Maggie,
Hi, Luna and I are still struggling with her hormonal behavior. She continues to display mating behavior toward any bell toy I put in her cage, although I pull them out and put in a new one every time it starts. I also move them around the cage.
If I don't put another bell back in, she gets very upset and "cries" in the evening and scoots back and forth along her perch and nothing can console her. Although she seems sad and longing, she won't let me pick her up at these times.
I fear that not having a bell toy in there for her to preen with would lead to feather-picking since she gets so anxious an upset. Right now she is simply preening with the newest toy.
What I want to know is what are the signs of egg-binding and could it happen in my single female bird? even with no "nest-like" areas in her cage? She gained some weight recently, about 9g and it started me thinking about her possibly developing an egg. What do I need to know?
Right now I just try to keep her out of the cage as much as possible so she won't get started with the obsessive "allopreening" with the bell toy.
I read your articles here, but couldn't find anything describing the conditions or symptoms of an egg-bound female.
Thanks,
Allie and Luna