Immaculate Conception

[TootsieRolo]

Hello! I'm a little new to Lovebirds. And I have a few questions I would like to ask some experienced pet owners... A little over a year ago I got my first baby lovebird, Tootsie. She started laying eggs and I didn't think much of it. I've read plenty about females laying eggs even tho there are no males around. As instructed by multiple websites I leave the eggs in her cage for about a month until she stops paying attention to them,then one by one I toss them. I've tried all I can to get her to stop laying. She still persists on laying eggs. It wasn't too much of an issue until one of the eggs hatched! Tootsie has never had a mate. I do not know anyone with another Lovebird. Currently I am going with the theory of Parthenogenesis, which basically means she duplicated her DNA to create a male to carry on the species. I am awaiting the test results to find out for sure if Rolo (or Jesus bird) is a male or female. Rolo is now about 2 1/2 months old. I know that if Rolo is a boy, he should not be able to fertilize any eggs just yet. Tootsie has since laid another clutch! This time she seems to be spending even more time on her eggs. I'm pretty sure these wont hatch. I never wanted to be a breeder, but it seems like she is trying her best to turn me into one. Does anyone have any tips to help stop any inbreeding between mother and baby from happening? And if they do breed what are the possibilities?? Would the babies survive like any other lovebird or would they have more medical problems?

Any ideas, suggestions, or opinions would be great! I know it sounds crazy. I had to convince my vet that I didn't have a hidden camera on me!

 

[Billy29]

Maybe Jesus has come as a bird. Why should we be the only species that gets him?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Ahem....WHAT????? :11:

I'm sorry, I'm cracking up laughing over Billy's comment, and don't believe for a single second that your lovebird had an egg that hatched WITHOUT ever being fertilized.

 

[Billy29]

In all seriousness I believe some birds can mate and store their baby daddys love nectar for when they need it.

 

[TootsieRolo]

My vet told me they can store the sperm up to one month before laying the egg. The best explanation she could come up with was that one time when I had her cage outside a wild lovebird came up to her cage and got her pregnant through the bars. I've only had her cage outside maybe two times in a tiny fenced in apartment patio while I ate dinner right next to her. Not to mention Lovebirds arent very commonly seen in the Ohio wild.

 

[MonicaMc]

I've heard that they can store sperm for up to two weeks. How old is Tootsie and how long have you had her for?


Considering the genetics, the chick should be male. Birds have the same chromosomes as reptiles do, and in reptiles, when parthenogenesis occurs, the offspring are males.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | 'Virgin births' for giant lizards


Gotta say, this isn't the first time I've heard of it happening! The first story the lovebird wasn't around any other lovies for 6 months! (this was years ago!) Unfortunately, they never did any testing on the chick so couldn't confirm if parthenogenesis did occur or not.



Considering that both are cinnamons, and cinnamon is sex-linked, the only way for her to produce cinnamon offspring with a male would be if the male was also cinnamon or split cinnamon... so making the chances even smaller that she met up with a "wild Ohion cinnamon/split lovebird"!!!

 

[Billy29]

He has returned as bird, I'm going to rub this in to my Jewish friends.

 

[MonicaMc]

Ok, just did a search.... Apparently, there's a possibility of parthenogenis occuring in peachface lovebirds at least twice. Once in 1999 (before I got into birds), and another time over 5 years ago, but don't have the exact year since I don't recall exactly where I read it on.... I just remember speaking with the owner about whether or not it was possible.

The one that happened in 1999, it was a female lovebird that had been single for 5 years and gave birth to a male offspring that sadly died due to a dog attack. Apparently the vet, as well as Avian Biotech were in trying to figure out if parthenogenesis had actually occurred. I know no more than that.

 

[DallyTsuka]

if this is true, this has to be one of the most amazing things i have ever heard of.

do you have photos of your birdies to share?

 

[ShellyBorg]

I wonder if a teaching collage like Davis or Cornel would be open to do free testing on this. It would set the avian community on its ear.

 

[MonicaMc]

I can ask some breeders about it and see if any of them know more about it happening....

 

[TootsieRolo]

Thanks for all the info! I've been trying to find cases of parthenogenesis in lovebirds but hadn't found anything. I have had Tootsie for about a year. I got her from a breeder when she was about 2 months old. Still waiting to hear if Rolo is a boy. If he is a boy I may see if there is someone around that can tell me for sure if it was parthenogenesis or if Tootsie is sneaking out at night to meet wild lovebirds. Still wondering if any has suggestions on how to keep the two of them from reproducing.

 

[KimKim]

Still wondering if any has suggestions on how to keep the two of them from reproducing.

Can you get another cage and keep them separated?

 

[TootsieRolo]

This is Rolo


and momma and baby together

 

[TootsieRolo]

Still wondering if any has suggestions on how to keep the two of them from reproducing.

Can you get another cage and keep them separated?

I could get another cage but they love being out around the house. I don't think that a separate cage will keep them apart since while I'm home I usually have the cage door open. Tootsie gets anxious if I don't let her out a lot.

 

[ShellyBorg]

Just toss any eggs they lay.

 

[MenomaMinx]

It happens in chickens.....quasi-normal-relax

 

[JadeB]

LOL this is the best thing I have ever heard!