Hormones are very apparent in our pet parrots in the spring and the fall, and it's not usually fun for anyone. If you need help dealing with your parrot's hormones; determining the triggers, etc... check out our Hormones Course.
In the meantime while you wait for that course to download, you can watch the above video and see some characteristics that you may recognize!
Hormonal triggers are important to avoid (mushy, warm foods that mimic the texture and temperature of regurgitated food is one) as well as touching your bird in places you shouldn't.
If you need more hormonal resources check out that course, it has a ton of free resource links on the page.
7 comments
Is it play or is it aggression? I started volunteering at a rescue & today an umbrella cockatoo maybe attacked or played with me (my glasses)? I’m not sure. After breakfast, I went to clean aviaries, when I entered this cockatoo’s, it seemed relaxed so I gave it a pistachio (in the way from videos, slow & gentle). No problem. Then I started to clean & it followed me around & then grabbed my glasses & they fell. The cockatoo got excited, I picked up & put glasses back on. Then bird came back around, grabbed my glasses again, but she was on me more, got tangled up in my hair & freaked put. Never bit me. Was it playing or was it aggressive? After we both calmed down a bit, I went to give it another pistachio, but she still seemed “heightened” so I put pistachio away & finished cleaning. (She didn’t mess with my glasses, but did follow me around. Most of the birds just ignore me when I clean their aviaries.) I’ll take my glasses off when I go in her cage next time, I just want to know. (I can’t wear contacts or get eye surgery bc of severe astigmatism)
Does this apply to budgies? I was warned when he tried to climb on my cockatiel
Hi there, I’m very interested in the DVD of hormonal courses here. But I have a question : is there any English subtitles in the DVD ? Thanks!
I have been living with many species of parrots. For me, the worst hormonal stage came from the caiques. They really eager to bite you, and the next moment, they will regurgitate and try to mate your hand. In this moment, I took one step back, and let the bird decide if they want to be with me or just play around with their friends. We lost all the cuddles babies, and see the freaking bloody monster.. But after they calm down, they will be back to they are. Anyway, according to me, all my babies passed the hormonal stage smoothly. I really have no issue with them since I take one step back, and just watch them. Really like a parent with their teen kids. Your nag will iritate them, they just want you to love them, but also don’t want you to show off your love and keep distance. ^^
I have a rescued African Grey. Shortly after I believe he is demonstrating hormonal behavior. At the time, was not aware and as you have said in your videos we tend to gravitate in error not realizing. I don’t want to ignore him but he has started to whimper outloud and eventually stops. Do you have any suggestions?
We got a scarlet macaw in juse of last year and she has all of a sudden become aggressive with me and everybody else and she only lets me hold her. I haven’t been able to get her out of her cage for a few days now. We are looking for other foods for them to get them a better diet and off of their seed diet. At this point I dont know what to do with her.
I have a pet Galah, male, who is approx two years old. I believe he is hitting his first sexually driven hormonal stage and is constantly biting me, hard! While I’m doing nothing to encourage and everything to discourage, I wonder if putting something in his cage (like a soft/fluffy toy) to have ‘his way’ with may allow him to relieve himself and thus be less frustrated, having the best of both worlds and not displaying aggressive/frustrated behaviours towards me???
Leave a comment