Conure rubbing bum

[JessicaP]

Hi all
My 2 year old conure rubs his bum on everything. From his soft toys to our hands and hair while we sit on the couch. Hes done this ever since he was a baby. He also makes clucking squeeky noises as he does it. Why is he doing this amd is it normal? Should I try to stop the behaviour?

 

[mysteryfoxes]

Erm...sounds like she (I say she because females tend to back up onto stuff) is having a 'bit-of-fun' with herself.
It sounds very much like a sexual behavior, and I would try to put the bird back in it's cage anytime if does that. If your bird gets overly sexual it could lead to behavioral/aggressiveness towards others.

 

[Peanutsmum]

Its not just females! Ive got a dna tested male who does it too! He's only a baby too. I just move him away to discourage it

 

[MonicaMc]

It may help to distract him/her (when a conure does it, there's no way to say if it's male or female!) by training some new behaviors. Simple things such as retrieving an object, putting an object in a container, turning around etc.

Also, I would highly suggest some foraging activities. Give him things to do other than masturbate all the time.

 

[JessicaP]

He is a Dna tested male. The foraging is a good idea only thing is hes petrified of amything new it cam take him months sometimes to warm up to a new toy or object. I pretend to play with it amd get excited but doesmt help. Any suggestions on how to get him to not be afraid of it for so long? I leave it in and around his cage but he flies around and avoids the area it is in for as long as possibleamd he just doesnt wamt to touch it until hes absolutly sure anout it.

 

[MonicaMc]

Start teaching him target training. Pen with the ink removed, bamboo skewer, thin wooden dowel, etc are all great things to use as a 'target'. Heck, you could even use your hand! It may help to use a clicker to train the behavior. If so, you would want to start out clicking once and rewarding your conure with a treat immediately afterwards. Do this for two weeks, in two or three sessions each day. Doesn't have to last for more than 5 minutes in the session. Once your conure gets the idea that click means reward, you can then present a target. (hopefully, something the bird is not afraid of). Bird looks at target, click, reward. Bird moves towards target, click, reward. Bird moves closer to target, click, reward. Bird touches target, click, reward. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Then, move the target slightly away from the bird so the bird has to move to touch the target. Once the bird has accomplished this, you can then slowly train him to touch toys he's afraid of through approximations towards that toy.

Found some blogs on targeting, or ones that mention target training.
Good Bird Inc Parrot Training Talk: My Parrot is Afraid of Toys
Good Bird Inc Parrot Training Talk: Help! My Parrot Wont Step Up!
Search Results target « Best in Flock ? Parrot Blog


BTW, when people say that how a bird masturbates determines their sex, there is some truth to this... in cockatiels, females will lower themselves and flatten their backs while making a chirping noise. This may include backing up to something (perch, toy, etc) or into something (aka a dish) while doing this behavior. Males will find something to rub their bums on with a "tail wagging" like motion. Budgies also do similar behaviors. I'm not sure about all the larger species, but I know that in conures and macaws, they can show the same masturbating behaviors regardless of sex. I have a male conure who pulls his tail feathers forward with one foot. I know someone else who had a female macaw do the same.

 

[Sherry1]

My 1y/o Dusky Conure occasionally tries to rub his butt on me. He isn't DNA sexed but I was told that the odds are that he is a boy as most of them are boys. He only does it to me and only about once a week when I'm holding him on my finger and not really paying attention to him. He'll start by stretching out his wings one at a time and then I see the booty rub posture start. I just distract him and he stops right away. Is this a normal maturing behavior? I was told he wouldn't go through 'puberty' until he is about 2 or 3.