Comments on: Handling Hormonal Birds http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/handling-hormonal-birds/ Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:44:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jenny from India http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/handling-hormonal-birds/comment-page-1/#comment-12883 Jenny from India Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:20:01 +0000 http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/?p=505#comment-12883 Hi Patty, I've written to you before on other topics.... My female Alexandrian is 1 yr 10 mths old and for the past month and half, is showing signs of going thru' hormonal changes. Normally very loving, she has become quite aggressive and unpredictable. And one big change is that she screams for no reason at all. Earlier she would shout to get on my shoulder but now she screams into my ear! She also cannot stand me going near her cage when she's in it - she lunges and bites my hand and screams..... She also shreds the paper that is placed at the bottom of the cage and moves around in it - is she trying to make a nest? Should I give her a nesting box? I thought shes still too young for nesting..... I feel so bad for her and keep wondering how she must be feeling and what I could do to help her. She and the male are not loving at all and keep mock fighting. The male is very loving with me - he keeps kissing me and regurgitating his food onto my face, hands and feet! I'm really puzzled at his behaviour!! Can you give me some advice pls.... Thanks. Jenny Hi Patty, I’ve written to you before on other topics…. My female Alexandrian is 1 yr 10 mths old and for the past month and half, is showing signs of going thru’ hormonal changes. Normally very loving, she has become quite aggressive and unpredictable. And one big change is that she screams for no reason at all. Earlier she would shout to get on my shoulder but now she screams into my ear! She also cannot stand me going near her cage when she’s in it – she lunges and bites my hand and screams….. She also shreds the paper that is placed at the bottom of the cage and moves around in it – is she trying to make a nest? Should I give her a nesting box? I thought shes still too young for nesting….. I feel so bad for her and keep wondering how she must be feeling and what I could do to help her. She and the male are not loving at all and keep mock fighting. The male is very loving with me – he keeps kissing me and regurgitating his food onto my face, hands and feet! I’m really puzzled at his behaviour!! Can you give me some advice pls…. Thanks. Jenny

]]> By: Patty http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/handling-hormonal-birds/comment-page-1/#comment-12591 Patty Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:24:11 +0000 http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/?p=505#comment-12591 Hi ParrotPal, I have to assume that there is something in her environment that is sending her the signal to breed. Check out this post on egg laying: http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/parrots-and-egg-laying/, I hope some of these suggestions will work for you. Eight eggs really isn't excessive, but it's still a lot and will take a toll on her. Until you figure out the cause of this stimulation, please be very careful to see that she gets enough calcium in her diet to help her through this. The calcium she needs to produce these eggs is coming directly from HER body and can leave her with a deficiency that can impact her health. I would definitely try to get her on a good pelletted diet in addition to the fresh veggies. Seed should be offered in VERY small amounts if at all, even then only as treats. Try to get her into productive, independent play, foraging toys are great. (Avoid shredders for the time being because they can be used to make nesting materials.) If she can use her time to entertain herself, she will be thinking less about her breeding environment and require less touch from you. Good luck! Patty Hi ParrotPal,

I have to assume that there is something in her environment that is sending her the signal to breed. Check out this post on egg laying: http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/parrots-and-egg-laying/, I hope some of these suggestions will work for you. Eight eggs really isn’t excessive, but it’s still a lot and will take a toll on her. Until you figure out the cause of this stimulation, please be very careful to see that she gets enough calcium in her diet to help her through this. The calcium she needs to produce these eggs is coming directly from HER body and can leave her with a deficiency that can impact her health. I would definitely try to get her on a good pelletted diet in addition to the fresh veggies. Seed should be offered in VERY small amounts if at all, even then only as treats.
Try to get her into productive, independent play, foraging toys are great. (Avoid shredders for the time being because they can be used to make nesting materials.) If she can use her time to entertain herself, she will be thinking less about her breeding environment and require less touch from you. Good luck!

Patty

]]> By: ParrotPal http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/handling-hormonal-birds/comment-page-1/#comment-12586 ParrotPal Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:11:09 +0000 http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/?p=505#comment-12586 My 40-year-old cockatoo, female, lays up to 8 eggs a year despite trying to take precautions to stop hormonal behavior. I try to pet only her head, but even this causes her to pant. It doesn't matter what time of year it is either. She's a very loving bird, and I can do anything to her (she hands me her feet to clip the nails), but I am worried about the egg-laying extreme--at least it seems extreme to me. Her diet is seeds and fresh fruit (rarely does she get warm oatmeal and that's in winter). I have even tried in a new, large cage with wire bottom so there's nothing to nest in, but still there are the eggs. I've tried to just talk to her instead of touching her, but that seems to distress her more. She is a feather picker, and was before I got her at age 14. She loves her eggs dearly and broods them for weeks--then bashes them to smithereens with a metal feeder pan. Any ideas to at least lower the egg count? My 40-year-old cockatoo, female, lays up to 8 eggs a year despite trying to take precautions to stop hormonal behavior. I try to pet only her head, but even this causes her to pant. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is either. She’s a very loving bird, and I can do anything to her (she hands me her feet to clip the nails), but I am worried about the egg-laying extreme–at least it seems extreme to me. Her diet is seeds and fresh fruit (rarely does she get warm oatmeal and that’s in winter). I have even tried in a new, large cage with wire bottom so there’s nothing to nest in, but still there are the eggs. I’ve tried to just talk to her instead of touching her, but that seems to distress her more. She is a feather picker, and was before I got her at age 14. She loves her eggs dearly and broods them for weeks–then bashes them to smithereens with a metal feeder pan. Any ideas to at least lower the egg count?

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