young female puffs out feathers & acts strange

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Makailaann
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2010 10:40 pm

young female puffs out feathers & acts strange

Post by Makailaann »

Hello
I am hoping someone can tell me what my young female IRN is doing & why.... First of all she was hatched in Feb 2011 so still very young. Sunny has been with us for about 2 months now. She was going through the "wonderful" bluffing stage when she arrived & is still very difficult for anyone but myself to handle. The behavior that has me confused this, when she is on my shoulder or running around on the furniture behind me she puffs up all her feathers, squats down a bit and then charges at my face and neck. She doesn't bite or show any attitude when she is puffed up like this, she just runs at me and then rubs her head under my chin & kind of falls down on to my chest or tries to get down the front of my shirt. We know she is a female because she was dna sexed by her breeder. I have never seen this behavior before from my male IRN but he was already about 3 yrs old when we got him so I have no experience with this young of a bird before. Any ides as to why she is doing this and if I should just ignore it or stop it or what??!! Thanks!
julie
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Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2005 2:07 am
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Re: young female puffs out feathers & acts strange

Post by julie »

My irns dont do this but my female quaker does similar,she puffs,runs and then taps her beak on our foreheads and makes a purring noise and sometimes squeals like she expects to hear it from us. Its up to you if you want to stop her from doing it, but as long as she isnt bitting I think its her way of showing you affection.
Makailaann
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2010 10:40 pm

Re: young female puffs out feathers & acts strange

Post by Makailaann »

ok, thanks! Great to know that my bird is not the only one...lol! No she doesn't try to bite me when she is doing this, it is definately affection but I just wasn't sure what kind of affection...lol! Sunny also makes little chirp/purring sounds while doing this. I'm hesitant to scold her in any way at the moment because she is just coming out of the bluffing stage & I am really enjoying being able to handle her without being bit! Unfortunately my husband can't say the same! So far Sunny is a one-woman-only-bird but she is getting better than she was when she first arrived! Thanks again!
julie
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Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2005 2:07 am
Location: nsw australia

Re: young female puffs out feathers & acts strange

Post by julie »

maybe try getting your hubby to give her treats.I couldnt work out why my boy indie went from coming to me to going to my hubby and I caught him sneaking him treats, i started doing the same and then he went to both of us but after having him for 8 years he is definately my hubbys boy but has no problem going to anyone else.
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