What does it mean when they offer their foot ?

Robyn

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Sep 9, 2009
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hello all,

Just a question about my Jack. I have seen birds pretty much do this a lot. But now my Jack does this often. What does it actually mean when they offer or raise their foot to you ? My father who has an aviary reckons it means they are happy but I think he is just guessing.
He does do this often and tends to do it when Im chatting to him up close.
Wouldnt mind peoples views on this , just curious what others think this means ??
He is a very happy little boy who chats non stop, probably has a vocabulary now of about 60 - 70 words.
Thanks,
Robyn
 
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MikeyTN

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Feb 1, 2011
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Antioch, TN
Parrots
"Willie"&"Lola"B&G Macaw,
"Dixie"LSC2, and "Nico" Scarlet Macaw.
My Eclectus boy raise his foot at me when he wants me to pick him up. They tuck their foot up too when they sleep. My macaw does it when he wants to play tickle feet....lol
 
OP
Robyn

Robyn

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They are such amazing creatures. Trying to get an idea of when they do it to their owners, maybe to see if this somehow associates to being happy.
Thanks for letting me know, seems they dont do it when annoyed or angry.
Thanks
 

MikeyTN

New member
Feb 1, 2011
13,296
17
Antioch, TN
Parrots
"Willie"&"Lola"B&G Macaw,
"Dixie"LSC2, and "Nico" Scarlet Macaw.
No they don't. My macaw open and closes his foot at me cause he wants to play. Its like come here and tickle my foot. Or he like to hold my hand....
 

mygirl

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Oct 4, 2010
155
0
Parrots
Female Eclectus
my eclectus female does that when she wants to be let out of her cage or picked up
 

HRH Di

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Jan 9, 2010
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McKinney, TX
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Max - Alexandrine, Jade - Red-Front Macaw, Ruby - CAG
If the foot is raised kind of out front like they're taking a step, that usually means they want to be picked up (in our house it's called a take-ee).

Aside from that and when she's sleeping, our macaw will raise her foot when she's being a bully to our other 2 birds. It's definitley an agressive action and it's very different from her take-ee so there's no chance of mistaking the two.
 

Pedro

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Dec 15, 2010
1,583
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Australia
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2 Budgies, 3 Cockatiels, 6 GCC'S, 2 Crimson Bellie Conures, 9 Sun Conures, 2 Major Mitchells, 12 Eclectus parrots of various ages, 2 BF Amazons, 2 Hahn's Macaw's, 1 Red Tail Black Too
My Amazon hen will raise her foot as a defense if the male bothers her or i get to close to her. My Cockatoo will wave, sort of open & close his foot, very cute. And my eclectus will always raise his foot to step up regardless of whether i ask or not.

I think most parrots that have been taught the step up command will normally lift their foot in anticipation of being picked up.
 

Mondos Parents

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Jan 21, 2011
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Louisville, KY
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YC x YN Amazon "Mondo" ,Green Wing Macaw "Bob" & Catablue Macaw "Jake"
Mondo (Amazon)will stick his foot through the cage, when I put my finger in it he trys to bite it or he bites at his own leg. I think he is just playing! Bob the Macaw trys to pull it to his beak to bite, think he is playing too. I say to bite, he doesn't bite he just holds it in his beak with no pressure.
Parrots are such a pleasure!!
 

Lesleybird

Banned
Banned
Mar 10, 2011
64
1
Houston
Parrots
Three amazons, Moluccan cockatoo, Umbrella cockatoo, Harlequin macaw.
Hi, I know what this usually means because I just trained my new 9 month old macaw to step up. Now when she wants to step up (meaning be picked up), she lifts his foot up to let us know that she wants to step up!! She did not do this a month ago when we first got her, it was not until we taught her to "step up".
Lesley
 

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