Full Version: Mating? Marking?
My quaker parrot (Whom we are pretty sure is a male) keeps pointing his tail feathers up and trying to press his butt up against me. Is this scent marking..? (If birds even do that anyway..) Or.. is he trying to mate with me..? I'm really not sure.
It sounds like a mating thing 
... I have *heard* that females tend to press their bum up against things like you explained and males tend to use their legs and grab your finger/toy etc. I'm not sure how accurate that is but either way I think it's a mating thing. (If that theory is true then our little girl is a boy and your little boy is a girl! 
)
Others should have some more ideas...
... I have *heard* that females tend to press their bum up against things like you explained and males tend to use their legs and grab your finger/toy etc. I'm not sure how accurate that is but either way I think it's a mating thing. (If that theory is true then our little girl is a boy and your little boy is a girl! )Others should have some more ideas...
Well, the only reason we think Lalo is a boy is because my gramma came over (Her family has kept many birds before) and she did the whole pelvis check ordeal. But, I know this isn't a very reliable method of sexing, so we still don't know definitly. And I really don't feel like scheduling a vet appt. JUST for sexing.
I have raised lots of cockatiels and lovebirds where the female rubs her bottom on the feed dish or large toys.Haven't noticed this in other breeds' but sounds to me like you have a little girl.
Clyde does that when he's feeling romantic. And he does BOTH things -- rubs his hiney against the cage (or against my hand, how embarrassing!) AND he grabs my hand with his foot and does the pole dance movement. Sometimes he's sitting on one hand and I'm petting him with the other and he reaches out and grabs my finger and wants both hands. Try typing like that. 
So if one means he's a boy and the other means he's a girl and he does both, what does THAT mean???? 
All you can do, I figure, is try to distract them with something else or wait until they decide they're done. Oy VEY.
So if one means he's a boy and the other means he's a girl and he does both, what does THAT mean???? All you can do, I figure, is try to distract them with something else or wait until they decide they're done. Oy VEY.
[[ So if one means he's a boy and the other means he's a girl and he does both, what does THAT mean???? ]]
That's one confused birdy!! That's hilarious!
So if one means he's a boy and the other means he's a girl and he does both, what does THAT mean???? ]]That's one confused birdy!! That's hilarious!
QUOTE (LindseyC @ Jul 14 2008, 11:34 PM) 
[[ So if one means he's a boy and the other means he's a girl and he does both, what does THAT mean???? ]]
That's one confused birdy!! That's hilarious!
So if one means he's a boy and the other means he's a girl and he does both, what does THAT mean???? ]]That's one confused birdy!! That's hilarious!
It's little wonder he's confused, living here with us.
You oughta meet the rest of the gang. 
Male or female its a mating thing...I don't know that I would allow them to get used to using you as their sex toy, but if they have a special "friend" in their cage so be it.
Parrots don't mark scent like mammals. They display. They are visually oriented and have a relatively poor sense of smell. There doesn't seem to be any real difference in quakers. Smartie gets all fluffed up when he does it and he proffers his tail as well as rub himself on things.
Siobhan, Smartie has started doing the same thing. The "pole dance" yes, and the slow deliberate grabbing of the fingers, nose or any other handy protrusion. I'm only glad I don't sleep nude! (Can I say that?). I admit sometimes I get sick of it and try to interest him in other things like talking but I think constantly distracting them might lead to some other sort of bad habit outlet. I don't have any anecdotal evidence of that but veterinary journal articles saying plucking is often down to sexual frustration. There's nothing worse than sexual frustration for being uptight, so I just see it's a matter of just going with the hormones and let them have their joyous moment. Smartie's a typical teenager - totally obsessed! Not as bad as he was a few months ago, but there's not denying he's an adolescent with needs! I fell asleep on the couch once and he woke me up with his butt pressed up to my nose! ARGH! Down boy!!
He gets so fantastically fluffed and does his dances of love so well. If I was a lady quaker, I'd be impressed!
