Hormonal or just happy?

[rockyj]

My cockatiel just recently started making this chirping/chattering noise while I pet them or sing to them. They’ve also started bending down into the position in the linked video.

I’m not sure about the gender, but they’re about 14 weeks old.

Are they just enjoying/begging for scratches or starting to get hormonal? I only ever pet around the head and beak.

Since I’m not sure about the behavior I haven’t really been encouraging nor discouraging it. I just calmly stop petting/singing and move them back to the perch.

 

[LaManuka]

It certainly does resemble female cockatiel hormonal behaviour that I've seen with mine, but as your bird is still so young, I'm wondering if it's more likely to be a bit of a reversion back to juvenile "begging for food" type behaviour, given her age. I say "her" with no certainty here, of course! Either way I think you are managing it correctly by not encouraging it and only petting the head and neck, you don't want to be setting yourself up for issues later on, particularly if it does turn out that your birdie is a hen

 

[rockyj]

It certainly does resemble female cockatiel hormonal behaviour that I've seen with mine, but as your bird is still so young, I'm wondering if it's more likely to be a bit of a reversion back to juvenile "begging for food" type behaviour, given her age. I say "her" with no certainty here, of course! Either way I think you are managing it correctly by not encouraging it and only petting the head and neck, you don't want to be setting yourself up for issues later on, particularly if it does turn out that your birdie is a hen

That would make sense! I’d never seen the begging behavior before, but I looked it up and it does also look pretty similar. I’ll keep doing what I have been. Thank you!

 

[LaManuka]

No trouble at all, you're most welcome. Very sweet little baby birdie you've got there, by the way. Have you decided on a name yet? Or were you waiting to find out whether you have a boy or a girl?

 

[MayMaroa]

Sometimes when I sing to my bird sky she pins her eyes and does like a male is on her so then I stop and also shes 1 year old

 

[rockyj]

No trouble at all, you're most welcome. Very sweet little baby birdie you've got there, by the way. Have you decided on a name yet? Or were you waiting to find out whether you have a boy or a girl?

Thanks! My young nephew actually named them Rocky because he said it looked like the pup from Paw Patrol. Our first vet appointment is June 21 so I’ll know soon whether its a boy or girl. I’ve been thinking boy because ‘he’ is pretty vocal but no real songs or whistling yet. Though I do think he’s picked up the particularly annoying sound of our squeaky rocking chair

I’ve been shocked by how quickly he’s adjusted to the new environment. I’ve only had him a little over two weeks and he’s already so cuddly and playful. He’s just started showing a little more personality and becoming more vocal in the past week or so.

 

[MayMaroa]

I’ve been shocked by how quickly he’s adjusted to the new environment. I’ve only had him a little over two weeks and he’s already so cuddly and playful. He’s just started showing a little more personality and becoming more vocal in the past week or so.

Yaa sometimes some birds come tamed or just take a few days to tame my budgie sky took me 3 days to tame.

 

[LaManuka]

Thanks! My young nephew actually named them Rocky because he said it looked like the pup from Paw Patrol. Our first vet appointment is June 21 so I’ll know soon whether its a boy or girl. I’ve been thinking boy because ‘he’ is pretty vocal but no real songs or whistling yet. Though I do think he’s picked up the particularly annoying sound of our squeaky rocking chair

I’ve been shocked by how quickly he’s adjusted to the new environment. I’ve only had him a little over two weeks and he’s already so cuddly and playful. He’s just started showing a little more personality and becoming more vocal in the past week or so.

Awwww that's so sweet! Rocky is a great name, and will work if you have a boy or girl, really. I named my cockatiel Fang thinking she was a girl as a baby, but that it would work either way. And then my avian vet took one look when we went for our first wellness check and said "nice little rooster you've got there" ...

Glad you're taking him or her in for a check up, it's always a good idea to get a baseline on health, and it establishes that all important relationship with your bird vet too. Wishing you all the best for a successful health check, and looking forward to some more pics of your sweet baby sometime too!

 

[JimsBrother]

Incidentally, BeBe my 'Tiel whistles that Adams Family tune that you're whistling to your bird. He also does part of the Andy Griffith whistle. Usually he mixes them up and whistles his own version.

 

[Cottonoid]

Incidentally, BeBe my 'Tiel whistles that Adams Family tune that you're whistling to your bird. He also does part of the Andy Griffith whistle. Usually he mixes them up and whistles his own version.

My son's cockatiel has the same favorite two songs and also does mashups a lot