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Male zebra suddenly fighting with the new mother.

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:03 pm
by livinonaprayer
A baby came on April 21st and one on the 23rd.
Everything seems to be going ok except for my concern about them feeding the babies (which I got excellent help from you guys by the way).

Now the male keeps wanting to fight with the female. Especially when he goes in the nest he fights her off when she wants to go back in. But when she goes in the nest they're fine and he'll even join her. The perfect couple.

Why the sudden dominance?

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:03 pm
by chrischris
I had the same thing happen with my gouldian pair.

Pair 1 - female chased the male especially just before the lights went off for the night. She did this while she was incubating and even when the chicks hatched but at other times they both are in the box tending to the chicks...go figure..

Pair 2 - no problems till eggs hatched than male would chase the hen outside of the nest box. Did this several times a day. After day 2 the pair settled down and both are tending to the chicks... go figure.

I guess if they are able to settle down and tend to the chicks I wouldn't worry.

Chris

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:31 pm
by livinonaprayer
So I guess it's not too unusual for him to suddenly start fighting her.
I thought he might have been jealous of the attention she was giving the babies. Every single time she left the nest to eat he'd run in there and sit by the little guys.
I can safely assume he'll get over it right?