Uh oh...she's gone into the nest

[smallonion]

Hi everyone,

A few weeks ago I wrote that Humphrey (a female) has become obsessed with the gap between and behind the dark area where our two sofas meet. She just stands there, on the back of the sofa, looking down. She's been doing this for a few weeks. Now today, for the first time, she's gone down there, behind the sofa. I thought she had been scouting out a potential nest spot, but now that she's actually gone down there...do you think I need to start checking for eggs?


Michele and Humphrey64
(Humphrey is walking on the keyboard and typed that '64' after her name.

[Monica]

IMO, I think you should block her off from reaching that spot so that you do not have to worry about eggs as she would not be able to reach that specific spot that she has picked out to nest in. However, of course, this wont mean that she may lay elsewhere...

[CACPioneer]

If she decides to nest, chances are that she'll stay with the eggs (although, there are exceptions!!). So, if you come home to find your little Humphrey missing, she may be nesting behind the sofa. But, I, too, suggest that you block off this area, and if you want her to breed (assuming she has a mate) then just put out a nesting box. My female, Lexi, does the same thing with the gap behind out DVD rack and the wall. It would NOT make a good nesting spot, but she loves to go back there and just hang out. So we've been keeping a close eye on her when she goes back there.

[smallonion]

Thanks everyone - Humphrey is my only parrot, so any eggs will be infertile. My worry is that if I cut her off from that chosen spot, she will find another if she is determined. What do you think? If I cut here off from her chosen nest (assuming that's what she's doing), won't she just find somewhere else? Or would it discourage her from egg laying?

[CACPioneer]

Well, if she's THAT determined, then she'll lay whether or not she has a nesting spot. I'd say go ahead and block it off. Take it from there. If she finds another spot, you can block that spot off too if you feel that is what you need to do. Also, you may be able to help decrease her nesting instict by making sure that she is getting less than 13 hours of daylight per day. About 10 or 11 hours, I think, would be enough of a difference so that she would notice a difference. Plus, she might welcome the extra sleep! :icon_smil