Lorikeet Hormonal Behavior determining gender?

[kyladoodle]

Hi everyone!

I adopted an 8year old Lorikeet earlier this year named Gizmo, whom I was told by the owner she was definitely, a she.
However, after having her for almost two months, I am beginning to wonder if she is actually a he. There are frequent instances where she will stand firm in one spot, sway from side to side, ‘regurgitate’ (nothing comes up) and her eyes will pin, and she will make a strange hiss before ‘regurgitating’ This is an every day thing. Besides that, she’s a super happy and loving bird, and enjoys her head scratches and running after her ball. I’m curious if anybody else has had this same behaviour from a female? Or is she really a he?? I know the only certain way is to DNA, but I don’t know how this can be done without causing her extreme stress and I don’t want to do that. If anyone can share some insight id be very grateful 😇

 

[LaManuka]

I am not a rainbow lorikeet custodian and by no means an expert, however pretty much all the swaying, snake-necky type behaviours I've ever seen with them have been from roosters as far as I'm aware, and online videos are labelled as such too. My purple crowned hen never exhibited such behaviour, but my varied lorikeet rooster most certainly does! Totally different species of course, so not conclusive as far as your rainbow is concerned, but it does seem to hint that your girl might just possibly be a boy. Depending on where you're located, DNA sexing should be available either through a blood test with an avian vet, or in some parts of the world you can pluck a feather and send it off to a lab for testing. I've always had mine tested by my bird vet, thankfully there has never been an issue doing so and very little stress to the bird involved. Lots of stress to me as an anxious parront, however, my vet usually asks me if I want some "client valium" when I see him with one of mine!

Sorry I can't give you a more definitive answer, but I hope this helps

 

[kyladoodle]

I’ve just put this little video here to give context to the exact behaviors that made me make this post

 

[kyladoodle]

I am not a rainbow lorikeet custodian and by no means an expert, however pretty much all the swaying, snake-necky type behaviours I've ever seen with them have been from roosters as far as I'm aware, and online videos are labelled as such too. My purple crowned hen never exhibited such behaviour, but my varied lorikeet rooster most certainly does! Totally different species of course, so not conclusive as far as your rainbow is concerned, but it does seem to hint that your girl might just possibly be a boy. Depending on where you're located, DNA sexing should be available either through a blood test with an avian vet, or in some parts of the world you can pluck a feather and send it off to a lab for testing. I've always had mine tested by my bird vet, thankfully there has never been an issue doing so and very little stress to the bird involved. Lots of stress to me as an anxious parront, however, my vet usually asks me if I want some "client valium" when I see him with one of mine!

Sorry I can't give you a more definitive answer, but I hope this helps

Thank you! There are a few vets in my area, it can’t hurt for me to ask. I posted a short video of Gizmo’s behaviour on this thread too. Curious if it is similar to your rooster’s behavior?

 

[LaManuka]

View attachment 49029
I’ve just put this little video here to give context to the exact behaviors that made me make this post

I dunno, but that video is kinda looking a little roostery to me!

This is as close as I can get with Lovejoy at present. He's not fully mature yet but not far off, you can see him here getting a little snaky with his toy ...

Also found this video of a wild rainbow, and there's a whole lotta hissing and snaking and chattering of that beak going on here!

If your Gizmo persists and gets a bit more amorous with you, you'll need to distract him from it and give him time to cool off. The little purple crowned rooster that I had oh almost 30 years ago would get VERY amorous with hubby and me, and he got away with it because he was so tiny and didn't do much damage with beak or claws. A rainbow on the other hand is another prospect altogether and that much bigger beak might get a bit dangerous, whether Gizmo is a hen or a rooster - given my experience with my purple crowned hen, a frustrated lorikeet can get VERY bitey indeed!

 

[kyladoodle]

View attachment 49029
I’ve just put this little video here to give context to the exact behaviors that made me make this post

I dunno, but that video is kinda looking a little roostery to me!

This is as close as I can get with Lovejoy at present. He's not fully mature yet but not far off, you can see him here getting a little snaky with his toy ...

Also found this video of a wild rainbow, and there's a whole lotta hissing and snaking and chattering of that beak going on here!

If your Gizmo persists and gets a bit more amorous with you, you'll need to distract him from it and give him time to cool off. The little purple crowned rooster that I had oh almost 30 years ago would get VERY amorous with hubby and me, and he got away with it because he was so tiny and didn't do much damage with beak or claws. A rainbow on the other hand is another prospect altogether and that much bigger beak might get a bit dangerous, whether Gizmo is a hen or a rooster - given my experience with my purple crowned hen, a frustrated lorikeet can get VERY bitey indeed!

OH.... I'm totally thinking boy then.. which is fine with me given he already has a boys name these videos and your advice are super helpful, thank you so much! Gizmo and Lovejoy play in very similar ways too. Gizmo has a ball that he loves along with bells that he'll happily roll around with for ages <3

 

[LaManuka]

No trouble at all @kyladoodle, I'm happy to help if I can. Unfortunately we don't have as many active rainbow owners as we used to. I'll tag @eman who I think has red-collards, and @ruban who has a yellow-bibbed lory, they may pop by sometime and be able to give some insight into the larger species too

 

[shzeeshan]

View attachment 49029
I’ve just put this little video here to give context to the exact behaviors that made me make this post

I just got the lorikeet parrot , but I don't know whether its male or female , also recommend name please

 

[kyladoodle]

Just to update everybody, she is definitely a girl. She laid an egg!