Dealing with overtly sexual behavior

As my other thread states, I am in the process of taking home a Blue-Fronted Amazon girl. However, the man I am taking her from has also asked if I want to take home his (rare, as I understand it) Greater Vasa. I haven't decided if I will do that or not. I want to, but the Amazon might be as much as I can handle. Either way, if I don't take him, I will be helping "Maggie" find a home (Yes, girl's name. I have no idea why.) Maggie is super sweet. I really do think he would make a fabulous pet, for me or for someone else, however, Maggie has this one issue so far that is pretty distressing. He is intensely sexual in his behavior toward me, to the point of doing everything in his power to get to me when not on me, and masturbating and regurgitating on me when he does. Yes, I know this is funny by the way! But, it's hardly functional, especially since he is not "in season" right now---so I can't rely on this stopping in a certain time frame. Since Vasas are so rare, I am not finding any information to help me, so I have to turn to you wonderful folks again. Simply put: What do I do? His owner is a nice guy, but doesn't seem to know what to do. I'd like to take this guy home or find him a (really good) home. I can't see that happening with this behavior though. What do you think?

Spring time tends to be hormone time so the Vasa could very well be in season. I don't know anything about them in particular but there some people who claim to breed them on birdbreeder.com and they might be able to give you more species specific information. I'm sure other members will be able to help with how to deal with his obsession and maybe someone has a Vasa and can give you some insight.

Vasas are interesting. I think I recall that I read once, they're a genetically very ancient species. The mature ones have some "different" characteristics... The females get the yellow bald head when in season, and I hear the males get an external sexual organ... :52: I don't know how I feel about that. I'd maybe get a female if it were me personally. Do you know what sex this one you're talking about is? Either way, good luck on your decision on taking the Vasa too.

RavensGryf said:

Vasas are interesting. I think I recall that I read once, they're a genetically very ancient species. The mature ones have some "different" characteristics... The females get the yellow bald head when in season, and I hear the males get an external sexual organ... :52: I don't know how I feel about that. I'd maybe get a female if it were me personally. Do you know what sex this one you're talking about is? Either way, good luck on your decision on taking the Vasa too.

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Yes, males very certainly DO have an external sex organ. I have definite and firsthand knowledge of this fact :-O. In fact, when this first happened, I thought he'd prolapsed. The owner calmly told me the facts of the case. This guy is being given to me (if I take him). I didn't know anything about the existence of Vasa's until this last couple weeks. I like him, actually. He is really sweet and social and has a lot of personality...he just also has this issue.

Poor little guy, he can't help himself Unfortunately, sexual behaviors can only be discouraged, but not stopped. He should be well and over his hormonal phase by the time you would take him home this year. However, next year (if you choose to take him) you could probably make some good progress on the behaviors by ignoring his advances and rewarding/encouraging more appropriate displays of affection. Even if he's from another part of the world, it's the light change where he is that triggers the hormones, not the time of year it is in his native land. I don't know much about vasa parrots, but I would assume like all other parrots, their hormonal phase lasts about 1-2 months in the early-mid spring. Unless they are really abnormal birds, this isn't a year-round thing.

Now one thing to keep in mind is ALL sexually mature parrots (especially well adjusted ones who love their owners) will display some form of overtly sexual behavior. Males tend to be worse than females, but those the ladies can be pretty disgraceful themselves. Once she's settled in your home, you will see a yearly "phase" of sexual behavior in your female too, though it may not be as bad. Different (individual) birds have different levels of being affected, and some aren't as bad as others. It's not just him or the species (though the external organ is a, erm, unique complication). Our male BFA is doing his humping thing right now, which is not what we'd like for him to be doing, but we just ignore him when he does. He can't help it, but we certainly don't need to encourage it either. He has gotten better over the years because we completely ignore him when he does his "dances" and only really does his dirty things in his cage. My mom has a female DYH amazon and she is the WORST with her thing in the spring, but her "mate" is almost completely unaffected by hormones (no real behavioral changes other than chewing more) and their cockatoo goes absolutely bat crazy, though he doesn't display any sexual behavior. It really is on a bird by bird basis.

IF I were you, and I liked this bird, I would give him a chance. Given your unique circumstances, I may avoid him for the next month or 2 until his hormonal issues have calmed down, but if he already likes you, that would give you time to get the female zon more used to you while he's doing his thing, and then start to get to know him better once his hormones have settled. However, that is 100% up to you. If you do not feel like you can handle 2 birds or the sexual stuff is just too much to deal with, you would be doing neither bird a favor to take the vasa home. In that case, just focus on the zon and help find him a good home that will be able to handle his behaviors. Best of luck.

You are right, he can't help it. I think I can deal with the behavior, especially if there are ways to at least tone it down (he is soooo intense about it right now), but I think he is a great bird otherwise. I am very tempted. I think my decision for the time being is to, as you said, leave him alone and focus on my girl. As I see how things go with her, I will feel out whether or not I can/should take him as well. He is adorable, funny and good-natured most of the time.

