klm@eecs.cs.pdx.edu (Kathy L. McRae) (05/17/91)
In article <76108@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> fleming@acsu.buffalo.edu (christine m fleming) writes: >In article <15822@life.ai.mit.edu> Timothy Buck (timbuck@gnu.ai.mit.edu) writes: >>I have a cockatiel and a parakeet who share a cage and I was just wondering >>if this is unusual. >> >The male parakeet acts (as well as i can figure) as if he is courting >the cockatiel. But, i am not sure. He follows him around and sings I've had cockatiels and parakeets together in the same cage for several years now and have observed male parakeets courting female cockatiels. It's just about the silliest thing I've ever seen. The male regurgitates for, preens, and has also attempted mating with the female. All this even when a female 'keet is available. I have no idea why this happens, but male parakeets are weird anyway. A friend of mine has one that masturbates on the tops of her drapes. ANYWAY...I sort of doubt that actual copulation could ever occur. (Though I've secretly wanted it to, just to see what kind of offspring we'd get.) ****On another subject... I have a pair of 'tiels that have been, in the past, good egg-layers and parents. Over the last couple of years, tho, they lay eggs, brood them for two weeks (2/3 of the gestation time), abandon the eggs, then start breeding again. Any ideas what may be causing this behavior? Kathy McRae klm@eecs.cs.pdx.edu