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Post by oteyspeople on Jul 21, 2014 13:12:52 GMT -5
Otey has been helping himself to Aldo's cage, & this afternoon I caught them trying to feed each other. Otey was making the same weird noise as when he was feeding "Baby," his plastic ball. I couldn't tell who was feeding whom as there didn't seem to be any actual food being passed. But the motions were definitely there.
Granted that Aldo's a lot younger than Otey, he's still way past needing to be fed. Again, is this normal flock behaviour or are we starting to get serious?
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Post by Caseysmom on Jul 21, 2014 21:38:10 GMT -5
Time will tell I guess, but they do sound like best buds these days...
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Post by Jan and Shah on Jul 22, 2014 16:21:39 GMT -5
I know you are a bit concerned, but it just sounds so cute.
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Post by benegesserit on Jul 23, 2014 14:20:44 GMT -5
I can't speak to Quakers doing this, but my parakeets (three siblings) regularly feed each other but don't breed. It looks like a social activity for them.
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Post by siobhan on Jul 23, 2014 16:07:03 GMT -5
My budgie tries to feed me. He doesn't seem overly concerned when I decline his offerings, but he keeps making them. Clyde usually eats them for me. LOL Or Greta, who makes the motions of feeding me, but it's just for form.
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Post by biteybird on Jul 24, 2014 5:35:41 GMT -5
It could just be "hard-wired" behaviour passed down genetically...maybe it emerges in the absence of the natural flock environment?
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Post by oteyspeople on Jul 25, 2014 21:46:50 GMT -5
Otey "invited" Aldo into his cage today. Got down on the floor & made the feeding noises. Aldo did go into the cage although not on the floor. For some reason, Aldo doesn't do floors. I've never seen him on the floor of his own cage, so I wasn't surprised he didn't in Otey's either. But Otey allowing another creature near his cage & playing with his favorite toys is a BFD. I still get threatened when I change the water dish.
I'm just not sure what to think of this sudden attraction to each other. I'm pretty sure Aldo was scoping out the feed dish to see what kind of nest it would make. I am NOT giving them the opportunity to nest build--I'm still finding shreds of paper from Lovey's little obsession.
It is cute how they hang together though. Right now, they're both bedded down in Aldo's cage for the night. Last night it was separate cages. Who can tell? I just do what I'm told like a good quaker parront.
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Post by oteyspeople on Aug 4, 2014 11:16:49 GMT -5
A little update on the Bromance.
Otey has essentially moved into Aldo's cage. He's all but abandoned his own although he does occasionally go in to play with a few leftover toys. He also allows Aldo to stand on his cage door, & "invites" him to come down to the floor of the cage. He makes the SAME noises as he did when feeding Baby.
They're also engaged in what the old folks called Heavy Petting. Otey will fluff & allow Aldo to preen his neck & body. There's also what looks like the quaker version of french kissing. Of course, not to be outdone, the lovebird decided to fly over to my head & do some preening, too.
No eggs yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if I find one any day. They've started tearing up the wooden perches but I remain firm in my resolve--no nesting materials!
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