Wing flutter

[Danielle26688]

Hello
I'd like some insight on my pinapple conure.
I've had him 9 weeks. Wasn't tame. Steps up and target stick trained. He wouldn't stay on my finger to come away from the cage. As on another thread I asked for advice on this and seems he's attached to his cage. So I changed tactic by positioning a ladder from the cage to the sofa, where I sit.
He followed the target stick down. Stepped up (still steps straight off after treat). But he actually stepped onto my shoulder last night, very curious. Playing with my hair and seemed happy to be there.
He then started doing this tiny close to body wing flutter, along with a little very faint grunt.
Is this mating, anxiety or just happy ? If it's mating, I thought this was a female sign so does that mean my boy is actually a girl.
Once he got on my shoulder is was a light bulb moment and he kept coming back to do it again until he decided he was staying there.
He's still not keen on hands, but that's down to his breeder.
I feel like this is huge progress. But to understand his behaviour and wing flutters better so I know what to do next.
Any advice ?

 

[SailBoat]

Seems odd, but Parrots do not automatically associate our hands as part of 'us'. It takes a bit for them to become comfortable with our hands. Part of the trick is to keep your hands closer to your body.

Wing fluttering can be several things from 'I want to go someplace,' 'I'm happy to see you,' 'I'm excited (may or may not know why)'.

Keep building on your relationship, trust bond and enjoy!

 

[Danielle26688]

The breeder grabbed him, the poor thing was terrified to begin with. So he's come on leaps and bounds.

This is the first time he sat on me, and was adamant on staying there. So I feel the flutter is a positive response. Just more concerned if it could be mating thing.
Thanks, will be more aware of that with my hands.

 

[texsize]

Because the bird is young it could be a sign of begging for food.
Pacho would quiver her wings when I came home at night. Swas always so happy to see me.

 

[Laurasea]

Its probably begging for food an attention. Baby birds do this. It can be postive , he is seeing you as his flock. Babues need extra attention, and reassurance.

Also make sure is eating enough, thst poop has lot of fecal matter in it. Otherwise may need support hand feeding with baby bird formula as they can regress with the stress of a new home. Might need supplemental feed once a day or do fir a couple of days. Most times tho is ok , and just a baby burd saying I'm a baby burd don't hurt me, and accept me into your flock.n

 

[Danielle26688]

Because the bird is young it could be a sign of begging for food.
Pacho would quiver her wings when I came home at night. Swas always so happy to see me.

He's about 20 weeks old. I've had him since he was 12 weeks.
The first time he has ever done it is sat on my shoulder playing with my hair. We haven't got to the petting stage, though to me it feels like it's attention he wants but isn't sure what attention is. He's out the cage loads, and is with me 80% of the time.
He's on a pellet diet and gets lots of fresh veg and some fruits. Seeds are then reserved for training. And he's probably getting too many seeds of im being honest as he isn't interested in any other treat.

Though I'm edging towards he being a she to more it's happened. (second night running)
New problem, now doesn't want to come off my shoulder 😅

 

[Danielle26688]

Its probably begging for food an attention. Baby birds do this. It can be postive , he is seeing you as his flock. Babues need extra attention, and reassurance.

Also make sure is eating enough, thst poop has lot of fecal matter in it. Otherwise may need support hand feeding with baby bird formula as they can regress with the stress of a new home. Might need supplemental feed once a day or do fir a couple of days. Most times tho is ok , and just a baby burd saying I'm a baby burd don't hurt me, and accept me into your flock.n

He's about 20.weeks old. (with me for 8) was not tame in the slightest. At 20 weeks is he still classed as a baby? Target stick and step up trained now (albeit he steps straight off my hand. Happy now to be on my arm but makes a beeline for my shoulder. Then tells me off of I put my hand up to try bring him down. Doesn't want to follow target stick off.
The flutter only has ever happened on my shoulder in my hair.
Pellet and fresh vegetable diet and he's eating pretty much everything. Plus training treats.
I really just trying to make sure this flutter is a positive behaviour.

 

[Danielle26688]

Because the bird is young it could be a sign of begging for food.
Pacho would quiver her wings when I came home at night. Swas always so happy to see me.

He eats a ridiculous amount. I know as I'm prepping the veg every day! 🤣 Plus his pellets. He is how ever obsessed with sunflower seeds and knows they are training. So maybe it could be that. But he's never done it before he's sat on my shoulder playing with my hair and in my hair.

 

[SailBoat]

As he becomes ever more comfortable being around you, you become a preferred place to be. Start using seed as a reward for s/he stepping on your hand and moving away from your shoulder. The goal being some level of assurance that you can retrieve your bird from your should when needed.

They is a huge cross-section of seeds available other than sunflower seed. Explore what is available. Also, consider moving to a pellet like Tops or Harrisons to limit the unneeded stuff that some pellets have -- become an ingredient reader.

So happy to hear that you two are getting along so well!

 

[Danielle26688]

He's been on Hagen. When I had him he'd never seen a vegetable before in his life or pellet. He's doing well with trying new things now. I have been looking at sprouting and other diets to start to introduce so I will look at those pellet options as I know it could do with improvement. His wings were badly clippies though he can fly. I watched the breeder grab him before giving him to me and I was mortified. I knew he would take a little more effort because of that but at that point I was dedicated to giving him a good life. The cage he was in was tiny. I shouldn't of encouraged the breeder buy buying him but I couldn't leave him.
I've gone through every seed option going, but when it comes to training the only thing he will budge for is a sunflower seed.
I would reward him with my shoulder for stepping up and staying on my hand since that's now his favourite place but he won't stay on if I move it away from the cage. He will happily stay on my shoulder while I walk around though..He won't come off my shoulder for a treat either he just tells me off. More interested in trying to remove my mole off my neck
I'm slowly edging to petting him on his feet. Hoping he may have a lightbulb moment that my hands feel good. I'm sure we will get there.
It's amazing how something so small (and bossy) can take over your heart.
Thank you for the advice. I'm still struggling to read the wing flutter though. It's only slight and close to the body but only happens when sat on my shoulder.

