Overpreening and knowing when to separate?

[Trinosaur]

I've made a couple posts here, but since I'm new to the hobby I'm still learning lots of things. I have 2 society finches (one male, one female) and they seem to be getting along very well for the most part. They snuggle together a lot and chirp happily at each other as they flit about the cage during the day. I'm not interested in breeding and don't have the means to support more birds so I'm not offering them a nest or nesting materials. They seem to be doing fine without it, however the male still tries to court the female and perhaps aggressively so?

I don't know if I'm reading too much into it, but my female is missing more feathers under her neck than usual and I've caught the male preening that area a lot. The female doesn't really reciprocate this behavior either. He's mounted her numerous times when I've been in the room too and I've caught the female hunched down with an open beak seeming annoyed; I don't think it's air-sac mites because it's not a constant thing and only seems triggered by the male's behavior.

I didn't get the male that long ago (and didn't know he was male at the time) so I do still have a window of opportunity to return him and try again with a different bird (hopefully another female). Any thoughts on this matter? I'm unsure how to proceed here.

[Babs _Owner]

Trinosaur

Societies aren't known for plucking (always a first time). If they seem busy and chatty and they sleep snuggled close, a bond may have already formed.

The female could be very young and not ready to mate, or most likely, there is no nest provided so she will not allow him to mate (good job on your part).

My female society (Duece) will preen my male (CackleJax) with a furiousness that would make you think his head would pop off. And he loves it.

It lies in ability to know you have the right tools/nutrients on hand in case mating and egg laying occurs to ensure your hen's health and well being.

Its your call.

[Trinosaur]

Trinosaur

It lies in ability to know you have the right tools/nutrients on hand in case mating and egg laying occurs to ensure your hen's health and well being.

Its your call.

Well, I'm definitely offering her crushed oyster shells, and the occasional boiled egg just in case. I am concerned about the strain of egg-laying and I want to avoid her becoming eggbound if she does end up laying. But I am worried about the male's attempts to mate that he is pushing her around too much. She's a fairly submissive bird from what I can tell. I just want her feathers to grow back and for the male to calm down. I'm not sure what I could do to curb this behavior besides separating them... and if they're already bonded...... ahh I'm unsure!

[lovezebs]

Trinosaur

You do realize that Societies and Zebra Finches, are the bunny rabbits of the Finch world.

They will mate and breed and you will get the occasional eggs, it's just the reality of it.

What you need to make sure of, is that they always have access to enough sources of Calcium (i.e. oystershell grit, cuttle bone, crushed eggshells) and Vit D, either through hard boiled eggs, natural unfiltered sunlight, or full sectrum lighting.
Without the Vit D, they will not absorb the Calcium.

[Trinosaur]

Trinosaur

You do realize that Societies and Zebra Finches, are the bunny rabbits of the Finch world.

They will mate and breed and you will get the occasional eggs, it's just the reality of it.

What you need to make sure of, is that they always have access to enough sources of Calcium (i.e. oystershell grit, cuttle bone, crushed eggshells) and Vit D, either through hard boiled eggs, natural unfiltered sunlight, or full sectrum lighting.
Without the Vit D, they will not absorb the Calcium.

I'm aware of all of these things and have said as such. I offer cuttlebone, crushed oyster, and boiled eggs to help with the eventual egg-laying. I realize there is only so much I can do and that finches will do what finches will do. But the problem I am having isn't with prevention of breeding, it's with how aggressive the male is being; over-preening, climbing on top of her when she doesn't want it. I'm wondering if replacing him with another female will solve this issue, or if I should stop worrying about it altogether.