Canaries breeding?

[tbj]

Sorry if there's another post on this somewhere obvious. :( Anyways, I'm petsitting these two canaries and I'm like 99% sure I've seen them mate! They're two orange canaries, I don't know if they're male and female but I'd assume so now (though I have heard of cases where one bird takes the other position... but besides that). Anyways one was on top of the other and one of them has this strange habit of hopping into the food dish and throwing seed around, maybe she's planning on laying eggs there? Also, when I change the paper, some of it is shredded, so that sounds like another nest making thing.
What do I do? I'm just petsitting them for another week... should I let them lay eggs if they want to? They wouldn't hatch while in my care, right? But I don't think the owners want to raise chicks either. And it must be hard work and what if the female gets egg bound? I don't think I can separate them, I would have to buy another cage and I have no clue how to get a canary into a different cage without scaring it. Besides, it's probably too late if I've seen them mate.
Please let me know if you have any suggestions, I have a parakeet and a cockatiel but I have very little knowledge on canaries! Thank you very much :)

[Lori~D]

well if they do lay and then they get moved it will probably upset them and the nest anyway. if you want them to lay get a nest cup and some nesting material from the pet store for canaries. Offer plenty of cuttlebone for calcium and dont worry about the egg binding issue - if it happens then the vet! She will lay weather your ready or not. if you take the eggs from her she will continue to lay more.

My advise would be to separate them if your unsure and that is easy. you can get a small temp cage from the pet mart for around $15.00 put the cages on the floor and dim the lights to almost nothing. reach in and gently take one out. DONT squeeze. Keep them side by side but it may be to late anyhow.

[tbj]

Thanks for responding! It probably is too late to move them but I'll think about it... I don't want them to breed but I might get the nesting stuff anyways because I don't want her to lay eggs in the food dish! Again thank you very much for your response.