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Post by maloneerin on Jun 2, 2015 20:28:28 GMT -5
Hi, i just found my Larry and Bobbie mating.....OHMYBIRDS!!! I saw them together.. And the blue birdie was behind, mounting Larry. Is it possible that Larry is a female? Or will both sexes do that? I don't want eggs..or babies. They both have separate cages, but they eat together, and have play time together. i have also found Larry on the bottom of his cage calling to the blue bird,,,with his back arched and his tail up....does this mean that he is possibly a girl?  i know that to make sure I need to have a DNA test, but I thought maybe this behavior was typical for a female. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks- Erin, aka the "bird mamma" |
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Post by easttex on Jun 3, 2015 8:39:54 GMT -5
Hi Erin, I don't have a definitive answer for you, and I don't know how much this will help. Two birds of the same sex certainly will, and often do, bond. To some extent one of them may exhibit some of the behaviors and postures of the opposite sex, like you're seeing with presumed-male Larry. What's less clear to me is that Larry would permit Bobbie to actually mount him. I just don't know.
If Larry starts laying eggs, that will clinch it, but even if he doesn't, it won't necessarily prove he is a male. I would remove anything nest-like that they have access to. If eggs do start appearing, don't take them away, as that just keeps the female laying more. You can replace them if you have something very similar to put in the nest, or, if you can get your hands on them just after each one is laid, I've read that you can shake them and put them back in the nest to ensure they don't develop.
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Post by maloneerin on Jun 3, 2015 10:34:32 GMT -5
GEEZ! I hope they dont start laying eggs... Thank you for your advise. I should get them DNA'ed for sure.
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Post by kalipso2 on Jun 3, 2015 13:24:38 GMT -5
Take my advice get "him" DNA'd. I thought my Cricket was a boy for 10 years until I came home to an egg(s) a couple of weeks ago. He (technically SHE) doesn't hang out with any other birds but I have other birds.
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Post by maloneerin on Jun 3, 2015 13:50:02 GMT -5
Kalipso, I just read your post about your parakeet and the quaker. What a horrible story. Im sorry : ( I also read that you thought he was a boy for the longest time.
I will get them both DNA'ed. I also thought Blue was a girl. Now I am all messed up! I guess Cricket's eggs were never fertilized? I had no idea that it was even mating season. I guess they could both be girls?
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Post by siobhan on Jun 3, 2015 14:30:07 GMT -5
My two tiels, both most definitely boys, spend the majority of their time working on making nests out of the newspaper in the bottom of each of their cages, and most of the other birds' cages, too. They chirp and sing to each other while they're doing it and also bicker like an old married couple, but I've never caught them actually mounting each other. Both also sometimes back up with their tails in the air as if they're poised for mating. They don't have to be of opposite sexes to be a couple. What's even crazier is, I had a female tiel (since passed on) and when she joined the family, I thought they would think, "Ah! a female!" and compete for her attention and instead they ignored her entirely. Wouldn't have a thing to do with her, even socially.
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Post by maloneerin on Jun 3, 2015 15:17:02 GMT -5
I wish I could post the quick video I took. ( I felt like a dirty birdie for doing it) but I wanted to find out what was going on! I hope they don't lay eggs and this bratty bird mood goes away soon.
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Post by Jan and Shah on Jun 3, 2015 16:56:15 GMT -5
My male cockatiel will build nests for the female to lay her eggs (I usually put a nest box in when he starts ripping up paper). She passed away last year. I put their baby, Spike, in with Pippin. I cannot determine Spike's sex. "He" is backing up like a female but when Pippin goes close to him, he goes berko and runs away. Pippin and Spike are both ripping up paper at the moment (which encourages Shah to do the same thing) but I wont be putting the nest box back in. Spike is around 17 months old. I dont think I will ever know what sex Spike is unless he starts laying eggs  |
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Post by Ronni on Sept 27, 2016 15:25:59 GMT -5
Erin,
Do you still have Larry? My mom has found a quaker and Larry is one of the names he gives. I have found no other quakers with this name. just thought I would ask.
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Post by maloneerin on Sept 28, 2016 8:08:03 GMT -5
I do! He did fly out the back door about two years ago, and was lost for about 10 hours, but I found him in the trees down the street. I have kept his wings clipped ever since. I hope you find who he belongs to. Im sure who ever lost him, is heart broken.
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Post by beccilouise on Oct 2, 2016 15:57:37 GMT -5
Hi maloneerin. It does sound like Larry is exhibiting the behaviour of a female bird, but male birds do sometimes do this. It's impossible to tell unless an egg is laid or you get a DNA test. Keeping sunlight to twelve hours a day, covering the birds at night and avoiding feeding warm, soft foods should help keep the mating behaviour to a minimum. If, per chance, you do see an egg, it may be worth purchasing some dummmy eggs (you can get them from . You should always allow the bird to sit on the eggs to avoid bringing the female back into season. Obviously, however, you don't want baby birdies, so if I were you, I would get dummy eggs and sneakily replace the real eggs with the fake ones. Your bird should (theoretically) continue to sit on the dummy eggs until she gets bored, which she will eventually. This way, you do not end up with a million eggs, you limit the stress of your bird and you don't end up with babies. It may seem unfair, but actually it is the best way to deal with egg laying IF it happens, as the hen is not traumatised by losing her eggs and you do not have to find suitable homes for a clutch of chicks. There are already enough homeless companion parrots out there, so I don't blame you for not wanting chicks! Best to try and prevent egg laying if you can though, and DNA testing, supervised playtime and controlled daylight hours will help you do this as it should help to regulate the hormone levels. I thought Maya was a boy for four months. It was a bit of a shock to find that she was a girl, but I love her just the same! At the end of the day, it doesn't matter all that much, and it's always best to know so that you can prevent accidents. |
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Post by beccilouise on Oct 2, 2016 16:05:32 GMT -5
Hahaha, just realised this an old thread. I'm an idiot. But glad you haven't lost Larry! Did you ever get him/her DNA tested?
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