help with breeding.

[Aimie]

As you might remember I acquired a pair of lovebirds back in July. The previous owner said "the female had laid eggs in her happy hut, only for them to roll out and smash on the bottom of the cage." and if I put a nest box in I most probably will get babies, pretty soon as she had been laying just days before I got them. I have seen the male getting giggy with his happy hut so I know he is a male and knows what he's doing-ish.. hopefully he knows he needs to do it with peaches and not the hut. Anyway to the question......
Peaches (female) spends most of her time laid in her happy hut, she comes out for food and a couple of hours in an after noon but the rest of the time she is in it she lays in it right on her belly like in the photo I have attached (providing it works)
I had placed a nest box on the floor and she showed no interest in it. She did go in it once, which got me excited but then came out with a nice juicy sunflower seed that must of been flicked in there. I decided to hang the box on the outside of the cage against a door opening so that it didn't take up cage space and with it being higher they might feel safer. Skid (male) had a look in it and tasted one of the shaving that I have lined the floor with deemed it not food and left it alone.
Skid guards peaches all the time he is always stood infront of her happy hut and if she is out he is right there next to her not letting anyone near her...it's lovely to see.
as I said to the question.... Is she not showing interest in the box because she feels like the happy hut is her nest? (I haven't had any eggs in the hut either, I was thinking it was due to the change in environment etc. but she seems very settled here and it has been 4 months now)
Should I remove both huts so she uses the box? Skid doesn't use his hut now it is getting warmer he sleeps on top of hers.
I have been placing sticks, leaves, hay and shredded paper on the floor of her cage for her to make a nest but she hasn't.
She is a happy bird when she does come out doesn't seem ill.

[avinet]

Take the Happy Hut away - she will soon decide the nest box is OK as an alternative.

And I'm sorry to hear of your health issues - hope that it is all behind you now, and you have continued good health

cheers,

Mike

[Aimie]

Thanks Mike.

[bleedinggreen]

Hi Aimie,

As Mike has said, take the hut away. Keep the box up relatively high, not sitting on the floor. Make sure there is a base of damp peat moss, with some wood shaving in the box, about 5 cm thick. Give them some fresh branches to play with and chew but peachfaces aren't great nest builders so don't be concerned too much about them building a nest. Good luck.