Question on mating behavior

[roxynoodle]

I think Merlin may be showing some mating behavior to Pete today. She has been backing up against the cage and lifting her tail very high. She stays in that position for rather long periods of time. Is that what she is doing?

It is only the last couple of months I have had birds of the opposite sex. And we know Pete is very interested in Merlin, and now I think Merlin is getting ideas as well!

I may have to be careful with these two as far as being able to have them out together. Different species or not, they are both mature parrots and up in years. Their chances of mating are becoming slim for them, and they may very well decide to try to be mates.

If anyone can advise, I'd be appreciative. Kind of a new situation for me, not just to have opposite gender birds, but birds of different species (and continents!) that may want to get together.

 

[ann]

sorry i cant be of much help but maybe you could fake the season, if they dont think its breeding season they will probably be less inclined to breed, but i dont know if that would stop them from pair bonding.
its not exactly the same as your situation, but it is helpful for stoping breeding bahavior
Discouraging Breeding Behavior In Pet Birds — For The Birds DVM — Avian Vet
good luck!

 

[roxynoodle]

Well, they got mad at each other early this afternoon. Merlin was doing the fire alarm beep over and over, and that upset Pete. So Pete started yelling his alarm clock, which is quite loud, and that scared Merlin. They are being friendly again, but not really trying to woo each other for the time being anyway.

Merlin's former owner told me she very much wants to nest. That's why we give her pine cones to shred instead of paper. If I reach in there to wipe off a poop or something she will try to grab the paper towel from me.

The 2 big birds are in their 20s and the conure is 12. So they are kind of all in their last years of breeding behavior.

I have been turning off their full spectrum lighting earlier and earlier and giving them instead a dim lamp.

 

[lene1949]

OMG... lol.. surely they wouldn't be able to have fertile eggs???

 

[Spiritbird]

Guess you are in for some birdie serenades.

 

[roxynoodle]

OMG... lol.. surely they wouldn't be able to have fertile eggs???

I should think not! I honestly thought that being different species, I wouldn't see them even considering it. But, Pete has turned his courting behavior from me to her the moment he saw her. And then when I saw her showing him that position today I figured she is thinking about him this way as well.