Buddy the Nanday Courting?

[christine]

Hello, Buddy has been regurgitating on my hand and fingers for over a week now. Recently he has started to stradle my arm and do his thing. I was just wondering how long this will go on? I think he would readily mate with my female Nanday - should I let him go in her cage? They have had their cages side by side for two weeks now. I don't want anyone to get hurt. I don't see any different behaviour with the female. The one thing with the female is she went to bite me when I tried to give her a treat? Strange behaviour for her. She has never bit me in 12 years.

Mike said since they both were alone (the female for 12 years, the male for 9 years) they probably will never mate and that is okay keeping Buddy anyhow.

Any advice. Regards Montana

[avinet]

Well it might be worth a try letting them come together in neutral territory and see what happens - certainly sounds like Buddy is ready - as long as he realizes that courting a female Nanday will be more successful than a human arm Certainly his hormones are working well!

Maybe her bite is also due to discovering she has hormones as well - though it might just as likely be a bit of jealous aggression with the arrival of a competitor for your attention

Don't put them in the same cage if you can avoid it - and if you have to be sure to leave the door wide open - if there is aggression develop between them you want the one being attacked to have an easy exit to safety. I would perhaps be standing by with a water spray bottle set to give a jet rather than a spray just in case - a quick spray of water might be enough to cool any serious squabbling. And it would be very normal that there would be squabbling at first - so don't necessarily rush straight in - monitor proceedings until it reaches a stage where some risk of injury might happen before interfering. After all a girl doesn't want to appear a pushover does she

And as I said previously it might all be in vain after she has been a single bird for so long.

Also make sure the Green-cheek is shut away - you don't want it getting in between them and getting hurt.

cheers,

Mike