GCC Sexual Behavior questions

[BleuBug]

Atlas is approximately 8 months old and presumably female. Where we got her from said they found out she was female but didn't know if the vet did DNA testing or just a physical exam. She has only been with us about a week so we are still learning her normal and she's still adjusting.

She seems to be showing some sexual behaviors? Occasional regurgitation and what I think is her trying to show her vent? However she seems to do this randomly without any provoking. Most of the time nobody is even touching her. She will do some sort of sexual behavior usually briefly then immediately go back to whatever she was doing prior. I thought she might be a little young for bird puberty and she doesn't display these behaviors often but I'm so worried about her becoming eggbound that maybe I'm becoming too paranoid. Does this sound normal? Or like she might be going through puberty? Any tips on managing hormones? She never gets pet anywhere but her head and feet and doesn't have anything like a happy hut/tent or a nesting box.

Also if anyone has a good video of some sexual behaviors for GCCs that would be helpful as well

 

[Laurasea]

GCC mature pretty quickly, so its normal to hae breeding behavior by this age. Not early.

But because random regurgitating can also be a health issue. Id probably heve her checked.

Regurgitating as a behavior to you or object is pump head a neck up and down brings up a creamy white( normally) and try to feed it or csn swallow.

Vomiting is shaking head back and forth goes flying more liquid any color

Passive regurgitate is usually tan/brownish... can be a sign of crop infection. they open mouth and it falls out or they bend over and let fall out Mine had this with yeast crop infection.

 

[BleuBug]

GCC mature pretty quickly, so its normal to hae breeding behavior by this age. Not early.

But because random regurgitating can also be a health issue. Id probably heve her checked.

Regurgitating as a behavior to you or object is pump head a neck up and down brings up a creamy white( normally) and try to feed it or csn swallow.

Vomiting is shaking head back and forth goes flying more liquid any color

Passive regurgitate is usually tan/brownish... can be a sign of crop infection. Mine had this with yeast crop infection.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll go ahead and make a call to the vet in the morning as I'd like her to have an over all wellness check up soon anyway. This will be our first visit to the vet and she is not quite tame yet. Is there anything I should know ahead of time?

 

[Laurasea]

I bring treats and try and keep them calm. For some of my burds ( each are a little different) I have to cover all the sides of the travel cage with a towel except the side facing me.

A small travel cage with towel on bottom, and one low perch. No toys or food and water. You can put a slice of apple in if you want. Bring food and water to put in after you stop driving. Bring a towel to cover cage if needed.

Some burds get car sick and vomit . My green cheek gets car sick

 

[BleuBug]

I bring treats and try and keep them calm. For some of my burds ( each are a little different) I have to cover all the sides of the travel cage with a towel except the side facing me.

A small travel cage with towel on bottom, and one low perch. No toys or food and water. You can put a slice of apple in if you want. Bring food and water to put in after you stop driving. Bring a towel to cover cage if needed.

Some burds get car sick and vomit . My green cheek gets car sick

Thanks so much! Hopefully we can make this visit as painkess as possible haha

 

[Laurasea]

its very good practices to have a digital kitchen scale set to grams. Weigh after morning poop. It's good to check weight weekly fir life and log. Most burds will drop weight when sick, and if you catch health issues early like this, easy to treat.

Because burds come in different sizes and small fluctuate based on that burds size. There is a formula, based on body mass. More than 4% body mass loss get them a health check regardless of any other symptoms. ( ofcourse any symptoms with or without weight loss get them checked out)
Weight loss 10% of body mass or more a very sick bird, try to get in same day or next day. Possibly will need to offer baby bird formula to support feed with what they still eat on on.
To calculate. If your burd normally is 70 grams. Then drops 5 grams to 65 grams.
5 ÷ 70 = 0.071 × 100 = 7% loss likely a sick bird and get them checked out by your veterinarian. Every time one of mine has lost more than 4% they have indeed been sick.

Its normal fir this size a green cheek to vary a little. My girl is normally 74 grams, if one time she was 72 grams I wouldn't worry.

