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Question:

November 26, 2018

Sun Conure


Hi, I have a sun conure that lives inside, she has free run of the house. A few days ago she lay a egg & now she just sit in her box with it beside her. Should I take the egg away from her. Kind Regards Lester


Answer:

Hi Lester,

When a single bird lays an egg, it is best to let her keep it. She will probably lay more than one, generally one day apart. She will sit on or near the eggs for a while until she gives up. You can then remove the eggs.

You mentioned she has a box? Whether this is a nest box, open box, bird tent or anything she can sit in, it needs to be taken away. Adult birds do not need a nest unless they are breeding. Giving her something to sit or nest in is one thing that causes egg laying. Laying eggs is hard on her so you need to try to prevent this behavior.

You also mentioned she has the run of the house and this is something else that can lead to unwanted nesting. She will find places to crawl inside that mimic a nest and this makes her want to lay eggs. It is also very dangerous to allow a parrot to roam freely in a house unless they are being supervised. It is only a matter of time before she bites an electrical cord or gets into something poisonous like human medications. She needs to be in her cage unless you or someone else is there to supervise her. And this means always being in the room she is in and keeping an eye on her. A parrot is not like a domestic pet that can roam the house.

Go ahead and take the box away, but leave the egg(s) on the bottom of the cage. as I mentioned, make sure she is in her cage when you are not at home to watch her. When she seems to have lost interest in the eggs, throw them away. If she lays eggs again, then you will need to take more steps to discourage this behavior. Please keep us updated and let us know if this becomes a habit so we can help you.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda

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