when do they reach sexual maturity?

[alleyj]

cosmo is 6 months old and i'm starting to think about the stories people have shared where birds misbehave and get sassy around adolescence. when should i be on the lookout for hormone changes and what should i do to help him through it?

alley & cosmo, white bellied caique

 

[JerseyWendy]

Alley, Cosmo is certainly still too young to be sexually mature. AFAIK they mature around 2.

Caiques are feisty birds. You must try and set boundaries for Cosmo. Bite pressure training is a good start. You could also try clicker and/or target training. http://www.parrotforums.com/training/60435-clicker-target-training.html

 

[Birdman666]

They are also one of the best trick birds, and puzzle birds out there. Put that brain to good use, and harness that energy in a productive way at the same time.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Yes, they are indeed! Check out this awesome video:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YbHtgcWWfs"]Smart Caique金頭凱克劉多多-2016第一次月考 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[alleyj]

wonderful advice, thank you all! cosmo is very well behaved for me and my vet has given me great advice on raising him socially. he is already learning tricks! i won't get worried about sexual maturity for a while then.

he has also been sneezing, itchy/scratching, and has lots of dander that comes off on my shoulders. what can i do to help this? the vet didn't seem too concerned and said just try to bathe him and get moisture back into the air and feathers to help him preen. baths and humidifiers haven't helped, and i've done both normal water baths and bird bath spray with glycerin/aloe for minor skin irritation.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Is he going through a molt? How often does he get a bath? I personally stay away from any and all additives for birds' bath, however, you could try and mist him more frequently to see if that will help with the dander.

 

[alleyj]

I'm not sure what to look for with a molt, he's been sneezing and itchy for a month now, since I brought him home.

I don't want to bathe him too much because of getting a chill makes me nervous but I don't think once a week is making a difference