Conure/Teil intetaction conure stepping on baby

[gracebowen]

So as most of you know I recently got a Conure.
At the time I got her my tiels had eggs in the box.

When the baby hatched Jade was very interested and kept trying to get in the box. Of course mom and dad chased her away.

When the baby was about three weeks old the tiels started allowing her to sleep with the baby. I kept an eye in things and she showed no agression to the baby.

After the baby fledged last month she sleeps in the nest every night.

Prior to this the tiels would have had new eggs by now. They seem to have stopped laying. Havent seen any mating either. I should take the box away now?

There is one strange thing though. Jade really likes the new baby. She hasnt tried to feed it but she preens her and sits by her alot.

Sometimes she puts her foot on the babies back kinda like Jet does when he wants to get on Rex. Could this be mating behavior? CouldJade be a boy? It seems strange to me being its a tiel and a Conure. The tiel is about 7 weeks old. My conure is about 7 months if her previous owner told the truth.

 

[gracebowen]

Anybody have any thoughts?

 

[Dinosrawr]

Sometimes I think birds just take over role of care taker and just "click" with some of the babies they cross paths with. Think of the dog that adopts the kitten, to me it's very similar in nature to that. My IRN and conure with place a foot on the other as if to "grab" them while they preen each other. It's not always meant as a mounting behaviour.

If your baby 'tiel is using the nest box as a safe space to sleep, then I don't see the harm in it. So long as it isn't stimulating the desire to continue mating from the adults, it isn't really doing anything other than providing your new baby a place where it feels safe.

 

[gracebowen]

Oops. Let me be more clear. The Conure Jade has taken over the nest box.
Cool to know the foot thing is also a preening behavior.