Question About Housing an Opposite-Sex Pair

[enborgle]

I recently came across an opportunity to acquire two unrelated Spectacleds from a local breeder. Both are juveniles. I am wondering if it would be possible to house them together as juveniles into adulthood without causing stress related to early breeding behaviours? Perhaps by structuring the cage-set up as you would for a pet rather than a breeder (i.e. lots of toys, no nest box)?

I would like to breed them eventually, but not before they are of an age that it would be healthy and safe for both. Am I asking for trouble by thinking about housing them together before sexual maturity?

[RockyandhisFriends]

I usually put unrelated, opposite sex birds together when they are 2-3 months of age. At such a young age they usually form a very close bond with each other and unless they are handled everyday they will not be pet quality birds.

I never breed my birds until they are at least a year old if not older.

Even though opposite sex birds are put together there is no gaurantee that they will ever become a breeding pair. If they do happen to mate and lay eggs just take them away from them. If the egg laying continues replace the eggs with artificial eggs.

Phil

[enborgle]

Hi Phil,

Thanks for the response. When it comes right down to it, it is more important to me that the birds be bonded to each other (and to a much lesser extent, to me - I have a single pet Pacific who is very tame if I get the urge for some birdy snuggling). Any breeding they might decide to engage in is of secondary importance.

With that in mind, do you recommend that I stock the cage with toys etc as though for a pet bird, or leave it sparse as though for a breeder? In a similar vein, for those who have adult breeders, do you rotate toys through during the rest periods and only remove them to encourage breeding, or do you keep items in the cage to a minimum all the time?

[RockyandhisFriends]

I keep toys in all my bird cages including my breeders. I remove the toys when I put a box up because its easier to keep the cage clean. I also remove the toys because I put more food and water dishes in the cage and it gets to cluttered with the toys in it.

I always feel that all my birds are my pets first and when I breed them it just another way that I enjoy them. When they're done with a clutch I clean and sterilize everything in the cage including the nest box. I then return all their toys. I do switch their toys around, they are very inquisitive and love the stimulation of new toys or rearrangment of their old toys.

All my breeders may not step up or come to me but I don't have a single bird that bites when I handle them. I recommend treating your breeders as pets, I feel that I get better behavior from their young.

Phil

[chapala]

I think it's a cruel myth that some breeders believe their breeding birds should not have toys or they'll get distracted and not breed. Birds breed just fine in the wild, and they have far more distractions than we can provide for them in a cage with a few toys. In the wild they fly and forage for food, sometimes over quite some distances, watch for and avoid danger, shred and chew, change their perching spots at will. How can a few toys not be a positive for a bonded pair in a cage?

[enborgle]

Chapala, my thoughts exactly. It feels to me that keeping breeders in a cage without toys is creating an environment akin to a puppy mill - no thanks.

Thank you both for sharing your experiences and letting me know I am on the right track with my plans.