A (Possibly) Odd Question About Marcus the Paramour

[MarcusCAG]

Hi everyone, I have what might be an odd question to throw by all of you... Does anyone know if Greys engage in what could be considered 'amorous play' or something? Marcus has been "difficult" today and is very frisky. He keeps trying to squeeze under his cage and chew on his one cage-wheel :mad: and in general he has just been kind of feisty. Not that I'm complaining, really, it's just kind of unusual for him--he's generally pretty sedate unless he's attacking his bell or playing on his Boing or something. Anyway, so while I was trying to corral him out from under his cage, he got really 'crazy' and started picking up the forgotten down feathers and bits of bird food that have yet to be vacuumed, and he was throwing them everywhere. Anything he encountered, he would pick up and throw, instantly. All this time, I was attempting to have him step-up and stop trying to climb under his cage. (!!!) So finally I got him on my arm, and I told him how crazy he was, and I gave him some kisses on his folded wings (which we do all the time with no reaction other than some happy ruffling), and I suggested we go into the other room so he could stay out of trouble. On the way, we popped into the bathroom and looked at ourselves in the mirror, and he looked so happy to be with me, and so energized! When he finally stepped-up onto his Boing in the den, I started talking to him and he started the whole attempt-to-regurgitate-for-Mommy thing. Marcus generally does not do this, it's very rare behavior, maybe once every other month or something, and I just wonder if maybe this time he's doing it because I was playing with him and he was acting very 'assertive' while he was being naughty. Might it be a testosterone thing, like he was being a capable male birdie, or am I overthinking this and attributing more generally mammalian behavior to my feathered little boy??

[birdhouse]

Fortunately, Phenix has never been particularly hormonal. We're probably due for a bout just about now, though. Pretty soon he'll start to be a little sweeter & just full of beans. But he's old enough that it isn't too big a deal most times.

 

This is the time of year I absolutely dread w/Kura, though. She's such a sweetie, otherwise. Right now she's got way too much energy & uses it to get into trouble nonstop. She even has a temper. Well her version of. lol This is also when she barbs her beautiful feathers.

 

I always wonder if there's some cabin fever going on, too. They've been stuck in the "cold" dark house for months, now. Whatever. But this just seems to be the time of year when the fids go bananas & drive me a lit-tle crazy.

[Gwen]

Wow, Karen !!!@@! We must be having vibes back & forth & not know it.... I was thinking of Bunsen the other day!!!! BECAUSE, Gabby has been doing the wild thing in her food bowl, along with the screchy, squeekys thing when I happen to touch her tail.... I've been looking in her cage thinking she's gonna lay an egg anyday... She also doesn't want me to leave the room & has been chirping non-stop when I do.

Also, the past few evenings Roscoe is still being his sweet self w/ his tent but will beak my finger & hold it to look at me as if to say, "go ahead, dare me to bite down!!" Little feisty booger. Sometimes he will get hyper & rub, kiss, fluff, & start to regurgitate. I don't know if he's bothered by Gabby, a little hormonal himself or maybe didn't get enough sleep & is a crabby baby....

Like birhouse says, maybe cabin fever or they are cycling hormones ??? Keep me posted

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Lol guys! I LOVED this post because your bird has " chosen" you. Regurg thing, will be done for many years. You have been chosen, and should feel honored. It is a demonstration of love and trust. NEVER, ignore the offering. Ryan my 20 year old, taught Sophie to dance, love singing. While he is home from college, she's been doing that. She's also regurging. He knows he has to accept her offering, and thank her, which he does.

I asked him if he had fun while at home. He said yes, but was looking forward to going back to school. I was concerned, asked him what was hard for him? He said, I missed the birds and dogs, but within A FEW DAYS, i either had a dog in my lap, a bird on my shoulder, or both! Not going to feel sorry for him! He'll be gone a month, then complain he misses pups and birds. Nancy

[danmcq]

It does sound like you are Marcus's chosen one. We keep a 1x1x1 ft cardboard box in Dayo's cage. When my wife comes in the room, if he is in his cage, he will climb down to the box, enter it and start scratching, then pop his head out to check and make sure she is observing his manly behavior, then go back and and scratch/ rip up some of the cardboard. Of course he re-gurges for her as well.

[lovethatgrey]

Emma gets very lovey and in a *sexy* mood when she knows it's time to go take a shower for some reason. I really don't know why.

[Life is Greyt]

Thsis thread is too funny...I guess this is what I have to look forward to when my little one hits that special age too...lol.

