Egg Laying And Sleeping

[SaraBridge]

Hello everyone! You will all think I'm nuts, but here's my dilemma that maybe you can help me with - I'm sorry it's long: Sarah came to me as soon as she was weaned six years ago. From the very start, she slept in a little tent that is open on two ends (she loves hanging out in there from time-to-time during the day as well).

She has always had an affinity toward chewing paper (as lovebirds do), but not knowing very much about lovebirds at the time, I didn't give this too much attention (thought it was pretty funny how she's tuck the paper in her back too!). Two years ago, I was working from home at this time, and my daily challenge was keeping important papers from her, but letting her have a field day on the junk mail . Shame on me! One morning, she just wasn't herself. She didn't make the usual "I want out" noises, and when I uncovered her cage, she was sitting in her little tent facing the wall. I was about to panic when I noticed an egg at the bottom of the cage. It was the first time she laid an egg.

After this, I tried very hard to keep her from paper, but five months later, I realized she was going into full-blown nesting mode, so I let her do what she needed to do. Like the first time, she had no interest in the eggs.

Last April she laid her third clutch and for the first time, knew to sit on them. I looked to my avian vet for advice about how long I should let her sit, and she recommended that I not remove the eggs until she becomes disinterested (otherwise, she'd more than likely go right back into nesting mode). I replaced her tent with a type my Caique uses (only one opening and maybe feeling more like a nest box - I'm such a pushover!), put her eggs in, and she was so cute being a diligent little mom. BUT, it took 2.5 months before she lost interest in the eggs! My vet then recommended that I remove the tent(s) altogether because it was possible this was aiding in the nesting thing.

I couldn't bring myself to remove the tent because this is all she has known for sleeping. I made sure, though, that she had no access to paper or little dark hiding places to encourage nesting.

During the first week of September, sure enough, she laid five new eggs. I switched out her tents again (from two openings to one) and figured she'd do much like she did above. I would then think about removing the tent altogether once she tired of the eggs. Believe it or not, as of this morning, she was still as interested in the eggs as she was back in September! FOUR whole months! So, since her cage was in need of replacing, I bought a new one for her today. In setting up the new cage, I put in a fresh tent (two openings), along with her other familiar play things and food dishes. She's looking for her eggs

Now I'm thinking....do I get rid of the tent(s) altogether? I don't want her to become a perpetual egg layer and risk her little health, but how the heck will she sleep? She's so used to the comfort of her tent. Do most birds sleep standing? Have I spoiled her rotten? What's a mother to do?

Any recommendations (discouraging egg laying strategies or sleeping hints) would be so very much appreciated.

So sorry for the lengthy post!

 

[cockatielfan17]

u must take out all the tents and anything that has to do with breeding! she will become calcuim deficent or maybe be eggbound and there will be a huge chance of death wait until her heat is done then u could return it to her but plz take everything out that could mean the sightest bit of breeding season to her

 

[SaraBridge]

Thank you for responding! Yes, this is my worry!! Thankfully, I've been very careful to make sure she is getting extra calcium. So, is she okay in the tent until she starts showing signs of wanting to nest? If I then take the tent out when she shows these signs, will she be able to sleep or will she crash to the bottom of her cage each time she nods off? How does your bird sleep?

 

[Pedro]

It is best for your birds health not to encourage nesting at all. I have 3 sun conures & sure enough they love to have a little tent to sleep in at night. But since they have matured & chewed the heck out of the last one I haven't replaced it. I know I have Mother & daughter but not sure about the youngest sibling, just in case it's male i don't want them to get all nestie. They have compromised as i do cover them at night they snuggle up together & hang from the side of the cage. You can also get a bird buddy that can be hung in the cage for the bird to snuggle beside.

She won't crash to the floor it is normal for birds to perch on one foot while sleeping.

 

[sssaucey]

I would take out the tent because she will continue to lay eggs when there are places to nest, birds can sleep standing up on a perch she'll be fine without the tent

 

[cockatielfan17]

birds in the wild will sleep standing and sometimes with only one foot and also domestic birds do the same please take out the tent she will learn if she cant she will sleep in the bottom or she will find a way trust me

 

[HalfInsane]

I had a lovebird with (brief) chronic egg laying, and she didn't even have a hut or anything of the sort. She had three clutches before I finally sorted things out. The first time around, she got egg binding and required an emergency trip to the vet to save her (she laid freakishly, abnormally large eggs for lovebird...).

As far as taking the nest out. Yes, yes, and yes again. I assure you, she'll sleep fine without it. Lovebirds are cavity nesters; so anything that is cave like (boxes, bird huts, even cardboard tubes) is a big no no. Do not let her play in boxes, etc in or outside of the cage. I couldn't even let my bird near blankets, as she'd crawl under them and begin making her "nesty noise" (sounded a bit like clucking).