I think that is a good plan. If she's the one you're really after, focus on her. And if her "outgoing" buddy calms his butt down and you feel you can handle 2 of them, it's never a bad call to have 2 parrots who are already used to each other so they can interact and be friends.

Lara Joseph has a good article about discouraging parrots from being hormonal through training and foraging activities - and limiting hormonal behavior by avoiding situations that would lead to a bird acting hormonal.

It?s That Time of Year Again? | Lara Joseph

Thank you! I will definitely check that out!

I often think an ounce of distraction is worth a pound of retraining. Or something like that, anyway. Now would be a great time to start target training this bird. Distract him from his hormones by giving him something else to think about! The urge to eat is usually stronger than the - ah - 'other' urges, so why not get stuck right into training so he hasn't got time to think of anything else?

My Barney often tries to do - ehm - rude things to my hands, but it's so easy to grab a treat and say 'Fetch, Barn!' or 'Fly, Barn!' and he does. That diverts his thoughts for at least a little while. I'm finding the more I divert his behaviours, the less he's doing the rude things. Mind you, we've had a hiccup just lately because of kitchen renovations, so training has ground to a halt. Just thought I'd drop me two cents' worth in, y'know?

I hope you do decide to get the Vasa. I think it's a privilege to own such an unusual bird and you sound like exactly the sort of owner he needs. With your thoughtfulness and desire to do right by him, I think you'll make a great pair.

You just have to discourage the behavior when it happens!!! Great Vasa is in my wheel house since it's a black bird and a unusual bird. I have great fascination with black parrots thus why we have a Black Lory. I think I can convince my partner with another Black parrot if you decide you don't want to take on due to the hormone part. Where bouts in KY??? I'm always up for a challenge.

I think that's a great thought, so great in fact that I have already tried that, to some degree, with food. Now I don't know what his favorites are yet, since his current owner can't seem to give me much idea, but so far, I have not found anything that overrides his hormones. I have tried banana, mango, chicken bone, and cheese. I am going out tomorrow (for most of the day--soooo excited!) so I will be bringing more food for him (and the amazon) to try. I am open to suggestions. I think someone suggested soft, spoon-fed foods for the amazon, who is very, very fearful, so I may try some on him as well. I don't believe that Maggie has been worked with very much. The current owner talks with great pride and interest about his rarity, but has little to say on the subject of his personality or his likes and dislikes, so I am having to feel my way a little bit. The amazon used to be a favorite of the current owner's now deceased wife, so I have a little more--admittedly, not much--to work with as far as she goes. I have made up my mind to take them both. Even with Maggie's obsessive behavior, I can tell there is an intelligent, affectionate, mischievous personality there (under the hormones), and I already know I would miss getting to see him if I didn't take him. And, I feel really grateful and honored to have this opportunity. So, while I think distraction is a great idea, I don't know how to employ it. This little boy doesn't have a repertoire of tricks under his wing, so to speak, and I am striking out blindly on the subject of food preferences. What other things may work to distract him, do you think?

Just say no! :d

Birdman666 said:

Just say no! :d

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Let us just say that he is focused and didn't hear me

Betrisher said:

I often think an ounce of distraction is worth a pound of retraining. Or something like that, anyway. Now would be a great time to start target training this bird. Distract him from his hormones by giving him something else to think about! The urge to eat is usually stronger than the - ah - 'other' urges, so why not get stuck right into training so he hasn't got time to think of anything else?

My Barney often tries to do - ehm - rude things to my hands, but it's so easy to grab a treat and say 'Fetch, Barn!' or 'Fly, Barn!' and he does. That diverts his thoughts for at least a little while. I'm finding the more I divert his behaviours, the less he's doing the rude things. Mind you, we've had a hiccup just lately because of kitchen renovations, so training has ground to a halt. Just thought I'd drop me two cents' worth in, y'know?

I hope you do decide to get the Vasa. I think it's a privilege to own such an unusual bird and you sound like exactly the sort of owner he needs. With your thoughtfulness and desire to do right by him, I think you'll make a great pair.

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Thank you for your encouragement and kind words! I so appreciate it. Maggie is a great bird, and no matter what happens, he deserves a great life.

If he doesn't know any tricks, teach him!

If he doesn't know how to forage, teach him!


Here are some additional links that go into more detail about dealing with hormones.

SEX AND THE SINGLE PSITTACINE
Sex and the Psittacine - Ballance Behavior
Sex And The Psittacine - Parrot Island

I know it sounds like a simple proposition, but so far NOTHING I do shakes his attention from what he deems is the matter at hand. Granted, I have not gotten alone time with him yet. It may be that he will be easier to distract when he isn't surrounded by other birds and people. If he doesn't feel he has to be territorial, on top of the hormones, I may have a slightly easier time of it. I don't know.