Nest material thrown out of the nest???? Why????

[delray]

So today I came home to the nesting material on the bottom of the cage? Why did they do that? They must have threw it out of the nest together because there is no material left in the nest. I'm not concerned in just wondering. Has anyone's finches done this ??

[fhgwgads]

delray did they put the material in the nest themselves or did you put it in for them? I have a few zebras who will take out anything that I put in myself! They want no help whatsoever! If I put it in.. it gets taken out and thrown on the floor! But sometimes my boy Charlie will build a nest and then take things out and do it again over and over.. but this is common with zebras. Maybe someone else has an idea as well?

[Sally]

You have two male Societies, but they will still have the breeding instinct. Two males together will often build, tear down and rebuild nests. I wouldn't worry about it, I'd just give them a dish of nesting material and let them build all they want, it gives them something to do.

[delray]

fhgwags I put It in when I got them 2 weeks ago.

ok sally I will!!!! It should be nice to see them make It themselves . I feel bad we can't get them hens for them but I was lucky I got / and societies are breeding machines lol. They truly are the best though.

[MiaCarter]

Hi Brian.
I wouldn't worry about it. My guys do this too.
I actually have 4 nests in my main cage, now with only 2 pairs. (I just can't rearrange yet because I don't want to upset them while they have the baby.) They're constantly robbing material from one nest and putting it in another.

The males seem to do this more than the females. In fact, I have one male who's always building a nest (even when there's no nest in the cage! He'll make one out of the food container or on a shelf.) He never stops.

It's also possible they robbed the material from the main nest to put in another perceived nesting location (perhaps on top of your seed container? You mentioned they liked that spot.)

Plus, as one of the others mentioned, I think it gives them something to do! LOL

[delray]

Thanks MiaCarter glad it's normal !!!! It should be very interesting and amazing if they try to build one!!!! Though thy won't be breeding because they are males lol

[dcompt]

My guys build nests all the time. They will use the nests I provide, but some of them also like to build in the bushes. They will continue to sleep in one nest while working on the other until it meets their standards and then move into it. For a new challenge, after they build a few nests and master their craft - it takes some of them a few tries - you could put in some thick sort of bushy plants and let them work in that if they want to. I always bend the stems and sometimes do it around a platform so that they have a base and enough cover around it have something to weave the grass into. I've also done this using an open canary nest with the greenery over and around it.

My seven build three separate nests - unlike a lot of societies the buddy pairs (and a trio) won't share. One pair builds awesome nests, and love the kind of big wooden box with a ledge - they can stuff lots and lots and lots of grass in those. The trio will build in anything and very industriously and well, but don't make quite the mansion the first pair does. And the last pair is finally, after several nests, just now starting to get the hang of it and work at it. They're not nearly as skillful or interested in it as the others. I used to laugh at the last pair. I would put some grass in to start it, they would add a few pieces now and then from a sense of grim duty, and then, eh, good enough. It's been interesting to see how much their skill and enthusiasm vary.

I let them build a nest and keep it a couple of months, and then I clear it out and make them start over (those are days of finchy hysteria). Like Sally said, it keeps them busy and happy.

[delray]

dcompt thanks!!!! the tips are great. I am going to the pet shop tomorrow so i will get some things for that.

[Ginene]

Hey delray...I forgot to give you a nesting material holder. It sits on the cage bars and hold the material for the finches to easily access. I will make sure you get it asap

[delray]

Thanks Aunt ginene . BTW we dont have any nesting material but can we buy it at the pet shop? because we are going tomorrow so.

[Ginene]

delray...I guess the pack I bought for you got thrown out on accident the day we set your guys up. I put 2 kinds of material and a holder in a ziploc for you to pick up tomorrow. You should be set for a while now

[delray]

Thanks aunt ginene !!!! I appreciate it.

[delray]

Phineas and ferb have been working up a storm making their nest. They are doing a great job!!!! It i so nice to see them making a nest, their wild life instincts come out.

[delray]

the builders .

[dcompt]

I don't know what materials Ginene gave you, but mine love to use thin strips of paper towel when they are beginning a nest. After they have a substantial build they pretty much ignore that and go for the grass.

I made the mistake once of getting a bag of the bermuda grass from Lady Gouldian finch for them to try. After that, they refused to use anything else except some paper towel. I've tried other things and they just look at it incredulously like "What is this? Surely she doesn't seriously expect us to build a nest out of this substandard stuff!" I've left it for days while their misery grows until I give in and put more of the grass in. I keep it on hand now indulging them, though with shipping it's became really pricey. I plan to rehome them soon as it's getting harder for me to take care of them, and I hope in a new place they'll decide it's a whole new world and just use whatever there is. They've been way too spoiled, the little brats!