My pair of societies are insane. Making a nest in reverse.

[love4finches]

I have a pair of societies who are taking all of their nesting material out of the nest and trying to make a nest on one of the perches and on the floor. Can't get them to keep material in nest. Any suggestions? They have "bumped uglies" many times so I didn't expect this behavior. Am really curious about this.

Getting into bad habit. Should I put in a canary pad, change the nest, just keep reloading the nest? Don't know how to break this crazy behavior.

[Diana]

LOL. That sounds funny. Just like my zebra finches. I let them nest on top of one of the blinds by the window and now as I removed the nest an put it in the cage so they can sleep in they take all the nesting material and put it in a pile behind the blind by the same window were they had the nest. I keep on putting the material back and the next day when I am at work they do it again. . They never give up so I guess we need to outsmart them somehow. I wasn't able to so far

[TheCanadian]

My two female societies keep building their nest then hauling it all out and starting over. They have an infertile egg in there now so I'm hoping they got it the way they like it now LOL!

[Ria]

maybe they don't like where you have the nest? try moving the nest closer to the perch they like, or maybe remove nest and material altogether and give them a break...

[jdc]

I have a pair of societies who are taking all of their nesting material out of the nest and trying to make a nest on one of the perches and on the floor. Can't get them to keep material in nest. Any suggestions? They have "bumped uglies" many times so I didn't expect this behavior. Am really curious about this.

Getting into bad habit. Should I put in a canary pad, change the nest, just keep reloading the nest? Don't know how to break this crazy behavior.

maybe they belong in an 'insane society'! get the pun??????????

couldn't resist
i just love my own jokes!

oh well, never mind
but i do wish you luck

[Nerien]

What if you take all the nest stuff out of the box, and put it down on the floor or in the branch where they are building? Maybe if you do in reverse, they will reverse themselves and put it back.

[Zebrafincher]

My male star finch (who is in his own cage but has 3 other birds in the same vacinity) loves to play with twine or nesting material. He has a rope/twine toy with a bell on it he plays with and also has a fake nest (which I put in periodically) because he loves to pull the nesting material out. He never sleeps in it and never tries to do anything else. Finches are funny!

[debbie276]

Maybe they don't like your choice of nesting spots, have you tried to put the nest where they want to build? Are you using a nest box or canary nest?

[love4finches]

What if you take all the nest stuff out of the box, and put it down on the floor or in the branch where they are building? Maybe if you do in reverse, they will reverse themselves and put it back.

Believe it or not I love that idea. This house I call the Adam's Family house. We even have bats in the attic, for real!

John, I did chuckle. Got the pun right away.

The nest is close to a perch. I can't do anymore short of laying the eggs and hatching them myself. lol. All great suggestions, thanks.

Another chuckle....the suggestion that I give them a break. I only chuckled cause they haven't done anything yet but eat my food, drink my water, be waiting on hand and foot. lol.

I had a giant bamboo nest in the cage. They have been doing the "deed" for a couple of days so I am hopeful they will settle down. I did change the bamboo nest to the smaller one. We shall see.

[dcompt]

If they don't seem to like the bamboo nest, you could try giving them a platform. I've used those platforms for parakeets/parrots -- called "Sun Decks" I think, the smaller size. I attached a floor of paper towel with small binders clips, and arched some rather dense greenery over and around it so there is something for them to attach the grass to. I've had two male buddy pairs build amazing nests on the platforms - they took to them at once.