mating behavior out of control!

[staceyb]

Hello everyone,
I need some help with Fweet Fweet's behavior. First I had the issue of velcro bird, but now every time I take him out of his cage he just tries to mate with me:blush:. My head, sleeves hair anywhere he can find. I can not sit on the couch and watch tv with him out because he is constantly landing on my head and trying to mate with my hair. All I do is brush him away with my hand. I feel bad but he is driving me NUTS!>: He is completely out of control with this. Please if someone can help curb this behavior let me know. If I don't pay attention to him he tries to bite my chin to get me to pet him. What do I need to do?:confused:

[michael]

Hi Staceyb. This really can be an embarrassing situation and often be quite annoying too. I find it odd though that at the age of two years he hasn't slowed down a bit, but I still have lots to learn yet regarding such behavior. One thing I do know is this can be a very "stressful" time for Kweet Kweet and much effort should be made to keep him comfortable and secure at all times regardless of this activity. Are there many objects in or outside his cage that may be encouraging extra curricular activity? Sometimes there are one or two objects of affection that can add to this behavior. Maybe remove them if possible to avoid the extra stimulation. If its a cozy you could always replace it before bed time. Of course, I understand he may be choosing "everything" to mate with in which this may do little good. Again, this seems like he should start to slow down a bit by age two, unless its just the way he is or there's some kind of external stimulation through diet or otherwise. Instead of shooing him away because he really does need the attention, I would try getting him interested in other things like healthy foods or a shallow bowl of water always nearby to bath in. Maybe place a piece of lettuce on your shoulder or keep a fresh veggie in your hand. Its really hard to say what will help with the exception of age/time and maturity..................Michael and Goofy

[Janie]

Yikes, I feel for you and have no idea how to stop him from wanting to mate on you. :confused: One of my 2 1/2 year old males is still humping and gacking off and on all day long but thank heavens, his "chosen one" is his birdie buddy and not my head. The one body part that I never allow my birds on is my head. I had to cut two nests out of my hair a few years ago after Oliver built them and that was it.....no more birdies on my head. The younger two do fly to my head sometimes but I either physically remove them or shoo them off immediately.

[staceyb]

I try to always keep him off my head by shooing him off but he is so persistant I could shoo him off about 50 times in an hour. Last night when I was tring to type he was humping my shirt sleeve and again I had to constantly shoo him off. He has nothing in his cage he can mate with and the only time he does this is with me. This behavior just started about 1 month ago. I thought it would stop but it has not. I am almost tempted to by something for his cage to get his mind off me. Like a cozy. Maybe he will fall in love with it. He can go to town all day and by the time I get home he will just be happy to be with me. What do you think?

[carrier]

Hello,

I have no idea how to modify such behavior, but I was just going to suggest the same thing...put something in his cage he can "love", and hopefully he will stop humping you! :roll:

I'm sure if this is a bad idea someone more knowledgeable in this will give you a different suggestion.

[michael]

I try to always keep him off my head by shooing him off but he is so persistant I could shoo him off about 50 times in an hour. Last night when I was tring to type he was humping my shirt sleeve and again I had to constantly shoo him off. He has nothing in his cage he can mate with and the only time he does this is with me. This behavior just started about 1 month ago. I thought it would stop but it has not. I am almost tempted to by something for his cage to get his mind off me. Like a cozy. Maybe he will fall in love with it. He can go to town all day and by the time I get home he will just be happy to be with me. What do you think?

That just might work. Contrary to trying not to encourage him maybe letting him have his way on a cozy will help him to not try everything else. I actually assumed he had items in his cage already but wasn't really sure. If he's got nothing on the other hand a cozy or even a birdy buddy just might do the trick :). Let us know!............Michael and Goofy

[wilkiecoco]

I have the same problem with kiwi - it's been almost a year of this behaviour. He tries to hump our hands, fingers, sleeves, kleenex, towels, you name it, he humps it!! >o

The first part is to recognize that this is an instinctual thing for them, and there isn't a lot to dissuade them from the instinct they feel. Once you come to peace with this and understand that it is not something they can help, you will be able to accept that this is part of who and what they are.

