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Winter Solstice 2016

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Winter Solstice 2016

Postby Pajarita » Wed Dec 28, 2016 11:54 am

I've been meaning to post about this but I kept on forgetting so sorry for the delay!

On December 21 we had the Winter Solstice for 2016. This means we had the shortest day and the longest night of the year - but it also means that, from then on, the days will be getting longer and the nights shorter in preparation for spring which, to us, parrot keepers, means breeding season for the long day breeders (most species). But, even before that, we will have the breeding season for the short day breeders (cockatoos, psittaculas, grays, etc).

By mid-January, there will be a difference of about 20 minutes and, as we know from studies that birds' bodies register that short a difference, you will start seeing signs of change in all birds kept to a strict solar schedule - one of them being a partial molt.

When the daylight hours hit around 10 hours (this includes civil twilight, not just sunrise and sunset), you will start seeing definite behavioral changes in the short day breeders, the females will get all mushy about affection, the males will start getting a bit antsy and both will start looking for nesting places - and chewing chewing chewing in earnest. This is the time to start increasing protein intake if you keep, as I do, two different diets for breeding and resting seasons.

So, let's all be prepared for it and enjoy living with a 'wild' animal in our homes!
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Winter Solstice 2016

Postby Navre » Wed Dec 28, 2016 1:50 pm

When would breeding season start for greys? I've noticed Nicholas starting to explore more already. He is climbing down off the cage and walking around.
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African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Re: Winter Solstice 2016

Postby Pajarita » Thu Dec 29, 2016 12:01 pm

We are at the very beginning of it. My Sophie started going into cages, something she only does right before she goes into breeding as she has never lived in a cage in her entire life. In another two weeks or so, I will start putting a nice, thick cardboard box in her favorite corner of the room and she will start chewing the edges of the opening and chewing and scratching the inside of it. At the beginning, she will just do a little bit here and a little bit there but she will gradually intensify the behavior until she is doing it a lot (she goes through 2 or 3 of them before she actually starts using it as a nest).
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Winter Solstice 2016

Postby liz » Fri Dec 30, 2016 8:06 am

When I had just two pair of Cockatiels they would lay eggs in January. Then Tommy and Tammy got ahead of themselves and hatched eggs on Christmas Eve.
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liz
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Location: Hernando FL
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Types of Birds Owned: DYH Amazon Rambo
BF Amazon Myrtle
Cockatiels: Shadow Tammy Flutter Phoenix Jackie
Andy Impy Louise Twila Leroy
Flight: Yes

Re: Winter Solstice 2016

Postby seagoatdeb » Thu Feb 16, 2017 4:41 am

Gaugan is starting to become more mushy, and she is always mushy but more so starting around now.
Hubby is up in the morning before me and Gaguan is hanging out on his knee and will fly on to me the moment I walk into the living room making all kinds of sounds and talking up a storm.

Sunny I can only describe as being very hyper in the morning with short attention span he will wait for me to be up and fly over to my chair and wait for me to get there. He is calmer and sometimes mushy in the late afternoon to early evening. He is chewing and playing independantly more and is really likeing any repetive game I play with him. Like putting my mouse on the chair arm and he will work at getting it to fall into my lap. That the kinds of games he likes.
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Re: Winter Solstice 2016

Postby Navre » Thu Feb 16, 2017 7:06 am

A formerly very friendly Moluccan gave me a good bite on the arm. He just wanted to get to the other cockatoos and didn't understand or care that Bucca would probably take his foot off. He bit me through my sweatshirt and just left a big bruise. Not bad as cockatoo bites go.

And a super-friendly Greenwing was "biting" me yesterday. She's all bluff, though. She was more wrestling with my hands. She has never left a mark on me.

We also have a pair of cockatoos who have started laying, about one egg every 5 or 6 days.

June is just around the corner! We will get through it!
Navre
African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Re: Winter Solstice 2016

Postby liz » Thu Feb 16, 2017 8:29 am

Rainbow has been in season for more than a month now. She makes some seriously awful noises when she is in season. Myrtle did last year but has not this year. She does copy his noise sort of like back up.

Only Tweet has a nest but she started long ago. The others seem to be ignoring the season.
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liz
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 7234
Location: Hernando FL
Number of Birds Owned: 12
Types of Birds Owned: DYH Amazon Rambo
BF Amazon Myrtle
Cockatiels: Shadow Tammy Flutter Phoenix Jackie
Andy Impy Louise Twila Leroy
Flight: Yes

Re: Winter Solstice 2016

Postby seagoatdeb » Thu Feb 16, 2017 7:36 pm

I am slowly taking down each hanging toy in their two play areas and cleaning them and adding new pine sslabs for chewing. i should be all ready when they start in...lol
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seagoatdeb
African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Location: Kelowna, BC Canada
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Types of Birds Owned: Red Belly Poicephalus and a Meyers Poicephalus
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Re: Winter Solstice 2016

Postby liz » Fri Feb 17, 2017 5:47 am

Good move.

Why are Tweet and Rainbow in season when non others are? They get the same food and light.
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liz
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 7234
Location: Hernando FL
Number of Birds Owned: 12
Types of Birds Owned: DYH Amazon Rambo
BF Amazon Myrtle
Cockatiels: Shadow Tammy Flutter Phoenix Jackie
Andy Impy Louise Twila Leroy
Flight: Yes

Re: Winter Solstice 2016

Postby Tman007 » Sat Feb 18, 2017 12:52 am

Pajarita you say to add more protien now. Is that if you are going to breed. Or just because the need more protien at this time. Becuse I thaught that more protien would make them more hormonal.
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Conure
 
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