STEVE MARTIN
Dig this: parrot is trying to nest
 Our sun conure is 17 years old. Of late she has been rooting in the recycled
newspaper pellets on the bottom of her
cage for hours on end, something she's never done before. Three years ago, she
became egg-bound and it was touch-and-go while she was under a
vet's care. No problems since, but should we worry she may be making a nest
to lay again? If so, what should we do?
--L. Liddle, Alexandria, Va.
 It sounds to me like your bird is exhibiting some all-too-common nesting
behavior. A parrot that digs in the corner of the cage often is behaving as it
would when trying to dig a
nesting hole in a tree. The fact that your
bird has laid eggs before further supports the theory of nesting behavior.
Speak with your avian veterinarian.
There are some new drugs on the market now that discourage birds from laying
eggs and building nests. Until then, I suggest you take out any substrate
that the bird might identify as nesting material. You might also refrain from
petting, stroking, or scratching the bird on the body. This type of
stimulation can be a bit confusing to a bird that is strongly bonded to a
person, and may encourage nesting.
World-renowned animal trainer Steve Martin established one of the first free-flight bird shows in the country at the San Diego Wild Animal Park in 1976. His international consulting company, Natural Encounters, Inc., now helps zoos all over the world train all types of animals using positive reinforcement.
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