 

[Laurasea]

They are amazing!!! Just takes time and layers of trust. My fearful one didn't want to leave the cage area st first either.

So he yes older burds , and he is still a baby, will flutter and Bob for attention. I see this as very postive for you guys. My GCC will still do thus if she is in her cage and catches my eye as way to beg to come out abd be with me.

I'm always sharing this article, chas lots of good stuff in it.
https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/stress-reduction-for-parrot-companions/

 

[saxguy64]

It's really a matter of reading the whole situation, and knowing your bird's individual personality. My Ekkie, Tucker, does the lean down low wing flutter when he's excited for my attention. It's an overflow of joy! He's so happy to see me! My YNA Baxter, well, she's a different story. If she leans down and flutters, she's, ummmm, "excited" and seeking something more than head scratches. A little too happy to see me, you know? Lol! It's been a little much the last few weeks. Hope hormone season passes quickly for her, poor baby. Still sweet as can be, but I have to shut down the behavior quickly and divert her attention, so she doesn't consider me "that way."

 

[Danielle26688]

They are amazing!!! Just takes time and layers of trust. My fearful one didn't want to leave the cage area st first either.

So he yes older burds , and he is still a baby, will flutter and Bob for attention. I see this as very postive for you guys. My GCC will still do thus if she is in her cage and catches my eye as way to beg to come out abd be with me.

I'm always sharing this article, chas lots of good stuff in it.
https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/stress-reduction-for-parrot-companions/

Thank you for the article I will look.
He bobs and does other signs I can read as 'get me out' but this flutter is only on me. How ever he kept backing into my hand but then grabs my finger with his foot and 'almost bites me' I can't say it's a bite bite as it doesn't really hurt. I can't tell if it's a warning or a frisky thing 😂 but he's choosing to move into my hand. Maybe he is a she and a little older than I thought. The ring says 2020 but other than that I don't know how old and we are coming up to spring. As he is not used to petting maybe it's a kind of I want attention but I don't know what it is.
Most things I've read indicate it's a mating thing or attention. Really lost with it. He can fly so he could just fly off if he didn't like it as he does with everything else. All the noises he makes seem positive and I don't force him to do anything, it's all ok his terms.

 

[Danielle26688]

It's really a matter of reading the whole situation, and knowing your bird's individual personality. My Ekkie, Tucker, does the lean down low wing flutter when he's excited for my attention. It's an overflow of joy! He's so happy to see me! My YNA Baxter, well, she's a different story. If she leans down and flutters, she's, ummmm, "excited" and seeking something more than head scratches. A little too happy to see me, you know? Lol! It's been a little much the last few weeks. Hope hormone season passes quickly for her, poor baby. Still sweet as can be, but I have to shut down the behavior quickly and divert her attention, so she doesn't consider me "that way."

Oh bless, I think I need to find out the gender but I really don't like the look of those tests. He/she will back into my hand now, but then grabbing my finger with foot and then moving to bite me. This is during that flutter Los down body thing..Though I can't say it's a bite more a grab as it doesn't hurt..Otherwise it's when in my hair and trying to get under my hair he/she does the flutter thing. Very confused as I can't read it as pet me as he won't let me do that yet with my hands. Will sit pressed up to my face though. I can't read it as a warning or aggressive. As I said in other post. He can just fly off if he doesn't like something. Baffled.

 

[saxguy64]

Okay, starting to sound more like a mating behavior/hormonal thing to me. Backing in to your hand, holding on tight with a foot and beak and flutter flutter... Yeah.

First time my guy Tucker did something like that to my daughter, squatted down a little and rubbed himself on her knuckles, she didn't realize what was happening. She thought it was cute and said, "look, he's wagging his tail!" I explained, and she was grossed out, feeling totally violated by a bird lol!

My girl Baxter, when making those attempts, holds on tight, grabs on with her beak, flutters, tries to rub, tries to roll over while holding on, and really doesn't want to let go. She's like a horny chinese finger trap.

Being up in your hair might be a trigger too. My first amazon "LOVED" my wife's hair, any chance he got!

 

[Danielle26688]

Okay, starting to sound more like a mating behavior/hormonal thing to me. Backing in to your hand, holding on tight with a foot and beak and flutter flutter... Yeah.

First time my guy Tucker did something like that to my daughter, squatted down a little and rubbed himself on her knuckles, she didn't realize what was happening. She thought it was cute and said, "look, he's wagging his tail!" I explained, and she was grossed out, feeling totally violated by a bird lol!

My girl Baxter, when making those attempts, holds on tight, grabs on with her beak, flutters, tries to rub, tries to roll over while holding on, and really doesn't want to let go. She's like a horny chinese finger trap.

Being up in your hair might be a trigger too. My first amazon "LOVED" my wife's hair, any chance he got!

Haha I think with time of year too I'm inclined to think it's more a mating behaviour. The grabbing was new but he/she was purposely trying to back into my hand and when on my lap walks backwards to try walk up into me. I just try to distract with training of some kind. Especially if my Malibu is female and associated risks. I've been wearing my hair in a pony and it's helped a bit removing some of the problem.

It's more like flutter flutter, walk back, I move my hand back a little and repeat, grab hand with foot the proceed to hold with beak. It's firm but not a bite.

So proceed with Caution. On the plus my bird now likes me