bottom of cage behavior?

Question

i have recently aquired a pair of peach faced lovebirds that are thought to be a year old. they are very happy with each other, feed and groom each other. question is: they love to be on the bottom of the cage chewing up newspaper and then hiding under it. also, one of them likes to roll paper up under itself (even folds a paper towel if I put it in the cage). the bird rolls the paper with its beak, stuffs it under himself, and them rocks back and forth on it. is this the male or the femal? is this behavior "O>K>"?? thanxs.

Answer 1

That's typically female behaviour for trying to make a nest. Males will try and help, but from my experience, they try hard yet aren't very good at it. :P Some males will be good at it though, just females are usually much better.

I don't understand what you mean by the rocking back and forth though.

I'd start putting a grate in to keep them from getting at the paper. While it's fun when they get to do it once in a while when you can watch, if they find it so conveniently, they'll want to make a nest and try to have babies, which is very stressful on the female and VERY hard for an inexperienced or uninformed breeder.

Answer 2

Absolutely ok. I spend between 2-4 hours a day with about 60 birds. (My greenwing is still at the animal house where I bought her because she's weaning).

The smaller species seem to enjoy playing down there more, but even Katie, my Greenwing Macaw lays on her back and tosses her toys up in the air, wrestles with them...it's hillarious to watch.

There's a Black Headed Caique named Mia there that I freakin' love. She rolls up the paper on the bottom into a cylinder and then runs through it just as fast as she can. She does this over and over and over again, and it CRACKS ME UP to watch her. Then when she's all done doing that, she'll go up and pull seed down to hide in there. Then she'll shred it all to hell.

As far as the rocking back and forth...she's well...she's...You know. I can't tell you whether or not she's male or female because you'd need to have her sexed to find out for sure, but Mia's a girl and the first time I held her I became HER prison bit*ch. LOL It's not gender specific, the humping thing.

Nothing to worry about. It's harmless, but freakin' hillarious to watch.

Answer 3

my only concern for this behaviour would be their interaction with their feces. birds who injest their own feces can become VERY sick VERY fast. i learned this after a trip to the vet and a $200 vet bill. is there a grate on the bottom of the cage that keeps them from standing where their droppings go? if not, i highly suggest investing.

Answer 4

That so cute! Your lovebirds are trying to make a nest. It may be time for them to have babies. When lovebirds are ready to have babies they try to make their own nest. You could go to the pet store and buy a nest if you want them to have babies. If you don't then don't buy it. Good luck

Answer 5

They're nesting! Lovebirds are very prolific breeders. They will breed quite successfully if you allow them to. Make sure you want babies or have new homes for them!