nesting materials

[joyndan]

i have a pair of Quakers that i want to breed but i have no idea of what to provide for them. all i can find on-line are pictures of nests in the wild which don't really help me. should i just put a pile of twigs in their cage and see if they get the idea? any suggestions or pictures of nests would be great.

[Wally]

I can't help ya, but I can tell ya that our Quaker, Sugar, has laid eggs at 3 different times in the past year. She has no mate, so they will not hatch. She just drops them on the bottom grill [1/2 inch bar spacing] of her cage. She clutched 4 eggs over the course of 1-1/2 weeks the first two times, and this last time 3 eggs in about a week. She likes long shreds of paper towel [non-scented---no color dyes], which she pulls in her cage, but she doesn't really make a nest with them, she just makes little bedding like pieces of it by chewing it. Your birds may not want to be affectionate that way to each other....you can bring a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
Good luck to ya,
Wally

[animecouple]

mine right now are using a basic 12x12 cockaiel like nest box.... this is what the previous owner had used for them to breed in but I believe if you can have a slightly larger one they'd appreciate it more. Mine are happily sitting on 6 fertile eggs due to start hatching in 2 weeks now.... also use pine shavings (larger shavings preferably...but the kind you can buy for mice bedding is ok if necesary) DO NOT use cedar shavings or mixed cedar and pine because of the oils in cedar!

watch out!!! when quakers are breeding they can be down right dangerous!!! (maybe not everyone... but I know mine are) I personaly wear leather work gloves for changingpellets water veggies birdie bread etc....

also if you want to be able to check the nest box throughout the course get them in the habit.... possibly make a divider you can slide betwen the cage and nestbox to block them from entering the nestbox when you peek... because first of all they can hurt/break the eggs... and second they can hurt you! I use a thick paper magazine.. and I'm as quick as possible.. I kept track when each egg was laid... any problems.. and also after about a week to a week and a half you can candle them... VERY clean hands or gloves please! gently and quickly and place each one back ezactly as you found it.

ummm.... I'm no expert but if you have other questions feel free to message me.

hope this helps some!

[joyndan]

sounds like very good info, thanks. i'll let you know how they progress.........

[marleystoybox]

you need to get a nesting box for your quakers. I put bedding in the nesting box and put some things in the cage that I bought for nesting if they choose to build a nest. You can buy this stuff at your local pet store

[huntress]

Quakers LOVE sticks/twigs. Even if you give them a box you can give them a pile of safe twigs and watch them weave them through the bars of the cage. Ive seen a pair enclose and entire cage once with twig constructions LOL!! It also stimulates breeding if they can use their natural behaviors and Quakers are nest builders. Correction "CONDO" builders! lol