Bird Behaviour
~*KaRmA*~ asked: "I own a 4 year old female lesser sulpher crested cockatoo and I just have a question about something she does. Everytime we hold her or squeeze her in our arms she begins to shake and she tries to go flat...I'm just wondering why she does this! Thanks!
No it's not defense mode.. she enjoys it. She even cuddles in close so we will squeeze her. Please don't contribute if you are not familiar with birds thanks."
No it's not defense mode.. she enjoys it. She even cuddles in close so we will squeeze her. Please don't contribute if you are not familiar with birds thanks."
A1: Luke replied: "Don't squeeze the bird, she probably id going into some type of defense mode."
A2: bramptonparrotorange replied: "if you good then the bird will good"
A3: Ann replied: "My Umbrella Cockatoo does the same thing when he's feeling "frisky." It sounds like your bird is trying to mate. I read that you should only pet your bird above the shoulders when they behave like this. You don't want them to get any ideas to start plucking their feathers for nest building. Silly birds!
If you don't mind, I'd love to see a picture of your bird. And, do you know that she is indeed a female?"
If you don't mind, I'd love to see a picture of your bird. And, do you know that she is indeed a female?"
A4: sdkramer76 replied: "Explain "go flat". I'm taking that to mean she wants to lay on her back?
We have an Umbrella Cockatoo, and he's in mating mode right now too... (all of our birds are in mating mode. HATE this time of the year...tons of bitchy birds. LOL Except Elle, our DHY Amazon, he's as sweet as ever. LOL But, I digress...)
Oscar, our U2 is a very cuddly little man too. He shakes and purrs and coos when we're cuddling him and he's always wanting to go on his back too. I'd say it's normal, but like Ann said (above me) you'll want to be careful not to excite her too much or you will end up dealing with much, much, MUCH worse problems down the road. Feather plucking is certainly an issue, compulsive egg laying, aggression...there's a lot of issues that can rear their ugly heads because of sexual frustration.
Give her a month (and breeding season should be over) and then you can go back to your normal repertoire."
We have an Umbrella Cockatoo, and he's in mating mode right now too... (all of our birds are in mating mode. HATE this time of the year...tons of bitchy birds. LOL Except Elle, our DHY Amazon, he's as sweet as ever. LOL But, I digress...)
Oscar, our U2 is a very cuddly little man too. He shakes and purrs and coos when we're cuddling him and he's always wanting to go on his back too. I'd say it's normal, but like Ann said (above me) you'll want to be careful not to excite her too much or you will end up dealing with much, much, MUCH worse problems down the road. Feather plucking is certainly an issue, compulsive egg laying, aggression...there's a lot of issues that can rear their ugly heads because of sexual frustration.
Give her a month (and breeding season should be over) and then you can go back to your normal repertoire."
A5: Chris J replied: "Sounds like mating behavior. Right now is the end of breeding season (well, for Amazons anyway. I would assume that Cockatoo's are the same, but not sure) and they can get easily worked up if you are touching their wings or sometimes even if you are just in site."
Curious Orange asked: "I was walking in the British countryside and i heard a screaming call like a bird of prey. i looked up and saw 3 buzzards circling directly above me. i was surprised, because normally you only see them hunting alone or in pairs, then i looked at the sky all around and i kept seeing more and more of them. From where I was stood I could see a total of 9 buzzards in the sky. My first thought was maybe it was a pair with their young but they were all fully grown. Then i wondered if there wasn't a dead cow or something hidden nearby. Then of course i started to think about my health and began to wonder if they knew something i didn't..."
A1: ♡ Rachel ♡ replied: "I wouldn't worry about it. Chances are they were just waiting for you to go away so they could swoop down and find whatever road kill there was and feast. Either that or there was going to be a storm and the birds sensed it."
A2: taliswoman replied: "I would bet it was a particularly warm day with lots of sun.
What you saw was hawks/buzzards circling on the thermals coming up from the surface of the earth. They probably were family units up there. It's kind of a get-to-know-the-new-guys social. The new chicks (who look full sized right now) need to learn not only how to ride the thermals (for migration) but also need to know who the other local birds are. Believe it or not, this prevents interbreeding. If you were raised knowing this person was your cousin, you wouldn't marry them even if you found out later they weren't. It's an inherent trait in all animals to prevent interbreeding."
