Eastern rosella behaviour

[terryl]

I've only had Ollie for a couple of weeks and have been experimenting with various fruits and veg to see what it will eat(have to call it "it" as I don't know the sex yet). It strikes me that I have a very weird bird who doesn't seem to like anything I try- except apple. Other fruits and veg have been tried and are totally ignored or thrown around the cage, saw a thing about scrambled egg so tried it today- total and absolute disdain
My main reason for writing is to ask if anyone can explain some strange behaviour. Ollie is kept in a fairly large cage but is allowed out at every opportunity, The cage is the type with a detachable bottom plastic deep tray, and the cage portion sits on a lip and is held on by two clips. Well over the last few days Ollie has been spilling seed from the feeder onto the floor, picking it up and then trying to lodge the seed on the plastic lip behind the bottom bar of the cage even going back into the cage just to do it, is it mimmicking some normal wild bird behaviour or what? any ideas please?

[terryl]

Further to my last message, this is still going on! Ollie is now folding back one corner of the newspaper on the cage bottom and nibbling off small strips which he is also trying to lodge on the cage tray lip.
I am thinking from his behaviour lately- getting very amorous with his toys and wrapping his wings around them, that he is a male although still in juvenile plumage.
A Question- do male Rosellas nest build? could this strange behaviour this?

[Tiki]

Rosellas nest in tree hollows in the wild but in the absence of this, might try to create a nest out of whatever they find. If you check out the video clips in the album here, you can see my Maui getting amourous with a toy-it's called Maui doing the Hula. I think you probably have a female there who is getting hormonal and "nesty".

[terryl]

Thanks Tiki, that is a great piece of video- not quite waht Ollie is doing, but close.
I love the background music, sounds Maori to me. Funnily enough I was listening to an LP of Taku Toa the other day, brought back great memories of the all too short time I spent in NZ, many,many moons ago.

This is my first experience with a Rosella and with my (now 2) tiels. Always kept budgies before but felt like I wanted a difference this time around.

[straightdope]

i've also encountered the same situtation U described. i went thru a period of testing different friuts besides apples.. they would'nt touch them ! then they got paticular on the apples. & now will only eat Granny Smiths.. as to the seed diet, they get a nice mix from 3 or 4 different types. i did notice mine like Hagin Tropimix for small parrots. & sunflower seeds !!

[leigh01]

My rosella loves sunflower seeds, dried chillis, apples, monkey nuts and millet. o and of course honey bars lol.

[Krazy Karen]

Mine will only eat apples and corn. Sometimes they will try celery and carrot.

[green_feather]

My Maybe tends to only really like really green vegetables not a big fruit bird. They are gorund feeders so alot of grainy things they usually like, cerial perhaps. Just keep on trying with new food