Can someone explain this behavior?

My conure has been making this strange jerking motion with his neck since I got him, and there is a slight popping noise when he does it. Can anyone explain it? It looks like he's throwing his head back and making circular mtions.

I had to upload it to YouTube in order to attach it.

https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=vzJrKNSj-m8

That is so cute, he is playing. Nothing to worry about.

I watched the video, that is strange behavior to me. It doesn't look like he is playing to me, more like some type of OCD behavior. To make sure it isn't something more serious, I would take him to your Avian Vet for a checkup. I'm sorry I'm not of much help, but I hope maybe others will respond and share their thoughts on this.

Does he do this all the time, or only sometimes?

Eve2 said:

That is so cute, he is playing. Nothing to worry about.

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That's good to hear!! If you think this is cute, you should see him when he wears his bell as a hat!!

itzjbean said:

I watched the video, that is strange behavior to me. It doesn't look like he is playing to me, more like some type of OCD behavior. To make sure it isn't something more serious, I would take him to your Avian Vet for a checkup. I'm sorry I'm not of much help, but I hope maybe others will respond and share their thoughts on this.

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I've been thinking he should get an appointment, too. I'll give them a call and set something up. It's not every day, but it is frequent.

Of course if you have any doubts you should go to your vet. I have seen this before, and I think if you search on you-tube you will find other birds that do much the same.

I'm not seeing any video

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janquito said:

I'm not seeing any video

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You have to click on the link at the bottom of the post. I posted it to YouTube.

Here it is again: [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1SG9y8UiCs"]Conure making strange head motions - YouTube[/ame]

This does not look normal to me. I highly suggest gram stains at your vet visit, and possibly a blood panel as well. It reminds me of wing flipping and toe tapping behaviors, which we know are signs of serious sometimes deadly problems.


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I would get him a check up. This doesn't seem like normal behaviour and I'm worried about it leading to more destructive behaviour.
From the video it looks like he's pulling at his feathers.
There could be medical issues, mites or just plain boredom.

Does he have lots of shedding toys? Stuff to keep his beak busy?


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NFFH said:

I would get him a check up. This doesn't seem like normal behaviour and I'm worried about it leading to more destructive behaviour.
From the video it looks like he's pulling at his feathers.
There could be medical issues, mites or just plain boredom.

Does he have lots of shedding toys? Stuff to keep his beak busy?


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He's not pulling his feathers at all. They're all very much in tact and look healthy. He does have toys to tear up, but just finished shredding the last bit the other day, so it's time to replace them. He does have things to chew on and bells to play with, too.

This is very alarming. It reminds me very much of "wing-flipping". It's definitely not normal at all...Is she actually pulling any feathers out of the area of her back that her head/beak keeps touching? If she is actually pulling feathers out it's a better situation because it means that her movements are voluntary, but it's still a problem that needs to be addressed by an avian vet immediately. If she's not actually pulling any feathers out of that area, which I suspect she is not, this means that this movement is not voluntary and this is what I think. It does look like an involuntary movement, like "wing-flipping" or "toe-tapping", and these are signs of a very serious problem.

What is her daily diet? And is her cage at all old, rusting, have peeling paint, or does she chew paint off of her cage or anything else? Has she gotten into anything lately or eaten anything lately that could have made her sick?

She definitely needs to see a certified avian vet ASAP, involuntary movements like this are not typically just "dancing". I don't mean to alarm you, but I want to make sure you understand that she needs to see an avian ASAP.

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Eve2 said:

That is so cute, he is playing. Nothing to worry about.

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I'd be very careful advising this to the OP, this is not at all normal, especially if there is a "popping noise" and "he does it all the time". It seems to be an involuntary movement like "wing-flipping" that can indicate a bad infection, metal poisoning or other poisoning, a metabolic issue, or a neurological event.

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Would you say the same about the behavior of my bird? I'm referring to the squeek and head turn which happens @ 6secs the rest of her actions are just interacting with a wild flock of birds outside the window, I have an old thread about this but this video is more clear. I haven't noticed it happening much at all these days but it does still happen from time to time.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czpl7uPLvPY"]IMG 0957 - YouTube[/ame]

Adz, no, that looks intentional but it does seem like your bird might be lunging at some sort of pain.


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Espadas said:

janquito said:

I'm not seeing any video

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Click to expand...

You have to click on the link at the bottom of the post. I posted it to YouTube.

Here it is again: [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1SG9y8UiCs"]Conure making strange head motions - YouTube[/ame]

Click to expand...

I see the video now. Nothing showed previously. Thanks.

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I have me an adorable lil Sun Conure... Booger. I have watched him do similar bizzare moves and more. He is full of strange gestures... lil dances.. lots of head bobbing. Some I have figured out as territorial stuff.. most all of his lil quirks make me giggle. Hes not "shaking his head" so to speak.. which could indicate some nerve or brain issue.. looks more like he is doing some sort of ritual moves like lil Booger does. Myself.. if hes eating ok and otherwise behavior is normal I wouldn't worry too much.

Having a vet visit after any odd observations is never a bad idea. Its also nice to rule things out.

When I first got Skittles he would do this thing with his right wing that was like a 'spasm' and it had me (and even the vet) alarmed. The did a full exam, blood panel and gram stain and it all came back normal. The vet wanted to rule out epilepsy, which she did.

But it could very well have been something more serious so I'm glad we were able to rule out any genetic cause or issue. It's more of a 'behavioral' thing with him and it may just be the same with yours- but its best to find out which through an avian vet visit and know for sure one way or the other.