Regurgitating Cockatiel

[ClementinesMommy]

Hi everyone.

I have been having issues with Clementine being over-bonded due to my own ignorance. I was encouraging bad behavior. But I don't do that anymore. I stopped petting and kissing her back, I stopped using the "Mommy voice" (the cooing voice that leads to instant masturbation on her part). Last year she started doing the regurgitation head bob, but she never actually DOES it. Well, just a minute ago, I opened her cage door and stuck my hand in and advised her that it was time for our morning snuggle before I rush off to work. She hops on my hand, takes a ride to the face, and I was snuggling with her and felt something wet and found that she had regurgitated on my face. It wasn't gross or anything, it was just slightly wet clumps of seed from one of her treat sticks. It definitely was not vomit, it wasn't digested and it smelled fine. Anyway, I pulled her back and looked at her a minute and she just looked back with a "hi Mommy" face. I pulled her back in for a snuggle again, but with my eyes open, and she started doing the head-bob again. I freaked out and put her back in her cage and decided to ask you guys your thoughts before I leave for work.

Should I be very worried? How can I stop this?

 

[Birdbabe]

She loves you! I dont have any advice, but its normal .

 

[65sunnyday]

Your bird LOVES you!!! There are many great posts on AA that discuss this issue. You don't want this to lead to chronic egglaying. Good luck!

 

[ClementinesMommy]

Your bird LOVES you!!! There are many great posts on AA that discuss this issue. You don't want this to lead to chronic egglaying. Good luck!

The chronic egg-laying has already been happening, though I bought her a new HUGE cage a few weeks ago and that seems to have lead to a HUGE slow-down. She has laid 2 eggs in the last month, but she laid 8 eggs the month before, so I think we are getting to a good place. Which is why I am so freaked out about MORE breeding behavior... even though I am very flattered and secretly tickled that she chose me and not my husband.

 

[QP4CAG]

Im going through the same thing w/our CAG...he's still a baby soooo he bonded w/me instantly b/c i was simply the BESST (actually it was b/c i did most of the hand feeding) anyways, Jax will do the same reg head bob but luckily nothing comes w/it. But when he does do it, I usually ignore the behavior or put him back on his cage or boeing. I do know its the BEST form of love from them and im like you, "flattered" and "nana-nana-bo0-boo" to my partners face! thats all the advice i can really give you. Just don't reinforce it anymore

 

[ClementinesMommy]

Im going through the same thing w/our CAG...he's still a baby soooo he bonded w/me instantly b/c i was simply the BESST (actually it was b/c i did most of the hand feeding) anyways, Jax will do the same reg head bob but luckily nothing comes w/it. But when he does do it, I usually ignore the behavior or put him back on his cage or boeing. I do know its the BEST form of love from them and im like you, "flattered" and "nana-nana-bo0-boo" to my partners face! thats all the advice i can really give you. Just don't reinforce it anymore

Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate it. No reinforcing from me! We had a nice cuddle last night, and I was super jumpy! But she didn't try to feed me. My husband thinks it was just because of the time of day, and she could hear birds outside feeding?! He says the bird just thought I was hungry. He's just jealous!

 

[kcbee]

It's definitely that time of the year! My parrotlet has been trying to love feed me for the past couple of weeks. He does it mostly during the spring when he wants to mate with me, but thankfully he does not masturbate on me!

Whenever he starts doing the head bob I distract him with something else. That stops him and then his mind wanders to other things. I've noticed he does it more at certain times of the day as well, so we limit our cuddling during those hours.

 

[Anne & Gang]

our budgie, Baby Boy blue, does this..tries to feed us..yuk... as for a chronic egg layer, I have one..scary isn't it?

 

[ClementinesMommy]

The egg laying is TERRIFYING. I am so scared she is going to kill herself. I watch her like a hawk, though, and at the first sign of egg-binding, we will be at the avian vet - costs be ••••ed!

Anyway, to update... Clementine and I had a long cuddle last night and she didn't try any funny business. But this morning, I took her out for a quick good morning cuddle, and the head-pumping began immediately. This time I put her away and did not give her an opportunity to regurgitate on me. So I guess the morning time is special. Sigh. No more morning cuddles, I guess! I just hate leaving her alone for 10 long hours and not giving her some love first.

 

[kcbee]

Maybe this morning regurgitation is just hyped up right now because it's spring and she's feeling mate-y. Maybe your morning cuddles can come back in a bit!

 

[ClementinesMommy]

Both mornings since this post, she has tried again - but not at night either time, and our time together at night is considerably longer. Soo... no more morning cuddles. This morning she also sat and chittered to my husband happily for twenty minutes, but just sat on her perch. I enter the room, say hello to both of them, and she instantly is making a naughty tweeet and rushing around backwards for something to rub on. I can't say I've ever had that effect on PEOPLE... hrmm... definitely no more morning cuddles for awhile, though that breaks my heart. Maybe I will just let her out to play while I get ready and pat her on the head and put her away, but not put my face near her. I love that the top of her cage, where she likes to hang out, is chin-height, perfect for me to come up and just rest my chin on and then she runs up to snuggle against my face. I love her so much, but I don't want her having these breeding behaviors. Thanks so much, everyone, for your advice!