Do any of your Macaws take naps with both feet clinched into fists?

[Karigan]

If you're worried, maybe offer some different shaped perches?

 

[WharfRat]

this just occurred to me...........I'd say at LEAST 90% of the time, when I uncover Miri in the AM she's hanging upside down from the top of her cage...

Maybe I ought to peek in her cage at night a few times.....nutcase that she is, nothing would surprise me :30:

 

[plax]

I'm wondering if it may be similar to when people change their sleeping positions now and then. For example, sometimes I'll sleep on my back, while other times it feels better to sleep on my side. And sometimes I sleep with one leg crossed over the shin of my other leg. Other times I don't. Experimenting with different sleeping positions allows us to find more comfortable ones. Why can't the same be true for parrots? They're certainly more than intelligent enough

 

[MacawGuy]

never seen that before

 

[JerseyWendy]

I'm wondering if it may be similar to when people change their sleeping positions now and then. For example, sometimes I'll sleep on my back, while other times it feels better to sleep on my side. And sometimes I sleep with one leg crossed over the shin of my other leg. Other times I don't. Experimenting with different sleeping positions allows us to find more comfortable ones. Why can't the same be true for parrots? They're certainly more than intelligent enough

I completely agree. After seeing your post yesterday I made a point to ACTIVELY watch Niko as he naps/sleeps. Guess what? Sometimes one foot does form a "fist", then he switched legs, and the other leg formed the "fist". :11: Ok, so it spooked me a bit, but I think you're onto something, Plax

 

[plax]

I completely agree. After seeing your post yesterday I made a point to ACTIVELY watch Niko as he naps/sleeps. Guess what? Sometimes one foot does form a "fist", then he switched legs, and the other leg formed the "fist". :11: Ok, so it spooked me a bit, but I think you're onto something, Plax

So then Niko's formed fists were resting on the perch like Salsa's, but one at a time? If so, Zaf does that very same thing.

 

[JerseyWendy]

So then Niko's formed fists were resting on the perch like Salsa's, but one at a time? If so, Zaf does that very same thing.

Yes, one fist at a time. And every time he heard me trying to come closer to take a better look he'd open the "fist" and perched both feet. And after a while he'd take the other foot, form a fist and rest it on the perch. I swear, I have never seen him do that before. :11:

 

[plax]

So then Niko's formed fists were resting on the perch like Salsa's, but one at a time? If so, Zaf does that very same thing.

Yes, one fist at a time. And every time he heard me trying to come closer to take a better look he'd open the "fist" and perched both feet. And after a while he'd take the other foot, form a fist and rest it on the perch. I swear, I have never seen him do that before. :11:

LOL, it's contagious! Salsa is spreading the idea telepathically That has to be it! (j/k)

Based upon your observations of Niko I'm now thinking some parrots just do it at times. And of the ones who do, when it happens it may largely go unnoticed by their human family members for whatever reasons.

I'll admit that the main perch in Salsa's cage (a juniper branch) is of fairly large girth. But I've been thinking about it and watching Sals on the perch and I've come to the conclusion that it's not too large for him. Other than the occasional foot-fists, he never behaves as if it's uncomfortable. He's a big and husky bird and my feeling is that a sizable main perch is appropriate for him. Plus this particular perch has varying diameters at different points, which is always a good thing for birds.

Also, I should mention that despite all of my photos and videos of Salsa in his cage, he spends most of each day out of it. He's just more prone to do his clown-ish antics when he's in the cage, so that's when I usually shoot the videos. Additionally, while not huge, his cage is not crowded at all and he really likes it quite a lot. So I let him go in it whenever he wants.

Here are a couple of snaps I just shot with my phone of Sals sitting on his perch not long after his bath this afternoon.