This is weird, or maybe not ...

Siobhan

New member
Apr 19, 2015
685
6
Illinois
Parrots
Clyde, Quaker; Freddie, tiel; Rocky, umbrella cockatoo.
Rocky is very needy (duh, he's a 'too, LOL) and does not approve of my leaving his sight when he knows I'm home. In order to spend time with the other birds, I have taken to rolling him on his "taxi" -- a perch on wheels that his daddy made for him -- and take him in the other birds' rooms. Oddly, for a bird who wants to sit in my lap 24/7, he is quite content to sit on that taxi and let me play with the other birds and for the most part, is as quiet as a mouse. When they start whistling and chattering, he does, too, but he's copying what they're doing. In my starling's room, he sometimes ducks when she flies overhead, but it's the same otherwise. He sits there quietly and lets me play with her, and only occasionally makes a remark or copies one of her sounds. The other birds look at him but don't get close, and he doesn't try to get to them. I wouldn't leave him with them unattended, but it seems to work quite well to take him with me. They're happy they're getting attention, he's happy because he's included, and nobody has to listen to screaming.

What I don't understand is, why he's okay with sitting there on his perch while I play with the other birds and not with him. Any other time, he's trying to get to me and shrieking his displeasure if he can't get to me. I mean, I don't ignore him. I talk to him and I pet him and kiss his beak every so often, but most of my attention is on the others.
 

Scott

Supporting Member
Aug 21, 2010
32,673
9,789
San Diego, California USA, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy
Parrots
Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
My guess is Rocky seeks to keep you in sight at all times when home. Just part of his nature..... perhaps it is a form of protection??
 

reddawg

New member
Jun 24, 2016
18
0
Alot more visual stimulate in the bird room also.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Hes' part of a flock. You are probably his mate, and the other birds= the rest of that flock. Cockatoos aren't like some other parrots--even after they pick a mate, they still hang out in large groups...so that explains their "needy" nature (in the wild, they would have a hundred plus social partners..kind of like people in healthy relationships lol--you try to hang out with your other friends as well, not just your "mate"). They have very extensive social networks even after they pair off. Being near all of you is his "happy" place. They just want to be with "their" people. My U2 is totally fine alone when I am not home (I live-stream her sometimes---she is silent--UNLIKE MOST, for any readers who don't know cockatoos) but if I am home, she has expectations. I CAN go take a nap, shower, put on makeup etc and she will let me, but occasionally, if I am out of sight (especially in the kitchen), she starts yelling "BACK BACK BACK" (usually followed by a loud, "BAD BIRD!" (which I didn't teach her). In her case, I feel like it is almost a willfulness thing, like, "HEY I KNOW YOU HEAR ME, GET OVER HERE AND DO MY BIDDING!" but she is way worse at my parents' home. She will scream and scream because there are multiple people and she can't keep track of them all and the routine is harder to anticipate. They have total FOMO (fear of missing out)---so if you are talking to someone or hanging out with other people, they have to be there too lol. Mine is a total party-animal (she loves showing off for new people---even if she doesn't care for being held by them).
 
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Siobhan

Siobhan

New member
Apr 19, 2015
685
6
Illinois
Parrots
Clyde, Quaker; Freddie, tiel; Rocky, umbrella cockatoo.
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You're probably right. He's fine with me interacting with the other birds (four others in the parrot room, Ringo in her room) and not paying a lot of attention to him because he's entertained by watching them and by being one of the crowd. Plus he can watch the fish and he seems to like that.
 

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