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Re: Need help Please/ Rick
Posted by Rick on 2/04/09

On 2/03/09, Mickie wrote:
> On 2/01/09, Rick wrote:
>> On 1/31/09, Mickie wrote:
>>> My lovebird is two and a half years old,for the past 7 t0
>>> 8 months he has been acting very weird. He rubs himself
>>> against his toys, perches or anything you put into his
>>> cage, also if I'm holding him he tries to rub himself in
>>> my hands. I know what the rubbing is. But I'm concerned
>>> because he is doing this 24/7, he doesn't stop, it goes on
>>> even after I cover him for the night. Another part of his
>>> behavior is that he is eating and rejurgitating his food
>>> and feeding his toys and perches 24/7 he alternates his
>>> rubbing and rejurgitating. He eats well and I make sure
>>> he has plenty of fresh food, pellets and seeds I also give
>>> him vitamins and calcium but because he throws up
>>> everything he eats I think he's bulimic. His weight is
>>> steady at 53 grams, he was 56- 60 grams when he was a
>>> baby.
>>> Can you please tell me what's wrong with him and how can I
>>> help him.
>>> I really appreciate your help.
>>>
>>> Mickie
>>
>>
>> Hi Mickie,
>>
>> You have a perfectly "overactive" healthy sexual male on your
>> hands. We go through the same thing as yourself with our Male
>> Macaw. Yes, it does get aggravating, but it's only natural
> for
>> them, it will pass, just as ours has.
>> Basically the only thing you can do is distract him when he
>> exhibits this behavior. If need be, limit your hands on
>> contact when out of the cage. He will try and feed you quite
>> often as well. When in his cage, well, you will have to let
>> his urge pass.
>> There are other things you can do to detour this behavior. I
>> have attached a link for you to check out regarding hormonal
>> behavior in birds and understanding this behavior. Hope this
>> will help you.
>>
>> http://www.avianweb.com/sexualbehaviorinbirds.html
>>
> Hi Rick,
>
> Thank you Rick for your response. I'm glad I finally had
> someone tell me that this will pass. My bird has been doing
> this for so long I thought it may never stop. Yesterday out
> of desperation I went and bought him a new cage,new perches,
> dishes, a swing. I placed him in the new cage and he was so
> disoriented that he spent most of the day finding his way
> around and kind of forgot this naughty behavior. This morning
> I checked and noticed that he had done some regurgitating but
> not as much. I was pleased. I play with him a lot, so that
> has to stop for now.
> I read the link you provided and I intend to follow through
> with the sugestions.
> Again thank you for the great advice.

Mickie,

Glad to hear your little bird is dazed and confused for the
moment, able to divert his attention elsewhere. LOL. Change is
good. Changing everything as you did will surely help keep him
pre-occupied and hopefully lessen his one way habit of thinking.
I had finally taken out the toys that our Macaw was masturbating
on. They were primarily cloth or rope related material. Are his
toys made of these materials as well that he favored?

UPDATE: Wouldn't you know, as luck would have it, I noticed
yesterday while our Macaw was on his tree stand, playing with his
rope, he started back with his old habit as well. I just shook my
head and thought of you and your little bird. Now, it's "Good-Bye
Rope" for the time being. Good thing it only lasts a little
while. I hate the noises he makes. Take care.

Posts on this thread, including this one

• Need help Please, 1/31/09, by Mickie.
• Re: Need help Please, 2/01/09, by Rick.
• Re: Need help Please/ Rick, 2/03/09, by Mickie.
• Re: Need help Please/ Rick, 2/04/09, by Rick.
• Re: Need help Please/ Rick, 2/04/09, by Mickie.
• Re: Need help Please/ Rick, 2/04/09, by Rick.