Hello everyone,

I am looking for some advice. I recently purchase a pair of blue masked lovebirds that have had two clutches of babies previously. They came with their cage with nesting box and toys. I am not sure what should be put in the box though. Everywhere I have read suggests that you let them make it themselves. However, there is a peat moss and what looks like wool and some sort of seed in there. I wasn't sure if I should removed it and let them do it themselves or is this how I should leave it?

Also, the nesting box is situated right at the bottom of the cage (the lowest door roughly 10cm from bottom). Should I move the box up higher as this is where they spend most of their time in the cage.

I have a pair of white-faced cockatiels also (male is normal grey and female is some sort of pearl-mostly white with silver/light grey pearling). They mated for the first time today and the female went inside for the first time. However, I am still not sure if they are male female. Everywhere tells me that the barring and the spots under the wings should tell you. My male has this but also has the bright head like a male should. He is very vocal (mating song), prepared the nest box etc. The female I have no way of truly telling.

I am worried at the moment though as the female went into the box earlier today for the first time but now the male won't let her anywhere near it. Can you help me with why?

I hope someone can help me and it would be greatly appreciated.

The best way to see whether a bird is male or female, generally, is to observe behaviour.

I used to have lovebirds, myself, agapornis roseicollis.
The male is usually slimmer, has his feet closer together and sits higher, the female tends to bend forward, feet wider apart, and she is usually a little bigger/plumper.
Also, the female's beak tends to be wider at the base.

The male will court the female by feeding her. A bird trying to feed another adult bird is a male, when held on their own, they will even try to feed you, preferably in the nose or ear.

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Jiskefet & the mognificent Dutch bunch

My little angels at the rainbow bridge