jo
Hatchling
Posts: 17 
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Post by jo on Apr 19, 2015 8:25:51 GMT -5
I had been stroking Digby on my lap this morning for about ten minutes and he started to open his mouth and stick his tongue out over and over again almost like he was chewing...does it mean anything??
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Post by easttex on Apr 19, 2015 9:31:57 GMT -5
He's probably still a little young to be showing real breeding behavior, but my guess would be that he is working on his regurgitating skills. If that's it, he's trying to show you what a good mate he is by feeding you. Touching as it can be, it's not something to be encouraged, so you might want to shorten the stroking sessions. When more mature, that can send a bird's hormones into overdrive and cause some avoidable problems.
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Post by julianna on Apr 19, 2015 12:56:18 GMT -5
I agree ... with a little too much petting.. he will also fluff up and make funny (kinda ugly) bird faces... When I see this I know it is time to put Oscar down or give him a change ... such as sing a song... or play "gonna get your nose". lol
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Post by aaron on Apr 19, 2015 18:44:02 GMT -5
Yeah, I agree with the others... You want to be careful with back stroking in general, because the back is something of an erogenous zone for parrots. We hold Cupcake in her hands in a way where her back is against our palms, but that's largely the extent of our touching her back. Head and neck scratches are fine, but you might want to simply avoid a stroke that goes the full length of the back. You probably don't want him to get used to it, even if he is currently too young to be very hormonal... Although it sounds like those hormones are on their way  |
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jo
Hatchling
Posts: 17
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Post by jo on Apr 20, 2015 7:22:43 GMT -5
Ew! That's the end of the back scratches then! lol
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Post by aaron on Apr 20, 2015 9:37:48 GMT -5
Haha The hormones aspect of having a parrot can be one of the more complicated and challenging factors. It can be very heartwarming to know how much they truly admire you and consider you to be worthy of their lifelong devotion... and also a bit sad when you think about their perpetual frustration living in a human world. It is best to keep their minds off of it as much as possible. So, always good to respond gently but decisively to these situations. Know how you will handle it next time it happens so you can avoid inadvertently encouraging the bird... but you can smile knowing how much Digby loves you  |
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Post by julianna on Apr 20, 2015 14:04:17 GMT -5
I often wonder what would happen if the bird did get too much stroking? Are we worried about their attitude changing? More aggressive? Everything I have read always says .... don't.... but no one says the consequences.
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Post by easttex on Apr 20, 2015 15:09:52 GMT -5
I think it's a bunch of concerns. When their hormones get raging, they want to choose a mate, settle down, and raise a family. They can become very prickly, or get very protective of the chosen person, or very emotional overall, and if it's a female, you have to worry about her laying eggs. By stroking them to that point, you are basically making promises that you can't possibly keep, and it can be extremely frustrating for them.
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Post by aaron on Apr 20, 2015 16:44:26 GMT -5
Exactly... It is really leading them on to indulge them in behavior that stimulates them hormonally. It isn't clear how an individual bird will react, but we can be sure nobody, human or bird, likes to be led on. If we could actually deliver on the promises we make by behaving in a way that they find stimulating, that would be one thing, but since that is not an option, as we are not birds and can never be a true mate for them, it is best to send a clear message, so they have a chance of understanding, at least to some degree, the actual nature of your relationship with them.
And of course, when it comes to female birds, the consequences involve egg laying, which is something we don't want either.
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