Eek, are they breeding?

[Feistychick]

I'm new to conures, so please forgive what will likely seem to be a silly question.

Baby and Tango have this weird dance that they've started doing on one of their perches - and it just occurred to me that they may be breeding I find them side by side and making weird (but not loud) noises. When I go over to check on them, their tails are intertwined and moving, and usually one of them is looking up at me from under the other's wing. Did I just walk in on something?? . It's definitely not their regular preening or playing behavior that I've seen so far - and the vocalizations are very distinctive.

[liz]

The normal position would be the male on top of the female. I did have a male that could not get it right and would hump her side. Needless to say I did not worry about that pair. I have not heard any noise from the males but the females make a sorrowful noise while calling and make a lot of racket while mating.

Buy some fake eggs and get ready. You don't want them to hatch babies. It is very hard to give them up. Just like human babies an infant will be adopted before an orphan child so you don't want to block an orphan being adopted.

[Feistychick]

It's reassuring to hear that it may not be breeding! They were not on top of each other, so maybe they're just playing or doing something else - it just freaked me out because it looked very strange and the noises were new ones. There's been no eggs laid or anything, so I'm probably a new bird mom panicking over nothing No intention of having any baby birds here - I'll be back for advice if anything looks like they might be intending to try. They sure do give me worries every time something out of the ordinary starts happening - hopefully this becomes less as I get to know them better!

[Pajarita]

Hmmm, not being there, I can't tell for sure BUT it does sound to me as if they were doing the 'dirty deed' - only not very adroitly -LOL- Unfortunately, their 'incompetence' does NOT mean the female will not be fertilized because, with birds, there is no real penetration as there is with mammals (all they do is rub their genitals -vents- against each other). Furthermore and also unfortunately, although it's highly improbable, it is not impossible for sun conures to be able to reproduce with a green cheek (there are rare hybrids of these species). So, if I were you, I would get some fake eggs (get the GCC size) just in case and, if the hen lays (she will, most likely, do it early in the am), simply switch the real egg with a fake one.

But I would not worry over this because a) we are in breeding season, b) they are a bonded male-female pair and c) they do have the little hut which resembles a nest. The only thing you need to take into consideration is diet and supplements. Diet because you need to make sure she is getting enough calcium and D3 (what do they eat and what were they fed in their previous home?) and supplements because you will need to give her a couple of dosages of Calciboost (aka Calcivet) if and when she lays.

[Feistychick]

Thanks for the replies!

Darn, I was hoping they weren't breeding lol. I guess I can add "fake GCC eggs" to the shopping list .

They were on a seed diet until they moved into our house. We've made some good diet progress and their current feeding schedule is this: fruit/veggie chop first thing, followed by TOPS pellets left during the day while I'm at work, fruit/veggies after work, followed by small amount of seeds and pellets available until bedtime. I guess I would likely need to add supplements - any suggestions where to purchase those?

My poor husband is going to have fits.... breeding season.... I have broody chickens and turkeys in the barn - he's going to roll his eyeballs if I end up with broody birds in the house too

*IF* they end up laying eggs - what is the best thing to do? Replace the eggs with fakes and let them sit until they give up on the nest when they don't hatch? Is there a way (or is it advisable) to discourage them from sitting?

My fingers are crossed that they are not breeding and are not going to lay eggs, but I want to be prepared - just in case

[liz]

I have an old breeder bird, Maggie, who finally decided she may as well be friends with Andy since he followed her every where. They have been nesting and both sitting in the nest together. I was going to "candle" the eggs but there were none. I gave them 3 fake ones and they are as happy as can be sitting on them together. Sweetie and Shadow used to set on the nests together.

In the spring my father would put glass eggs in a nest and the hens laying fertile eggs would put them in there. When there was enough a hen would sit on them.