[MarcusCAG]

Oh, I think you all must be right... 'something' must be in the air and everyone must be rather hormonal, because our fids have just been crazy this past week. If I give him more than two kisses in a row, Marcus starts bobbing his head to try and regurgitate for me; Tybalt isn't eating my skin much anymore (thankfully!!) but he's a velcro bird on my shoulder if I'm in the same room with him; and Beaker got so jealous the other day that he flew across the room and shoved Tybalt off my shoulder so that he could have that spot! And I'm not even his Favorite Person! Yikes! So things are definitely a little bit more interesting around here right now. Thank you everyone for all of your input!!

 

And Gwen, I'm sorry Gabby is in such a mood right now, I know it was difficult for me to see Bunsen like that a few months ago... She's actually not quite like that again right now (which is surprising to me, considering everything) but she's certainly displaying a lot with her wings and she's very active, going into Rocket Mode whenever she decides she wants to fly around the room. Zoom! Gotta keep an eye on these crazy fids. <3

[Gwen]

I'm so glad Tybalt has stopped eating you !!! I was wondering about that!!!

 

Yes, Gabby has been quite testy lately !!! Usually she is a quiet little sweetheart... Even my husband asked me the other day what her problem was... she evidently chirped non-stop for 2 hrs. while I was gone for a Dr.'s appt. & the grocery store... She sits in her food bowl all day making her little chortles with her tail up the bars... Poor thing, I keep looking for an egg!!

When I've got Roscoe out or feeding him she does her wing display or perch flying... Roscoe always makes me laugh case he always tells her, "Hey !!! Stop that!!"

 

Your right, never a dull moment

[MarcusCAG]

^^ Hehe, Marcus gets bossy with the smaller parrots sometimes, too! And hopefully Miss Gabriella will calm down soon for you both and go back to her demure, quiet self.

[Gwen]

HE, HE, HE !!!! Yes, our Greys "know" they are the boss of all of us !!!!

 

Also, Roscoe, Charlie and I are all tolerating Miss Gabriella's hormones hoping her cycle calms down any day now !!!!

[Koekie]

Lol guys! I LOVED this post because your bird has " chosen" you. Regurg thing, will be done for many years. You have been chosen, and should feel honored. It is a demonstration of love and trust. NEVER, ignore the offering. Ryan my 20 year old, taught Sophie to dance, love singing. While he is home from college, she's been doing that. She's also regurging. He knows he has to accept her offering, and thank her, which he does.

I asked him if he had fun while at home. He said yes, but was looking forward to going back to school. I was concerned, asked him what was hard for him? He said, I missed the birds and dogs, but within A FEW DAYS, i either had a dog in my lap, a bird on my shoulder, or both! Not going to feel sorry for him! He'll be gone a month, then complain he misses pups and birds. Nancy

 

regurgitating??? I didn't know what it was until I looked it up on youtube. The translator didn't knew this word

NOOO!! If she does that you should ignore her. You can't be her parner, you can't mate with her. If you keep rewarding regurgitating, than you get a bald frustrated bird. It's not good behavious towards a human. That's what I learned.

Edited January 11, 2012 by Koekie

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

I have had two girls. Never an egg. !2 years later! Don't anticipate. Nancy

[MarcusCAG]

Personally, I do not generally try to encourage the regurgitation. I don't think it would be a beneficial thing for Marcus to experience, if it is a more intimate way of him showing affection that could potentially lead to him feeling frustrated and angry down the line. Tybalt, our Ringneck, is quick to regurgitate for Beaker and for other objects (even Marcus, once!!), and it doesn't seem to slow him down any, but I don't trust Marcus to be that impartial. They say that the sexually dimorphic parrots such as the Indian Ringnecks can be less monogamous, so they are more 'wired' to be flirts with various other good-looking parrots (and toys! haha) but a Grey such as Marcus, I think, who has the potential to bond very deeply with usually a single, preferred parrot/person (and I'm talking "favorites", because obviously well-rounded Greys will get along with a lot of people)--well, I just think it might prove to be a detriment down the road, if I encourage his regurgitation attempts. But I understand that everyone has different relationships with their parrots, and I appreciate everyone's constructive input.

[Acappella]

When Dorian starts to regurg for me I just say "no thanks, I don't want your food" and walk away for a couple of secs. Right now it seems like everytime I approach him he's doing it. Can't even have our nite nite scratches right now.