What you saw was hawks/buzzards circling on the thermals coming up from the surface of the earth. They probably were family units up there. It's kind of a get-to-know-the-new-guys social. The new chicks (who look full sized right now) need to learn not only how to ride the thermals (for migration) but also need to know who the other local birds are. Believe it or not, this prevents interbreeding. If you were raised knowing this person was your cousin, you wouldn't marry them even if you found out later they weren't. It's an inherent trait in all animals to prevent interbreeding."
A3: cold_fearrrr replied: "They are attracted to ripe odors. Check your deodorant;^)"
A4: ve9hn replied: "ahhh, don't compare them to dogs. dogs can smell cancer inside you, but buzzards can't. they just spoted you and find what an interesting creature you are, orange in the sun. they just waiting for you to faint so they have a chance to taste a bit of you.
I see you take my advice on go out in the sun. good. bring on your friends, not your laptop, though. get some color, maybe a little brown? it would be nicer. curious brown. yep...sounds better."
I see you take my advice on go out in the sun. good. bring on your friends, not your laptop, though. get some color, maybe a little brown? it would be nicer. curious brown. yep...sounds better."
toralind asked: "I got a new parakeet (budgie) last Wednesday. He's so lovely and already sits on my finger and chats with me and my room mate. However he's started to climb into his tiny food bowl and takes a nap in there. (Check out my 360 for pics of this.) Does anyone know why he does this??
Yes he's a baby - around 6 weeks old.
Here's the link to my blog - in which there's a photo of this 'cuddle in the food behaviour':"
Yes he's a baby - around 6 weeks old.
Here's the link to my blog - in which there's a photo of this 'cuddle in the food behaviour':"
A1: Feeky Chucka replied: "Seeds and grain retain a lot of heat so it is probably quite cosy and warm for him."
A2: The Oak replied: "I would guess that he feels more comfortable with something solid around him, though there may be a more symbolic reason. ie. the bowl's colour might remind him of his early days with his mum, for some reason. If his behaviour is otherwise fine its unlikely to be a problem. Animals, like people, have their quirks."
A3: firestarter replied: "Hi there. Personally I would get him a birdy tent so he can feel safe and hidden. Have a tweet year."
A4: Anik M replied: "Ive heard tht periketes sleep well in circular things maybe thts why he likes the bowl tht much i think u should by a circular abject for him to sleep in"
A5: Karen T replied: "You don't say how old he is, but I'm guessing he's still very young. When I first bring my babies inside, I put a little box, with paper towel in it, on it's side, in the cage with them. They like to snuggle in the box. It's away of them keeping warm and feeling secure. You must remember, not long ago he had Mum, Dad and other chicks to cuddle into. As he grows he will start perching."
A6: Arya Dröttning replied: "I've seen some birds in pet stores do that and I asked about it and the employee said it was nesting. If your bird gets out of it's foodbowl this might not be the case, but it might be. If you see an egg in it's foodbowl, that's probabaly the source of it's behavior (don't worry it's probabaly not fertilized)."
A7: Cockneyrebel replied: "Don't know about answering the question , but loved the picture..cracked me up! daft bird!"
A8: M K replied: "This is not strange at all. I have a very old cockatiel who has done this for years. I have tried making cozy sleeping areas similar to the bowl, using bird tents, and other kinds of products marketed for making them feel secure and still he has always insisted on sitting in his food! I would try seeing if there are other options that are more comfortable for your bird, and if not, what is the harm? As long as this is just napping behaviour and not constant, I would not be concerned.
The only thing I would caution is to make sure that he has not used the restroom in his food and if he has, replace the food and clean the food dish as soon as possible as he could get sick from eating contaminated food."
The only thing I would caution is to make sure that he has not used the restroom in his food and if he has, replace the food and clean the food dish as soon as possible as he could get sick from eating contaminated food."
A9: RoZy replied: "Maybe he miss the comfort of his nest. You can buy some cosy nest stuff from the pet shop he could snuggle up in"
A10: replied: "yes i use to breed budgerigars and often found the young doing this; i think its because they find it comfi"
swordlord23 asked: "This is the 2nd time I ask this question, I DO NOT need advice on bird keeping or bird behaviour. I am buying one and I want to make sure I do not pay too much for it. A price range would be helpfull, the one i am looking at is 4 years old.
Thanks."
Thanks."
