June 15, 2022
Sun conure
Can I buy a fertilized egg and replace it with one that isn’t fertilized will she be able to raise it?
Question:
Answer:
Hi Erik,
No, this isn’t something that is available. I would think anyone would charge you as much as for a live bird, and the egg may never hatch or the parents may not care for it. If this is a single female, she can’t incubate eggs and care for chicks on her own. You need to take away any nest or nest box, because a single bird doesn’t need a nest. If she keeps laying eggs, she can end up dying from laying too many eggs. So unless this is a breeding pair, then I recommend making some changes to discourage egg laying.
You need to do all of these things to discourage egg laying. Keep in mind that to lay eggs, she needs longer daylight, warmer weather, abundant food, and a quiet, private environment. Your goal is to reverse these conditions.
Limit her light to 8-10 hours by covering the cage early each evening
Do not give her anything to use as a nest – no bird huts or tents, no box, bowl, etc. If she decides to sit in a food bowl, remove it and replace with smaller cups.
Do not give her anything to shred such as paper or cardboard.
Rearrange the toys in the cage frequently.
Move the cage to a different place in the room. Move the cage about once a week, or whenever she shows signs of nesting – settling on the cage floor for example.
If she is let out of the cage, do not let her get in any dark cozy places and don’t give her free roam.
When you handle her, limit any petting to her head and neck – do not pet her on the body.
If there is no metal floor grate, then do not use any bedding or paper in the cage tray – leave it bare and clean it daily.
Thank you for Asking Lafeber,
Brenda
