Why does he do this?

[purplemonkeydishwasher]

Why does my African Grey step up and down repeatedly? He is not trying to climb because he does this when he is in his cage too or next to something he could climb but he doesn't want to. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDLt0dNiA9g"]African grey stepping up and down repeatedly - YouTube[/ame]

Does it mean anything or is he just weird?

 

[ShellyBorg]

Looks to me like he is getting up the nerve to try!

 

[purplemonkeydishwasher]

Maybe, he is very timid and clumsy! But he's not afraid to climb in his cage and he still does that. He also would repeatedly keep ducking under a toy moving up and down like that. Do other parrots do this? I haven't seen it before!

 

[punkindave]

Get him a tiny stair-master to build his confidence! :54:

 

[Birdman666]

Looks to me like he's trying to figure out how to climb that thing, but there's nothing to grab onto...

Basically, this means he wants off the floor.

It also means he's stubborn. There's no way to do that, but he's determined to do it anyway!

Which is normal CAG behavior if you ask me!

 

[Mayden]

My Charlie does this when he wants to step up onto something, but has no means to do so. On the sofa, wants to get to a cage without flying (such a lazy boy!) he'll repeatedly 'step up' on things he cant grasp to try and get there.

He'll stand in the same spot, 'stepping up' onto nothing when he wants me to come and pick him up.

Looks like he wants to step up on to something.

 

[Birdman666]

It's sort of like a macaw scratching his own head, while giving you the pathetic look:

"Do I have to do this myself, or are you gonna come over and help me?"

:32:

Yep! Pick me up.