A1: yonae12 replied: "See post :.?qid=20070507122249AA8XgU5
$700-$1200. Good luck"
$700-$1200. Good luck"
A2: Aravyndra replied: "it depends on where you get them.
I've seen a Greater Sulfur Cockatoo being sold by an individual who could no longer care for it, for about $800 including the cage. I saw one on a bulliten board for $600 or best offer to a loving home, no mention of a cage..
I've seen breeders and pet stores sell them for as much as $875 to $900 for one, 1200 to 1400 for a pair.
so its going to vary on if you want to get it from a breeder, pet store, or if you look around for people selling theirs unable to care for the bird any longer.
so Rule of thumb is $600 to $900+ for a Single GSC (at least in my area.)
Hope that helps somewhat"
I've seen a Greater Sulfur Cockatoo being sold by an individual who could no longer care for it, for about $800 including the cage. I saw one on a bulliten board for $600 or best offer to a loving home, no mention of a cage..
I've seen breeders and pet stores sell them for as much as $875 to $900 for one, 1200 to 1400 for a pair.
so its going to vary on if you want to get it from a breeder, pet store, or if you look around for people selling theirs unable to care for the bird any longer.
so Rule of thumb is $600 to $900+ for a Single GSC (at least in my area.)
Hope that helps somewhat"
smartblond48 asked: "We are relatively new to the country lifestyle and have not seen this before. There is a large vacant lot next to our new house and when the cat crosses through it she gets attacked by swallows and martins. They gang up and swoop down on her relentlessly. Yesterday I saw one swoop up behind her and I think it actually made contact with her head.
Is this normal bird behaviour? The cat is not anywhere near their nesting sites."
Is this normal bird behaviour? The cat is not anywhere near their nesting sites."
A1: aj_franklin replied: "Those country-fied birds are rough and tumble, battle hardened aviators. They are letting your cat know that their little families are off limits!
Prolly won't matter. If your cat gets a chance she will grab one of them anyway."
Prolly won't matter. If your cat gets a chance she will grab one of them anyway."
A2: Badkitty replied: "Tough birds.... I have seen blue jays do that. I guess they are just protecting their territory. Hopefully the cat will learn to stay away, because the birds really can inflict injury to the cat."
A3: Burned Soul replied: "This is very comman : ) Sit back and find humor in it.. I had a cat that a mockingbird used to always swoop down on and it was funny watching the cat doing back flips to get away. Birds are territorial, they won't hurt the cat just aggrevate it so cat will give wide berth to their area."
A4: Joannakathryn replied: "I've seen a mockingbird go after a cat. Some birds are protecting their young and some are just mean. It's normal."
A5: incantato replied: "My mothers cat was hanging out and a Blue Jay chased her for about ten minutes or so. It was funny but the bird did mean business. Blue Jays are known to be mean!"
A6: cloudy replied: "absolutely! i have an indoor outdoor cat that loves to hunt and unfortunately is very successful. i believe every bird in this area has a hot line when he goes out. they are protecting their own when they do this.they are trying to deter the cat from their nesting areas.my 6 other cats are content to watch life from indoors.by the way this same hunter will sit up on my birds' cages, totally ignore them and nap"
Janie K asked: "This may sound very dumb, but myself and my husband live with his dad. In the house also live my 2 children, and a bird. It is a male budgie. I am extremely sensitive to noise and stress, and although the bird is not too bad as bird noise goes it is a noisy beast. The only place the cage fits is the main living area, and I don't want to press to get rid of it, as I can appreciate the sweetness and funniness of it at times - but at other times I want to kill it! (Not that I would!). It squeaks, drops seed and feathers that constantly need cleaning up, mates with every object in it's cage ALOT, even it's own reflection in it's little mirror, when TV is on it has to be louder, and as an english speaking person living in Holland, when a show comes on in english with Dutch subtitles, I am the only 1 left clueless due to the bird. When I put on nice music to mask the noise of it, it joins in and becomes louder...
Typical bird behaviour..but it drives me to tears somtimes... HELP!!!!
Just read my post through, and it sounds laughable and totally pathetic! Even to me :)
Any ideas would be very much appreciated however...
Great answers so far :) Tyvm for taking the time to reply.
Hmmm, I guess I need to feel some love for this bird! x"
Typical bird behaviour..but it drives me to tears somtimes... HELP!!!!
