Hormonal or playing?

[mimi88]

My DNA sexed male lorikeet has a few funny quirks, one of the newer ones is whenever I am sitting on the lounge with him on me, he will scamper down to my feet/slippers and start to lower his body and try to dig like a chicken.. well at least it looks like digging to me, it also occurred to me that he could be masturbating due to the fact that he does lower his body and backside when he does this. I managed to get a very quick video today of him doing this odd behavior, it's not a very good example as he seems to be distracted by something else is not as "into it" as he usually is, usually he will spend a good 5-10 minutes digging/rubbing and making funny noises. Not sure if this makes a difference but I also caught him doing it to the towel that I use to cover his cage with at night. He is less than 12 months old, born toward the end of 2012 - not sure on the exact date sorry.



if you click on the above image it will take you to the video. Thanks

 

[LoriBabies]

My beautiful lorikeet boy does this same behaviour, and I asked the forum about it a few days ago (See "Weird 'dance'" in behavioral). Everyone has said that it is very much a hormonal/mating behaviour and should be dissuaded at all times to stop your bird claiming him as your mate and becoming quite violent!

 

[MikeyTN]

He's old enough to start the process, Malachai started when he was quite young....Yes like what LoriBabies says, others and I have said not to encourage them to do this type of behavior as it can get violent down the road.