alex
Hatchling
Posts: 3 
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Post by alex on Sept 12, 2015 11:05:54 GMT -5
Hello everyone.
My Quaker is showing new behaviour when I give him head scratches. He now starts puffing up, keeping his mouth wide open while silently squeaking and/or wheezing (like he's having a lot of yawns) meanwhile he's moving his leg upwards as in trying to grab something. First I just thought it was because the scratches where just that good, but sometimes he seems to get "stuck" in it for a minute or so after I stopped giving him the scratches.
When I gave him my finger to grab on to he just sat there squeaking like he was having some kind of weird seizure. After about half a minute he returns back to normal and he doesn't seem sick otherwise.
Am I just overthinking this and getting worried about nothing? Or is there something I should be careful of when giving head scratches?
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Post by julianna on Sept 12, 2015 16:39:42 GMT -5
This is cute. What I read here is your quaker is ummmm how do I say this without being too sexual? I think it is an orgasm. Yikes... I said it. I think you are scratching too low on his body ... like on his back. This will get them sexually hyper and the mouth opening is another sign. I have seen Oscar do this... and the best thing to do is to distract him or put him down. Never scratch below the neck like and when you see the mouth opening... that ugly little face they make...it is time to change the scenery. lol
There is nothing to worry about... perfectly normal for a QP.
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alex
Hatchling
Posts: 3
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Post by alex on Sept 12, 2015 17:34:03 GMT -5
Oh... Well I certainly didn't expect that! I am scratching right on top of his head though. From the top to a little on the back of his head with my index finger and thumb, so certainly not below the neck or so! Still, I might have a sexual deviant on my hands so who knows! I'm glad that it's at least nothing serious (ish  )! I didn't even know my Quaker, or birds even, could have orgasms. You learn something new everyday I guess lol! |
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Post by biteybird on Sept 13, 2015 4:03:57 GMT -5
Bonnie does this too. We first noticed it awhile ago when she was sitting on my husband's shoulder. She would open her beak and make a kind of hissing sound and lift one leg up. After reading a bit on this Forum we stopped patting her on the back and she hardly does it anymore (although she now hates my husband...  ). |
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Post by aaron on Sept 13, 2015 9:32:44 GMT -5
Cupcake raises her foot and chews on it while being rubbed. It doesn't seem to be a particularly sexual behavior when she does it, but all of this sounds like it is perfectly within the realm of normalcy. Birds are quite the sexual creatures at any rate  . It tends to be an ongoing battle to subdue that side of them. |
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Post by julianna on Sept 13, 2015 14:38:35 GMT -5
You sure are correct aaron... it is a battle to subdue them especially when they decide that you are their partner. I find distraction the best way to control it... or food... lol
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Post by Jan and Shah on Sept 13, 2015 16:16:29 GMT -5
If I massage Shah on his face, he gets all fluffed up and opens his beak like he is yawning. I figure it is because he loves the massaging sensation as he hasn't followed it up with any hormonal behaviour.
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Post by aaron on Sept 13, 2015 17:33:54 GMT -5
You sure are correct aaron... it is a battle to subdue them especially when they decide that you are their partner. I find distraction the best way to control it... or food... lol Distraction is definitely the best way... Luckily for us, Cupcake really seems to not be trying to make any of us her partner. She does attempt regurgitation for everyone (and we immediately distract her when she tries) but the only person she seems to be truly romantically enamored with is my Dad, who she only sees when we go on vacation It's crazy how much worse her behavior is when she's at my parents' house for this reason though. She gets all weird and obsessive and loud and won't leave him alone... and moves all slow and fluffy when she's near him. She has a different, much calmer relationship with us. I hope it stays this way... because at least at home, her behavior has been excellent as of late. I've been so pleased with her. |
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Post by biteybird on Sept 14, 2015 3:08:33 GMT -5
If I massage Shah on his face, he gets all fluffed up and opens his beak like he is yawning. I figure it is because he loves the massaging sensation as he hasn't followed it up with any hormonal behaviour. Mmm, I think the yawning is different to the open beak thing. Bonnie yawns and purrs when I stroke her throat (under her lower beak) or face, but it's a different thing when I scratch the top of her head/neck, which is when she does the weird hissing sound. They're very interesting little, feisty creatures! |
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Post by julianna on Sept 14, 2015 15:07:29 GMT -5
I agree biteybird. Oscar yawns sometimes many times in a row and I won't even be holding him. But when he gets that mood his face isn't yawning.... I call it the ugly face... bill wide open... eyes focused... feathers all puffed up... even his tongue is in full view. I sure am glad that humans don't make a face like this when they are in the mood... lol
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alex
Hatchling
Posts: 3
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Post by alex on Sept 15, 2015 11:04:23 GMT -5
The face might be ridiculous, the squeaking is kind of cute. A lot cuter than the default squawking he does anyway ! |
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. It tends to be an ongoing battle to subdue that side of them. 