Blues acting weird (long)

18 years ago

OK my pair of blues have been through a lot, as some of you know. First I had no idea I HAD blues and I found them in an ornamental nest box, they lost all but one before I found this group and found out I could move the babies with out the parents abandoning them.

the last one "Phoenix 3" was doing great and then one SUnday I came home and a HOSP had killed him. I learned then about trapping and getting rid of HOSP.

The parents began to make another nest and have laid FIVE eggs in a box RIGHT Nest to my house. I would go out with a tupperware dish and feed them mealies every morning.

They would come and both would eat, she would go in the box and he would come and go during the day.

Anyway, the beginning of this week I had workers coming in and out fixing things on this new cabin. Well the Mom was already a bit spooky from the previous HOSP attack and she would leave every time they walked around where she could see them, which was a LOT.

I continued to put out mealies every morning (the workers werent there that early) but also decided to try and change feeders to a dome one and try hanging it because of ants.

Well MOM said NO WAY and wouldnt even try it, so I put IT on the ground in place where I used the other one, still no way.

SO I put the old one back down next to the new one. She still say UH UH!! but Dad would go down and eat out of the old one I(ignoring the new one). but he would eat them up and then give her one and fly away, never to be seen again until a lot later, sometimes the nest day.

He is not as bold as he was either now, and so I have gone back today to the old feeder, but neither one would eat this morning, in fact he just flew in, looked around (not even next to her) and flew off.

She went in the box, never looking at the mealies at all.

Could this be that more insects are around and they dont really want the mealies?

There ARE a lot more grasshoppers and such out there in the pasture. Also I have seen a lot of Mockingbirds in the field.

Yesterday he came down, ate about 5 and flew off never to be seen until today, when he didnt even eat at all.

She didnt eat ANY either, just went in her box.

Could I have frightened them with the new dish? or maybe the workers scared them and now they dont trust us?

It is weird behavior for them, as they were coming like clockwork and I had been able to sit out - about 15 feet from them and watch them and take pics. Now they wait before they come in, and then barely eat any at all.

I cant leave the dish out there because of ants, but I dont want to try any pesticides either.

any suggestions? The eggs are 12 days old and shouldnt they hatch pretty soon?

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Comments (4)

dzyg
18 years ago
Have you monitored the box at all? I noticed when the eggs hatched the parents were too busy finding small bugs to eat much of the mealworms that I offered. Once the babies were about 3 days old they started feeding them the crickets/mealworms and waxworms I offered. Some days they eat way more than other days though as I am sure some days regualar bug hunting is easier than other days. Do you have a sparrow spooker up on the box? As far as the feeder, is there any way you could use the old container you put the mealworms in with the new feeder? It took mine about three days to get used to the feeder actually in our backyard before I could put it up on the deck but they are used to it now and come easily. Our babies are 10 days old now and hungry all the time it seems. Oh eggs hatch usually between 12-14 days. I think mine hatched on day 13. It was either the late afternoon of the 12th day or the early morning of the 13th day.

Donna
Elly_NJ
18 years ago
Wouldn't the bluebirds eat the ants, anyway?
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donnalovesblue
18 years ago
Debbie..if there is one thing I've learned on this forum, it's the Blues are so unpredictable...you think they should be doing one thing, and they do another...

During the second nesting, they didn't come to the mealworm feeder nearly as often as the first! I assure you, they are finding plenty of food, as they need a varied diet just like we do! I started with an open dish which only invited other birds, then ordered the special feeder, which elimated that problem. Mine is on wooden post with a platform and seems to work well...except I'm currently out of mealworms!!!!!!

My first clutch hatched on day 14, but I was out of town when the 2nd hatched, but I think it was day 13 or 14.

Keep us posted when they hatch..hope all goes well!

Donna
debbie321
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi all! Thanks for the responses.
First YES I have a Spooker on the box - I learned the first time and promptly ordered one after the first disaster.
SO far I have not seen many HOSP - but I know they are still around, I have trapped over 30 for sure, and now for some reason, I cant seem to get any more and this is with the repeating trap.
On the feeder - I have tried putting the old one with the new one next to it, and the male will come down and eat, but not the female, not since I got the new one.
The male was not around today that I saw, unless it was him for just a fleeting moment, but he didnt act like my male. He didnt go feed her, ir even get close to her while he was here, just set on the fence for a second and flew off fast.
I am really thinking they are finding a lot of the other insects because they just dont seem too interested in the worms.
The eggs have not hatched yet, tomorrow will be day 12 I THINK, but she did skip a day in between the 4th and 5th egg.
So If you count from the last egg, it will be day 10.
I check the box every morning and usually every afternoon, when she is not in there, so I dont scare her.
It is just weird because they have been eating like pigs until the last three days and now they are not very interested.
I think the worms are ok, I took them out and fed them and then put them back in the fridge.
DO I need to change the worms "bedding"?
Also - should I just go back to the old dish and try later when they are hungrier?
I would post a picture for you to see them eating BEFORE all this happened, but I am not sure how to do that on here :)

Blues acting weird (long)

Comments (4)

dzyg

Elly_NJ

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Blues acting weird (long)

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dzyg

Elly_NJ

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debbie321Original Author

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