Gillis
New member
So over a month ago I rescued Paco from a Nature Center where he was loved and cared for for over 10 years but not understood and was without a constant, single companion. While at the center he had a reputation for being really mean and biting. Only certain people could handle him and at some point everyone got bit. He is also a moderate feather-plucker. He bites his feathers off, not plucks them out, so they don't regrow.
So over a month ago they asked me if I would like to adopt him; they knew it would be best for him to go to a home. I said yes and here we are.
Since he came home he has undergone many behavioral changes. From the moment I met him I sensed him to be a sweet, loving bird who has simply been misunderstood his whole life. He loves to try and communicate verbally and with actions, but his ways of doing so are not always what one might expect. He gets easily frustrated if he needs or wants something because he just doesn't know how to communicate that to people.
He has never bit me and I feel like he knows I am paying attention to his needs.
So here is my question/concern: Over the last two weeks this "mean bird" that never lets anyone touch him has been trying to regurgitate to me. He will lower his posture, hold out his wings, vibrate his body, work his mouth sometimes with foot coming up in it, and making unusual soft noises. During this time as I am with him he will take my finger and guide it to his wing or use his foot.
This allows me to pet his side under his wing and on his back. After a time of this I move to his head and begin petting his head exclusively. After a while of head-petting his regurgitation stops and he seems very relaxed and cuddly, though still in the lowered wing-out position.
I understand that regurgitating is a natural behavior for him and I don't want to encourage or discourage it. But right now I am encouraging it because it allows me access to touch him. I suspect that when he starts his regurgitating routine, he really just wants to be cuddled and just doesn't know how to ask for it so we have to progress there.
What do others think? Am I handling these situations appropriately? Do you think he will, over time, allow me to pet his head without going through the regurgitation process first?
So over a month ago they asked me if I would like to adopt him; they knew it would be best for him to go to a home. I said yes and here we are.
Since he came home he has undergone many behavioral changes. From the moment I met him I sensed him to be a sweet, loving bird who has simply been misunderstood his whole life. He loves to try and communicate verbally and with actions, but his ways of doing so are not always what one might expect. He gets easily frustrated if he needs or wants something because he just doesn't know how to communicate that to people.
He has never bit me and I feel like he knows I am paying attention to his needs.
So here is my question/concern: Over the last two weeks this "mean bird" that never lets anyone touch him has been trying to regurgitate to me. He will lower his posture, hold out his wings, vibrate his body, work his mouth sometimes with foot coming up in it, and making unusual soft noises. During this time as I am with him he will take my finger and guide it to his wing or use his foot.
This allows me to pet his side under his wing and on his back. After a time of this I move to his head and begin petting his head exclusively. After a while of head-petting his regurgitation stops and he seems very relaxed and cuddly, though still in the lowered wing-out position.
I understand that regurgitating is a natural behavior for him and I don't want to encourage or discourage it. But right now I am encouraging it because it allows me access to touch him. I suspect that when he starts his regurgitating routine, he really just wants to be cuddled and just doesn't know how to ask for it so we have to progress there.
What do others think? Am I handling these situations appropriately? Do you think he will, over time, allow me to pet his head without going through the regurgitation process first?
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