What is this behavior? Should I be concerned?

[Greenhouseparrots]

So there could be a chance that Rico is a hen? Is it possible he is a hermaphrodite? I know not all birds are aggressive when hormonal but oh boy Rico is. He is very VERY aggressive when hormonal, and it’s like a switch flips in his mind. He goes from a sweet bird to the spawn of Satan.

I think it depends on his other behaviours as well. Does he vocalise a lot and sing? My hen vocalises a lot but it's not a song, she just kind of screeches whereas my male sings and does heart wings and bangs his head on things. If he does all of the male behaviours then he's probably a male and maybe just getting nesty because of hormones. My conure is extremely aggressive because of hormones, but not all of my birds are so it definitely depends on the birds.

As far as fresh food is concerned, I use a lot of leftover foods that I wouldn't eat anyway for mine so that I'm not buying specifically for them. When I have strawberries and cut the tops off I save them as they like the leaves too, they can eat the middle of bell peppers, the stalks of broccoli, the middle of an apple (minus the seeds) and the ends of carrots. I also sometimes give them a couple of grapes or berries if I'm eating it. They also like to eat grass from the garden and tree branches if I can find any for them. That might help with getting them some fresh food?

 

[Cottonoid]

My visiting cockatiel does this exact thing, even in the same corner of his cage.

He's definitely male.

He's nesty, which for him is not as intense as when he's also hormonal. Right now he just likes making his little spot and talking to himself. When he's hormonal he guards his nest and his whole cage and sings a lot more.

My kids' male cockatiel also has little nest spots now and then regardless of how hormonal he is.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Definitely not that affordable with our other groceries. 10 groceries are 100$ from one store. We usually have to spend 200$ a week just to be able to not have to miss meals. Our animals are always well fed though. They never have to miss a meal. But a family of four (2 of which who have a more mild binge eating disorder, and one who insists on having GIGANTIC proportions of food, ignoring how that leaves others with less food.) in this day and age is pretty expensive, and adding 8 pets adds to the cost. Thankfully though, I don’t eat much anyway but I do have my binging episodes from time to time. Im not sure if we could add on at least 6 different vegetables to our groceries since they tend to vary in price. Kale is arguably the least expensive, but things like spinach, beets, and fresh corn are like 5-10 dollars. Carrots are about 3-5$ depending on if it’s baby or regular carrots, and fresh peas are quite pricey when they are at my grocery store. They may be at three bears but I’ve never seen them there either, which is kinda funny since they sell coconuts there but I’ve never seen peas there. Target has frozen peas but in my experience, it comes out gross and mushy.

I realize how expensive it can get to feed a family plus a bunch of critters. Can you grow a few things in your yard for your birds? I grow vegetables in 5 to 10 gallon felt grow bags (cheap on Amazon).
The easiest and fastest things to grow are broccoli, kale and other greens. Broccoli and greens also like a cooler climate. If you buy carrots or other root veggies like beets and radishes with the greens attached you can feed some of the greens to your birds. If your family eats scrambled or hard boiled eggs chop up a tiny piece really fine and feed it to your birds. Whenever I serve vegetables that I know Rocky would eat I take tiny pieces off my plate, chop them up really fine and put it in Rocky's bowl. Do you ever do this for Rico?

 

[Rico_Tiel]

I realize how expensive it can get to feed a family plus a bunch of critters. Can you grow a few things in your yard for your birds? I grow vegetables in 5 to 10 gallon felt grow bags (cheap on Amazon).
The easiest and fastest things to grow are broccoli, kale and other greens. Broccoli and greens also like a cooler climate. If you buy carrots or other root veggies like beets and radishes with the greens attached you can feed some of the greens to your birds. If your family eats scrambled or hard boiled eggs chop up a tiny piece really fine and feed it to your birds. Whenever I serve vegetables that I know Rocky would eat I take tiny pieces off my plate, chop them up really fine and put it in Rocky's bowl. Do you ever do this for Rico?

Maybe? I want to plant peas, peppers, kale, and broccoli this year but considering how rainy and cloudy it has been, I’m not sure how well they would do. Especially during the rare, clear, scorching summer days.

With eggs, I just hand slice them after hard boiling them, and I give them to Rico every now and then. He does like them but he makes a giant mess, throws a lot of it to my dog, she eats it, and then bam, my room smells like dog farts, death, and eggs. But he does get them here and there. Maybe once a month?

 

[Rico_Tiel]

My visiting cockatiel does this exact thing, even in the same corner of his cage.

He's definitely male.

He's nesty, which for him is not as intense as when he's also hormonal. Right now he just likes making his little spot and talking to himself. When he's hormonal he guards his nest and his whole cage and sings a lot more.

My kids' male cockatiel also has little nest spots now and then regardless of how hormonal he is.

