My budgies ignore their nest. What can I do to encourage nesting?

Parakeets don't usually try to mate with things other than other parakeets, however if he is doing this behavior with you it is best to just put him back in the cage and let him go about his business until he has calmed down. You can still interact with him by offering treats or having him sit on a perch instead of your hand if the behavior continues. If they're both males (which is always possible) it may be they aren't interested in the nest. You can try adding some items to it to make it more interesting, or offer some nest building material (most pet stores will carry this) to see if it encourages nest building. Be sure not to place yarn or other strings as feet and beaks may get caught on that and cause injury.

She shouldn't be bred until she is at least 10-12 months of age. If the male is younger than that, then she certainly is not ready to mate and should not be forced. This will result in stress and possibly the loss of eggs or chicks. Separate them to give her a break from his advances until she is old enough to mate.

It would be best to separate each pair into their own cage as the birds may begin to fight over territory, food and water, perches, and shared nesting areas, which could lead to injury. If you don't wish to have babies, removing the nesting material and any eggs should resolve the issue. If you do wish to breed them, making sure the birds have a calcium supplement such as a cuttle bone can help prevent egg binding and produce healthier eggs in addition to a regular balanced diet.

If the aviary is too small to handle multiple breeding pairs it may be that they are competing for nesting space, even if there are multiple nests. One nest may be seen as "ideal" and thus everyone is fighting over it. Usually, birds are separated into individual breeding groups per cage to avoid competition and ruining of eggs, as well as reduce overall stress for the breeding pair.

Usually what you will see is behavior changes. Female ringnecks that are ready for breeding will crouch and tilt their heads back to entice males caged near them. When the male is introduced, even interested females can decide to chase the male around the cage and torment him for a short period of time. If the female does not calm down, try moving the pair to a cage neither of them has been in before. This would be neutral territory. Male birds are often injured during attempts of mating. Females are very aggressive toward their mates and can seriously injure them. It is best to supervise them at all times. Have you provided her with a nesting box? Females reach sexual maturity fairly early in life and can be bred as early as 1 year of age. However, this is not recommended. It is best to wait until they are at least 2 years old. I feel that will lessen the probability of egg-binding. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for reaching out about Elly. Start out with a good nutrition, including a wide variety of vegetables, plant proteins (beans, legumes) and some seeds. A nesting site needs to be provided. For most birds to breed, nutrition must be good, the nest needs to feel safe and a mate needs to be received. Most birds breed in spring, stimulated by lengthening photoperiod. Good luck.

It is not recommended to breed your budgie too soon after having a clutch because this can deplete her calcium reserves. Separating her from the male would be the best way to prevent further breeding. If she has already mated with the male, adding a calcium supplement to her food or water may help her to restore her calcium levels.