Just Keep digging, digging, digging.....

[QP4CAG]

Jax will dig like a MANIAC on his newspaper whenever i leave the room....my qp just does it all the time, but ive noticed lately he goes to town boi!!! Anyone else's do this?? Is it common?? a grey thing?

 

[Conurechicken]

I've seen both males & females of both species (Timneh & red-tailed) do this. I think it is a displaced natural behavior they do when stressed or frustrated. My pet Timneh hen will do this sometimes when I put her in her sleeping cage & she's not quite ready to sleep. She has even continued to dig after the lights are out! She will also do this if she is in her cage and I am eating in the same room her cage is in. Little beggar.

As far as what the natural behavior this is derived from, I have heard many theories from them doing it to rid their nestholes of parasites and or feces, to digging in the ground for grubs. Not sure which.

Does anyone know if other African parrot species do this?

 

[QP4CAG]

that sounds very interesting...def makes sense tho..considering there ground foragers...im interested in learning more. sometimes i just laugh b/c how intense he can get

 

[GG.]

it's a normal behaviour of greys - in the wild they forage on the ground for food - part of the flock stays in the trees to 'keep watch' while the others are on the ground and then they rotate

we refer to it as the 'grey chicken scratch'

try giving him a shallow box with some newspaper and a few treat and let him dig to his hearts content

 

[Greycloud]

Yup, GG is correct! This is normal behavior for a grey. My Dexter spends a good amount of time doing this.

 

[itzmered]

I have a sun conure that loves to do this. Maybe he is part african gray

 

[GG.]

I have a sun conure that loves to do this. Maybe he is part african gray

I don't doubt that in the least Chris

 

[QP4CAG]

Thanks GG, thats exactly what I tend to do!!!! Hey Chris don't feel too weird for your concure, my little quaker does it 10x worse than Jax does!!!!! Makes you wonder

 

[JLcribber]

It's not just Greys. Lots of birds do it.

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=/&gl=CA#/watch?v=uGnMblfrXCM

 

[QP4CAG]

hilarious!!!! Thx John for posting that for us!!!

 

[crystaljam]

Merlin digs when the door is closed to whatever room he is in. Mind you he also digs on Husband's computer desk in the Man Room, and if he's on countertops.

Gotta love that they're persistant!