Male Star picking on Female Star

Finch Fry · Post by **Finch Fry** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:20 pm

Trying to generate some ideas as to why this is happening and what I should do.

I have a pair of stars. Male is a yellow star, female is an isabel (which is an outwardly expressing orange face). They are 2007 born and are in great health. I picked them up back in Feb. and I noticed the females rump feathers plucked and irritated after a few weeks. I thought something was wrong at first and put her into a hospital cage where after a few days she was doing great. I reintroduced her to the male after 2 weeks and the male promptly (I mean literally about 10 seconds) went into the star mating ritual of singing in her face and fluffing himself out and then mounted her. She quickly denied him and scurried away from him. The next morning I woke to him him singing again in her face repeatedly and then attempting to mount her. She will have nothing to do with him. He then will sit next to her and pick at her rump. Her rump is now irritated again and i noticed a plucked feather. Needless to say, the male has been removed and put in the bad boy cage till I can sort this out. I will note, then EVEN though he picks at her and she wont mate, she always sits next to him and will actively seek him out and sit next to him. They do not sleep together at night though, the perch on opposite sides of the cage. The male like his ladder swing and sleeps on the top. The female liker her fat wide concrete perch.

So any ideas why this is happening?
Any ideas what I can do to stop it from happening?

My brainstorming is below.
a. boy is yellow, her face is a reddish orange and he is aggressive to her?
b. boy is denied mating and perhaps thinks picking at her rump will make her want to mate?
c. cage is too small? They are in a 30x18x18 cage with a pair of gold breasts. He picks on the GBs once and a while but only when they sit directly next to him.... but i thought stars were passive!!!
d. Perhaps he thinks that her rump feathers are in the way of him getting to mate and he wants to remove them so he has easier access to her rump area?
e. just a bad match? Which sucks cause I am not close to any breeders to swap.

please provide some opinions and suggestions.

Post by **Sally** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:30 pm

The first thing I would try is to move the Goldbreasts to another cage. I know Stars are passive, but most any species can become a little aggressive when in breeding mode and they don't have enough room to establish their own territory. I have tried doubling up even with species that had gotten along wonderfully before breeding, but it usually affects breeding success. It also predisposes them to toss, since they don't feel that their babies are safe. She may not be very receptive to him because she 'isn't in the mood'! How old is she?

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:09 pm

Hi Chris, I too would move the GB's to their own cage. I have my pair of Stars (RH male and a YH female) in a 30x18x18 and they get along just fine. The breeding season for me pair seems to be September to December.

Good luck!

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:54 pm

Chris,

I have never had any problems with my pair and they are very, very bonded. No eggs ever..... but they sleep together in a plant and are always together. I think she may not like him.

You have been given good advice... move the goldbreast and give them their own cage for a while and see how that goes.

Finch Fry · Post by **Finch Fry** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:03 pm

Sally wrote: How old is she?

She is NFSS banded for 2007.

Post by **Sally** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:07 pm

Well, if she is 2007, she is at least 1 1/2 years old, but she may not have had any clutches yet. See how she does once the GBs are out of the way.

Finch Fry · Post by **Finch Fry** » Sat May 02, 2009 11:03 pm

Stars and goldbreasts are separated now.

Put the star M and F back together...

They seem to be getting along fine. Nova (male) built a nest. Bella, the female, goes in it and Nova goes in it as well, sometimes together, sometimes individually. They are still sleeping separately and not in the nest.

Bella refuses to let Nova mate with her. Although she does fancy the nest.

So what could all of this mean? Perhaps she is slowly getting interested??

Doesn't matter to me if they mate or not, i just find this so interesting.

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Sun May 03, 2009 11:48 am

Bella sounds like a 'good girl' hen. She wants to be properly courted and a nice home built before she gives it up..... make Nova prove that he can be a good mate and raise a successful family.
In th wild the female chooses the mate that impresses her......
give her time and if he is not harassing her any more then let him do his thing. I am sure he will eventually "impress' her with his efforts

Happy nesting.

Finch Fry · Post by **Finch Fry** » Sun May 03, 2009 12:51 pm

LOL. She doesnt have a choice, its Nova or nothing.

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Sun May 03, 2009 1:01 pm

Hehe

That is why I say in time she will be impressed with him. When nobody else comes along he will start to look pretty good to her

Finch Fry · Post by **Finch Fry** » Sun May 03, 2009 2:19 pm

All he does is come home, turn on the tv and kick up his feet and crack open a cold one. What a bum. No wonder she doesnt want to have his eggs.

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Sun May 03, 2009 3:22 pm

oh, I'm sure she'll have him 'henpecked' in no time.

He had just better not 'ruffle her feathers'

Maybe she goes for intellect..Is he a 'birdbrain'?

Okay, enough already........

Finch Fry · Post by **Finch Fry** » Sun May 03, 2009 3:44 pm