How to Breed Senegal Parrots

The Senegal parrot is the most common of those belonging to the Poicephalus species, and is known to be a playful, charming and devoted little companion. It is also considered to be one of the best parent birds, along with others in its group like the African grey, the Meyer's and the Jardine's parrot. The Senegal may begin breeding at 3 or 4 years of age, but often waits until 6 or 7.

Things You'll Need

• Compatible male Senegal parrot
• Compatible female Senegal parrot
• ½- to 1-inch welded wire cage, at least 2-by-2-by-4 feet
• Nest box 18 to 21 inches high and 8 to 10 inches wide
• Pine shavings

Instructions

1. Watch your Senegals' behavior toward each other in order to determine compatibility. They will act differently when they know you are around, so try to be discrete when observing them. If they are compatible, you will notice them sharing everything with each other. They will sit side by side, play and eat together and stay at each other's side during most activities.

2. Place the nest box in the cage, hanging it vertically, when you determine that you have a compatible pair. Fill the base of the nest box with 2 to 3 inches of shavings. Attach a ladder to an inside wall of the cage to make it easier for your Senegals to climb in and out of the box. If you have other pairs that are in breeding cages next to each other, either separate the cages or place partitions between the cages. Senegal pairs will fight viciously with neighbors.

3. Watch for the courtship dance and ritual, which usually lasts about 10 minutes. Copulation will take place soon after the ritual has ended. The male mounts the hen usually for 10 to 15 minutes. Sometimes they will take turns mounting each other, and the male will feed the hen as they mate. Wait for about 2 to 3 weeks before expecting the first egg to be laid.

4. Note when the first egg arrives, then add 28 days for the hatch date. The hen will not sit on her eggs until after the second egg has arrived. The hen should lay one egg every 2 days, and usually lays 2 to 3 eggs total; sometimes more. Do not be surprised to see your birds leave the nest a few days before the expected hatch date; Senegal parrots and other African parrots sometimes do so.

5. Let your birds know when you are approaching the nest box before opening it; Senegal parrots are prone to panicking and may damage the eggs or injure the babies that have hatched. Try tapping gently a few times on the box, giving them time to either move to one side, or to exit the box.

6. Feed your parent birds extra food while they are feeding babies. Corn-on-the-cob, cooked beans, rice and corn mix are recommended by Jean Pattison of Lakeland, Forida, along with their regular seed. Leave the hen in peace as she cares for her babies, and do not pull them for hand feeding until 3 or 4 weeks of age.

7. Pull the babies after the evening meal, once the parents have filled them up with parental food. Leave them out overnight, and give them the first hand feeding in the morning when they are asking to be fed. Temperament of the babies may be affected if removing them from the parents is very traumatic. If the parents growl at you and attempt to keep the babies underneath them, wait until you see the parents regularly leave the nest box.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to find an avian veterinarian and have your Senegal parrots checked for health issues every year. Do not attempt to breed your birds without a clean checkup first.

• Make sure you know how to hand feed. Senegal babies are not hard to hand feed, but the wrong food temperature or improper syringe placement may injure or kill them.

• Watch for sibling aggression; some babies in the clutch may be picking on a particular sibling. If this continues, you will need to protect the one that is being attacked.

References

• Old World Aviaries: Breeding Poicephalus
• Description of Senegal Parrot

Resources

• Senegal Parrots