Just read my post through, and it sounds laughable and totally pathetic! Even to me :)
Any ideas would be very much appreciated however...
Great answers so far :) Tyvm for taking the time to reply.
Hmmm, I guess I need to feel some love for this bird! x"
A1: happy emo replied: "put a cover on its cage"
A2: Clop P replied: "hmm hard question..give it a punishment that you think is good enough when he's loud. So every time he is loud give him a punishment and say, "No!" Then sooner or later he'll realize what hes doing and stop. Hope that helps!"
A3: Anubis*Star replied: "Really, the only thing to do would be to try to rehome the bird.
These are normal bird behaviors, as you are very aware of. And sorry, but nothing can really be done to correct them. Birds make noise. Noises are good, they mean no predators. Silence is bad, it means possible predator in the area
But I feel your pain. My boyfriend loves birds, I do not. We live with a very loud, very bossy conure. You leave her sight and she SCREAMS until she can see you again.
If its bothering you this bad, try to find it a home. Either that, or just suck it up
EDIT: DO NOT PUT YOUR BIRD IN THE KITCHEN! Most cooking agents can kill a bird! Birds have very sensitive respiratory systems. Any thing that can get in to the air (perfume, cooking spray, etc) can kill the bird."
These are normal bird behaviors, as you are very aware of. And sorry, but nothing can really be done to correct them. Birds make noise. Noises are good, they mean no predators. Silence is bad, it means possible predator in the area
But I feel your pain. My boyfriend loves birds, I do not. We live with a very loud, very bossy conure. You leave her sight and she SCREAMS until she can see you again.
If its bothering you this bad, try to find it a home. Either that, or just suck it up
EDIT: DO NOT PUT YOUR BIRD IN THE KITCHEN! Most cooking agents can kill a bird! Birds have very sensitive respiratory systems. Any thing that can get in to the air (perfume, cooking spray, etc) can kill the bird."
A4: My Evil Twin replied: "Study the Dutch language.
Get a newspaper and start circling 'apartment for rent' ads in red ink and leave it out where they can see it.
When they ask what's up, cry while you tell them what you told us (tears work wonders on the male psyche)."
Get a newspaper and start circling 'apartment for rent' ads in red ink and leave it out where they can see it.
When they ask what's up, cry while you tell them what you told us (tears work wonders on the male psyche)."
A5: feliciafilth replied: "You can try covering the birds cage with a dark heavy towel or blanket you want something to make it dark and completely covered , they think its bed time ! also if your watching t.v you might move the bird still cover him though to another spot ! Coving usually does the trick !!!"
A6: soapboxlala replied: "I have grown up with budgies, and i must say that sometimes yes they are abit noisy - this is perfectly normal, but excessive noise, fluttering around the cage may indicate a problem (mating with the mirror though, unfort this is normal).
most people will recommend covering the bird, this may work for a little while but this will only reinforce the behaviour. he is sqeeming for attention. if he is making chchchhchc constant sound, which is REALLY annoying its because he wants attention.
is he tame? if not he should have a same sex mate, because he obviously doesnt interact with humans enough..budgies get bored too!! if he is tame, make sure he gets time out of the cage.
does he have a toy? maybe a ball with a bell, a ladder, also some cuttle fish for calcium will help.. he needs something to entertain him.
is his cage big enough? he needs too move around.
any other pets in the house? this makes the bird extremely stressed
is the cage placed near a window (possibly even heavy activity), this can frighten the bird and being placed in a room alone will make the noise worse.. he will become lonely.
generally budgies can be noisy and make mess, but these birds are best kept tame. try a toy and cuttle fish for now. Gd Luck!!"
most people will recommend covering the bird, this may work for a little while but this will only reinforce the behaviour. he is sqeeming for attention. if he is making chchchhchc constant sound, which is REALLY annoying its because he wants attention.
is he tame? if not he should have a same sex mate, because he obviously doesnt interact with humans enough..budgies get bored too!! if he is tame, make sure he gets time out of the cage.
does he have a toy? maybe a ball with a bell, a ladder, also some cuttle fish for calcium will help.. he needs something to entertain him.
is his cage big enough? he needs too move around.
any other pets in the house? this makes the bird extremely stressed
is the cage placed near a window (possibly even heavy activity), this can frighten the bird and being placed in a room alone will make the noise worse.. he will become lonely.
generally budgies can be noisy and make mess, but these birds are best kept tame. try a toy and cuttle fish for now. Gd Luck!!"
