My budgies won't go inside of nesting box

[markUK]

Hello bird-lovers !

I'm Mark, based in the UK.

I was wondering if anyone could give me an advice to this. I've got a pair of budgies.
Judging their behaviour they're more than ready to mate. Bobbing their heads, flying around each other, kissing, preening, male feeding the female etc.

Two days ago I attached a nesting box to the cage. I ripped some paper and put it in the box, she has a perch to avoid slayed legs, also she has enough light 'coz I put an artificial lighting in the box. The light isn't too strong. Just enough so she can see clearly inside. The box is a sturdy paperbox. Not a wooden one. Hope that's not a deal breaker for her.

Problem is they've been "studying" the box from the outside but they seem to be scared go inside. What should I do ? Should I stick a signpost on the side saying "Listen, it's completely safe, you can go inside and get comfy. Nobody will bite your head off".

Any ideas ?

 

[plumsmum2005]

Hello Mark from the UK LOL.

How long have you given them to adjust to it?

 

[markUK]

Well ... like I said I attached the box to the cage two days ago thus I was expecting her to know right away what to do.

 

[plumsmum2005]

OK we have some breeding experts on here but later (US).

Have they bred before? Says they should be older than 1 y/o?

Seen this? [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8Pydj-xoMM"]How to breed budgies step by step - YouTube[/ame]

Oh love budgies!

 

[markUK]

No. Both are first-timers. If you have some experts on breeding in this community I'd certainly appreciate any advice. Thank you for chiming in.

 

[markUK]

OK we have some breeding experts on here but later (US).

Have they bred before? Says they should be older than 1 y/o?

Seen this? How to breed budgies step by step - YouTube

Oh love budgies!

Yes, I watched it yesterday. I was little bit desperate 'coz I didn't know what I'm doing wrong. But apart from having box made of different material all seems to match. And yes, they're both old enough to have young. As far as I know the female is a hair older than the male.

 

[itzjbean]

How old are they specifically? Are you sure they are not related? I have experience breeding cockatiels but not budgies.

Sometimes when they're relatively young or have never bred/laid eggs/raised young before, they may not know what to do. The budgie experts may chime in here, but I use a wooden box, it's sturdy. I don't put light in the box at all, they have one outside the box. It does lift to open from the top so I can peer inside. It sits right inside their breeding cage.

Two days is not very long, especially if they've never done it before. I'm not familiar with the paper box you mentioned. Were you prepared to take care of the babies should a problem arise? It's a question I always ask people who want to breed their birds.

A responsible breeder will have a brooder, syringes and formula on hand and ready to intervene and pull a baby should the parents stop feeding the chicks. Are you prepared for this? You never mentioned your work schedule, if you do work, but baby parrots need around the clock feedings if their parents will not do this. Are you prepared to do this, should the chicks need your help?

Breeding parrots of any species is no easy task. There's heartbreak and frustration all around, and so much can go wrong. Why not just let the two live happily in love without babies?

 

[markUK]

It's all good I guess. I had a chat with a guy from different forum and he told me that wooden box is a must. Not only they're preferred by female budgies but also for cleaning.
He also emphasised that budgies don't want any lighting in their box. They simply don't need it and it actually makes a lot of sense since they don't get any artificial lighting in a wild either when wild budgies breed

So I'm removing the strip light and getting a wooden box for them. Everything else is up to them

Have a great day !

 

[itzjbean]

It's all good I guess. I had a chat with a guy from different forum and he told me that wooden box is a must. Not only they're preferred by female budgies but also for cleaning.
He also emphasised that budgies don't want any lighting in their box. They simply don't need it and it actually makes a lot of sense since they don't get any artificial lighting in a wild either when wild budgies breed

So I'm removing the strip light and getting a wooden box for them. Everything else is up to them

Have a great day !

You didn't answer my questions above about having a brooder, syringes and formula to feed????? Are you prepared to handle babies should the parents abandon or injure them??