# Male wonn't let female in nestbox is this normal??



## Rocky's Rose (Jun 24, 2008)

I just put up a homemade cardboard nestbox in by cockatiels cage (looking in to buying a better nestbox) and my male cockatiel Rocky chewed around the entrance and eventually entered the nestbox but when my female cockatiel Rosie tried entering the nestbox he would hiss and not let her in......is this normal??? Right now he is outside the nestbox and she is inside scratching around and he won't go in because she hisses at him. he is still hanging around the entrance though.... any advice


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

He's still a little young and might not have the right idea yet. They generally do take turns in the box tho and there can be little tiff revolving around the coming and going in the box. Customizing the entrance is totally normal even in a wooden box. You can see the beak marks all around the hole.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

mine not only customize the entry hole, but the perch that goes through right under it, and eventually they have a Perch on the outside and nothing on the inside, because they chewed it away  

but i just replace it with a new dowel rod, and it'll last a few more uses of that nest box


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## Rocky's Rose (Jun 24, 2008)

kk i understand that they take turns but Rosie hasn't even laid any eggs yet and he won't let her in is that normal??


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

it could be he wants the nest box just right i have one pair that he won,t let her in till he feels it is just right


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## devilangel09 (Feb 5, 2008)

are u sure hes male? could be female and thats why its so defensive of the box?


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

I've read a few breeding guides that say the male won't let the female into the box until he feels it's just right. Maybe he's just a little fussier than most?


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

Both times i've bred my tiels Bailee has taken a few days to get the nest box just the way he thinks it should be. Then he lets Cookie in and she promptly fixes it to her liking.  Until Bailee is happy he tends to try to keep Cookie away.


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## Rocky's Rose (Jun 24, 2008)

devilangel09 said:


> are u sure hes male? could be female and thats why its so defensive of the box?


yes im sure Rocky is a male


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## WonderBird (Feb 2, 2009)

completely off topic, but that's pretty fascinating. how the male refuses to let the female in until he feels right about it. haha i never knew they have that kind of perspective on things when it comes to breeding. interesting nonetheless


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## Rocky's Rose (Jun 24, 2008)

last night i bought a new wooden nest box and he won't let her in that either he lets her sit on the perch outside but i can hear hm hissing at her when she trys to go in. She still doesn't go in even if he is not in it ..... is she waiting for his approval???


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## huson (Feb 23, 2009)

Same here!!! My male cockatiel will do the samething. Sometimes the male and female take turns sitting in the nestbox, but there is no eggs!!! And there are times that the male won't let the female in. He even hiss at her and being defensive. 

Btw, my cockatiels haven't mate yet~~~~


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## Rocky's Rose (Jun 24, 2008)

my cockatiels have been mating 2-3 times a day for the last 10 days and there is still no eggs...... im not at home right now so there may be an egg when i get home but they were also mating this morning at like 5:45am in the morning. Rocky still wasn't letting her in but he has moved the aspen shavings around to a corner


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

10 days is fairly early for eggs to appear, I think. 10-14 days from the first successful pairing is normal from what I've read.


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## Rocky's Rose (Jun 24, 2008)

ok thanks, my guardian said that she saw Rosie in the nestbox yesterday so hopefully she will lay soon. This morning she seemed to be a little grumpy with Rocky she was hissing and biting at him if he came near her..... she isn't normally the one like that. Also whenever i go near the cage she starts screeching..... she didn't do that before either  i hope she is ok


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