Burrowing behaviour? In Amazons?

[wrench13]

Salty will once in awhile burrow into small tight spaces. A few examples;

Playing on our bed , he will burrow into the space between a pillow and the wall.

Walking along the top of the couch, he will burrow into the space between the wall and a pillow propped against the wall.

Playing with me, he'll try and squeeze into the space between my leg or butt and the back of the couch.

Here's the really interesting thing.. he backs in, in all these occasions. I never associated 'zons with tight , enclosed spaces. Is he really a she?? Salty s less then a year , so it can't be nesting behaviour, can it? Salty is Saltette?? Opinions or experiences?

 

[SailBoat]

Well, yes - but in trees.

Backing in would not be out of the question - think guard the opening. And BOTH sexes would take turns bring in 'food' for the baby(s). Also, cleaning out the well for a lack of a better word 'burrow.' Hey lets just go with nest hollow.

So, what you are seeing is natural.

 

[henpecked]

Oh yeah that could be male behavior. Being cavity nester they are always on the lookout for dark holes. Males need to find a good nest site before they court the hens.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Welllllllllllllllllllllll... Patagonians nest in burrows which they dig in limestone cliffs, so... the Rickeybird is instinctively INSPIRED by grocery bags, open drawers, any burrow-like place. I avoid letting him get into such, because extracting him is HARROWING!

 

[Kiwibird]

Never heard of a zon who didn't pass up the opportunity to get under or behind something! Kiwi is for sure a male and quite fond of getting under a particular chair. He'll usually come out when you ask, but occasionally (in the spring) it takes a stick to extract him. He also loves coming under the blankets and making all kinds of hilarious/ridiculous noises (up until which point he tries to regurgitate, then no more blanket time because we don't want bird barf in our bed Also no coming under the blankets during breeding season either!).

Salty is way too young to be nesting per se, but just like little kids will play house, I'd assume he instinctively checks out anywhere that would make a suitable nesting site even if he isn't ready to nest yet

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Well we all know Amy is a he now..and in almost 27 years with "her" I don't really remember her burrowing anywhere. She does walk backwards sometimes lol.
Do any of you 'zon parronts offer boxes for them? I have never tried. Years ago when my friend Mariann roomed here,with her DYH Shainna,she always put boxes in her house and Shainna would nest. Shainna has to be close to 35 now,and still lays an egg or two sometimes


Jim

 

[wrench13]

Mmmmm..... box, eh?........have to try and find a small, plain brown box and see what happens.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Mmmmm..... box, eh?........have to try and find a small, plain brown box and see what happens.

Al, Mariann got her boxes from the post office..those "expedited" <forgot the real name> type...freebee's ..


Jim

 

[Rhett]

my panama loves trying to climb behind people when they sit on couch and get between them and the cushions, of course we don't allow this because safety, and she also loves running under the couch and just hanging out. I've never given her a box, but that could be interesting, I'll have to try that.

 

[SailBoat]

Our DYH Amazon also does the back-up walking, we refer to it as his Moon-Walking. He also, has his favored chair to sit under. Tall leg style, so he can see what's going on.

When we get stuff in boxes, Julio is quickly on task to pick-out his. He doesn't get in them, but prefers to make them into small pieces.

 

[henpecked]

Mine love paper bags, boxes, etc. MsJakiepoo even goes wild when I open the freezer door on the fridge. The light is burned out, she thinks it would just right. I would warn folks that such practices could lead to aggressive behaviors. I've learned not to encourage hormonal behaviors and it's less of an issue in the future.

 

[GaleriaGila]

As I mentioned, Patagonians nest in burrows in limestone cliffs, which they dig, and defend fiercely during and after mating time. Even though the Rickeybird loves enclosures (and I do almost anything to please him), I avoid providing boxes and such for him, because... he just becomes so inflamed/vicious/excited, even hours after he gets into one. Even so, he does pull his nighttime covers down through the bars to make little "tents", but he doesn't seem to get so worked up by these. That's also how he does his "textile art", of course! LOL He likes to look at me through the holes he chews.

For example, can you see that beady little eyeball peeking through at you??

 

[henpecked]

I've noticed your comments about your pat chewing his cage cover . I lost a really great hen Panama that I took out of a wild nest. She was about 20 yes old and would chew her cage covers. I didn't think much of it until I went out of town and my GF found her dead in the cage. I had a AV do a necropcie and found her crop impacted with the cage cover. She basically starved to death. I don't cover my birds now, none seem to mind. Just my .02 on the subject.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Hen-pecked...

OMG!

I find the chewed remnants of his "art" on the cage floor... and in 32 years, no issues, but...

I'm gonna call my vet and see if he recommends any tests... nothing is too good for my darling.

Thank you!!!!

 

[Taw5106]

NO BOXES!!!! I have been fighting with my Ekkie who laid 6 eggs in 3 months. I am still working with her because she still is hormonal but slowly getting better. Thankfully, Buddy, my 26 yo Amazon is not into boxes or hormones so strongly, lol!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BIRDIGIRL]

Well I wonder if WFAs have the same burrowing nature as the other zons...I shall have to google it for I dont think I will risk offering a box to Mr Biggles in case Id trigger getting him all hormonal and defensive of the nest ...but its interesting this burrowing nature they seem to have vey interesting especially the backing into the crevice or space

 

[mh434]

My YNA loves having boxes to play with. I usually give him one that's sealed up - he loves chewing his way in! He climbs in, scratches around & makes cooing noises, and generally has a wonderful time. He often has another box, under a piece of furniture. Sometimes when I go into the living room (where his cage etc. is) I won't be able to find him. If I call his name, he'll make little noises - always coming from the box under the furniture - so I know where he is. It's beyond cute...

 

[GaleriaGila]

Hey, Hen-pecked... thanks for the heads-up about the possibility of cloth-swallowing. Our vet said the the Rickeybird's weight has been steady over the years, but if I wanted to be sure he's okay, I could get a scale and weigh him regularly, which I will do. I feel a lot safer. Thanks!