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Gracie is doing the clucking and crouching thingy with hubby
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 8:36 pm
by pattiB
Should we discourage this now? He can walk up to the cage and she will start. She won't do it for anyone else. I am able to handle her, train her, play with her but not pet her. He is not really able to step her up but she does do these clucking and crouching behaviors for him. We really want her to be a family bird. Help? She is only 5 1/2 months old. My hubby keeps asking me to try and pet her but I don't want to even try. I know what I've accomplished with her and don't want to ruin it. I told him tonight that I think he is "the chosen one" and he's like I Don't think so! Can you give me some advice? He LOVES to pet her and she loves it. I've not really tried but deep down I don't think she would let me. She does, like I said allow me to do tons of other stuff with her. Should he back off on the petting? should I try to pet her? This stuff is keeping me up at night! lol
Re: Gracie is doing the clucking and crouching thingy with h
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 10:00 pm
by MissK
Maybe he can pet her non-erogenous parts? Which are......? Footies? Somebody who knows girls will chime in here.
If she doesn't want you to pet her, then don't. To do so would cross that forcing line.
Re: Gracie is doing the clucking and crouching thingy with h
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 10:13 pm
by pattiB
She crouched and clucked at ME this morning! Is this a good thing. Doing it for two people. Are we raising a family bird? lol.
Re: Gracie is doing the clucking and crouching thingy with h
Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2013 10:33 am
by BrendaDup
Hi, Willow does it every time I talk to her . I didn't know when I got her I was and not allowed when touching her . I would just pet her head ,cheeks, neck she will not let you touch her feet. so I try and just pet her head and cheeks. I don't know what else to do either so far she doesn't lash out if I don't do it . She will crawl to me in a crouch position rubbing her chin . so I cant help you I have a worse situation here .. 
Re: Gracie is doing the clucking and crouching thingy with h
Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2013 5:02 pm
by ellieelectrons
I pet my girl on the head. I usually pet her the opposite way to the grain of her feathers (up the head, not down towards her tail). I spoke to my avian vet about whether we should discourage it and he didn't think it was a problem unless she was showing overt sexual behaviour towards us (eg. vent rubbing). I would also think about backing off if she tries to regurgitate food to you, not necessarily forever though, just until she stops the behaviour as it may be something to do with breeding season.
I was talking to an experienced pet bird owner about this and he seemed to think that whilst you can have problems with birds showing sexual behaviour to its caregivers, he seemed to think it is less common than it is perceived to be. Thinking about the people on this forum I would say it is only a handful of people I've come across where this is a problem.
Ellie.