A7: PASO replied: "You could try placing him in the kitchen instead of the livingroom. This would muffle the noise for TV viewing.
I have over 30 birds in my home and a budgies noise level is not bad but then everyone has their own tolerance levels.
You can also cover him at night which would probably help for at least part of the day. Don't cover him during the day though.
Another thing you could do which would also be beneficial for the bird is to place his cage outside on nice days away from predators. Then you wouldn't have to listen to him and he would get some much needed sunshine!
His morning signing can be a happy time if you can learn to accept it.
Try not to feel guilty about it but if you could try to learn to enjoy it soemtimes it should make life a little easier for you.
Don't put him too far from the family as they are social animals and want the human interaction. But in a kitchen or diningroom or family room would be quite fine.
Nancy Daniels
Parrot Adopt Southern Ontario"
I have over 30 birds in my home and a budgies noise level is not bad but then everyone has their own tolerance levels.
You can also cover him at night which would probably help for at least part of the day. Don't cover him during the day though.
Another thing you could do which would also be beneficial for the bird is to place his cage outside on nice days away from predators. Then you wouldn't have to listen to him and he would get some much needed sunshine!
His morning signing can be a happy time if you can learn to accept it.
Try not to feel guilty about it but if you could try to learn to enjoy it soemtimes it should make life a little easier for you.
Don't put him too far from the family as they are social animals and want the human interaction. But in a kitchen or diningroom or family room would be quite fine.
Nancy Daniels
Parrot Adopt Southern Ontario"
A8: stanlin replied: "I agree, if he's not getting enough "people" attention he could use a buddy and absolutely same sex. Take the mirror out of the cage...yes birds are taken with their own reflection but it can be very frustrating for some birds, they see another bird but can't interact with it.....that's annoying don't you think. If he's making out with certain toys then he is sexually mature and they do become more demanding and aggressive, most all hot blooded animals are, they are much like humans when it's time to "merge". Take those toys out and put some in he can simply chew on....beaded, rope, fun colorful things. Does he have a swing? You know birds are like us, dogs, cats anything, they get bored and frustrated and their like toddlers and my husband...messy. But they are wonderful, smart creatures who need a little extra care and attention sometimes. Good luck. Oh and I might add, I can give my green cheeck conure a string bean and that keeps him busy for 30 minutes, sometime fun foods or hiding them in his cage for him to find them.......works wonders"
Shary asked: "This is small Cockatiel bird with small brain size is remarkable. A week ago this green small bird flew from the cage and out to the outside and was spotted far on different trees. There are many houses around. We gave up on it and we thought we lost it and worried about it it will starve to death. Surprisingly, after three or perhaps four days we noticed it standing on the porch near the door ready to be picked up. It is amazing how this bird was to navigate around between many houses and land back on the right house and the porch.
Do you have any other stories about this remarkable bird behaviour and intellegence?"
Do you have any other stories about this remarkable bird behaviour and intellegence?"
A1: JD replied: "birds can learn where home is. the medium sized ones are fairly intelligent, although the larger ones (the cockatoo and the macaw, for example) are even smarter. i used to have a medium-sized parrot who used to talk to me from one side of the house to the other; when he got lost one day, that is how i found him, by calling to him and he called me back until i figured out where he was. he was a smart bird, which made taking care of him rather challenging, because a smart bird can get lonely too and needs a lot more attention then, say, a finch or a parakeet."
A2: chinarain replied: "I don't have any remarkable stories, but I am so glad you got your cockatiel back. Mine got away, never to be seen from again. I am so heart broken over this. I got him when he was 4 months and he got away at 10 months. In that time, I had taught him to talk and he loved being with me when I was home. It has been about three or four months and there hasn't been any sightings. I spent weeks looking for him, putting up posters and running ads in the paper. I had many calls, but after checking them out, none were my little buddy. So just a week ago, I finally went back to the breeder and have purchased another. I will keep this ones wings clipped.
Cockatiels are very intelligent birds. They easy to train to do almost anything. And generally won't fly off very far. But I believe my little one was panicked and scared and didn't know where he was. Also they are threatened by bigger birds. And where I live (next to two nature reserves) there are many larger birds that will prey on smaller strange birds.
Thanks for sharing your story and maybe soon I'll have one to tell as well."
