around 8-12 months, since they normally molt 2x a year (someone can correct me if I am wrong)

Pixel does this all the time. It's not a nesting thing with her, it's just part of her being Pixely. Very annoying, but I just have to curse under my breath and put up with it.

One of my older males used to do this. He'd keep going till it was empty then sit in it. I ended up putting his seed on the floor in a shallow dish and gave him an empty seed dish to sit in. :budgiedance:

Finally I don't feel all alone! My pink and grey does it soooooo bad but because he's large the seed can go for miles, I think he has little competitions with himself trying to break his records! I think seed dispenser is going to solve your problem :hap: .....Jack however has to have ceramic or stainless because of the "bolt cutters" attatched to his cute little face :fear

I tryed giving Freckle an empty one to sit in, by movign the last of the seed from one to the others but she just stated on with the others!!!!!!!!

My budgies used to do this as a sign that they wanted out of their cage! Just a little sign of displeasure

I tryed giving Freckle an empty one to sit in, by movign the last of the seed from one to the others but she just stated on with the others!!!!!!!!

 

I tried this too. And she did move on to the others.

 

I did a major clean and reorganization of the cage yesterday and that has helped a little. I put in the smaller seed cups and a few seed tubes until I get something better.

 

I'm still wondering about the whole nesting thing though after what I saw a few minutes ago. Wylie was trying to mount Daffy . I don't know the exact ages of them but she is probably close to a year, maybe a little younger. But Wylie is probably only 4 months old. He is just finishing his first moult and his cere is just turning from fleshy coloured to blue. Her cere is as white as can be. I'm going to keep an eye on them and if necessary I'll take her and another female out an put in a different cage. I'm not ready for babies yet, nor are they!!!!

you may have to separate your males and females Shawna, I think eterri had to do that. It is spring, there is more daylight and their brains are wired to produce.

If I have to I will for sure. I have no breeding boxes but I know from Pheobe's posts and my mom's budgie pair that it doesn't matter.

 

I can start by putting the divider in which gives me two cages the size of your new one. It is so nice having them all in one cage - just one mess to clean up. But I can picture them just hanging on the divider all the time trying to get to each other.

 

If absolutely necessary I can put the males in my black cage that I planned to use for breeding. It will hold 4 but is won't be the palace they are now used to!!!

 

I do want to have a clutch someday and if they were old enough I probably wouldn't intervene. But my plans were for this to be happening in December/January, not now.

well you can separate them until the hormones settle down, past the breeding period in their mind. Then put them together again.

well you can separate them until the hormones settle down, past the breeding period in their mind. Then put them together again.

 

I'm going to clean the extra cage and bring it up from the basement. If I see him try to mount her again, I'll separate them.

 

On a related note, should something have already happened that I didn't see and she produces an egg, I would addle it for sure. But would it be stressful to her if I just chucked it? Should I let her sit on it?

Edited April 30, 200619 yr by Shawna

hay

skitttle use to do this with both the food and water container, i put it down to being young and "acting up". i then used the gravity feeders these are placed outside the cage with just a small dish inside.

ATD

I've replaced all the cups with the gravity feeds. They seem to be working a lot better.