Blue and Gold Regurgitating

[Scarlet_King]

Hi All,

I've had my 5 year old B & G for about 5-6 weeks now and everything is okay for the most part. It feels like we're still working to build trust. She'll step every now and then but it's not consistent. One of things that's been happening recently is if I reach into her cage, she'll lift her foot and put it on my hand like she wants to step but she doesn't. From there, she'll bob her head up and down on wrist and I'm noticing she's regurgitating food. I've read that it's a sign of affection and/or courting behavior.

A few questions for you all.

1. Have any of you experienced this?
2. What's the best approach to prevent the behavior?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[LokisMomma]

I’ve been told the best way to avoid this hormonal behavior is to avoid hormonal triggers.. such as petting below the neck, dark tight places (like snuggle huts), warm mushy foods. My macaw is still a baby though so I personally haven’t had to deal with this issue so hopefully someone with more experience will come along and answer you better.
You may also want to have a vet check, if you haven’t already, to rule out any health reasons for the behavior such as a bacterial infection in the crop.
I think for only having her a few weeks, getting her to step is even sometimes is awesome! It can take loads of time to build trust with a bird of any breed. So great job! Just lots of positive reinforcement and make being with you a fun and treat filled place to be