Does Mating Equal Eggs?

[Niko]

I have a two year old pair of parrotlets who recently discovered the joys of mating. I'm not trying to breed them and don't have a nest box set up. I have lots of toys that I rotate and they spend most of the day out with me. However they quite frequently mate. My question is will the mating result in egg laying, and if so are there special dietary requirements I should make for the health of my female, or any other precautions I should take. Can birds mate without becoming pregnant? I have read older posts about what to do after they lay eggs ( shaking the eggs so they don't hatch etc.), I just want to insure their safety and well being.

[chapala]

She may begin to lay even without a nest box. If she does, the usual advice is to leave the eggs with her (shaken or frozen) and let her sit on them so that she doesn't lay to replace the missing ones. If she does lay, you want to make sure she has sufficient Calcium in the diet to protect her health and to prevent egg binding. High Calcium foods include the green leafy vegetables (kale, collard, mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion greens), broccoli, cooked legumes, oats. You might also provide a cuttlebone. Pellets contain supplemental Calcium, but even if you feed pellets, it's advisable to provide at least 20% fresh foods and you might want to pick from some on that list, plus a little fruit.

Hope yours is a pair that decides against reproduction since there's no nest box!

[jodeg]

Hmmmm.....maybe.....all the fun without the responsibility???? ;)

[Niko]

Thanks Guys. I always give them fresh foods and vegetables, but I'll make sure to give more high calcium. I wish I had explained to them the facts of life earlier! They're just too young to be starting a family... college first.


Oh I forgot to mention. I downloaded a sounds of the rainforest track and it seems to really get them in the mood. I don't play it anymore but maybe people who are trying to breed might find it useful.

[Sondra]

UM well I have a pair that have been mating for abt 3 mo now have a nest box and are spending a whole lot of time in the box but as yet no eggs.

[PocketPerfectParrotlet]

I also have a pair that are constantly mating, been mating for months now. They are set up with a box, etc. They are yet to lay a single egg. Sometimes I think these little devils just mate for the "fun of it".

[Ms_F]

Had my pair a year. They mated every day, several times a day, but never went near the nest box. We gave up, and then one day there was an egg. They ended up with 7 chicks.