Any ideas??

[Sassy]

Not sure what rascal is doing? Any ideas??

[ame=http://youtu.be/nfroPQUPM4w]Rascal - YouTube[/ame]

Thanks

 

[carmelasmith]

Dont knw what really rascal is doing, may be she is playing with it

 

[Jayyj]

Mm, not sure. Watching it a few times, it looks most similar to Alice's body language when she's trying to pick up courage to do something tricky or scary. Hopping from one foot to the other generally seems to mean "brain in gear, trouble brewing" but Rascal seems quite focused in one direction towards the back of the cage.

I don't suppose that toy in the back corner is a new addition?

 

[punkindave]

Jayyj
I believe you're right, we discovered he was a breeder and was cagebound for 9 years. He's a total sweetheart but a little skittish about being out of his cage. He does seem to have to "build up" courage to do new things. It'll be a long process but he's got a good start.
The toy and the cage are his from the prior owner, nothing new.

 

[TessieB]

This behavior is the result of stress. He might be a bit spooked with you sitting there with a camera pointing at him. In his world you are stalking him in a very predatory fashion. Or he could be bored. Sorta like a weaving horse-if a horse stays in a stall for long periods of time they develop coping behaviors. Some horses crib, suck wind, or weave to relieve stress. Birds have a tendency to do a weaving dance with funky head motions. You'll also see this type of behavior in puppy mill dogs. They either pace endlessly along the fence, bark endlessly, or chew on themselves.

Once you figure out how to enrich this bird's environment, this behavior will resolve.

 

[ShreddedOakAviary]

I with TessieB. That is stressed behavior. The looking toward the back is more because he's looking away from the thing making him tense (the open cage door, and whatever is outside it). With galahs it can be just a slight variance in your body language or the fact that he wants the cage door closed. (I have a retired breeder rosie (also male) here that is mostly tame but was caged for a long time... he does the EXACT SAME THING if I leave his cage door open and watch him for too long.

 

[Caesar]

Yes I have to also agree with TessieB.
the camera wouldn't be helping his stress level and remember Birds do actually stress themselves to death if their heart rate gets to fast he could just fall off the pearch. I know this from personal experience my neighbours cat got into my house through a open bathroom window .My birds were locked away thank good but the stress off the cat on and around the cage killed my Quaker. Not the actual cat.
you will have a long process ahead of you and I wish you all the best out come.

 

[Sassy]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the input.

 

[Calace]

Definitely looks unsure about the toy. trying to be brave but not quite making it I think!

 

[punkindave]

Update!
Thanx for the input, it would appear that he did have the jitters about the new surroundings and us staring at him!! LOL
After being cage bound for so long, I guess he felt safer in there.

A week later, he is adjusting really well and a lot more comfortable being out and enjoying time with us. He took to a diet change immediately, he loves the bean, veggie and rice mix my Wife makes for the Grey and is doing OK with the pellets too.

After dinner, he'll just sit observing for long periods of time with the beak feathers up and grinding his beak away with pure contentment after the head skritches he loves. After he settles in for a few weeks, we'll try to get him introduced to playing with toys and the others.

 

[Jayyj]

Thanks for letting us know - good to hear he's settling in well!