What does the constant trilling mean?

[JDlugosz]

The trill I'm talking about is is "baby noise". It's the first sound he could make, and is also used in conjunction with bouncing his head up and down, to get his parents to regurgitate into his crop.

When I first started interacting with him, he would trill when taken from his nest-box, for a few minutes until he realized that this isn't a feeding but something else. At most, he would keep it up half an hour between being interested in the outside world.

When weaning started, he was more insistent around his previous feeding time, but he learned the new schedules.

Now, since I brought him home Tuesday and he's settled in a bit, he trills constantly when he knows anyone is around. Meanwhile, at dinner time (last remaining formula feeding) he will help himself to pellets while waiting for dinner to be ready (and indicating his impatience!) and then I'll set him down at his dry food bowl and he'll eat more pellets.

So, I know he's not hungry: If I give him food he is not interested. He doesn't want interaction, and actually grabbed the bars to stay in his cage rather than come out! A short time after dinner he settles in to roost for the night, and in this instance he had made up his mind to turn in or be out with me.

So, he doesn't want anything from us, but still trills which is supposed to mean "feed me". Now once he settles in to roost for the night he'll be quiet once he relaxes and finishes preening. But I wanted to illustrate that in this instance he did not want food or interaction at all.

What does it mean? I'm guessing it is a regression to more infantile behavior so he can re-form a family unit with his parronts, and this is a contact call or beacon of some kind. Any insight? And how should we respond?

 

[weco]

Sorry, I must have misplaced my BWP translation dictionary.....so can't help you on that one.....

 

[henpecked]

I think you have your conclusion about right. He'll grow out of it after he weans and forms a better bond with you. He's probably used to having his sibling roost with him at nite and is a bit insecure at this point in time.

 

[JDlugosz]

He had no siblings. When I asked if the breeder sent one to this shop and one to other shop etc., someone at the bird center said no, there was only one viable egg. They are difficult to breed in captivity and are not common pets, hence seen as "exotic" even in a parrot store!

I think he was grouped with infants of other species (3 total in the nest box) when a newborn, but I'm not sure. Of late he had a glass enclosure to himself, with bedding and a training perch and bowls on the ground. He should have moved to a cage earlier but none were available; he decided the floor level was not for him anymore as soon as I got him home, but he's not adept at climbing yet.

Although he could see other birds in the nursery, and certainly hear them, they were different species and not in the same enclosure.

 

[JDlugosz]

Sorry, I must have misplaced my BWP translation dictionary.....so can't help you on that one.....

I thought there would be a lot of similarity across species. Any of the "true parrots" with similar nesting behavior would have similar characteristics though the actual songs would differ.

Any other resources for understanding fledglings?

 

[henpecked]

Heck you find some resources for understanding any of them ,let me know??

 

[goalerjones]

It means youre talking to a french canadien about looking for oil.

 

[Pajarita]

Does he have access to different kinds of soft food? Are any of them offered warm? Is there something he can cuddle against like a soft plush toy? Is there a source of warmth in his cage? I've never had a baby but I've often read that they do regress a bit when they go home with their new owners so I would coddle him a bit until he feels more secure.

 

[JDlugosz]

He's gotten better, and I think I figured out a suitable "response". I'll post more details when I have time. "Work" is in the way...