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What does digging in cage mean?
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.
ParrotChronicles.com
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