Female parrotlet

Question

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-----Question-----
I think she maybe attempting to nest? She was born July 28, 2006. I don't know if her gestures with me and sitting down in her food dish (looks like nesting to me) is a problem or just normal teenager behavior.  Would she attempt to lay eggs without a male partner?
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Hi, Richard.  Thanks for posting!

Female parrots can lay infertile eggs without a male partner.  However, I think your parrotlet is a bit young to be laying eggs if she's only 3 months old.  

What kind of gestures are you referring about that she is doing with you?  Is she regurgitating to you?  How long have you had this bird?  Need more details from you!  Thanks.

Chrys

Hello, Chrys
I have had her for about 4 weeks.  And yes, she is regurgitating, tail flared and rump raised.
One item I have changed is full spectrum light next to her cage.  This has made big difference in her moods and has stopped biting and loves to be rubbed around her head and under the beak.  

Answer
Hi again, Richard.

The regurgitation is her way of showing how much she loves you.  It sounds gross, but in the bird world, this gesture is a sign of affection (males normally feed their female mates as a sign of pair-bonding and in some species males feed their females while females care for eggs or babies).  

She could very well be nesting in her food dish.  This does happen, but she's awfully young to be laying eggs.  She could also be using her food dish just to rest in...I've seen this, too.  She isn't injured or anything is she?  Don't be surprised if she does lay eggs, but they will be infertile.  If she does lay, just leave them where she lays them until she abandons them on her own.  To remove them as she lays them would mean she will continue to lay and lay and you don't want this.  You might need to put another food dish in the cage just in case.  The full spectrum lighting was also a very good move.  Be sure to keep a cuttlebone in her cage also if/when she starts laying eggs.  This will provide any needed calcium for her body.

Come back with any additional questions.

Chrys