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I have purchase a proven lutino pair, I have 2x2x3 cage I used to them, and has a cockatiel nestbox, the male was already entering the nestbox one day after purchase, then the female after 3 days, I placed them inddor since I only lived in an apartment, the seller told me that the irn i got had a history of breeding indoor, can they sense if its am or pm even though their are not near the window? how will I know if they are breeding or mated already? thx

Hi,
Your new pair is beautiful, however, may I make some suggestions? First of all, that cage size is too small for a breeding pair. A better size would be a minimum of 3 ft in length, 4 ft + is optimal and then 2 ft deep (minimum) and 3 ft tall (minimum). You can make your own cage with wire mesh and J clips you can get from the local hardware store relatively inexpensive in comparison to purchasing a large flight. Just make sure you spray down with white vinegar and scrub thoroughly with a wire brush to oxidize and remove zinc particles from mesh. Next, if you are able to get them on some sort of surface higher up off the floor..I would do that. Get some lumber and make a homemade stand of sorts, IRNs prefer to be as high from the ground as possible to feel safe..especially if you want them to breed. And last, a cockatiel nestbox is WAY to small. Besides the potential tail damage, they need a minimum of 18 inches of depth or they will throw out all the nesting materials..and this can cause damage to the eggs or babies. They also should be near a light source as this is a basic requirement for their health and it encourages breeding. They don't need to be in the window..just in an area with access or provide them with full spectrum lighting. Increasing the lighting to about 15 hours a day will encourage breeding also. I know this all seems like a lot of information, and I am by no means an expert, but if you want your birds to be happy, healthy, and successful you will need to provide them with the proper environment and care. Other people may tell you these things are not important or necessary and that breeding can be done under lessor conditions, but I would urge you to consider what is in the best interest of the birds. They are not machines, they are living creatures that deserve to be treated well. In return, they will be in top condition and happily reproduce for you. Again, I am just trying to help and I wish you great success!

Best of luck,
Gen

thx gen, it was a great help, I have already changed the nestbox, the cockatiel nestbox was only temporary since my bf had no tiome to deliver the ringneck nestbox to me, I'll do what you taught me, thanks very much for the information.

No problem, I hope everything works out for you!

Gen