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Parrotlet Behavior Question

ZoeyFredrik

Rollerblading along the road
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N. Central Florida
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Nik
Shelby has been playing with a certain toy in a certain way.
She gets on it, rubs on it, and bobbles back and forth. I'm not real knowledgable about their sexual behavior. But the behavior I see Shelby doing is similar to what I've seen other male parrots do. I've been under the impression that shes a female, this info coming from the breeder.
Any information regarding this display is appreciated!
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CheckeredTail

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Michigan
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Tsushi
That's sexual behavior from what you've described, but I can't tell you for sure if that's something a female would do or not since my female parrotlet never did much flirting, it is something a male parrotlet would do for sure though. It seems like Lutinos are a bit harder to sex since they don't have the visual cue, might have a boy on your hands? But I'd wait and see if anyone can confirm their female parrotlets don't act like that.
 

NirAntae

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Gary, IN (Chicagoland)
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Jennie
My female parrotlet definitely did the bobble-rub-flirt thing from time to time with certain beloved toys. If it ever started getting to the point of looking 'too serious', I would pull the toy in question, though. Mostly it just seemed like an 'ahhh I love you taco!' kind of thing, and not true 'attempting to mate' behavior.

Parrotlets - males and females - have a particular quirk to them, usually called the 'wiggle-neck dance' (you can see videos of it on youtube), often followed by regurgitation - definitely a sign of them getting "too attached". Unless they're a freak like my girl was and do the wiggle-neck dance as a crop-adjustment when eating. :rolleyes:
 

Known Space

Meeting neighbors
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Females can do it too. Mine did it today. And yeah, it's sexual. She also occasionally does her wiggle, but doesn't actually regurgitate anything.

I actually wouldn't necessarily worry too much about them mate-bonding when they do it. My parrotlet does it to both me and my girlfriend, so I think it can be behavior that was reapproriated as flocking behavior in captivity. If she were to do any of these to you, then I would just go away from her to discourage it.
 
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