Is this odd behavior?

[JennS]

Vannah seems very healthy, active, talking, attention seeking, etc... I am trying to understand her behaviors, but this one is mystifying me! 

She starts be getting me to pick her up, then leans in to me. Not sure if she likes the snuggle or is looking for stability. Usually I go sit down with her and let her choose to snuggle, play, flap, or what ever. The following video is what she does at some point everytime I pick her up. Today as soon as we sat down she started.

**edit** I know she is asking for a cracker in the video, but she always asks about crackers, ever when she has one. She either likes the word, or She was a cracker junky...

What do you think about it? Do any of your fids do something like this? What does it mean for them?

Edited July 19, 2020 by JennS

[Greytness]

I love listening to her talking!

I'm not sure what she's doing. It looks like she wants to step, or be moved higher up. My macaw does that, but also tells me 'up up' while lifting his foot. Once I do lift him higher, he's happy as a lark.

I do see some nervousness coming from her. Is she a flighted bird? 

[JennS]

2 hours ago, Greytness said:

I love listening to her talking!

I'm not sure what she's doing. It looks like she wants to step, or be moved higher up. My macaw does that, but also tells me 'up up' while lifting his foot. Once I do lift him higher, he's happy as a lark.

I do see some nervousness coming from her. Is she a flighted bird? 

We were told she has all of her feathers, but when she stretches her wings out it looks like there are a couple missing. They aren't cut though. She flaps while on our finger as if she's going to take off, but doesn't.  Her previous companion didn't think she knew she could fly. Just about an hour ago I picked her up off the floor and she flew to her cage! Only about 2 feet. First time she's been independently airborne in the last 22 years. We aren't sure if she was flighted her first 6 years.

I'd like to encourage her flight with in reason. She seems like she's a little short of breath when she finishes flapping on our fingers. It seems she might be a tad out of shape. She was about 400 grams at the vet, shoo not fast at all. The very said that's a little under weight, but that it could be her normal. 

[Greytness]

If they don't fly then their chest muscles atrophy, which is why she's short of breath. But that can change if you stage situations where she may want to fly a short way as she did today.

My macaw came to us clipped before fledge. He was almost 2 when we got him, so we taught him how to fly by 'tossing' him back and forth to a family member. He was quite winded initially, but became less so over time as his chest musculature developed. 

[neoow]

I can't watch the video unfortunately - I just get a grey box with a play button. Will try a different device later to see if I can get it to work.

In regards to flying- if she's not used to flying it will probably take it out of her to begin with... imagine trying to for for a run if you've done no exercise whatsoever for months on end -you'll be out of puff to begin with but the more you do it, the better you'll get. If you encourage the short flights she'll start building confidence and will slowly build up her strength too and will start to take longer flights. She may even get the confidence to start flying round obstacles/corners etc over time. If you are worried about her crash landing and potentially hurting herself then you can try and stage the initital flights over soft furnishings such as beds/sofas or put some blankets and cushions on the floor.

[JennS]

28 minutes ago, neoow said:

I can't watch the video unfortunately - I just get a grey box with a play button. Will try a different device later to see if I can get it to work.

In regards to flying- if she's not used to flying it will probably take it out of her to begin with... imagine trying to for for a run if you've done no exercise whatsoever for months on end -you'll be out of puff to begin with but the more you do it, the better you'll get. If you encourage the short flights she'll start building confidence and will slowly build up her strength too and will start to take longer flights. She may even get the confidence to start flying round obstacles/corners etc over time. If you are worried about her crash landing and potentially hurting herself then you can try and stage the initital flights over soft furnishings such as beds/sofas or put some blankets and cushions on the floor.

Thank you. After my last response, my little conure scared the begeezees out of her and she took off from my lap. She made it about 3 or 4 feet and landed next to the coffee table. Not too smoothly. She is definitely wanting to try. I'll try making some soft spots for her to work on it.

My husband is worried about keeping her fully feathered if she's going to learn to fly. There is an outside door in the room where she is. It is used infrequently, but as he reminded me, it only takes once for her to get into the trees around our place. I am worried about taking away what she wants to be able to do. I am hoping to teach her safe places and maybe screen in tge porch outside the door.🙂

[JennS]

Well,  Vannah and I are practicing flying on my finger. She holds on and I lift her in the air as she flaps. She is starting to flap enough that I can feel a little lift on my finger. Sometimes she and I run around the whole house like that. She sounds like she's dying sometimes, but she wants to do more. We go until she's ready to stop. She hasn't been brave enough to try to fly to anything again. She is starting to let me handle her more than just her feet, so we might try the tossing activity if she will tolerate my husband helping. 

[neoow]

Sounds like she is making really good progress! The mental image of you running round the room with her is just too cute!

[JennS]

Not much progress lately. She still likes to flap on my finger, and go places around the house. She is still getting winded and she always wants to face me. So when I hold her out to the side, she kind of steers back in rather than ahead of herself. She also barely tolerates my husband, so getting him to help doesn't really work. Any thoughts? I guess its not a priority that she fly, but if she is liking to be high, and play flies from my hand, it seems that it would be good to teach her. 

[Greytness]

She may not ever choose to fly after, who knows how long, she hadn't flown. As long as you encourage activities that allow her to move, climb and flap that's really all you can do at this point. If she tolerates standing on your husband's arm with you a little ways away, it may give her an incentive to fly over to her chosen one.

[JennS]

4 minutes ago, Greytness said:

She may not ever choose to fly after, who knows how long, she hadn't flown. As long as you encourage activities that allow her to move, climb and flap that's really all you can do at this point. If she tolerates standing on your husband's arm with you a little ways away, it may give her an incentive to fly over to her chosen one.

Good idea. She will occasionally let us put her on Cory... that might work.

[neoow]

I think just keep encouraging her to exercise and flap her wings etc. Alfie is fully flighted but still enjoys climbing. Sometimes he'll opt to climb when flying would be the easier option. Any form of exercise will be good for her. She might not know how to fly or might not have the confidence to try it.