Sounds like what Rico does. Perhaps he’s just a feminine tiel? Although it doesn’t make much sense since it started after cricket was moved into her current cage. Hormonal bird brain then?

 

[Rico_Tiel]

I think it depends on his other behaviours as well. Does he vocalise a lot and sing? My hen vocalises a lot but it's not a song, she just kind of screeches whereas my male sings and does heart wings and bangs his head on things. If he does all of the male behaviours then he's probably a male and maybe just getting nesty because of hormones. My conure is extremely aggressive because of hormones, but not all of my birds are so it definitely depends on the birds.

As far as fresh food is concerned, I use a lot of leftover foods that I wouldn't eat anyway for mine so that I'm not buying specifically for them. When I have strawberries and cut the tops off I save them as they like the leaves too, they can eat the middle of bell peppers, the stalks of broccoli, the middle of an apple (minus the seeds) and the ends of carrots. I also sometimes give them a couple of grapes or berries if I'm eating it. They also like to eat grass from the garden and tree branches if I can find any for them. That might help with getting them some fresh food?

I could never feed my birds leftovers. It just wouldn’t feel right to me. I feed them what I would eat, and I would let them eat whatever they want that’s safe, you know? Also, they can EAT the core of bell peppers?! I was told they were toxic along with the seeds

Yeah, Rico sings, whistles, heartwings, most male behaviors you could think of. No beak tapping though, but everything else matches up. Wings, dominance displays, whistling, markings, he humps his bowl sometimes, never laid an egg, etc. so I’d say just raging hormones again. At least he isn’t attacking me.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I could never feed my birds leftovers. It just wouldn’t feel right to me. I feed them what I would eat, and I would let them eat whatever they want that’s safe, you know? Also, they can EAT the core of bell peppers?! I was told they were toxic along with the seeds

Yeah, Rico sings, whistles, heartwings, most male behaviors you could think of. No beak tapping though, but everything else matches up. Wings, dominance displays, whistling, markings, he humps his bowl sometimes, never laid an egg, etc. so I’d say just raging hormones again. At least he isn’t attacking me.

There may be more gender fluidity in the avian world than we know about! Maybe Rico is non-binary. Why not?

 

[ravvlet]

You can get an indoor hydroponic planter, or set one up with online instructions and grow lights! I’ve grown lots of herbs indoors that way.

 

[Greenhouseparrots]

I could never feed my birds leftovers. It just wouldn’t feel right to me. I feed them what I would eat, and I would let them eat whatever they want that’s safe, you know? Also, they can EAT the core of bell peppers?! I was told they were toxic along with the seeds

Yeah, Rico sings, whistles, heartwings, most male behaviors you could think of. No beak tapping though, but everything else matches up. Wings, dominance displays, whistling, markings, he humps his bowl sometimes, never laid an egg, etc. so I’d say just raging hormones again. At least he isn’t attacking me.

I know apple seeds are toxic so I never feed them, but as far as I know bell peppers are fine. Mine eat them a couple of times a week and aren't sick from it anyway! One of my conures loves the seeds as well.

 

[zERo]

I know apple seeds are toxic so I never feed them, but as far as I know bell peppers are fine. Mine eat them a couple of times a week and aren't sick from it anyway! One of my conures loves the seeds as well.

I’m certain bell pepper seeds are safe. All of my birds eat them daily and have read they’re safe. Now the green tops/leaves aren’t, and shouldn’t be fed.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I know apple seeds are toxic so I never feed them, but as far as I know bell peppers are fine. Mine eat them a couple of times a week and aren't sick from it anyway! One of my conures loves the seeds as well.

I wonder how birds living in the wild (and other animals) know that certain plants or parts of certain plants shouldn't be eaten because they're toxic. I don't believe there are wild parrots in any place where apple trees are native but peppers are native to the tropics where many parrots are native. Most parrots seem to like eating peppers. If pepper seeds were toxic how would birds know not to eat them? I also wonder how wild animals know not to eat poisonous mushrooms and berries. I kinda doubt their parents teach them all this.

Anyone have any insight into these perplexing thoughts?

 

[Rico_Tiel]

I wonder how birds living in the wild (and other animals) know that certain plants or parts of certain plants shouldn't be eaten because they're toxic. I don't believe there are wild parrots in any place where apple trees are native but peppers are native to the tropics where many parrots are native. Most parrots seem to like eating peppers. If pepper seeds were toxic how would birds know not to eat them? I also wonder how wild animals know not to eat poisonous mushrooms and berries. I kinda doubt their parents teach them all this.

Anyone have any insight into these perplexing thoughts?

Perhaps they observe others when they eat food and pay attention to what they eat? And if they eat something new and die from it, they learn to stay away? That’s what makes most sense to me I suppose.