The second thing to avoid is, yes, paper. None at all. If you don't have a grate at the bottom of the cage, it'd be better to just have nothing down there and scrub it daily. They'll make little nests on the ground if they have paper.

Third, to discourage future egg laying, it is best to limit her daylight hours; she should be getting 10-12 hours of "night" every night. This tricks their internal clock out of thinking it is breeding season. Get a cage cover, and keep the room she is in dark and quiet for this amount of time, every night. You said you'd bought her a new cage recently? If her new cage is in a busy room, set up the old one as a sleeping cage somewhere quiet.

Chronic egg laying can be a serious problem, not only if the bird gets egg binding, but because it is very draining on their little bodies. It takes a lot of resources (mostly calcium) to form eggs. It needs to be taken seriously and dealt with immediately.

 

[HalfInsane]

Oh, and one last thing I should add, don't pet her back. It puts them in the mood... she may very well enjoy it (too much), but it can result in more unwanted eggs.

Oh, and best of luck, keep us updated.

 

[SaraBridge]

So nice to 'meet' you, HalfInsane. I must be the other half of insane

I'm so sorry your poor little one was egg bound the first time around. What a fright! But, thank God she made her way through that okay! It's my biggest fear!

Thank you so much for all that you offer here. I have tried so hard to keep her from finding little hiding places when she is out of her cage. And she can be a little devil. Once, she went under the stove and found her way to the top of the hot water heater that is under the counter. The only way for me to get to the water heater is to pull out the stove! Now, the stove and refrigerator are sealed from the floor! I don't let her get into any boxes or tubes or anything that will get her going. She pretty much runs around the floor, or flies from counter to counter in her quest to find paper! After a little "out" time, I pop her back into her cage.

I learned to keep all paper from her and although this is an enormous challenge, I don't give in! There is a grate at the bottom of her cage, but she tried to squish herself through it to get at the paper - ugh! Now, I keep a plastic trash bag at the bottom of her cage - she has no interest in that, thank God! If she did, I'd do just as you say, keep nothing on the bottom and scrub every day!

I keep her cage (and my Caique's) in my bedroom because the room gets nice sunlight during the day, and from there, they can see me at my desk that is in the living room. They are put to bed no later than 7 pm, their cages are covered, and I don't uncover them until about 7:30 the next morning. It is very quiet because I live alone. If she starts her "I want out" earlier than 7, then the following night, before I go to bed, I pull her cage out into the living room and she then has to wait until I get up and uncover her (and the room is usually quite dark still). Right now, she's getting at least 12 hours of "night" each night. Maybe she needs more than 12 hours?

Yes, I did get her a new cage and set it up entirely different from her other cage. Figured I'd rock her world a little and that might get her back to being a normal lovie once again. Doing this and removing the eggs seems to have worked so far. She was her old, wonderful little self today! I just hope it will last!

I don't pet her back, but I do scratch her head and before bed time, I give her a treat and let her crawl up my sleeve to fall asleep - so CUTE! Then, I put her into her tent for the night. I guess these things will have to stop as well

It's frustrating because I feel that I am now doing all of the right things, but she just wants to nest. She hasn't laid more than twice a year since her first egg, but I don't know why she sits on the eggs for soooooo loooooooong!

My vet felt she's simply doing what lovebirds do and that she'd be fine if I keep the tent out of her cage during the day, but let her sleep in it at night. What do you think? Should I give this a try? Right now, she's hanging onto the side of the cage. Poor little thing :31:

 

[HalfInsane]

I don't pet her back, but I do scratch her head and before bed time, I give her a treat and let her crawl up my sleeve to fall asleep - so CUTE! Then, I put her into her tent for the night. I guess these things will have to stop as well

My vet felt she's simply doing what lovebirds do and that she'd be fine if I keep the tent out of her cage during the day, but let her sleep in it at night. What do you think? Should I give this a try? Right now, she's hanging onto the side of the cage. Poor little thing

Oh no, no reason for that. It's fine to give them head skritches. No more tent, but there's no harm in scratching her head/neck.

I don't know about leaving the hut in at night... I understand it probably is upsetting seeing her not being able to cuddle up and sleep, but she'll surely adapt with time. Maybe wait and see if anyone who might know better replies. I tend to play by a "better safe than sorry" philosophy, myself.

It sounds like you're doing well though; I actually bought my lovie a brand-new cage when she started laying eggs, too. Worked like a charm. I feel it was because she came to think of her old cage as a "nest", something she never thought of the new cage as. In fact, I'd cleaned out her old cage and left it on the kitchen counter to dry (this was a good two months after she'd last laid eggs), and she found it, hopped in, and started up with her clucking and other nesting behaviors. Needless to say, I got that thing out of her sight, fast!

 

[SaraBridge]

OH, YEAH!!!!! Thank you so much for these words!!!!! I'm so glad to hear that because I think the most enjoyable and most "bondable" time of our day is when she gets her little head scratches and falls to sleep in my sleeve!