Cockatiels are very intelligent birds. They easy to train to do almost anything. And generally won't fly off very far. But I believe my little one was panicked and scared and didn't know where he was. Also they are threatened by bigger birds. And where I live (next to two nature reserves) there are many larger birds that will prey on smaller strange birds.
Thanks for sharing your story and maybe soon I'll have one to tell as well."
A3: joy0117s replied: "my cockatiel is very smart she has freedom of the house and i watch her as she getting herself out of all sorts of things around here .She doesn't talk as females don'tof this breed.
But she is pretty smart"
But she is pretty smart"
A4: rtperry2 replied: "Birds in general are incredibly intelligent! Although, if it was a green small bird you're talking about, it was probably a lovebird, not a cockatiel. Is its head orange?
I'm a bird rehabilitator; I've released crows who've brought their young back for me to babysit. I've taught bulbuls how to hunt for crickets under my couch, and had them steal and hide my earrings. Birds are incredibly intelligent; the most intelligent talker among them, the african gray parrot, has roughly the same intelligence level of a five-year-old human child. Birds have learned how to take the foil caps off of milk bottles left on porches in the morning, so they could drink the milk inside; birds often use twigs or thorns to pry insects from cracks in bark; and (back to crows...) both crows and ravens use tools to open hard nuts or clams -- the most commonly used being the automobile, once they learned that if they dropped the hard thing on the road, the car would do the rest of the work for them!
My favorite story was of the time I'd released three young bluejays. I was standing outside watering my lawn, chatting with my neighbor, when up my walk came the three jays. I ignored them for awhile, but they just stood there. So I picked them back up and took them back inside; they were hungry, I'd released them too soon for their satisfaction. I came back out, and my neighbor said, "That was the most AMAZING thing I ever saw!"
"Oh, I know those birds!" I joked back. I kept them two more weeks to fatten them up, then released them again. I know spring is really here when they show up at my sliding glass door demanding peanuts."
I'm a bird rehabilitator; I've released crows who've brought their young back for me to babysit. I've taught bulbuls how to hunt for crickets under my couch, and had them steal and hide my earrings. Birds are incredibly intelligent; the most intelligent talker among them, the african gray parrot, has roughly the same intelligence level of a five-year-old human child. Birds have learned how to take the foil caps off of milk bottles left on porches in the morning, so they could drink the milk inside; birds often use twigs or thorns to pry insects from cracks in bark; and (back to crows...) both crows and ravens use tools to open hard nuts or clams -- the most commonly used being the automobile, once they learned that if they dropped the hard thing on the road, the car would do the rest of the work for them!
My favorite story was of the time I'd released three young bluejays. I was standing outside watering my lawn, chatting with my neighbor, when up my walk came the three jays. I ignored them for awhile, but they just stood there. So I picked them back up and took them back inside; they were hungry, I'd released them too soon for their satisfaction. I came back out, and my neighbor said, "That was the most AMAZING thing I ever saw!"
"Oh, I know those birds!" I joked back. I kept them two more weeks to fatten them up, then released them again. I know spring is really here when they show up at my sliding glass door demanding peanuts."
wonderer asked: "I've been working in the same place for many years,but just 2 days ago I noticed something that I have seen before but I never wonder why.. through the window I can see a park most of the days birds flying or feeding on the ground...chasing each other.making noise..etc.. but 2 days ago everything was very quiet no a bird on the ground. they were on the trees although it was 10am.. at that moment I began wondering why is it? and I recalled having seen the same thing before. Could you please someone could tell me if they have witness a similar event wherever you are. and why is it? There must be something that on some specific days affects the bird behaviour"
A1: rsgreenhoe replied: "i have seen this b 4 and usually there is a hawk hanging around the area, the birds dont want to become breakfast for the hawk."
A2: ByeByeSyracuse-Overrated replied: "On extremely cold days many birds will roost to conserve heat. If they take to the air they expose their underwings and bodies, and the short insulating feathers under the flight feathers are exposed to the cold air, so they no longer provide adequate insulation."
