what is she doing? I need Help
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Hi, the 1st pair has been together for 1.5 yr, they have been together in same aviary with the other pair for 2 days (no fighting) but have been next to each other for 3 months and they didn't show any interest in the other pairs until I put them together.
The pic is a bit grainy however she looks like she wants to fly to a spot outside of the cage. My ekkies display the same body language when they want to fly but just kinda wait. Sort of ..should I go or should I stay. Then suddenly they are in the air and flying to the chosen spot.
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The male is also doing same thing but he puts his beck down on the perch while doing it, they do it randomly and sometimes they face the wall while doing it so i don't think they want to fly. i heard the toe/wing flapping disease that's why i'm worried.
camo
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- Jun 30, 2014
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- Gizmo - Male Eclectus Parrot
Pebbles - Female Eclectus Parrot
If what I am seeing in the picture is her basically putting herself into that pose and then flapping her wings (not opening them, just making a flapping motion with the wings still bent if that makes sense), then my girl Pebbles makes the same motion on occasion (not so much anymore).
For her it means one of two things:
* I want to go over there, but I can't see a good landing spot, or am not sure if it is safe, so come over here and pick me up and take me over.
* Something has entered the room that is scary (like the vacuum cleaner), and I want to get out of here and am very nervous.
Based on what you are saying (only recently been put in the environment, and the fact that they are doing it facing the wall sometimes), I think it is that they don't feel comfortable and are scared. If something scary happens in the room Pebbles is in, she would often face the wall and make this crouched flapping action (she has got a lot more comfortable in the house in the last 6 or so months and I now rarely see this). When putting my hand to her to reassure her, she would often lower her beak onto my hand and repeat the motion.
From my experience with Pebbles, I don't think it is mating behavior, as she has gone through one cycle already with being interested in my boy Gizmo and this was not a stance she would use with him.
Where was she housed before going into this cage? Perhaps you may be best to move her back (assuming you have her original cage), and slowly reintroduce her to the outdoor cage. Has he been in the same cage as her (the male that is also flapping)?
I thought I had a video of Pebbles doing this flapping, but I can't find it. If you are able to load a video to youtube and post the link, I can confirm if this is the same as what Pebbles does.
For her it means one of two things:
* I want to go over there, but I can't see a good landing spot, or am not sure if it is safe, so come over here and pick me up and take me over.
* Something has entered the room that is scary (like the vacuum cleaner), and I want to get out of here and am very nervous.
Based on what you are saying (only recently been put in the environment, and the fact that they are doing it facing the wall sometimes), I think it is that they don't feel comfortable and are scared. If something scary happens in the room Pebbles is in, she would often face the wall and make this crouched flapping action (she has got a lot more comfortable in the house in the last 6 or so months and I now rarely see this). When putting my hand to her to reassure her, she would often lower her beak onto my hand and repeat the motion.
From my experience with Pebbles, I don't think it is mating behavior, as she has gone through one cycle already with being interested in my boy Gizmo and this was not a stance she would use with him.
Where was she housed before going into this cage? Perhaps you may be best to move her back (assuming you have her original cage), and slowly reintroduce her to the outdoor cage. Has he been in the same cage as her (the male that is also flapping)?
I thought I had a video of Pebbles doing this flapping, but I can't find it. If you are able to load a video to youtube and post the link, I can confirm if this is the same as what Pebbles does.
camo
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- Gizmo - Male Eclectus Parrot
Pebbles - Female Eclectus Parrot
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This is her cage shes been in here for more than 1yr. I only open the gate in the middle so they can visit each other. I went to check on them just now and they are all sleeping together on same branch, so i don't think they are scared of the other pair because they have been in the adjacent cage for 3 months. the cage is 4x2x2m and their is a gate separating the cage into 2 in case they decide to breed.
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here is a better picture of what she is doing. 
some sites i read saying this means happy or sick or courtship or angry... I'm just worried because I going away tomorrow and i won't be back in 3 day.. and i won't be able to take care of her until I get back if she needs a vet.
some sites i read saying this means happy or sick or courtship or angry... I'm just worried because I going away tomorrow and i won't be back in 3 day.. and i won't be able to take care of her until I get back if she needs a vet.
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camo
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- Jun 30, 2014
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- Gizmo - Male Eclectus Parrot
Pebbles - Female Eclectus Parrot
here is a better picture of what she is doing.
some sites i read saying this means happy or sick or courtship or angry... I'm just worried because I going away tomorrow and i won't be back in 3 day.. and i won't be able to take care of her until I get back if she needs a vet.
What you show in the video is the same as what Pebbles does.
I would say the differences in interpretations of what it means (when looking on the Internet) is down to the fact that it can have a few meanings (for Pebbles it can be good and bad, she is scared or just really keen to go somewhere, but unsure about flying there), and also confusion over what is being described (I noticed the same thing when looking into it myself), for instance I think a lot of people think we are describing a hunched position, which even then could mean I really want you to pick me up, or I'm about to lunge at you and remove a finger.
I downloaded an e-book called "the ultimate guide to Eclectus Parrots" when I first got my boy Gizmo, it describes this action as "Hunch and Quiver". In the book they describe this behaviour as either wanting to be picked up and moved or wanting to escape a threatening situation.
Again I can only advise based on my own experience and for Pebbles it's either take me over there or get me out of here, I'm scared.
It sounds like the one recent change is allowing the 2 pairs to share the double cage, so based on that I would suggest perhaps she is not confident with the new arrangement yet. If it was me I would seperate the pairs again (especially while you are away), and gradually allow freedom between cages when you return.
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I agree with Cameron 100%, both in terms of what the behavior is and his suggestion about separating them until you return. But the movement is definitely not toe-tapping or wing-flipping. In the video shown, she seemed excited to see the person behind the camera.
Magdalene
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When I first rescued my Eclectus, Angel, I had so much trouble finding out what this behavior meant! There were no videos online, no articles about it. But after two years of working with her, I've found that the behavior is simply a begging dance. In the wild it seems that they perform that behavior when they are hoping to attract attention, whether that is for a mate or something else. But in captivity, I've found she does it for multiple things. Most commonly she's contented by being held or taken out of her cage (really just moving around), getting her favorite treats, or even just seeing her favorite person. When I would walk out of the room, she would do this dance until I came back and picked her up.
The best thing I think is just to simply figure out what her wants and needs are. A lot of times as well this behavior is enhanced by hormones. So it very well could be a mating behavior, especially with her contact with males. But try and spend some time with her and see what she's asking.
The best thing I think is just to simply figure out what her wants and needs are. A lot of times as well this behavior is enhanced by hormones. So it very well could be a mating behavior, especially with her contact with males. But try and spend some time with her and see what she's asking.
