Dominance Question

[captzork 0]

This is scenario:

Lately when i bring Chicken-Hawk out, she will sit on the couch with me, watch T.V., try to jump into a book if I`m reading. She will run around on me giving me little nibbles, nothing that is not easily ignored. A couple of days ago she go on my shoulder, nibble on my ear, then hop/climb on top my glasses. When I try to remove her from my glasses I`m greeted with a grunting noise. She does get off eventually, but it is starting to get annoying.

 

My questions:

1. Is this a sign she is trying to mount me?

2. Do birds have a pack setting, and if so how do I show I`m the alpha? EG: There is a alpha of the group and the group does what ever the alpha does.

3. How can I stop her from wanting to jump on to my glasses if it is not a mating issue?

[**KAZ** 0]

She is not trying to mount you.

 

She is not doing a mating thing.

 

She is trying to get your attention thats all.

 

[Finnie 0]

3. How can I stop her from wanting to jump on to my glasses if it is not a mating issue?

 

 

At least you have glasses she can jump onto. When my birds want to get close to my face, all they have to grab on to is my nose. (Ouch!)

 

 

But maybe you can teach her to give that behavior up by not letting her get away with it. Remove her every time she does it, so that she will eventually get the idea that it's not worth going on the glasses. This will backfire, however, if the method you use to remove her becomes a fun game.

[captzork 0]

That is what I'm doing now and she is now climbing on my head now. So far it seems to be a game to her so far.

Hope on the shoulder,

Climb up onto the glasses,

Climb up onto the top of the head,

Hop on to the finger to remove from head,

Go to eye level and look cute,

Hop on shoulder or climb shirt, and repeat process again.

[captzork 0]

I took the advise Finnie gave, and it back fired badly. When she is now crawling up onto the top of my head and when I remove her from my head, she fly backs on top of my head or start squawking. It seems as though she see my glasses as a $300 ladder. Worst now she is doing it to my mom now.

I tried ignoring her when she did it, but that semi worked. She would hope up, walk around, peck at my head, then hop down. It seems as though the problem has gotten worse because of this action. It's bad enough I'm going through 9 shirts a week because of poo, I just don't poo in my hair.

Just recently when she has been hopping onto my glasses, I been taking them off with her still on them. Kind of cause and consequence action. After i do talk to her calmly about what she did, and hope she understands why this is happening.

Am I taking the right course of action, or should I take another course of action?

 

Edit: I just remember this. This is as of yesterday, March 21, 2012. When I have my hand on my thigh or stomach, she will get very attached to my thumb. She will get chipper, try to feed it, fluff up, and be vulgar with my shirt of pants. This is a theory, but could this behavior be due to it being spring and passably being breeding season?

Edited March 22, 2012 by captzork

[robyn 0]

I took the advise Finnie gave, and it back fired badly. When she is now crawling up onto the top of my head and when I remove her from my head, she fly backs on top of my head or start squawking. It seems as though she see my glasses as a $300 ladder. Worst now she is doing it to my mom now.

I tried ignoring her when she did it, but that semi worked. She would hope up, walk around, peck at my head, then hop down. It seems as though the problem has gotten worse because of this action. It's bad enough I'm going through 9 shirts a week because of poo, I just don't poo in my hair.

Just recently when she has been hopping onto my glasses, I been taking them off with her still on them. Kind of cause and consequence action. After i do talk to her calmly about what she did, and hope she understands why this is happening.

Am I taking the right course of action, or should I take another course of action?

 

Edit: I just remember this. This is as of yesterday, March 21, 2012. When I have my hand on my thigh or stomach, she will get very attached to my thumb. She will get chipper, try to feed it, fluff up, and be vulgar with my shirt of pants. This is a theory, but could this behavior be due to it being spring and passably being breeding season?

 

You say gets vulgar with your shirt /pants? Meaning? are you totally sure you have a female? I can't tell from pics I've seen but with pieds sometimes it's hard to tell. Do you have clear close up pics of cere.

[captzork 0]

By vulgar I mean, squatting down, trying to feed my thumb, and wiggling of the of the butt/tail feather. Its kind of similar to a cat or dog scooting across a carpet due to a in packet anal gland or possible worms.

