# Help!!! Male plucking his mate!!! Should or should not end the breeding?



## huson (Feb 23, 2009)

Hi everyone, recently, I setup a new pair of cockatiels for breeding. It has been over a week now. However, I noticed that the male have been plucking feather out of the female neck. 

Should I separate them? 

Also, the male had a night fright recently. Since then, the pair stop mating. They were perfectly fine at the beginning. They mate about 3 to 4 times a days until a night fright. The female is still interested in the nest box. She always stand outside of the nestbox and take a peak of the inside. However, she haven't go inside the nest box yet. 

So should I end the breeding?

Thank for reading and looking forward for the advices!!! and cockatiel rocks!!!


----------



## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

Sounds like they may not be a bonded breeding but a bondage breeding. They may not be compatible, but are breeding just because hormones are ripe. You may try pairing them up with someone else and see if he stops plucking. He may pluck their babies if he's unhappy with the hen.


----------



## huson (Feb 23, 2009)

Thnx for the reply, I bought the male along with his original mate last year and that female's neck is also plucked. Now, I pair the male with a cockatiel that I handraised 2 years ago and He still pluck his mate,


----------



## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

You might consider not breeding him then.


----------



## huson (Feb 23, 2009)

True, but he have very good morphology. Hope he'll change~~~


----------



## Buggy (Jan 27, 2011)

My male was plucking the female on the neck too,but now they are fine and mating.


----------



## huson (Feb 23, 2009)

I separated my pair for now, because he plucked her neck too much I think. I think his plucking behaviour will resolve one day because I have another male used to pluck his mate as well. That male eventually stop the plucking behaviour.


----------



## crazy4tiels88 (Aug 10, 2008)

I had a breeding pair where the female would pluck her mate and chicks but yet they were a very bonded pair!


----------



## huson (Feb 23, 2009)

I think I'll pair them up again when she get back her feathers. So how does your female looks like by the time she laid eggs. Bald and no feathers on the neck?


----------

