What Is Sun Doing?

[RED DAVE]

Hi, Everybody:

My wife and I are the proud parents of Sun and Shine, two beautiful Sun Conures about a year old. In the past few days, Sun, the more aggressive one, has been tearing at the paper at the bottom of the cage, getting under it and sitting quietly for awhile.

We suspect a blessed event is imminent? Any suggestions or helpful observations?

David

[xafsmom]

Is it the cock that's doing the tearing and aggression, or the hen?

Sun Conures don't have a particular breeding season at all, and will happily breed year-round. So, at a year old, your bird could be experiencing levels of juvenile hormones, especially if your weather is turning. You can actually stimulate breeders to breed by turning sprinkers on the roof of a breeding aviary so it simulates rain. Heh

Could be a number of things in your case though. At a year old, your sun is pretty much immature to mate. Though, some DO manage it around a year/18 months, it's unlikely. Most likely, Sun is liking the comfy nest s/he made and is claiming it as her/his space. Conures love to have hidey holes for snoozing and they also love to tear up paper. "Nesting" activity is very common to Conures even juveniles if allowed, but consider it more practice than actual breeding behaviour.

If for some reason your year old hen is looking puffy around the vent or lays an egg, you should seriously consider getting her checked by a vet. Year old Aratinga hens shouldn't be laying at a year, and it would be a serious drain on her body as she's still essentially growing (maturing) until about 2-3. Egg binding becomes a serious problem in young laying Conures as well.