Zebra parents suddenly fighting. Is this normal behavior?

livinonaprayer · Post by **livinonaprayer** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 10:26 am

We had two babies hatch this past week.
Everything was going fine but for the past few days the male has been fighting with the female every time she comes out of the nest.
She only comes out to eat. Suddenly he'll chase her and fight with her. Especially when he goes in the nest after she comes out. He acts like he doesn't want her back in there. But once she's back in the nest he's fine and he won't bother her.
At night all is well and they sleep together in the nest like the perfect couple.
What's going on?

poohbear · Post by **poohbear** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:21 pm

Remove the male ....he'll be throwing the chicks out next.She'll manage fine on her own.Put him back when the young 'uns have left the nest.
Paul.

livinonaprayer · Post by **livinonaprayer** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 9:42 pm

The odd thing is that he'll go in the nest and sit with the babies. I think he's feeding them too.
The latest thing now is that besides fighting with the mother he's not going in the nest at night with her.
It almost seems like he's become jealous or something.

When she's in the nest during the day my husband and I will go up to the cage and give attention to the male. He'll pull on our hair so we give him a little scrap of paper which he promptly deposits in the nest.
I'm just at a total loss as to why the sudden change in his attitude toward her. Maybe we shouldn't show him any extra affection or attention. Could that be it?

poohbear · Post by **poohbear** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 9:06 am

Who knows what the little devil is thinking, I still think it would be wise to seperate them.
Paul.

livinonaprayer · Post by **livinonaprayer** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 11:06 am

Thanks for the advice. No point in trying to psychoanalyze them.
Gotta do what's best for the little family.
Thanks again.