Why does my bird keep dropping his food in the water?

Pisco1412

New member
Jan 8, 2015
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I've read about this before but I didn't mine would do it, but my quaker parrot started dropping food in the water. Rice, bread, vegetables, seeds, pellets, fruits, meat, egg; pretty much a little bit of everything! And he doesn't even eat any of them.

Why is he doing that? Is he spicing up his water or something? lol
 

Allee

Well-known member
Oct 27, 2013
16,852
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Texas
Parrots
U2-Poppy(Poppy lives with her new mommy, Misty now) CAG-Jack, YNA, Bingo, Budgie-Piper, Cockatiel-Sweet Pea Quakers-Harry, Sammy, Wilson ***Zeke (quaker) Twinkle (budgie) forever in our hearts
Quakers and a lot of other parrots enjoy making soup. It's like an art project for them, the challenge is seeing how much stuff they can add to the water dish before a well meaning human removes the soup and brings them a fresh water supply. Given enough time, your bird will find that vegetable dyed toy parts add lovely colors to the mess and pooping in the bowl adds shock value.
 

cnyguy

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2010
1,021
464
Syracuse, NY
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Quaker parrot, Ralph
Parrots seem to have different reasons for dropping food into their drinking water. Some do it to soften the food, some to make "parrot soup" in their water, and some do it just for fun or to vex their human slaves. :D
 

MustLoveAnimals

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Aug 14, 2014
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Missouri
Parrots
Female Cinnamon Cockatiel; Arka
~
Female Red Crowned Amazon; Chiba
My Amazon drops her pellets in her water to soften them. But there are always a few pieces that fall to the bottom of the bowl, so I have to clean it out a few times a day. :)
 
Dec 14, 2014
686
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Parrots
R.I.P Kiwiberry, GCC.
Kiwiberry is also a pellet dunker, she sometimes drops them though and grabs a new one instead.
 

Scott

Supporting Member
Aug 21, 2010
32,673
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San Diego, California USA, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy
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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.
I see great variety within my flock, even among species. Some are incessant dunkers while others approach the water dish simply to drink.
 

4dugnlee

New member
Apr 27, 2014
1,133
3
Ohio
Parrots
Sassy - 13 y.o. Blue Front Amazon, Cisco - 6 y.o. Sun Conure, Peanut - 8 y.o. U2
Fred - 2(?) y.o. Cockatiel, Ginger - 3 or 4(?) y.o. Cockatiel
My U2 dunks her pellets/crackers/toast...pretty much anything "dry" that I give her. I haven't seen her leave her food in the water though...just dunks to soften it.
 

Terry57

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Nov 6, 2013
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Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada
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Hawkhead(Darwin),YCA(Dexter),VE (Ekko),OWA(Slater),BHP(Talli),DYH(Calypso),RLA(Kimera),Alex(Xander)CBC(Phoe),IRN (Kodee,Luna,Stevie),WCP (Pisces),CAG(Justice)GCC (Jax), GSC2(Charley)
My CAG is a dunker, puts food, new foot toys, anything we give him in there. My lovebirds also throw anything that is not nailed down into their water.
Thankfully, most of the rest are not that interested in "vexing this human slave" :)
 

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