What does a panting noise mean?

Okay so my U2 has been settling in very well and I notice that every time you pet her or are cuddling up with her she makes the very fast deep panting noise, almost like a dog that just finished running around. I can't tell if its because she is just happy and showing some sort of affection or if it is not normal for her to do?

Sounds like hormonal behavior to me; I would refrain from petting or stroking her at all, aside from brief head scratches. Touching her anywhere else can be sexually stimulating.

aether-drifter said:

Sounds like hormonal behavior to me; I would refrain from petting or stroking her at all, aside from brief head scratches. Touching her anywhere else can be sexually stimulating.

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That's what I was thinking. She could just be too warm though.

You didn't say how old your U2 is, but what you described definitely sounds like hormonal behavior. When you cuddle her, rub your hand down her back, scratch under her wings, she perceives you as a potential mate. I would stop holding her and interact with her in other ways for a while. Try playing catch with her, try to get her to dance to music while she's on her perch, use your imagination, parrots love it when humans make fools of themselves just to entertain their feathered friends.

Thank you all for the responses. She is 15 years old, and she normally does it when she gets out of the shower and your drying her off with a towel. I have set up certain times where I put the dog away and take her out to play, if i sit down automatically she is on my lap and firmly pressed up against me to scratch her head and if i don't then she nestles into my side trying to bury herself in my shirt. I know she wants the attention now bc the family i rescued her from would normally just have her in her cage all the time or if they did let her out it was just on top of the cage to stay by herself. I can see what you mean by potential mate bc yesterday when she came out of the shower i dried her off and brought her on the couch. She laid in my lap and when my girlfriend came over by me she immediately jumped off the couch and ran after her. I corrected her by picking her up and bringing her back to the couch and she tried at it again so i put her inside her cage to let her know that is not okay behavior.

Just a gentle word of caution, it sounds like you have a very sweet U2, and I know how difficult it is to say no when they beg to be cuddled, but with a Too, it's good to set boundaries from the beginning and stick to them. You are still in the "honeymoon stage", I'm sure your girl is so grateful to be let out of her cage after so long. You are right to give her out of cage time and allow her to be a part of your activities. She is going after your girlfriend to protect you, her chosen mate. Sorry, I know that sounds strange but your Too doesn't see it that way. Playing with her on the couch with your girlfriend nearby can lead to aggression on your Too's part. She doesn't need to be punished, she doesn't know what she's doing wrong. A portable play stand close enough to you so that she feels included would be helpful, that way she doesn't have free reign to do as she pleases and chase down your girlfriend. Instead of returning her to her cage, place her on her stand and when she's calm, reward her with a treat, a head skritch, a game, or whatever the two of you have decided is a special reward. The sooner you stop inadvertently encouraging the mating behavior the happier you will both be, and your girlfriend will be less likely to be attacked.