Is this Normal?

[luvmygrey]

I have never owned a bird before and am a little concerned about something Baby was doing last night. He looked like he was choking. He looked like he was forcing food back up and sometimes he even spit some bits of food out. like vomiting. Should I be concerned?

[LindaMary]

At first read, it sounds to me like the regurgitating that they do - to express their love! Can you tell us a little more about the circumstances, and the rest of his body language while he was doing this? That would help to decipher whether it really the "love-gurge" or something more negative.

[luvmygrey]

He was doing it while I was holding him. He seemed happy and was also being vocal at the same time. He hasn't done it since. Do they really do that to express love?

[LindaMary]

Oh yes - it's actually connected to mating and nurturing displays: regurgitating food for the loved one. It's often accompanied by warm feet, slightly drooping and/or trembling wings - any of this sound familiar?

 

Of course it is also possible for birds to really vomit, which is NOT a good sign - hence my question about the circumstances and the accompnaying body language. I'll look around and see if I can find a vidoe clip of a bird doing the "love-gurge" for comparison...

[LindaMary]

Well, it's not a video, but perhaps this will help explain it better than I was able to:

 

http://birds.about.com/od/behaviorandtraining/qt/regurgitation.htm

[danmcq]

LindaMary is spot on.

 

It is completely normal and the highest honor you are receiving from your Grey. :-)

[luvmygrey]

oh yes drooping wings he had that going on. lol

[LindaMary]

Well it sounds to me like you've been given the key to his heart, my friend!:silly:

[luvmygrey]

thank you so much i went from worried to honored