Sun conure: very unusual behavior (Video)

I have a 15 year old (owned since baby) male sun conure, and today he started doing something I have never seen him do before. He was always been territorial about the area under his cage (the area that slides in and out to catch food and waste), but today he started doing something that scared the heck out of me. He was on the bottom of his cage, and started pushing his beak into the metal as hard as he could for almost 30 seconds at a time until I disturbed them and then he stopped. Then he went back to doing it until I finally got him out from the under the cage and put him back. It's hard to tell from the video, but he was making sounds of pure agony, almost like he was trying to lay an egg, while he was doing it. (He's been DNA sexed but who knows) I don't know if it's just hormonal and nothing to worry about, or if it is something that needs to be addressed. Either way, I will not be letting him out of cage unsupervised anymore
Here is the link to the video:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_ats41fHYY]IMG 3551 - YouTube[/ame]

Seems to be nesting behavior. Males can do nesting behavior too, its not just females. If you're not 100% SURE he is male there is a possibility he may be female and is trying to lay an egg.

I haven't seen my sun do this, but then he is barely 2. I couldn't hear the noises your guy is making, what gave you the impression that he might be in pain?

Typical nesting behavior. Males exhibit this alot also, as they have to find and perfect the nest for the approval of the female. The days are getting longer, so this type of behavior is common. Ever thought of just using newspaper? I know the sounds you're talking about, almost a squealing, crying sound. It's just to attract his mate to his nest. No need to worry, it will pass. In the meantime, nesting areas should be reduced (hence the newspaper, and not litter) and excess energy should be burned off in intensive play

Ps. Your sun is so cute!!!!!

This behavior is completely normal. Skittles does this all the time, particular with his cuddle huts and with my shirts. I believe it's just typical nesting behavior, nothing to be alarmed about. I call it burrowing when Skittles does it cause it looks like he's trying to bury himself.

I know for Skittles, if I try to interrupt him when he is doing this he gets REALLY mad.

EDIT: Does your sun make a sort of low pitched froggy noise when he is doing this? Skittles does. It's the cutest thing.

Personally, I wouldn't try to 'discourage' the behavior, he's just doing what birds do around this time of year, although Skittles tends to do it year-round.

Thanks for your replies. That's what I was thinking, that it was just a nesting behavior, which he does all the time, this was just the first time for me to witness this particular straining action and it really caught me off guard.

Hahahaha! This video cracked me up! We have a green cheek, male...he's been under his cage paper, making all kinds of noise and shredding mess in the corner.

It's hard to believe how efficiently they can shred paper into the tiniest bits and make a pile!

Your guy seems to be getting quite the workout with all that pushing into the bottom of the cage he's doing...sooo funny!

I agree with what the others said, nesting behavior for sure!

I wonder if my guy does that under his paper....will have to pay closer attention.

Your sun is absolutely GORGEOUS!

Toni

Skittys_Daddy said:

Does your sun make a sort of low pitched froggy noise when he is doing this? Skittles does. It's the cutest thing.

Click to expand...

Yes! That is the sound I was talking about. That "frog" like sound and those little short duration "squeaks". Glad it's not anything to worry about. My brother was the one who called in me and said "Hey Puffy is doing something weird!" and that's when I pulled out my phone and recorded the video.
Thanks again for your feedback.

The squeaks, like you hear when you are washing windows? Skittles does that a lot, and he REALLY does it a lot when I'm washing windows.

Skittles snores too. I think he picked that up from me. When I go to bed at night, if I go near his cage I can hear him making a sort of purring noise.

Kalidasa said:

Typical nesting behavior. Males exhibit this alot also, as they have to find and perfect the nest for the approval of the female. The days are getting longer, so this type of behavior is common. Ever thought of just using newspaper? I know the sounds you're talking about, almost a squealing, crying sound. It's just to attract his mate to his nest. No need to worry, it will pass. In the meantime, nesting areas should be reduced (hence the newspaper, and not litter) and excess energy should be burned off in intensive play

Click to expand...

I agree. Looks like nesting behavior to me too.

I agree it looks like nesting behavior. My Green Check has really been shredding paper and hiding under it in his cage. Your Sun is very determined. What a beautiful Sun Conure.