How to React When Bird Regurgitates on You?

[BoomBoom]

Hi everyone. I posted this in Boomer’s journal but I did not get any response. I’m afraid that the journal has too many pages so people tend to skip it. Hope to get some answers because my search on google didn’t help much.

So I think my 1 year old sun conure regurgitated on me last night. At least I hope he did. He was sitting on my shoulder just making his usual grinding noises as he enjoyed the last few minutes before his bedtime. I didn’t do anything to trigger it, but he started doing jerky head movements like when he pretends to ‘feed’ my finger. I got him to step off my shoulder in time to see him throw up on my palm. It smelled kind of rancid, like vomit but not as bad. It looked like thick chunks of moist oatmeal. He was very sweet and talkative after, muttering his usual words only I can understand. He did not seem sick the next day either.


So I guess my questions are:


1. Is regurgitation supposed to smell kind of rancid?


2. If he was regurgitating, how am I supposed to react? I know it’s a sign of affection from him, so do I need to show appreciation so as not to offend him? I was too surprised to react properly but I just thanked him and gave him scratches lol.


3. Is it something I should try to discourage due to behavioral issues that it might trigger?

 

[ConureCrazy]

I was wondering this as well... Oliver really 'loves' me, haha , not sure how to respond. Good luck with Boomer, hope this thread helps.

 

[Jtbirds]

1. Yes regurgatation is suppose to smell rancid. Its the acid really but i personally hate when my birds regurg for more( espically the macaws lol).

2. This may answer both 2 and 3, but just don't encourage it. This is mroe of a bonded maybe sexual behavior and you want not to condone it. The bird cannot truly become your mate so don't "thank" him for his present. Just ignore it clean it up and move on. Hopefully it will stop the behavior of bringing up food on you all the time. This behavior is good as it means your parrot loves you but it is bad because he loves you in a possible sexual way. The same kind of way that could lead to masturbation on you or objects.

3. no need to say make a point about it just clean it up and act like nothing happened.

hopefully this will help a little bit=). feel free to ask more if you'd like.

 

[Tuukee]

*** See i thought it was a good thing. i loved it when he did it, i thought it meant just that he was trying to take care of me, bc my cat used to catch me birds and i praised him for it. i knew it was a gift and trying to take care of me like i do for me. but now, i know. i wont condone it and i think at 6mos now he may be doin the masterbating thing to me! i started by kissing his thigh meats to show him kisses and love, then he wanted me to kiss his "butt". i always laughed when he did it, then he started doin it more so now i kiss his thigh and he'll move so his butts on my face. i stop of course but i didnt think that was what it meant. Tuukee never actually puked on me just in his own mouth. but i didnt know that it could be sooo sexual. thanks so much JTBirds! i'll stop that behavior right away.
i thought it would be terrible to not thank him for his act of kindness, but again thanks for the 411!!!

 

[Tuukee]

oh i almost forgot... i want to me Mommy not his honey lol.

 

[BoomBoom]

Thanks, JTbirds for the informative post. I'll just ignore it the next time he does it, I just kind of feel terrible like I'm not being grateful for his display of affection lol! I certainly don't want his sexual advances though.

Do you think he will resent me for not showing appreciation towards the regurgitations? Or if it would, I don't know, offend or frustrate him to the point of developing behavioral issues?

 

[ivysaur]

Yeah, it's a good SIGN because it means he loves you, but not actually good because it will encourage hormonal/sexual behavior. So think "aw how sweet" to yourself but don't tell him so! It's best to move him away from you, into his cage etc, until he calms down.

 

[BoomBoom]

Thanks, Ivy. Just concerned, do you think it might hurt him / offend him if I do that? Will it make him resent me or make him lash out or something?

 

[Jtbirds]

@boom no it will not offend him at all by simply ignoring it, it will seem more like it never happened then ooh you jerk. So no way shape or form will you upset the little guy by defining his umm yummy treat lol.

 

[ConureCrazy]

Thanks for the info, this helps, Bella and Zora are going to mature soon, and Oliver already has, so I want to be prepared, lol.

 

[newclassic]

I think he'll eventually stop if you ignore it. My lovebird used to regurgitate on me when he was younger (~1-2yo), but he stopped eventually.

 

[DarkMbs]

My ringneck did the head movement for the first time today i think he had a pretty hefty meal for him but he has never over eaten before he is not vomiting nothing is coming out he is just moving his head and then i see him sort of chewing something in his mouth. Yea and he is around 5 months

 

[ChristaNL]

oh i almost forgot... i want to me Mommy not his honey lol.

well, fat chance... I realise lots of people see their pets as 'children' but then forget that what they have around the house are fullgrown adults!

(This is just my personal gripe of course but it always sets my teeth on edge when I hear someone refer to themselves as "mommy" or "daddy" when talking about or to their obviously adult, almost geriatric pet.)

Of course everyone is entitled to 'baby' or spoil their pets - as long as they don't forget they are dealing with different-species grown-ups!
Because adult animals have different needs than the real baby-ones, and if those are ignored it sometimes drifts towards neglect or even abuse.


==


My male GAC and the macaw both (try to) regurgitate ever opportunity they get, so it's an extra thing to look out for.
(It's very hard to stop them - I once feel asleep and woke up to someone lovingly filling my ear --and that stuf does not only smell sour it is HOT!
Works beter than coffeee, but a lot less enjoyable!)
Distraction only works so far, sometimes it's time-out.
I love them too, but not that much

Appie is demanding I regurgitate for her and always tries to put her head in my mouth ... not sure what is actually more annoying.

Oh well, at least we are friends (and flock).
I someties wish we could put those hormones on hold - breeding season is not really a fun time ;P