Bigfalla namsul asked: "Hi,
My partner and I own a pet shop and recently acquired a hand reared long billed corella from one of our long time customers. The bird is probably at least 20 years old as the guys I got him from have had him at least 14 years and said he was mature when they got him... We already have an alexandrine parrot, so are not total strangers to bird behaviour... but this guy is something else... I was told that he was a bad biter by his former owners and although I have an armful of scratches to prove the point, he has started leaving his cage and sitting on my arm already after only a few days (they were afraid of him)... When he hops on he will rub his head against my arm and chest, and then sometimes he will sit on my hand, hop from one leg to the other and rub his belly/abdomen on my arm and wiggle his tail at the same time. It looks hilarous and mildly sexual and unlike anything my alexandrine parrot has ever done... What the hell is he doing???"
My partner and I own a pet shop and recently acquired a hand reared long billed corella from one of our long time customers. The bird is probably at least 20 years old as the guys I got him from have had him at least 14 years and said he was mature when they got him... We already have an alexandrine parrot, so are not total strangers to bird behaviour... but this guy is something else... I was told that he was a bad biter by his former owners and although I have an armful of scratches to prove the point, he has started leaving his cage and sitting on my arm already after only a few days (they were afraid of him)... When he hops on he will rub his head against my arm and chest, and then sometimes he will sit on my hand, hop from one leg to the other and rub his belly/abdomen on my arm and wiggle his tail at the same time. It looks hilarous and mildly sexual and unlike anything my alexandrine parrot has ever done... What the hell is he doing???"
A1: wacky replied: "Your bird has become sexually mature and is working out his frustration on your arm.
This is quite common among Parrotlike etc.
Get him a mate."
This is quite common among Parrotlike etc.
Get him a mate."
A2: lilrunaway45 replied: "My cockateil used to love my daughter and everytime she picked him up she would soon yell "Mom he's doing the nasty thing again" and until I saw it with my own eyes I didn't believe it, but he left liquid on her afterwards too. If she would try to put him back in his cage before he did his business he would peck at her. I guess it isn't any different than a dog humping a persons leg, they must have a human that brings out the animal in them.Haha!"
A3: Unholy Thoughts replied: "hahaha i love to tell you this but hes mating with your arm. if you notice he will do a swoosh movment with his tail when hes finished. hes matin. get his a female and you will soon mount her and be a happy lil bird thats exactly what my cocktiel use to do to my mums hand untill i told her....lol"
A4: Nomudslingingforme replied: "um mm.. you don't know....in a very delicate way of putting this think about it....
I had a cocktail that rubbed his belly on his water bowl.....and quite enjoyed it...."
I had a cocktail that rubbed his belly on his water bowl.....and quite enjoyed it...."
A5: kim replied: "Everyone is right, your corella is having sex with your arm LOL however I do not recommend you get him a mate.
Look for the signs just before he's about to start, some do a silly dance, noise, anything at all that indicates what he's about to do & remove your arm immediately & replace it with his favourite toy as a distraction.
All birds have the need to do this sort of thing. It is natural & you can't stop it, but you can distract him & avoid it being done on your arm.
If you get him a mate & he turns into a breeding bird you run the risk of never having him as a friendly companion pet again. Also if you get him a mate & he decides he doesn't like this other bird or becomes jealous of it being in the house then you will have some serious problems."
Look for the signs just before he's about to start, some do a silly dance, noise, anything at all that indicates what he's about to do & remove your arm immediately & replace it with his favourite toy as a distraction.
All birds have the need to do this sort of thing. It is natural & you can't stop it, but you can distract him & avoid it being done on your arm.
If you get him a mate & he turns into a breeding bird you run the risk of never having him as a friendly companion pet again. Also if you get him a mate & he decides he doesn't like this other bird or becomes jealous of it being in the house then you will have some serious problems."
Yuru asked: "Hi ive had my 2 parakeets for about 3 months now and everythings been going well they look happy and healthy.They like flying around the house and standing on our shoulders they've been pretty good up till now.They are acting weird whenever i open the cage to change their food and water they get mad(especially one) and bite my finger really hard.My mom is kinda their favourite and they even bit her a few days ago they wont let us approach them now and it makes me sad.I just wanted to know if thats normal bird behaviour or is it just a stage they go through.How can i make them obey us more?"
A1: Elizabeth K replied: "It may just be normal bird behavior. They will play favorites. That is why it is very important that everyone spends equal time with the birds."
A2: Jordan G replied: "they could have eggs and being protective my cockateils layed eggs and they wouldn't let me open the door. check the bottom of the cage for eggs and if the have a nest box check that."