You can't go by grams , because to an Amazon parrot five grams is a big poop!

 

[Laurasea]

If you haven't read this article , I think it's a good one and cover a wide range

Pet Bird and Parrot Behavior – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.

Pet bird and parrot behavior information.

lafeber.com

 

[Laurasea]

Thanks so much! Hopefully we can make this visit as painkess as possible haha

It's ok if she is a little stressed out when you get back home and maybe looses a little trust. Talk, apologize, feed bribes all day long! You will earn her trust back.

Goid luck ! Hopefully is just behavioral!

 

[BleuBug]

its very good practices to have a digital kitchen scale set to grams. Weigh after morning poop. It's good to check weight weekly fir life and log. Most burds will drop weight when sick, and if you catch health issues early like this, easy to treat.

Because burds come in different sizes and small fluctuate based on that burds size. There is a formula, based on body mass. More than 4% body mass loss get them a health check regardless of any other symptoms. ( ofcourse any symptoms with or without weight loss get them checked out)
Weight loss 10% of body mass or more a very sick bird, try to get in same day or next day. Possibly will need to offer baby bird formula to support feed with what they still eat on on.
To calculate. If your burd normally is 70 grams. Then drops 5 grams to 65 grams.
5 ÷ 70 = 0.071 × 100 = 7% loss likely a sick bird and get them checked out by your veterinarian. Every time one of mine has lost more than 4% they have indeed been sick.

Its normal fir this size a green cheek to vary a little. My girl is normally 74 grams, if one time she was 72 grams I wouldn't worry.

You can't go by grams , because to an Amazon parrot five grams is a big poop!

I've actually been trying to get her used to being weighted. The day after we brought her home(3/9) she was 69 grams and then 3/13 she was 74 grams. She was on a seed mix diet only before and is now on a seed mix/pellet and veggie diet now which I think might account for the weight gain but I'm going to start weighting every day for a bit to make sure it's not getting out of hand.

 

[Laurasea]

It can be a normal weight and was a tad low before. Or they can gain a little during hormonal times. If she gained a little more she might be carried eggs. My girl GCC once jumped to 84! Definitely carried eggs but reasorbed them and didn't lay.

My quaker who did lay eggs once, jumped around 20 grams I think

Your diet sounds great . And since you watch weight closely , then with females you can see a seasonal slight weight gain as their body prepare for possible breeding.

 

[BleuBug]

It can be a normal weight and was a tad low before. Or they can gain a little during hormonal times. If she gained a little more she might be carried eggs. My girl GCC once jumped to 84! Definitely carried eggs but reasorbed them and didn't lay.

My quaker who did lay eggs once, jumped around 20 grams I think

Your diet sounds great . And since you watch weight closely , then with females you can see a seasonal slight weight gain as their body prepare for possible breeding.

I'll weight her again tomorrow morning to see if she's gained any more. In case she does develop eggs are there any good tips/resources for helping her through that? Besides making sure she has enough to eat.

 

[Laurasea]

A healthy burd on a healthy diet should be fine and they usually lay one egg a day till done can sometimes go 2 days between eggs.

You can offer boiled egg shell. Cuttlefish bone, mineral block. Just to be safe. But a bird that eats pellets and veggies should have enough calcium.

Its just good to know firstly that a bird is female. Then if you know she gained egg weight and has any symptoms of straining or being off that she could be in trouble and to get her to vet.

They can get broody...finding a nest like site and camping out there . Thsts normal. But acting weak , fluffed that's not

If they start lay eggs let them. I remove eggs as laid ( I have only had this happen 2 times) but other have received advice to leave eggs or replace with dummy eggs till they give up sitting on them. Making food and water available close by.

If you know your bird is extra hormonal . You make sure not to feed any warm soft foods. Not pet back. And I hsve found moving cage to a new location and re arranged cage can sometimes convince them this is not the time to lay eggs. But once they are carrying eggs or lay one I don't mess with them or stress them out. I want them to lay all those eggs normal.