Siobhan, Smartie has started doing the same thing. The "pole dance" yes, and the slow deliberate grabbing of the fingers, nose or any other handy protrusion. I'm only glad I don't sleep nude! (Can I say that?). I admit sometimes I get sick of it and try to interest him in other things like talking but I think constantly distracting them might lead to some other sort of bad habit outlet. I don't have any anecdotal evidence of that but veterinary journal articles saying plucking is often down to sexual frustration. There's nothing worse than sexual frustration for being uptight, so I just see it's a matter of just going with the hormones and let them have their joyous moment. Smartie's a typical teenager - totally obsessed! Not as bad as he was a few months ago, but there's not denying he's an adolescent with needs! I fell asleep on the couch once and he woke me up with his butt pressed up to my nose! ARGH! Down boy!!
He gets so fantastically fluffed and does his dances of love so well. If I was a lady quaker, I'd be impressed!
Well, thanks for all the replies!
Maybe he is a little girl, who knows?
I'll be happy with whatever sex my Lalo is, though. ;D
Maybe he is a little girl, who knows?
I'll be happy with whatever sex my Lalo is, though. ;D
QUOTE (Joseph @ Jul 15 2008, 01:44 AM)
Parrots don't mark scent like mammals. They display. They are visually oriented and have a relatively poor sense of smell. There doesn't seem to be any real difference in quakers. Smartie gets all fluffed up when he does it and he proffers his tail as well as rub himself on things.
Siobhan, Smartie has started doing the same thing. The "pole dance" yes, and the slow deliberate grabbing of the fingers, nose or any other handy protrusion. I'm only glad I don't sleep nude! (Can I say that?). I admit sometimes I get sick of it and try to interest him in other things like talking but I think constantly distracting them might lead to some other sort of bad habit outlet. I don't have any anecdotal evidence of that but veterinary journal articles saying plucking is often down to sexual frustration. There's nothing worse than sexual frustration for being uptight, so I just see it's a matter of just going with the hormones and let them have their joyous moment. Smartie's a typical teenager - totally obsessed! Not as bad as he was a few months ago, but there's not denying he's an adolescent with needs! I fell asleep on the couch once and he woke me up with his butt pressed up to my nose! ARGH! Down boy!!
He gets so fantastically fluffed and does his dances of love so well. If I was a lady quaker, I'd be impressed!
Siobhan, Smartie has started doing the same thing. The "pole dance" yes, and the slow deliberate grabbing of the fingers, nose or any other handy protrusion. I'm only glad I don't sleep nude! (Can I say that?). I admit sometimes I get sick of it and try to interest him in other things like talking but I think constantly distracting them might lead to some other sort of bad habit outlet. I don't have any anecdotal evidence of that but veterinary journal articles saying plucking is often down to sexual frustration. There's nothing worse than sexual frustration for being uptight, so I just see it's a matter of just going with the hormones and let them have their joyous moment. Smartie's a typical teenager - totally obsessed! Not as bad as he was a few months ago, but there's not denying he's an adolescent with needs! I fell asleep on the couch once and he woke me up with his butt pressed up to my nose! ARGH! Down boy!!
He gets so fantastically fluffed and does his dances of love so well. If I was a lady quaker, I'd be impressed!
I can just SEE that. Clyde can't BE distracted, though I try. I whistle his current favorite tune in the hopes that he'll whistle back and we can play Simon Says and move ON, but he won't stop until he's darned good and ready. Sigh.
He was doing this almost every day and now he's only doing it now and then, so I should be thankful for that, at least. I don't figure he's hurting anything so I just sigh and wait once it's clear he's determined not to be distracted. Let him have his fun.
Ah....so thats what shes doing. Bebe will beg me to pet her, let me pet her, then turn around and stick her butt on my hand. I don't think she knows why because I move my hand and she looks at me with her head cocked side ways like "what now?".
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