Touching below the head

[Kanokoro]

I've heard that touching or stroking macaws on the back, belly or under the wings can cause a lot of negative hormonal behaviour, but does this apply to conures and other small birds as well?

 

[Mizzely]

Yes



Site Name - Articles - Behavioral - Sex And The Psittacine

 

[Dona]

Agree, just touch the head of a willing bird, no matter the size.

 

[tka]

Yes, and it applies to all parrots, not just macaws.

 

[Garet]

Yeah, I wouldn't pet below the head. Kiki gets really awkward to be around if I go just a touch too low on her neck, if you know what I mean. It's definitely a thing for conures. God forbid there's a pinfeather on her back she can't quite get just inside the nogo zone...

 

[Qwerty0042]

Okay, I had no idea about this, so I will need to think about this. Also, I can almost only have my bird out in my room, but he stays downstairs. I always have to cover his wings and body when carrying him upstairs. Would that be out of the question? I don’t know if i need to change my routine and I need to get this cleared up.

 

[Leih]

Everytime some non bird person meets my conure, because they don't know any better they always run their finger down his back, despite me saying he likes his cheeks rubbed. I cringe. And have decided next time that happens to tell them they just "solicited" my bird.

 

[Garet]

Okay, I had no idea about this, so I will need to think about this. Also, I can almost only have my bird out in my room, but he stays downstairs. I always have to cover his wings and body when carrying him upstairs. Would that be out of the question? I don’t know if i need to change my routine and I need to get this cleared up.

I mean you could, but there are probably better ways. Is he down there because there are interested things, or is your room down there? It would be better for both of you if you could entice him upstairs with interesting things. Toweling a bird isn't the same as petting. With toweling, you're scaring him, and he might start to associate going upstairs with the negative experience. Sure, there are times when you have to towel a bird, but I'm not sure if it's needed here.

 

[Leih]

I'd imagine it depends on how you place your hand. I feel like an open palm lightly over the wings is very different from outright stroking their back.

 

[Monica]

Okay, I had no idea about this, so I will need to think about this. Also, I can almost only have my bird out in my room, but he stays downstairs. I always have to cover his wings and body when carrying him upstairs. Would that be out of the question? I don’t know if i need to change my routine and I need to get this cleared up.

I kind of agree with @Leih here... but it can also depend on the bird.


My 18 year old cockatiel actually allows me to place my hand over her back and tolerates me grabbing her and picking her up. She doesn't become hormonal or think it's sexy time because of this. I don't stroke her back, mind you! Just more like 'cradling' her. I don't do this with *any* other cockatiel unless I need to physically restrain them. For her though, not an issue... and she does occasionally lay eggs!

My 25 year old mitred conure is even more hands on... although usually if I have him on my chest for scritches, I actually lay him on his back on my chest, then 'cradle' his stomach/feet. He also lays on his back on the palm of my hand and I gently toss him in the air. Again, does not encourage hormones, and I'm not petting him there. (although he would very much like it if I did, particularly under the wings!)


Some birds though can go into "sexy mode" even just by petting their heads! In this case, best to be hands off! I even "met" a cockatoo that went into "sexy mode" just by giving her *VERBAL* attention! I felt terrible for her...

 

[Dona]

I'd imagine it depends on how you place your hand. I feel like an open palm lightly over the wings is very different from outright stroking their back.

Yes I agree. I guess I forgot that I do use a light open palm over Gigi sometimes. When we are walking to the bathroom for a misting, she occasionally gets so excited that she flies back to her cage. So I do sometimes tell her where we are going and for her to stay with me, while lightly covering her.

Okay, I had no idea about this, so I will need to think about this. Also, I can almost only have my bird out in my room, but he stays downstairs. I always have to cover his wings and body when carrying him upstairs. Would that be out of the question? I don’t know if i need to change my routine and I need to get this cleared up.

So maybe this works if you are very light with your touch and not stroking. Not sure.

 

[Kanokoro]

Thank you all for your help!

 

[Dostc426]

My sun conure is always in sexy mode no matter what I do lol! Luckily not aggressively so, but seriously he has trigger words!