Here is an updated picture of her cere. If the image is not clear enough, I'll try again in the morning with some more natural light.

 

On a side note. With the pieds gene, after the first molt, is it normal for the recessive color, in this case green, to grow more on the body then when I first got "it"? Also if this is the case, will the green color take up more of the body after every molt, if this is the case?

[birdluv 0]

By vulgar I mean, squatting down, trying to feed my thumb, and wiggling of the of the butt/tail feather. Its kind of similar to a cat or dog scooting across a carpet due to a in packet anal gland or possible worms.

Here is an updated picture of her cere. If the image is not clear enough, I'll try again in the morning with some more natural light.

The cere is female looking

 

On a side note. With the pieds gene, after the first molt, is it normal for the recessive color, in this case green, to grow more on the body then when I first got "it"? Also if this is the case, will the green color take up more of the body after every molt, if this is the case?

yes if l remember correctly about the pied gene, she will become more green each time she molts

[Bird Junky 0]

Hello After reading through problems. I suggest that you start again from scratch. You bird has you well trained. Now its

 

your job to train your bird. See Taming Blogs. Yours B.J.

[captzork 0]

Here is a few more pictures during the day, in case the last photo was not clear enough of the cere.

 

@ Bird Junky: My bird will step up on my finger and fly over to my shoulder with out command. Where should I start with retraining?

[Bird Junky 0]

Hi I don't want you to think I'm picking on or insulting you in any way but some things have to be said

 

Kaz said " He's trying to get your attention" So why let him out & ignore him? It's your job to convince

 

him your the most interesting thing on the planet. Not just a climbing frame.

 

Finnie said "Remove him every time etc." Every time is the operative bit. You should give him

 

something else to do like having a little millet treat or play with him & a ball on a table. Anything that is

 

better than climbing on your head. I'm sure you will think of something to amuse the both of you.

 

If you want to watch TV then put him in his cage. Budgies have too a short an attention span for TV watching.

 

As for your thumb. Well it could be worst. Yours with good intentions B.J.

[captzork 0]

@ Bird Junky: I don't take is as you picking on me. I get enough of that from my own family lately . I did take the advice about the playing with a ball. Although I do not have a ball to play with, being a hobby gamer, I have the next best thing. Lots and lots of dice. Right now, I'm trying to teach her to knock a d6(six sided) dice of the platform of the play gym. If this works out how I hope, the next stop of Monte Carlo and make it big at craps * insert evil smile here*

[Finnie 0]

.

 

 

 

I think this looks like a boy.

 

 

What's a little poop in the hair? It flicks right out if you let it dry first! And if you don't want to go through 9 shirts a day, just have one that gets poopy when you play with him, and one clean one that you switch back and forth, depending on whether you have him out or not.

 

 

I think it's great that you are teaching him to play games. That will give him something to do other than climb on your head. He sounds like a fun bird.

[robyn 0]

.

 

 

 

I think this looks like a boy. I've been thinking this as well Finnie but I'm not up with genetics. Sounds like male mating behaviour as well.

 

What's a little poop in the hair? It flicks right out if you let it dry first! And if you don't want to go through 9 shirts a day, just have one that gets poopy when you play with him, and one clean one that you switch back and forth, depending on whether you have him out or not.

 

 

I think it's great that you are teaching him to play games. That will give him something to do other than climb on your head. He sounds like a fun bird.

[Finnie 0]

Sounds like male mating behaviour as well.

 

Yes, but the girls in my hen cage "get vulgar" with some of their toys as well.

 

Oh, and when I said he sounded like a fun bird, please don't think I meant that part! :lol:

[Bird Junky 0]

Behave yourselves B.J

[captzork 0]

I know when a bird gets attached to some thing you need to remove it. So do I need to cut off my thumbs, wait 4 months, then go to my doctor and say "My budgie has been getting frisky with my thumbs and I had to cut them off. Would you mind reattaching them see the pass has passed?" If I'm right, I'll problem be committed for a psych evaluation.

[Finnie 0]

Well, Captzork, I would say to just not let him get away with it. Every time her starts, make him stop. Move him somewhere else, or put him back in his cage. He is smart enough to figure out that whenever he does that, it means the end of all the play time. And if you allow him to do it, it becomes an ingrained habit. Just nip it in the bud.