male not breeding female

[birdymomma]

i know for sure i have a male and female, the female is laying eggs but i am doubting they are fertile because the male will not mate with her, he starts to step up on her back and then backs off...any ideas? both are mature enough to breed but have never done so, i just put a nest box in with them so perhaps it is due to inexperience?

[Monica]

Can you tell us more about the pair? Such as age? Cage location?? Size? (do you have a picture?) Location of other breeding pairs?

Sometimes it is due to inexperience, as first time pairs may not get it right the first 2-3 times. However, if after getting a few chances and they still don't get it right, then one may want to consider repairing the birds.

[2horse]

Are the perches strong enough?

[birdymomma]

Originally Posted by 2horse

Are the perches strong enough?

see that is what i am wondering as well, they have normal perches but the cage they are in is wire (homemade job i got with the pair) so the perches are slid through the holes......and i am wondering if they are a bit unstable?

[birdymomma]

Originally Posted by Monica

Can you tell us more about the pair? Such as age? Cage location?? Size? (do you have a picture?) Location of other breeding pairs?

Sometimes it is due to inexperience, as first time pairs may not get it right the first 2-3 times. However, if after getting a few chances and they still don't get it right, then one may want to consider repairing the birds.

i can't remember what he said for exact age but i knowthey are older than 2 but not super old...i don't have any other breeding pairs in the room i do however have two females in cages below their cage (waiting for new owners to pick them up) the cage is in the middle of the kitchen and living room area, size of the cage is very tall, they built them a homemade one

[birdymomma]

the cage is close to 6 feet tall i'd have to measure width

[birdlady49]

It sounds like it could be a perch problem, if they're just stuck through the bars of your handmade cage. There can be no wiggling of the perches if the male is to feel secure.

Do you laugh or make other noises when he's about to step on the female? Sometimes if he spots you watching them, he'll stop what he's doing. It could also be the females in the neighboring cage. It doesn't take much to distract them.

[birdymomma]

no i don't laugh at him but i noticed that if he catches me looking at him he gets distracted and starts talking to me...perhaps they are mating inside nestbox? I will move the other females and revamp my perches etc.

[2horse]

I have just realized something else. It is too late in the year to be breeding. I know birds can breed year round just not a good idea. It is breeding season in the southern hemisphere now. A perch has to be very strong and stable for successful breeding.

[birdlady49]

Originally Posted by birdymomma

no i don't laugh at him but i noticed that if he catches me looking at him he gets distracted and starts talking to me...perhaps they are mating inside nestbox? I will move the other females and revamp my perches etc.

Speaking of laughing ... I have ringneck doves that also are known as "laughing doves." They have voices that sound just like a human laughing.

My doves always laugh after mating. (Maybe we should learn a lesson from doves!)