Hormonal Quaker - long read!

[psitticine]

Hi, so… my parrot has been very hormonal for weeks now, off and on. There’s been an increase in that behavior over the past couple weeks. Don’t worry, she only gets scritches on the neck and head, so that’s not an issue. This amount of hormonal behavior is normal for this time of year, as far as I know. I’d say I typically see it around twice a day or so.

Something new that I’ve noticed is when she gets this way, it’s often when I go to let her out of the cage, which makes sense because to her I’m her “mate”. But this is also the only time she wants to STAY in the cage. I open the door and she starts pacing and kind of wobbling around the cage, puffs up etc. as they do. So I let her stay in and never try to push her to come out. I know this is at least partially a good thing, since it’s best to keep a distance from them when they get that way as to not frustrate them…

It’s not that she’s cage aggressive, I can put my whole arm in there and she stays unbothered. Today she hasn’t wanted to come out at all, which has never happened. I’ve tried several times to let her out today but she wasn’t interested.

I should also mention that I just got her a new foraging toy that she is OBSESSED with. So maybe she’s just that attached to it?

She also has started a habit of screaming, jumping, and running around the cage when I turn off the lights so she can go to sleep. Usually this will stop soon after I close the door and she’ll go to sleep. I give her plenty of time outside of the cage during the day, she has a play gym and plenty of toys to keep her active and occupied, and I dedicate social time with her at least once a day, so I don’t think it’s that she isn’t burning off enough energy during the day.

What do you think? Are these habits connected in some way? Is there anything I should be worried about or is she just weird? (Million dollar question!)

 

[zERo]

I know I’ve asked, but how old is she again?

She could be reluctant to come out because of the new toy and she’s just excited about it.

I imagine she’s screaming at bedtime because she wants to stay up past bedtime! My Quaker does this sometimes too when the lights go off.

So is her hormonal behavior mostly her mating with toys and stuff?

 

[psitticine]

I know I’ve asked, but how old is she again?

She could be reluctant to come out because of the new toy and she’s just excited about it.

I imagine she’s screaming at bedtime because she wants to stay up past bedtime! My Quaker does this sometimes too when the lights go off.

So is her hormonal behavior mostly her mating with toys and stuff?

She just turned a year old last Sunday! The toy was her hatch day present.

I actually haven’t seen her mate with any toys, but kind of adjacent, she recently started doing ~erotic dance routines~ with her rope perch. She’ll stand between the loops, wiggle around, rub her back on the rope and curl her neck around it. Probably hard to picture but yeah, that’s a thing now.

Her usual hormonal behavior is just kind of awkwardly hobbling around. She puffs out all the way, opens her beak wide, makes breathy little “kee-kee” sounds and wobbles side to side. If she gets in the mood while I’m holding her she’ll grab onto something with one foot and hold my finger with the other. Then I know it’s time for a little distance before I come back! I also see her do the foot thing in her cage with perches sometimes. I’ve never seen her regurgitate at all.

 

[zERo]

She just turned a year old last Sunday! The toy was her hatch day present.

I actually haven’t seen her mate with any toys, but kind of adjacent, she recently started doing ~erotic dance routines~ with her rope perch. She’ll stand between the loops, wiggle around, rub her back on the rope and curl her neck around it. Probably hard to picture but yeah, that’s a thing now.

Her usual hormonal behavior is just kind of awkwardly hobbling around. She puffs out all the way, opens her beak wide, makes breathy little “kee-kee” sounds and wobbles side to side. If she gets in the mood while I’m holding her she’ll grab onto something with one foot and hold my finger with the other. Then I know it’s time for a little distance before I come back! I also see her do the foot thing in her cage with perches sometimes. I’ve never seen her regurgitate at all.

The last thing you described is exactly what my male Quaker does!
I back off and he stops after a bit.

I’d say this is her first hormone spell, best thing you can do for her now, since you’ve already got petting down, would be limiting sugar in the diet, making sure she gets 12 hours of sleep and don’t let her have access to any nesty spots.

Edit: Also, I recommend trying some avian hormone teas. I give mine a blend from Bird Brews, and 1-2 times a week, I’ll give plain chamomile, rose hips, hibiscus, or calendula.

 

[psitticine]

The last thing you described is exactly what my male Quaker does!
I back off and he stops after a bit.

I’d say this is her first hormone spell, best thing you can do for her now, since you’ve already got petting down, would be limiting sugar in the diet, making sure she gets 12 hours of sleep and don’t let her have access to any nesty spots.

Edit: Also, I recommend trying some avian hormone teas. I give mine a blend from Bird Brews, and 1-2 times a week, I’ll give plain chamomile, rose hips, hibiscus, or calendula.

Ooooh, where’d you get the tea? Do you just put it in a bowl in his cage for him? Feels like a silly question but I’ve never heard of birdie tea!

 

[zERo]

Ooooh, where’d you get the tea? Do you just put it in a bowl in his cage for him? Feels like a silly question but I’ve never heard of birdie tea!

For the plain various flowers I’ve bought from Anthony’s and FGOrganics, both on Amazon.
The tea blend I got from, I wanna say ABirdToy.com?

Edit: Forgot to answer your first question! The avian blends have directions but for the flowers that don’t, I put about 1 tsp. In half a cup of lukewarm water and let it steep for 10-20 min. Before serving. My conure loves it the most, especially chamomile!