Unusual behavior? Zebras/Societies

robbocop · Post by **robbocop** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:34 pm

OK, here is somethng strange or maybe not. I have 4 birds in a single cage, a male and female Zebra, and 2 societies (unknown sexes). Finally about 2 weeks ago, after the first 2 weeks, the 2 zebras started nest building and sleep there every night. Yesterday and today I noticed that one of the societies, seems to be removing material from their nest when it is empty, then drops it on the cage floor. The female zebra, immediately picks it up, and then immediately, the male zebra goes and takes it from her. She is not always easily letting him do it. I do have 2 nests in the cage, at opposite ends. The male zebra has been working on the nest, adding more material and then he goes and sits in the other nest that has no material in it what-so-ever. Any thoughts?

thanks,

Rob

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:49 pm

It could be because your cage isn't big enough for each couple to have their own space? Maybe not enough nesting material? Maybe they are to young?

If I were you I would have them each in their own cage.

robbocop · Post by **robbocop** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:54 pm

I do have plenty of nesting material in the cage and there seems to be ample space, they all get along great, sometimes even nestle together on the perch. Cage is pretty big for the 4 birds and there is 2 sets of food and water dishes which they all share and interchange, so there does not seem to be any territory issues that I can see. Could be young, I don't know.

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 6:33 pm

I don't think that is unusual behavior, though it may pose problems for breeding. Pairs housed together sometimes interefere with each other's nesting attempts, especially very social or nosy pairs. Offering distractions (e.g. nesting material tied to the side of the cage to pull on, a swing, spray millet hung from the top of the cage, a nontoxic leafy plant branch to explore, etc.) may or may not help. It is also possible that your zebra pair will overcome the society "remodeling" their nest and breed successfully despite the interruption. If they don't finish their nest and produce eggs within the next few weeks, and if this is an option, consider removing the society pair to a separate enclosure temporarily to allow the zebras to breed in privacy (if producing chicks is a main goal of yours). You will probably need an extra cage to house any weaned chicks in anyway.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 11:57 am

I've also observed unexpected behaviour in my cage of two male Zebras and a male and a (?) Society. There are 4 nests in the cage, and after trying them all out, the Zebras settled into one and padded it with dried grass. When the Societies were introduced a few weeks later, the dominant Zebra bullied them a bit and they slept on branches for about 4 days. One night I found the Societies (who seem to turn-in earlier than the Zebras) in the "improved" nest, and the Zebras sitting on branches looking perplexed. Later after lights were dimmed, the Socs were in the nest and I couldn't see the Zebras, until I found them jammed into one of the food cups! As if the dominance order had been reversed. The next day I removed the nest, to even things up, and the Socs immediately adopted another nest and decorated it, but that night the Zebras again slept in the food cup rather than move to one of the other nests. I returned the original Zebra nest and they reclaimed it, and the pairs have slept in their separate nests since then, and the dominant Zebra again bullies the Socs, though not as much. No eggs in the Soc nest yet (I'm still hoping I have two males), but they're really going all out loading it with grass.

robbocop · Post by **robbocop** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 1:22 pm

I have heard that many people put dried grass in the cage for the nests, is this regular lawn clippings, of course screening for bugs, etc.?

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 3:28 pm

I've put a half dozen pots of plants in the cage. One is a fern, the others are dug from the unmowed lawn and a field out front. Plantain (Plantago) and clover (Trifolium) are some of the non-grasses. From the field I dug sections of what I think is Little Bluestem containing stiff dried straw from last year's growth and new shoots. The birds nibble the shoots a bit, and break off the dried stems and wave them around, and the dried blades they use in the nests. The straw reaches the ceiling and is placed so that it gives some screening in front of the nests. There's a photo in the gallery called Jeremy's cage or something like that.