Video What in the world is Casper doing??

[casey&casper]

Hi Everyone--

Please forgive the poor quality of this video. I had to use my phone to capture it since Casper won't do this when other people are close.

He does this thing with his tongue and mouth every single time he's cuddled/petted. I have no idea why, or what causes it. How he's handled makes no difference, nor does time of day or location. He's done this since the first day he arrived.

Sometimes, but not consistently, he'll crouch and tremble as well.

Any idea what it's about?

Thanks in advance.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1388853028042391

 

[bygbyron3]

Gizmo does this too, I always assumed it was just like a dog wagging their tail in excitement. I've been told that if they start hissing though it's moving into sexual excitement. I'm curious as to how others deal with it and how much their toos exhibit this behavior because it's common body language with U2s as far as I know.

 

[casey&casper]

Gizmo does this too, I always assumed it was just like a dog wagging their tail in excitement. I've been told that if they start hissing though it's moving into sexual excitement. I'm curious as to how others deal with it and how much their toos exhibit this behavior because it's common body language with U2s as far as I know.

I should've noted that he makes no noise at all while doing this.

It's good to know it isn't completely oddball behavior! There's really nothing to to deal with for me, I'm just curious why he does it. He doesn't hurt me, or seem to be hurting himself. It just strikes me as odd. At first I wondered if it was a leftover behavior as a nestling--kind of like begging, maybe? But he doesn't do the juvenile crouching and head tilted thing, so I don't think it's juvenile leftovers. I dunno. If it's common, though, I'll stop worrying about it.

 

[Anne & Gang]

He is gorgeous by the way.

 

[Marlene]

Piper does this all the time. I think it's them showing they are in the "mood".

 

[elora]

The mouth/tongue thing, I've been told it is a 'too thing - like bygbyron3 said kinda like a dog wagging its tail.

Now the crouching and trembling could sexual - my female U2 will pant and tremble and it is a sexual excited state. You want to avoid this and discourage it.

 

[Cara]

The beak thing is happy too. The crouching and trembling is sexual. Sometimes you get just the beak thing.

 

[casey&casper]

He is gorgeous by the way.

Thank you! He's come a long way. When he arrived he was yellowish, hadn't had a bath in who knows how long (I had to teach him how to shower) and his feathers were thin and frayed. Amazing what good food and water will do.

Piper does this all the time. I think it's them showing they are in the "mood".

LOL That wouldn't surprise me! But he doesn't always do the "in the mood" stuff, but he does the tongue/beak thing almost always.

The mouth/tongue thing, I've been told it is a 'too thing - like bygbyron3 said kinda like a dog wagging its tail.

Now the crouching and trembling could sexual - my female U2 will pant and tremble and it is a sexual excited state. You want to avoid this and discourage it.

I haven't had a whole lot of trouble with Casper and the sexual thing. He sometimes starts up but I put him back in his cage immediately and he's figured it out, I think. With spring coming I'll have another opportunity to see if that holds. Here's hoping!

The beak thing is happy too. The crouching and trembling is sexual. Sometimes you get just the beak thing.

I'm good with the happy 'Too! It's hard to say sometimes whether they're happy or not so something like this is very useful as a marker.


Thanks again, everyone. It's a relief to know he isn't neurotic, or any more neurotic than usual for a Too.