Have just rescued two lovies..

[MiloMacaw]

Ok- this is a long story but I will try to get the jist of it down! Sat morning I found a nanday conure in a cardboard box on my front step. there was no note, he wasn't banded, he was fully flighted and very scared of people. I had NO idea where he came from. After asking around, I discovered that he belonged to a woman down the street from me who had several bird cages out on her porch, the nanday included. Apparently, she was getting complaints from her neighbors that the nanday was too loud, so she had to get rid of him, and seeing as I am the known parrot lady with my big macaws- I got nominated.

So I went to confront her about abandoning this baby on my front porch in fridgid weather at 6 am without even knocking or leaving a note, and I was horrified by what I saw on her front porch. There were four other cages on her front porch, one with three budgies, one with four tiels, and one with two lovies. All of them were in too small cages, and the lovies cage was actually rusting apart. Anyway, I offered her $50 for the lot and took them all home with me.

That's WAY too many for me to deal with and I don't have all the quarentine space, so I sent the budgies and the tiels to a friend of mine who raises budgies, and kept the lovies and the nanday for now. Now I was told that these two are siblings, male and female raised by their parents. They are VERY bonded and do not leave each others side. They are about 6 months old.

So, what can I do? I obviously don't want them to breed, but I can't seperate a bonded pair can I? Can they remain in the same cage and not breed if I dont provide them with nesting supplies? will that stress them out?

Any help would be GREEEAAT.

[jenseits]

Oh, poor babies! I REALLY hope that woman doesn't end up getting any other animals. That's just criminal.

[Flappuccino]

nope- can't stop it forever...
My BIL, who has a bonded bro/sis pair has tried everything to discourage breeding. No shreddables, no box, constantly changing the environment, etc.
The female, however, had other ideas. When they were out flying around, she even found a place way up high in the corner of a book shelf and began being very territorial of her space. She would even take bites of cardboard CD cases when Greg wasn't looking and hide them up there. Feathers, too.
Anyway, last week she started laying eggs on the floor of their cage. My BIL went out of town, and the person caring for the birds thought he was doing the right thing by putting in a nest box. Now, we're pretty sure some of the eggs are fertile and it's obviously too late to boil them.
You definitely would want to boil any eggs this pair lays within the first 24 hrs, and either give her the eggs back to sit on, or give her fake ones until she gives them up. If you just take them away, she'll continue to lay until she feels her brood is complete, which isn't healthy for her.
We're praying these eggs don't hatch, and also that if they do, that they're healthy and don't have missing parts or something.
Good luck!

[catschair]

If the grandparents weren't related, the babies should be fine. Egyptian royalty interbred for years . After checking out my genealogy and how many times cousins got married in early New England -- I am somewhat surprised that I don't have two heads!

Thanks for rescuing those babies -- you have a big heart!

[Flappuccino]

It sure will be interesting to see what these babies look like- if any hatch.
In my BIL's case, the grandparents were not related. But just to be on the safe side, he'll not let them have any more fertile clutches.

[Lori~D]

If they are only six months old yes you can separate them - dont feel bad - its for there there own good. They will be able to Re- pair at this young of an age. They would easily Re pair if one dies. Its not cruel - its for thier own good. They can bond again.