What can i do to incourage my budgies to breed?

Question
QUESTION: Hello! Id like some ideas of things i could do to incourage my budgies to breed! Ive owned many budgies over the last 5 years, and have read up lots about breeding! My budgies are about 1yr and 2 months old, they are very healthy and have a large cage, i have added a nest box which has been in for over 3 weeks, but they are showing no interest, they have a mineral stone, cuttle bone, and millet spray, plus the usually seed and water! Pie the cock bird use to feed the hen sky all the time, but he doesnt seem to so much anymore, they definatly arent as interested in each other as they used to be, but i dont know why! Id really like to do everything i can to "get them back together" so to speak, and hopefully in time they will have some chicks! The nest box is attached to the outside of the cage, do you think if its on the inside, they might pay more attention? If i put it inside the cage is it ok to go on the bottom, or do i need to fix it up somewhere?

I'd really appretiate any help and advice, thanxs
Anna
ANSWER: Hi, Anna.  Thanks for posting!

I need more information from you in order to assess the situation.  

The nesting box on the outside of the cage should be fine.  Did you put anything like pine shavings inside the nesting box?  What type of box is it (wood, metal, other)?  Are they going inside the nesting box at all?  Are you sure you have a male/female bonded pair?  Are they caged with any other birds (any other birds in the same cage)?  Where are they located in your home (near a window, high traffic area, etc.)?

Their diet is poor if they are on all-seed diet.  Perhaps they just don't feel well enough to breed.      

Any more details you can provide will help me try to figure out what might be going on with your birds.

Chrys

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes i put woodshavings in the box! It is a wooden box, they dont go inside the box at all, at first they were scared of it, but now they just ignore it! Well they are definatly male and female, and they usually sleep cuddled into each other, and are always grooming each other and kissing, pie used to feed sky a lot but hasnt seemed to recently! Sometimes they seem to have little "tiffs" where they chase each other around the cage and kinda peck each other, its not vicous or anything, but it doesnt look like they are being friendly, i think they are just playing! The male is always bobing his head and the female is always trying to destroy her toys and chew her way out of the cage, almost like she is trying to get attention from pie (cock bird). She also hangs upside down from the perches!  They arent caged with any other birds! They are in the dining room in a corner, near big patio doors, which lets the sun in during the day, we have a dog who doesnt mind the budgies at all, and they have got used to him! The cock always makes very very loud noises, where as the hen is quite quiet! They have millet spray and seed, plus the ocassinal fruit treat which hangs in their cage, i have tried giving them grapes and veges but they wont eat it, they just leave it and it goes mouldy, so i have to remove it! They are very happy and healthy birds! There cage is meant to be suitable for 4 budgies, so they have lots of room!

Im actually sitting next to the birds as im typing this and weirdly enough i think pie actually just feed sky, but now they are flying around like mad and pie is chirping very loud!
thanxs
Anna

Answer
One other thing, Anna.  Once you have your birds switched over to a better diet and you want them to breed, start increasing their available light gradually from 8-10 hours per day to 16 hours per day.  Longer daylight hours encourages birds to breed.  However, you really need to have them on a better diet before allowing them to produce babies.

Chrys
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Hi again, Anna.

Try removing the wood shavings from the nesting box.  Most parrots don't like anything in their nesting box.  Your budgies sound like normal budgies as far as their behavior goes.  The dog might not mind the budgies, but the budgies probably are leary of the dog.  This might be another reason they haven't gone to nest.  You might want to try moving the budgies to an area/room of your home where the dog doesn't have access.  Most birds won't lay eggs if they believe their offspring might be in some sort of danger.  

Grapes aren't really something a budgie would eat.  If you want your birds to raise offspring, you really need to get them on a better diet so when babies do arrive, they will be able to nourish themselves and their babies sufficiently.  Seed is high in fat and low in nutritional value, so a good diet is very important.  Visit my website for more information on all of this:  www.angelfire.com/falcon/birdinfo/index.html

Birds won't eat items they don't recognize as food, so you just have to keep offering a variety of foods daily...they will eventually try the new foods.  Definitely remove any food offered after a couple of hours so your birds don't eat spoiled food.  Try giving them cooked brown rice with scrambled eggs, frozen veggies, or other mixed in...all my parrots love this mix and I vary it nearly every day (mix different types of things in the cooked brown rice).

Let me know how things go.  Come back with any additional questions.

Chrys