# Tiels not nesting at night - help?



## everdusk (Jun 1, 2011)

My cockatiels started to do some shoddy nesting after the second egg arrived, and got better by the third, but they still abandon them at night and it gets cold. I've tried coaxing them by leaving a little light in the box, food, etc. Even placing my cockatiel in. The male wasn't helping much at first but seems to be doing more of the day shift now. Will this rectify or should I use a second means of incubation for the night? Please note this is my first clutch (besides a little mishap when my girl was a baby from the pet store -__- ), so I have been doing a LOT of self education. I would like at least one baby by the end if things go alright. :c

I did all the research I could in a short time and built an incubator with a warm light and heating pad on low with lots of water nearby (for humidity) and a humidifier on max, I turned them twice in the night then placed them back in the morning when nesting resumed.

Should I continue to do this or is it more detrimental than the cold? I have a thermostat to regulate the heat between 97-103 degrees.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

*I've tried coaxing them by leaving a little light in the box, food, etc.*

Items like these are seen as possible threats in the box and would cause them not to want to be in there.

You might want to have a night light on in the room during the night.

Inconsistent temps are not good when incubating eggs. You need a contant temp of 99.5 (37.5C)


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## everdusk (Jun 1, 2011)

I just tried that (the light) last night... The other nights I just left a light on near the cage... And as soon as twilight hit they stopped (just now). They don't get that they need to work at night. D:


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## everdusk (Jun 1, 2011)

They are both in and out now, mostly out but they're doing more than last night. Maybe this will be a good trend. 

Just a question, do you ever hear about this happening? Like, they are perfect sitters in the day time.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Some things that can make the hen uncomfortable about sitting at night could be the location of the nestbox. Ideally you want it a high up in the cage as possible. many tiels prefer the nestbox hole to be faced towards the entrance way to the room...this way they can see anything entering the room.

Is there plenty of bedding in the box. ideally you would want to have about 3" deep either pine or aspen shavings. This helps to hold some heat when the pair is off the eggs for a 1/2 hour or so.

If it is too hot in the room this can cause the birds not to sit. One summer it was about 100 degrees daily. The birds never sat the entire 18-20 days. They just went in the nestbox to turn the eggs. All the eggs hatched.

Have you candled the eggs to see if they are good?


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## everdusk (Jun 1, 2011)

Thanks for your help so far!

My cage is cast iron with only the big front door and lower doors on the right. So I can't really adjust the box unless I move it inside the cage, would you recommend that? I believe there is room to do that. That way the door could face the room more too.

I candled the eggs and there is a reddish spot in the middle so I think they are fertile (I'm a first timer! ^__^;. I have them in the incubator again but I can try to move the nest box now and see if they are interested in going in.


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## everdusk (Jun 1, 2011)

Well, I went ahead and moved it, I figured what did it matter since the eggs were incubating, but they started going int right away (at 10pm!) so I put the eggs back, I'll watch them some more to see what happens.

This was just the advise I needed I think. 

I will have to show you a picture of the set up so you can understand what I did. The box was basically near the bottom of the cage and they tend to like to be up high so I see that being uncomfortable for them now. -face palm-


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## everdusk (Jun 1, 2011)

After the excitement died down they won't stay in. -sigh-.


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## everdusk (Jun 1, 2011)

Update!

She nested last night! We are good! Moving the nesting box was the trick thanks~


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Congrats!


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Yay congrats


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## everdusk (Jun 1, 2011)

<3 Thanks! :3


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