|
|
Post by heatherg on Sept 25, 2022 19:39:05 GMT -5
Willow likes to be held under my right hand with my thumb and index finger rubbing his beak and head. He seems to like then being able to lean into my face with his beak and forehead pressing my cheek. He gets pinchy if he doesn’t get devoted cuddle time. Like, if I move my hand, when I return it he wags his tail. And if I stop petting I will get a pinch, too.
What’s up with that? Willow definitely wants most of my attention! Until he’s done.
|
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Sept 25, 2022 20:13:29 GMT -5
Willow is definitely enjoying being with you. Of course, since he's a parrot, it has to be on his terms. If you stop doing something before he's ready to quit, he'll let you know. It works the opposite way too-- if he's done and you're not, he'll find a way to tell you.  |
|
|
|
Post by biteybird on Sept 25, 2022 21:43:07 GMT -5
Willow likes to be held under my right hand with my thumb and index finger rubbing his beak and head. He seems to like then being able to lean into my face with his beak and forehead pressing my cheek. He gets pinchy if he doesn’t get devoted cuddle time. Like, if I move my hand, when I return it he wags his tail. And if I stop petting I will get a pinch, too. What’s up with that? Willow definitely wants most of my attention! Until he’s done. Best get used to that, haha. Bonnie contorts her head and SEEMS to go into a trance for head scratches (including closing her eyes in bliss & purring), but if I move one finger slightly in the wrong direction I get a nip for my trouble! 😆 |
|
|
|
Post by heatherg on Sept 25, 2022 23:49:20 GMT -5
Exactly. But I’ve noticed this business of pushing his beak into my face during the cuddling sessions. Sometimes, if I have a sinus headache, the warm beak pressed under my eye helps.
Willow turns into a giant puffball. Closes his eyes, purrs, or puts one foot in his beak to chew his toes while I rub his head.
Each Quaker is uniquely silly!
|
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Sept 26, 2022 19:23:06 GMT -5
You've discovered a very unique cure for a sinus headache. Over a period of 53 years, I've lived with three parrots, and not one has been a cuddler, but all three have had their own ways of showing that they like to be with me. As I often point out, every parrot is an individual with a unique personality. |
|
|
|
Post by heatherg on Sept 27, 2022 4:20:53 GMT -5
That’s funny. I’ve had three Quakers and they have all been cuddly birds. That’s part of why I like Quakers so much. Even my Meyers parrot is rather snuggly though he doesn’t insist he must be ON me.
I wish I had a house (instead of an apartment) because I could have a bird-safe room where I could work or study and we could all hang out.
Just now, Willow was making kiss noises when I walked past his cage in the dark living room. I thought I would see if he wanted to be scritched as he sat drowsing. No! He definitely did not.
|
|
|
|
Post by heatherg on Sept 27, 2022 13:13:39 GMT -5
I had Willow out on his basket this morning during a video call. He was grumpy and wanted his tithe of avicake and more than that. Kept turning around and biting my thumb as I pet him. Now I have a couple little red scratch marks on the side of my thumb. What a sassy little guy!
I know Willow wants attention because he’s noisy and came running out of his cage this morning. But I don’t quite understand the nipping. Seems like he needs to warm up to being pet, or maybe along with the “cleaning” behavior now the basket is a place where I may not touch him? (Like his cage.). I hope not.
|
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Sept 27, 2022 19:28:41 GMT -5
Just like us humans, parrots can have days when they're grumpy or just don't want a lot of interaction. That could be what was happening with Willow. Ralph is fairly even-tempered, but he has days once in a while when he prefers being left alone.
Apartment life is far from ideal for lots of reasons. Having a dedicated bird room would be great, but for me, not having noisy neighbors would be an even greater advantage of a house. Wish I could afford one.
|
|
|
|
Post by biteybird on Sept 28, 2022 0:57:35 GMT -5
Bonnie is mega-grumpy this week & I have a bitemark on my forefinger from yesterday (broke the skin, which is unusual). I’d like to think she just misjudged a bit, but I’m not sure. She is definitely living up to her Forum pseudonym! I am having a one-hour break now from work & said to her “What do you want to watch on TV? Judge Judy or The Nanny?”. Neither, apparently- she flew down the other end of the house shrieking and went into her sleeping cage. Then I had to make a phone and she was even LESS impressed about that. Little minx!
|
|
|
|
Post by biteybird on Sept 28, 2022 0:59:05 GMT -5
I mean I had to make a phone *call*. 😀
|
|
|
|
Post by heatherg on Sept 28, 2022 2:59:29 GMT -5
Hahaha! Bonnie likes Judge Judy or the Nanny. That’s says it all.
I think Bonnie and Lucy would have gotten along like a house on fire once they had hashed out who got which perch and food bowl.
Maybe if you let her watch Mr. Rogers or old Love Boat reruns, Bonnie will relax a bit.
|
|
|
|
Post by biteybird on Sept 30, 2022 3:52:37 GMT -5
Well today she got to watch The Bold And The Beautiful and was in a good mood when I came upstairs to let her out. Dunno what that means, apart from the fact that quakers love drama. 🤣
|
|
|
|
Post by heatherg on Nov 28, 2022 21:29:03 GMT -5
Willow likes to push his beak and head (forehead?) into my hand or into my face. I am not sure if he’s pushing from his legs or his neck but it’s kind of like a burrowing-forwards. Willow gets upset if he can’t cuddle in, but I don’t know what’s up with this pushing-forward thing.
I have seen other Quaker Parakeets on YouTube doing the same thing.
|
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Nov 29, 2022 20:54:44 GMT -5
Willow seems to want to be as close to you as he can be. Ralph never does anything like that. He would rather "hold hands" with me than cuddle. If I sit beside his cage, he likes to hold onto my little finger with one foot. |
|
|
|
Post by heatherg on Nov 30, 2022 12:06:42 GMT -5
That’s very cute! (Ralph’s hand-holding.)
Willow holds onto his seagrass playgym with one foot if he doesn’t want to step up from inside his cage.
I’ve been trying to get Willow to “shake hands” but he just hops up with his other foot onto my finger and looks proud of himself.
He has been biting a lot for the last few days but today there’s NO CONSTRUCTION and Willow has been so relaxed. I mean, playing with the toys on his basket relaxed. We had such a nice snuggle earlier today and he purred while pressed up against my cheek.
|
|
