My bird keeps trying to mate with me! D:

I got my 4-year-old caique almost 3 weeks ago. It's going pretty well. He's gotten used to me, and he's really friendly with my boyfriend and friends.

He must REALLY like me, because he keeps trying to mate with me. We'll just be playing together, having a good time, and then he'll start nibbling my hands (or sometimes the toy) in a certain way, and before I know it, he's trying to mate with my hand (although one time it was the couch). I stop playing with him or change the activity to distract him when it happens.

Has anyone had this happen? What's the appropriate way to deal with it? I got him a stuffed toy that he shows no interest in. I've only seen him do it when we're playing together.

On the plus side, now I don't have to get him sexed. XD

Don't encourage the behavior at all, walk away, let him know that we don't do that. Make sure he is getting enough sleep, mating season is in the summer months, long days, short nights, try to give him more night by covering w/blackout blankies. This might trick him into thinking its not breeding season. I've always seen caiques in a pair, you might think of getting him a mate @ some point. Good luck

I wouldn't encourage the behavior. Romeo tries to do the same thing with me on occasion. I would still get the bird DNA tested as females are notorious for this behavior as well.

He has overbond with you maby en a sexual way or it will so be. So walk away when it hapens.

merlinsmom13 said:

Don't encourage the behavior at all, walk away, let him know that we don't do that. Make sure he is getting enough sleep, mating season is in the summer months, long days, short nights, try to give him more night by covering w/blackout blankies. This might trick him into thinking its not breeding season. I've always seen caiques in a pair, you might think of getting him a mate @ some point. Good luck

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I didn't know mating season was in the summer. That's interesting. Maybe I'll start putting him to bed earlier. I just put him to bed when I go to bed, and he ALWAYS wakes up before I do.

I'd love to get him a mate, but my apartment people said I could only have one bird. =\

Molcan2 said:

I wouldn't encourage the behavior. Romeo tries to do the same thing with me on occasion. I would still get the bird DNA tested as females are notorious for this behavior as well.

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I've known girl birds to do it too, but he's doing it *ahem* the boy way...

oled said:

He has overbond with you maby en a sexual way or it will so be. So walk away when it hapens.

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I always stop playing with him, or try to distract him with something else when it happens. Should I just ignore him for a few minutes?

My green cheek conure tried to mate with me like an hour ago. Finally found people with the same problem. I was just petting him and then he regurgitated food on my hand and then before i knew it he was trying to mate with my hand. I just put him away in his cage. I think you got down what to do. I personally DO NOT appreciate this behavior!

I always stop playing with him, or try to distract him with something else when it happens. Should I just ignore him for a few minutes?[/QUOTE]

I think that you should ignore him for a few minutes.

This is often a year-round thing with birds in general (although it may be worse in-season). Pet on the head and neck only, no dark or shadowy spaces in cage or around cage (GET RID of huts/tents etc) and DO NOT encourage this---walk away (as stated by others)....

You do not want to be a sexual object as it can harm your bird and your relationship.

Put him in the friend-zone.

Many birds when they first go to a new home. Where they get attention and are happy. Sometimes get carried away. It should pass. And you'll just be good freinds. Don't reject him, and do distract and redirect like you have been. I've read a lot of behavior stuff, and that was the advice. It also shows he is happy in his new home. Ofcourse don't pet the body, only he head. And stop anything's you know triggers this response. I really like think he will calm down.

Great input so far.

My two cents...


Ever since the Rickeybird hit sexual maturity at about 3-4 years of age, I've had to manage his hormones! If kept on too steady a long day, and too much light, he stayed "in the mood" (aggressive, even louder than usual, pleasuring himself on my neck ) year round. If I keep him on a natural light schedule... up with dawn, down with dusk, year around... THEN he's only a little monster rooster from July to September). He has his own room, so I can do that easily.
If/when things get aggressive or risque, you may want to look into avoiding touching/rubbing the backside, regulating the light schedule, maybe even a quick time-out for unacceptable behavior... keeping in mind that a lot of parronts just tolerate quite a bit of this stuff as long as there is no aggression.
The Rb has a habit of flying to a high spot in the room and then glaring lasciviously at me while bumping and grinding and muttering... "Gail, oh, Gail, ohhhhhhh..."
*sigh*
Since he is flighted and fearless, and time-out-resistant, and non-aggressive if left alone, I just tolerate it.

I don’t have a sexually mature bird (yet) but Māui is always trying to hork up at me and he’s just started this behaviour with my partner too. Sometimes before bed he will surf on the hand but he can get too excited and starts rubbing his whole head/neck up to the shoulder and his tummy through our fingers. We consider this behaviour to just mean he super loves us. When he does either of these we just say “thanks but no thanks, love you too”, put him down and give him something else to do.

We’re lucky that he’s still a baby so that we can instil the precedent that this behaviour isn’t ok, so that when he hits puberty he’s not going to think that the rules have suddenly changed and get frustrated.

Maybe you can do something similar with yours, so that it learns the behaviour isn't acceptable but won’t feel rejected/frustrated?