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

On 2/04/09, Rick wrote:
> 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.
>
>
Hi Rick,

I made sure not to put any toys in his new cage, but the ones he
had prior were made out of rope, plastic and some wood ones. I
noticed today that he likes the new swing so maybe that might
become the item that he will get attached to. So far he's really
busy with the new stuff and I have not seen him missbehaving once.
I also put a new happy hut in there and Trooper is using it. The
next few days will tell.

This whole situation has been very embarrasing. We had family
over at Christmas and my son was playing the piano and we're all
singing Christmas songs and Trooper is right there in front of
everybody doing his nasty thing. Everyone was laughing and I was
telling the little kids that Trooper was just dancing to the
music . LOL. Thanks again.

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.