Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is there anyway to tell if my finches have mated and are going to lay eggs soon? The female Zebra spends about 9 of the 12 hours of light in the nest, and at night time they both sleep in the nest. But this has been going on for the last 2 weeks (female just sitting in nest). The male has built quite an elaborate nest with the imitation nesting material. Is it that the female bird is just lazy or is it preparing to lay eggs. How long does it take from the male fertilizing the female to egg laying?

The female can "hold" the eggs until she's comfortable enough to lay. There is no set time from when they mate to when she'll lay. Patience and a good atmosphere are about all we can do for them. Make sure they have plenty of privacy, good food, fresh water, and ample (not too much) nesting material and you should be set. The rest is patience on your part and a lot of work on thiers .