Well, It's done! After quarantine and a couple of weeks staring at each other through the bars I finally got my Shrek into my aviary with my new blue girl Fiona. She is only a year old so I wont be breeding them this year, but I'm so excited! I'm going to let them get used to me and each other and thier new space for this year and get them into a routine so that when they breed I will hopefully be part of the furniture and that will make checking the nest box less stressful for all concerned.
Day one of introduction to the aviary was interesting. I put in fresh food as well as seed and of course the water (two dishes, one for bathing and one for drinking). The food dishes sit next to each other as do the water dishes so the food doesn't soil the water so bad. Let both birds lose in the aviary at the same time and sat back to watch. Shrek decided to hog the food bowls and Fi was not allowed near them till he had spent an hour eating his fill and picking out the best bits (ratbag). Is this normal behaviour? I was a little worried because he wasn't letting her have much of the fresh food so I put another bowl of fresh food in there for them and he seems to have calmed down.
He is also not used to other birds as he has been in his own space for quite some time. When Fi (she is an aviary bird all her life) tried to preen his tail he freaked out! It was hilarious! Will he calm down and get used to her? I hope so. Any tips? They share one seed dish and I was planning on taking the other treat dish out after a month or so when he has had time to calm down. Would it be better to leave it in?
Sorry for all the questions and the long story, but this is my first time at this with IRN's. Im so excited!
I posted this exact story on another parrot forum and the only reply I got was "You should leave breeding to the professionals" Was not impressed. How does one become prefessional anyway and are IRN's really THAT rediculously hard to breed? I'm not afraid of a challenge and I have a year to get everything right before my girl becomes old enough to breed.
Shrek and Fiona meet!
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Shrek&Fiona
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Shrek and Fiona meet!
If vision is the only validation then most of my life isn't real.
Re: Shrek and Fiona meet!
They should settle down soon enough. The male is a lot bolder ...until it's breeding season. Then the girls take over. Just keep observing them until they are settled.
Breeding irns are not difficult. You need healthy birds , follow good feeding practises and provide a safe and healthy aviary environment. And , you are on your way.
Breeding irns are not difficult. You need healthy birds , follow good feeding practises and provide a safe and healthy aviary environment. And , you are on your way.