Worried Charlie likes humans a little too much

[LilSprout]

Charlie has always adored people over other birds since he came home to me about a year ago, I brought in his brother Sawyer in Novemeber and things were rocky at first but now they're civil with each other and prefer to be together than apart.
I'm concerned Charlie prefers humans to birds and what this could do in the future eg being sexually frustrated and confused.

Charlie gets lots of excercise, he is free to fly around the room all day. I don't pet him or even give scritches (he doesn't like them anyway) he only perches on my finger, shoulder or head. He still gets aroused by me and tries to feed me every so often. We don't cuddle either. He is extremely clingy and will try to be with me every second of the day. Some days he tries to hump my head constantly and I have to leave the room to get him to stop. I think in his previous home he was loved a little too much in the wrong ways (petting etc.) that caused him to see humans the way he does.

What can I do to help him see that I am not his sexual partner? I am worried about the long term effects of this behavior

BTW Sawyer doesn't have these problems, he seems pretty well adjusted and content, he will play independantly and come to me for attention when he wants.

 

[JLcribber]

I think in his previous home he was loved a little too much in the wrong ways (petting etc.) that caused him to see humans the way he does.

No. He is almost certainly a hand fed, human imprinted bird with a damaged psyche right from the start.

The birds and bees. Parrot style.
Site Name - Articles - Behavioral - Sex And The Psittacine

 

[LilSprout]

No. He is almost certainly a hand fed, human imprinted bird with a damaged psyche right from the start.

The birds and bees. Parrot style.
Site Name - Articles - Behavioral - Sex And The Psittacine

His last mum told me he was hand raised, she was his second home and had him from when he was quite young to the age of 3 (he is now 4) Sawyer was also hand raised apparently but came from a home where he was never touched and his owners said he "feared humans" he warmed up to me quickly and now has no issue with the vast majority of people. Charlie and Sawyer love meeting new visitors friends,family and even random people who come to install bathroom fixtures

 

[LilSprout]

Made Charlie a vet appointment to talk about this issue with his doctor. Hopefully they will be able to lay out some stratigies to help Charlie cope with his sexual frustration

 

[JLcribber]

Made Charlie a vet appointment to talk about this issue with his doctor. Hopefully they will be able to lay out some stratigies to help Charlie cope with his sexual frustration

Right now is the change of seasons pretty well no matter where you live. That is one of the major triggers of hormones. All the other triggers are already present. The point being this is normal natural behaviour that all parrots go through and that all owners learn to "manage".

They last for a number of weeks every season. You can't prevent them but you can minimize their effects with the way you handle them. Diet and environment.

Did you read the article I posted above? It has very good strategies on how to approach this.

Here is another good article to read.
Hormonal Behavior in Pet Birds - Introduction — For The Birds DVM — Avian Vet

 

[KatelynDeanne]

Question, When is "hormonal" season exactly? Or can it happen at any time for birds? I want to know when to expect this.

 

[JLcribber]

Question, When is "hormonal" season exactly? Or can it happen at any time for birds? I want to know when to expect this.

Depending on where you live. What kind of environment you provide (eg: nesting opportunities). Proper/improper handling can cause it more/less. A happy healthy bird can easily have two cycles a year (in the prime of life) and in some cases more. These are equatorial birds living in the northern/southern hemisphere. Around the equator the seasons do not change very much in daylength. In the northern/southern hemispheres there is a large and pronounced change in seasons. Big triggers. Usually around the solstice/equinox.

So there is no exact season. This is an unnatural setting (captivity).

 

[KatelynDeanne]

Depending on where you live. What kind of environment you provide (eg: nesting opportunities). Proper/improper handling can cause it more/less. A happy healthy bird can easily have two cycles a year (in the prime of life) and in some cases more. These are equatorial birds living in the northern/southern hemisphere. Around the equator the seasons do not change very much in daylength. In the northern/southern hemispheres there is a large and pronounced change in seasons. Big triggers. Usually around the solstice/equinox.

So there is no exact season. This is an unnatural setting (captivity).

Okay! Gotcha I live in the northern/southern hemisphere so I reckon it can be at any time. Thanks John!

 

[cassiesdad]

Having our birds be independent is an ongoing situation for us. People have commented...sometimes in a negative way...on how little real "cuddling" we do with our birds. If we do believe in independent birds-and we do- then we have to "walk the walk" in addition to "talking the talk".

I take pride in our littles...they, for the most part, are an independent bunch...except for Sunshine Tiel....I suspect he came from a "bad" situation, so when he came here, he immediately came to us for physical protection...as a result, he is heavily "into" being with people as much as he can. He is an example of a bird with, as John says, a damaged psyche.

Milton is also an example of the damaged psyche...we have to keep working with him to become more independent, every day...to earn some "big boy" pants, so to speak...