A3: Chris&Tracey replied: "its a teritorial thing hun we hand reared 2 love birds reggie bonded with my partner while reggie bonded with me however it can be a pain , it may think its mine your trying to take it !! so its being defensive or not but i no with parrots they are very observant and watch our facial expressions closly.wen it shows agresion say no very firmly and give it a angry glare , turn away from it and leave the room for a few minutes, trust me we have an african grey and my fingers still bear the scars lol but she doesnt bite anymore thay hate to be ignored good luck tracey x also when they do do something good praise them more and give em a treat they are just like kidz if they no there gunna get something they like there gunna be good xxhope ive helped x"
A4: Micah H replied: "maybe they were mating or doing something strange"
swordlord23 asked: "This is the 2nd time I ask this question, I DO NOT need advice on bird keeping or bird behaviour. I am buying one and I want to make sure I do not pay too much for it. A price range would be helpfull, the one i am looking at is 4 years old.
Thanks."
Thanks."
A1: Katie K replied: "Sorry guy but when you are looking to price birds, it is saying that you don't know where to look to begin with, which in turn says you don't know much about what you are looking for.
You say you are looking at a four year old? Is it healthy? Does it pluck? Are its feet clear of sores? Are it's eyes clear and bright? Feathers in good shape? Vent clear of caked on feces? Beak straight and not too long? Has it been neglected or well taken care of? Has it eaten seed or a well balanced diet all its life? Was it domestically hatched or wildcaught? Does it prefer men over women or vice versa? Is it a screamer? Does it come with a cage? If so is it a proper cage for its size? Does it BITE? Does it like to be handled or not? Is it safe for kids to handle? Has it been vet checked recently? Does it have mites? Does it have PBFD? Does it have Pacheco's disease? Does it have a vitamin A deficiency?
Depending on the answers to these (and more questions) the price could be anywhere from free to $2000.00. Good luck."
You say you are looking at a four year old? Is it healthy? Does it pluck? Are its feet clear of sores? Are it's eyes clear and bright? Feathers in good shape? Vent clear of caked on feces? Beak straight and not too long? Has it been neglected or well taken care of? Has it eaten seed or a well balanced diet all its life? Was it domestically hatched or wildcaught? Does it prefer men over women or vice versa? Is it a screamer? Does it come with a cage? If so is it a proper cage for its size? Does it BITE? Does it like to be handled or not? Is it safe for kids to handle? Has it been vet checked recently? Does it have mites? Does it have PBFD? Does it have Pacheco's disease? Does it have a vitamin A deficiency?
Depending on the answers to these (and more questions) the price could be anywhere from free to $2000.00. Good luck."
A2: yonae12 replied: "OK had a look online for you and you are looking at $700-1200, nothing over that for a greater sulfur crested (also called Elanora) 'too. One four years old I'd be asking around $600 and see what they say. If he is friendly perhaps $1000
Yah the lectures were a bit much. You came to a bird lover section of the internet and we are all about giving birds the very best any way possible, that is all.
Here is a reference point when you go to negotiate:
Other sites I saw quoted basically the same around $700 dollars male or female."
Yah the lectures were a bit much. You came to a bird lover section of the internet and we are all about giving birds the very best any way possible, that is all.
Here is a reference point when you go to negotiate:
Other sites I saw quoted basically the same around $700 dollars male or female."
A3: tom w replied: "i woud say hens more than cocks due to the cocks being prone to killing the cocks in breeding situation about £1000 possibly for an odd hen £500 for an odd cock"
A4: 'too replied: "You get what you pay for, and if you want a majestic large bird like the g.s. cockatoo, why on earth would you think you can get one for what medium sized amazon costs? These birds cost easily $1500-$2600 and if you're looking at one for $700, you'd better have ear plugs because NOONE in their right mind is going to sell a gem of a greater sulphur crested for that. I have a greater sulfur crested, a goffin, an amazon, a macaw, two conures, etc. I've owned african greys, eclectus, and more. For a g.s crested, $1700 isn't unusual ON AVERAGE. Do the bird you're buying a favor- insist on spending several days with it, particularly first thing in the morning, in the afternoon, and DUSK (when they typically do their screaming flock calls. And if you already know about that, you'll know to EXPECT that behavior because it's instinctive.) If this bird is screeching all day long, that's why you may have listed that $700 in your range. Good luck!"