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Masturbation in Parrots

charlieboy

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So I got a great teacher in my biology of sexuality class, and he talks about animal, plant and cellular reproduction a lot, which is really cool. :)

He started talking about how chimpanzees and bonobos are pretty much the only animals, aside from humans, who masturbate and play sexual games. So of course, I had to ask him about parrots masturbating, and if it's for pleasure or if they think they have a chance to reproduce that way or whatever, since Cookie would masturbate a bunch when he was around 4 years old, thanks to innapropriate toy choice because of our initial ignorance.

He answered saying that most times when we think animals are masturbating, they are just itching and to be careful about misinformation. But to me, Cookie definitely wasn't just itching.

We then talked about how domesticated animals, humans included, are the only ones who can mate all year long. And it made me wonder, if parrots really do masturbate, is it a produce of domestication or do they do so in the wild too?

I haven't done any research yet as I've got a busy day, I just thought I'd share my reflexion in case you guys had answers and reading suggestions for me to do, so thanks in advance! :)
 

sunnysmom

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I think your teacher may be off when it comes to parrots..... But most people don't know about parrots and I really don't think they've been studied as much as other animals until more recently. I do wonder though now that you asked if they do it in the wild or not. My guess would be no, because they have other birds to actually mate with? Just a guess though.
 

Donna turner

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Well, I think your teacher is way off base. I have witnessed stud horses masturbating many times and trust me they weren't itching. My female gcc does it sometimes and it's quiet clear what she's doing. My friend had a female dog that used a couch pillow for it. As to whether they do it in the wild, I don't know, but some domesticated animals do for sure. Has your teacher ever spent much time around a variety of animals ?
 

Mizzely

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Maybe that's where the phrase "itch to scratch" comes from? :lol:

Parrots can reach their cloacas though so wouldn't it be easier to just .. Scratch?
 

JLcribber

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:lol: I have never seen a link that long in my life. :D
 

Mizzely

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:lol: I have never seen a link that long in my life. :D

I have NO IDEA why it did that. this is the second time. The link I copied was not at all that long!!
 

Zara

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As I was reading I could hear the clicking...


I´m sure Sydney´s just ¨itching¨....


My friend had a female dog that used a couch pillow for it.
My Jacob has been trying to hump the couch recently :/ Not great. I can´t stud him and I don´t want to lop his bits off either :(
 

Kodigirl210

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@Zara - either way if you aren’t planning on breeding he should be neutered. Leaving a dog intact increases his chances for all types of cancers, abscesses in that area as well as increasing the risk of heart disease. It will also help him achieve a calm he doesn’t have right now and being intact may cause him to start roaming if he hasn’t up to now. They also break out if dogs in heat pass by or they scent them because it is all instinct. A lot of dogs get hurt because of accidents related to being intact. There is no “up” side. If he’s trained to guard that doesn’t change because he’s neutered. He’s been trained not taught to guard on instinct. The same with scenting or 100 other reasons people come up with. It’s sad to see older dogs with cancer when it could have been easily prevented. Just a thought. ;)
 

Zara

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@Kodigirl210 I appreciate that you care and you took the time to write me this message. He´s a very calm inactive dog, He has dysplasia on both sides so his mobility is affected.
Is it not similar to saying, well Mr ¨Smith¨ doesn´t want any children, let´s chop his balls off as he´s not using them, as to keep them intact increases the chances of testicular cancer later on in life.
 

Kodigirl210

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Haha no. It’s not just testicular cancer though - it increases chances for all cancers as most are hormone driven in one or another. We tend to focus too much on the most visibly related cancer. We don’t die from breast cancer or testicular cancer or skin cancer - we die from the spread of cancer to every other organ including the brain from that start point. We also lose sight of the fact that hormones can cause brain tumors or all types of lesions/tumors. That’s why I made it a point to say almost all types not just the one. As I have to deal with some of that “other” I’m glad you understand I’m just trying to pass knowledge on & not chastise you about your choices. Honestly! Knowledge is power & the more people have the better equipped they are to make decisions. :D
 

charlieboy

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Haha I'm glad I'm not alone thinking my teacher was off on that one!! It was so obvious when Cookie masturbated, he literally mated his perch. I don't know if my teacher spends time around animals but he studied them a bunch I believe, I think he must have thought I was asking about wild parrots and not domesticated ones :) We were talking about wild animals, so... Perhaps its a domestic thing and parrots in the wild just mate haha!
 

charlieboy

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Thanks for the link, I'll read it ASAP!

Edit: Very good read, thanks! I just wonder if the sources are reputable since I couldn't find any link to the studies, but it looks alright. Now my only remaining question is if parrots masturbate in the wild too or just in a domestic environment :chin:I'll keep looking!
 
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Kodigirl210

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@sparklepupp - I don’t see why not. Not all parrots are lucky enough to have a mate especially the young males & females. I don’t think hormones change because you’re in the wild except they may start earlier as a drive for survival of the species. Certainly being wild doesn’t stop any other of the animals so why would it stop parrots? :shrug:
 

Mizzely

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Thanks for the link, I'll read it ASAP!

Edit: Very good read, thanks! I just wonder if the sources are reputable since I couldn't find any link to the studies, but it looks alright. Now my only remaining question is if parrots masturbate in the wild too or just in a domestic environment :chin:I'll keep looking!


I mean it was the first thing i saw lol. I didn't go looking hard, but there ARE lots of videos on YouTube even of animals engaging in self pleasure (though that may not be a rabbit hole you want to go into)

For instance, Dolphins have been known to be as sexual as humans for a
decade now at least!
 

Mizzely

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I think in the wild most will practice with the same gender. Example, lion males will hump each other prior to having their own pride.
 

charlieboy

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I agree that they probably do it in the wild too, I just wonder why my teacher was denying it :chin:
 
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