I just came home and found my zebra finches nest on the bottom of the cage and the four eggs on the floor of the cage. Only one was cracked so I threw it away and put the others back in the nest and put the nest back up. The longest they could have been left on the bottom is like two hours. Is that too long to go with out being sat on? Also, the parents are still hopping around on the bottom looking around. Will they take the eggs back after this happened? Will they know one is missing?
2006-09-20 14:03:59 · 7 answers · asked by no1special 1 in Pets ➔ Birds
Will this depress them or affect their health or eating? I'm being serious. I am a concerned bird lover.
2006-09-20 14:19:41 · update #1
When a nest is disturbed, I usually turn out the lights and let the house go dark and quite. The birds should calm down and go to bed in their nest. It is about the time they normally go to bed anyways. Also use a spoon next time to handle the eggs, oils from your hands can affect the eggs. The nest also needs to be more secure. You may be able to distract them from the missing egg with some spray millet. Yum!
2006-09-20 14:34:31 · answer #1 · answered by astarvingartist 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know if the same concept applies to caged birds as it does to wild birds, but I believe it would. Wild birds will typically abandon their eggs if they are handled by other creatures, so it is possible that they may not return to them. It's not always true, but it's typical. Being wild creatures, they also cannot understand the concept of having a helping hand with the nest. In their mind, the eggs are still on the ground. If they haven't gone back to the nest at all, try putting the nest on the floor of the cage. This might help. They will notice the missing egg and mourn for it just like we would a child, but if they accept the eggs again, they will take care of the others despite the missing one. It's possible they may never go back to them since they were handled, but I hope they will. I don't know if they will be too long to go without being sat on, it depends on the temp of the room. It also depends how much they were jarred when they fell, they still may never hatch. If they will still not sit on them after putting the nest on the floor the best thing would probably be to try to get them as warm as possible as quickly as possible. If they have not sat on them after a few hours of the nest on the bottom, you should probably just take the nest out, put as many soft, light, warm materials around them as possible and place the nest under a lamp. It still might not save them, but it's a chance. Better yet, you should probably take the whole lot to the vet. But I know that may not be you most appealing choice, so just do what you can. You might also want to look on animal rescue sites for any tips. Good luck.
2006-09-20 21:22:10 · answer #2 · answered by Laura 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, and they may not go back to the eggs, do to a human handling them. If you want babies, you have to figure out, (by researching) what kind of nest they use and how to stabilize the nest so the eggs won't fall out. After stabilizing the nest, and you find eggs out of the nest again, wait a few days, then toss them. The reason for this is, the birds themselves know weather or not the eggs are good ones. Good luck
2006-09-20 21:17:39 · answer #3 · answered by lafinlady 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your zebra finches seem to have been traumatized and nature tells them that because of this they shouldn't be hatching young. Give them some time to settle down before breeding them again.
How long is too long depends on how old the eggs are- if they have just been laid, there shouldn't be a problem, but if not, it may be.
They will notice one is missing, but I have never known a bird to be upset about missing eggs as long as they have other eggs to devote their time to.
Good luck!
2006-09-20 22:25:29 · answer #4 · answered by lifetimebirdowner 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well you might want to put them back and hope for the best, but usually they have sat on them and decided it was too long and the eggs are not fertile. The egg you threw away, you should have opened to see if there was development in it. You may candle the eggs and see if they are fertile. They probably know they are no good though. Put them back and give it a try, but once they cool, well, not good.
2006-09-23 11:08:07 · answer #5 · answered by cantrellpets 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the eggs were left long enough to cool off to room temperature, the fetuses probably have not survived and the parents will not accept the eggs.
2006-09-20 21:09:08 · answer #6 · answered by Fetch 11 Humane Society 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they are going to know that one is gone. when it comes to the other eggs i really cant say bacause it could go one of two way. they can ignore the eggs or they wont, you just have to wait and see.
2006-09-20 21:12:38 · answer #7 · answered by underworld2289 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