FINCHforum

My RCCB male has been trying to feed his female.
She pushes him away and does not want any of it.
Other wise they get along fine.

What does that mean?
Is she just not ready to breed?
Should I look for another hen for him?

Jerry

Love to bath!!

He is breeding mode and will feed her if she allows it...if she is young she might just need a little time to mature.

How could you even think of splitting up the royal couple!!

I'm sure she just needs a bit more time.

Queen_Bee wrote:How could you even think of splitting up the royal couple!!

I'm sure she just needs a bit more time.

I think so!
I won't split them up!
Also I am looking for a bigger cage for them.
I put an ABBA nest box on the outside, but no interest so far.
Maybe they need wicker?

Jerry

Brush is what they need. Cut some pieces of firmish brush (i australia we use melaleuca and ti-tree) and put it in in a clump.

My rccb's make their nest in a wicker cup and use grass and cotton fibers to add to the nest. They are sitting on some eggs, I think, but I don't want to disturb them as this is the first time they have incubated!

finchmix22 wrote:My rccb's make their nest in a wicker cup and use grass and cotton fibers to add to the nest. They are sitting on some eggs, I think, but I don't want to disturb them as this is the first time they have incubated!

They love their privacy when nesting. Make sure to have lots of food available to them and keep an eye on them when you think any eggs may be ready to hatch - mine toss their chicks. Hopefully yours will be better parents and you won't have to worry about that!!

Jayburd wrote:Brush is what they need. Cut some pieces of firmish brush (i australia we use melaleuca and ti-tree) and put it in in a clump.

I don't know if we have anything like that here in Canada?

All my other birds have been using "Burlap" or potatoe sack material.
I get it by the 30 feet long by 6 inch wide roll.
Cut it into two inch wide strips and seperate it.
My cubans and goulds love it.

[/quote]
They love their privacy when nesting. Make sure to have lots of food available to them and keep an eye on them when you think any eggs may be ready to hatch - mine toss their chicks. Hopefully yours will be better parents and you won't have to worry about that!![/quote]

They love egg food and eat it like crazy!
They will not touch meal worms, I tried and tried!

I may move them to a higher shelf also,
where they will have more privacy.

Jerry

well if you have any non-poisonous bushes that look something like this http://www.tubestock.com.au/lepto3a.jpg
with leaves something like this
http://prosperitywithnature.com/58-93-l ... a-tree.jpg
it should be oK

Thanks for those photos, Jayburd, it helps in trying to figure out what they might like here in the U.S. My RCCBs will not use an outside nest--they use the large hooded wicker nests, filling them with lots of coco fiber. Like so many waxbills, they love white feathers to line their nest.

Lucky you, to have RCCBs that don't want mealworms! Give them lots of eggfood when they have babies, that will give them the protein they are missing out on with no mealworms.

If she is not in breeding mode, it doesn't matter what the male does, she will ignore him. Since CBs seem to be able to breed any time of the year, you'll just have to wait to see if she comes into breeding mode.

Mine also love dried grass to make their nest with. I would just cut a handful, wash and dry it and put it in the cage. It would completely dry out while they wee using it and it seemed to make a comfy nest.

Queen_Bee wrote:

finchmix22 wrote:My rccb's make their nest in a wicker cup and use grass and cotton fibers to add to the nest. They are sitting on some eggs, I think, but I don't want to disturb them as this is the first time they have incubated!

They love their privacy when nesting. Make sure to have lots of food available to them and keep an eye on them when you think any eggs may be ready to hatch - mine toss their chicks. Hopefully yours will be better parents and you won't have to worry about that!!

I am watching them and giving them extra food daily. They love the mealworms and egg food. They are taking turns sitting in the nest at all times, so I think there must be eggs, so I am counting days now to watch for hatchlings in a couple weeks.