Odd baby behavior

[Skyes_crew]

My baby is 3 months now. And he is doing something truly odd. I started introducing him to my other birds and for the most part he ignored them. Except for one of my tiels. When I put my male tiel on the gym with the baby the baby crouches and opens his mouth and starts this pitiful sounding cry. Is this normal? And why does he do it to my cockatiel and not my other IRN? And what is he doing? Begging to be fed? He eats a really good diet of veggies and fruits. Most days cleans his bowl. He also picks at some seeds and pellets. Is it possible he's still hungry?

[InTheAir]

I'm not sure, but that sounds cute.

Our little munchkin was always begging to us when we got him at 3 months, despite eating anything on his plate...(he's a bit special, or as the breeder put it a 'runt')... He stopped after 3 or so weeks but seemed to regress back into begging when we took him for a playdate with some older ringnecks when he was 4 or 5 months old.

[MissK]

I have read that recently rehomed birds may revert to begging for a time. I imagine this would be due to stress from change. I think it might be an anthropomorphic interpretation to say they are looking for reassurance, but who knows.

Perhaps, in introducing your other birds, you have provided a sufficient change in environment to have the same effect? What does that particular cockatiel do?

-MissK

[Skyes_crew]

Nani, the cockatiel, really just stands there. If hamlet try's to shuffle closer Nani runs away. I wonder if my breeder had cockatiels in his aviary. Ill have to call him and ask. But it is the saddest sounding cry and every time he does it my kids go awwwwww. (Me too lol). Ill try to catch a video of it to show you guys. Should I give him something to eat when he begs or should I ignore the behavior? If it was my dogs I'd know the answer to that

[InTheAir]

Hmmm that's interesting, Missk.
I was kinda thinking he had gone back to begging postures because it was how he last related to other birds, and hadn't developed socially due to only having humans for company.
(I'm totally kicking myself for not getting him a friend when it was baby season here, cos now he has to wait- I'm not sure about introducing an older bird since Nele is so small...).


I think Dave picked Nele for anthropomorphic reasons anyway Nele begged from in the cage while we looked at all the other birds (all of whom were younger and weren't begging), and stopped as soon as he was snuggled up on Daves shoulder. Dave counts that as Nele picking him... ;p

Skyes_crew; sorry I can't offer any useful advice, except make sure he is getting enough food in his crop and that his weight isn't dropping.

[Skyes_crew]

Here is a video of what he's doing.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YFO35hYFPsw&feature=plcp

[ranechild]

The slow bobbing is weird. Your little bird was being creepy!

[Skyes_crew]

[MissK]

Svengali impersonation - he's actually saying "You hate Sunflower Seeds. You will give me your Sunflower Seeds."

No clue. Very interesting, though.

-MissK

[Skyes_crew]

I guess he's just strange like the rest of my crew

[InTheAir]

I guess he's just strange like the rest of my crew

I'm afraid so
I just reviewed the videos of Nele with the big birds, and he had the same posture while approaching them, but tried to groom them, and when they stopped running away tried to play with their beaks (or get them to feed him).

[ellieelectrons]

I know he's 3 months old but to me physically, he still has baby features, so I'd just put it down to baby behaviours. He's looking for some mothering/fathering from your tiel. I think it's cute too He's an adorable bird.

Ellie.

[leo1955]

Yeah, I agree with Ellie, your IRN is still a baby at 3 months and still needs a parent care which she is asking from your cockatiel. It's not in anyway alarming, it's cute.

[Skyes_crew]

Thanks guys...makes me feel better he is super cute isn't he?

[MissK]

Very.

-MissK