Does handfeeding make a parrot prefer a certain sex?

[Sasha2]

If a female hand feeds a bird will the bird prefer females? Or vice versa?

 

[DallyTsuka]

i've heard some breeders say this, so it's possible, but i think every bird is an individual and they will like who they like in the end regardless.

 

[Parrotdise]

I also agree it's possible but i think it depend on the individual. I am not real cockatoo Savvy because i am allergic but have been around too's and i think species can be factor also. I find that a lot of too's tend to like men best.

 

[psychocircus91]

I also agree it's possible but i think it depend on the individual. I am not real cockatoo Savvy because i am allergic but have been around too's and i think species can be factor also. I find that a lot of too's tend to like men best.

The cockatoo we used to have LOVED my dad. She would tolerate me to an extent (I was a 12 or 13 year old boy at the time) but it did seem like she preferred his "dominance"

Agreed with what others have said though. Possibly, and it is probably more apparent at first, but this can change.

 

[critterman]

Not sure here but my CBC (crimson bellied conure) was hand-fed and hand tamed by a female. He came to me when he was 4 1/2 months old and the first time I went to meet him he came right to me and we bonded instantly. I don't think it matters, they respond to whoever shows them love and attention. Unless it is a really picky bird.

 

[antoinette]

When becoming Mishka guardian at 6 weeks old, my two sons and myself had turns in feeding him.
Today Mishka does not mind who is feeding him, as long as he gets feed LoL
Visitors often feed him both male and female.

 

[WharfRat]

won't make a difference IMO. THey're gonna like who they choose to like. When we got our 2nd GW I had the wife do most all the hand feeding since I was already bonded to our first, it didn't change a thing, the new one still chose me. Miri (the younger GW) was actually very hard for my wife to even handle after weaning out and is just now better able to handle her but still has bad spells with her.

 

[Sasha2]

Thanks, sounds good.

I wonder how they tell the difference between male/female with humans.
I used to have a GCC who hated all woman and only loved men, not a particular man but all men.How do they pick up on the difference.Visual clues, smell?

 

[WharfRat]

Instinct I think, they just "know", probably smell related as in pheromones is my guess without researching it. Kinda like how a male dog knows when a female is in heat. No fact here, just conjecture.

 

[Parrotdise]

That's for sure birds can spot fear well. They know who is a bird person for sure.

 

[henpecked]

After handfeeding many babies , who feeds them means little. They like who they like. Handfeeding your own baby might help you to better "bond" with a pet, but until they mature ,there's no guarantee.

 

[MonicaMc]

I've heard that even hand raising your own bird is no guarantee the bird will bond to you... after all, it sees you as a parent, not a mate!

I believe my Casey was hand raised by a male/female couple, however she definitely preferred "momma"!!! She was incubator hatched and hand raised from day one and never pooped on her human mother. She did, however, poo on her human father! She'll accept scritches from anyone she trusts, so I don't think she has preferences.... but she is definitely used to being around women! Growing up, it was my sister, my mother and I living together. My brother in law did live with us for a while (he was visiting from his own country so didn't have a place to stay except with us) but he never really interacted with my birds (even though he is a 'bird person' - he currently doesn't own any birds).


Charlie was hand raised by a woman but he was supposedly a "mans bird" for 10 years and thus preferred men. From what I've observed, he's a "one person bird" - not a bird who has a sexual preference... and when I say he's a "one person bird" - I don't mean a bird who hates all other humans, he simply distrusts anyone who isn't "his human" until he warms up to them.... and warming up to a new person can take several weeks of frequent interactions with him. My sister can give him scritches, but the moment she talks, he freaks out! My sister and I look pretty similar in appearance and also sound pretty similar as well... which has probably resulted in a previous bird mistaking my sister for me and taking a "leap of faith" onto her! (a bird that I encouraged to jump to try and hopefully strengthen his wings and bring his confidence up - but who could not actually fly, so had to trust in me to catch him should he actually build up enough courage *TO* jump...)