I have a beautiful female cockatiel. She's at the point where she's coming in heat now. As she had gotten older she developed an odd habbit. Most of the time, after eating a bite, she'll climb from the top of her cage, down to the door. She'll stand on the end of the cage door, and the little latch which latches the door shut (One of those latches that you just push down, and it goes through the bars) and she'll appear to chew on it, but when I sit and watch her; she'll just sit there; and not move. After she does that; I'll see a bit of clear liquid there; like a ball stuck to the latch. What is she doing? She's VERY active, and playful, and eat's very well-- she has a great appetite. What is she doing exactly? Is this normal for a bird that's coming to breeding age?
2007-12-05 13:26:25 · 5 answers · asked by Elizabeth 2 in Pets ➔ Birds
She's a "free-flight" bird and is always out of her cage most of the time. She's very tame, because I hand fed her, and spend alot of time with her since I have no family. That's the only place she goes when she does her little "feeding" thing to the cage. She just goes to the latch while the door is open and it's sticking up and grasp's it with her beak then sit's there for a moment with her beak over the latch. Afterward's I notice at times there's a little bit of clear liquid on the cage latch. She does that most of the time after eating.
2007-12-05 13:44:05 · update #1
She is regurgatating a bit of seed on the latch because I can see dried food on the latch itself.
2007-12-06 09:31:34 · update #2
Take a coffee filter and wrap a food in it.Twist tie it closed .Do this in front of her,and poke a hole in it,then hang it from that spot if you can.The idea is to redirect her behavior into a foraging one instead of the odd one.I agree with you ,that is strange,and funny!My Birdies do weird things all of the time,and I'll just give them something else to do instead if I think it will be a bad habit.It almost sounds as if she is regurgitating a bit of seed,but that's only my guess since I can't observe her.
2007-12-06 02:06:14 · answer #1 · answered by RowanSilverSkye 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
she feeds the CAGE? i thought the question was spelled wrong but i guess not. this is the wierdest thing i have ever heard about cockatiesl, although i'm no expert. usually they just feed their companion humans.
try maybe change the appearance of the latch so it doesn't look like or be shaped like an open baby bird's beak?
that is SO WIERD. wow.
2007-12-05 14:06:10 · answer #2 · answered by mockingbird 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cockatiels are in the parrot family and alot of them are escapes artists cockatoos are geniuses when it comes to this. I think maybe she wants out to roam around you should never keep a bird in its cage indefinetly they need out for a few minutes everyday. I have a cockatiel and a budgie and know that they need attention daily maybe your bird if its hand tame is telling you to take her out and visit with her. They love to just walk around a nibble on stuff have an old book or magazine for it to chew on and it will just walk about for as long as you have her out. Cockatiels cnbe very affectionate mine loves kisses and head rubs but it was hand fed and from a baby so if yours wasn't it may take time for you to tame her.
2007-12-05 13:39:09 · answer #3 · answered by Livinrawguy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree, change the latch. Maybe put paper around it so she can't see it anymore.....See how she goes then.
Apart from that I have no idea?
2007-12-05 14:11:02 · answer #4 · answered by Miss Blue & Riley too. 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
she is probably treating it like a baby. your bird would probably be a very good mother if you ever decided to breed her. she won't be mature for a little while though
2007-12-05 13:56:00 · answer #5 · answered by Clumsical 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