having said that, i know it is difficult behaviour to deal with 24/7. We bought Kiwi a birdie buddy for his cage, and he now uses this as something to love!! >o It hasn't completely eliminated the humping on us, but it certainly helps. We also use treats to distract him when he is in the mood, something to get his mind off of doing "it" :blush:

nobody ever told us about this in the birdy books i read!!!! :rofl: :omg: :whistle: :nyah: :rolleyes: :blush: :( :confused:

[carrier]

nobody ever told us about this is the birdy books i read!!!! :rofl: :omg: :whistle: :nyah: :rolleyes: :blush: :( :confused:

I couldn't have said it better! Not ONE book mentions birdie masturbation or birdie regurgitation...I had to find this forum to learn all about those special behaviors. >o

[thebubbleking]

Well you can get him a female that is sterile (half ficher half peachfaced).
I will again quote linda and say "be glad hes not a macaw!"

[Janie]

If it were up to me, I would definitely put something in his cage for him to hump on/with. You can't stop this behavior and it is perfectly normal but given the choice, I'd let him smooch on something other than me! :)

[staceyb]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to Petco today! Glad I'm not the only who's lovie only has eyes for them.

[Christian]

Question regarding all of the mating behavior...
At what age do they start masturbating? And do both males and females do the clickey dance??

Estrella is currently (as I type) performing his second clickey dance to me...:rofl:

[thebubbleking]

Both my hen and male do clicky dances but only my hen boo will growl and bob at something before she attacks it.

[michael]

Question regarding all of the mating behavior...
At what age do they start masturbating? And do both males and females do the clickey dance?? Estrella is currently (as I type) performing his second clickey dance to me...:rofl:

Christian. From reading through some earlier posts regarding mating/maturity, I've found some indications they can both exhibit certain mating behavior even before the age of maturity which is usually between six and twelve months. I'm really not sure though which sex can display the earliest signs even with regards to egg production usually taking on the later course. As far as those wonderful clicky dance maneuvers it seems both sexes can put on quite the same performance, although some have said females often make more of a clucky sound than their male counterparts. One interesting note about these sounds is they can take on a few different meanings, from "I really like you" to "stay the heck away from me!". This is one good reason to learn about your own lovebirds individual characteristics. When my male lovie Goofy was young he would generally attack me, so I let him go clicky by himself :). He no longer bites as much now but will still clicky dance with the cell phone or T.V. remote with an occasional head bob gack or two for good measure. Should they also decide to perform some or all of this on you, then your pretty well much considered the "chosen one" :D.............Goofy and Michael

[Pips mom]

Oh this is almost too funny reading for me. Pip humps this one rope toy all the time! I thought that was embarassing when my parents were here visiting and here's pip on top of the cage humping away and my mom is tapping at my arm and pointing to Pip! I can only imagine if it was me he wanted to hump all the time! You guys are right----they don't mention this about lovies in books! none that I have read anyway! and obviously it's a common occurance! It's real easy for me to accept that this is what lovies do and just let nature take it's course-----Pip only humps that one toy---It's a soft rope like thingy tied in a knot and came in a bucket of toys. After reading all of the posts about gacking things----I feel lucky! Pip's humping could be worse! On me--- or gacking on things

clicky dance with the cell phone or T.V. remote with an occasional head bob gack or two for good measure.:rofl:
How funny does that sound???

[B.B.]

Stacy B,
I don't know of any suggestion to help you but I wanted to commiserate on this problem you are having.

I am sorry to report that my lovebird who is 6 years old also has this type of behavior and I wanted to suggest that you read my warning that I just posted today. Basically, I want you to know that you must never let your bird "fulfill their needs" as your bird seems to be trying also.

So I hope that you may be able to avert your birds' attention until this hormonal phase passes.

According to B.B.'s previous owner, B.B. went thru this phase the first time at around the age of 2 and it did subside over time. What caused him to have this hormonal flare up so many years later I do not know, maybe it is normal.

Good Luck!
Angela and B.B.

[thebubbleking]

It causes serious behavioral issues that I am not sure can even be undone?!?!

That doesnt sound right... now dogs and most animals includeing humans do that and bonded lovebirds do that i cant imagine it causeing problems unless its overdone.. but thats just me.

[kimsbirds]

Angela,
Unless there is a medical concern for obsessive masturbation, there is no research that proves your statement of "serious behavioural issues", so I will edit your post to state such. This might be your experience and your opinion with your own bird, but to state that it is such is unfounded.
I draw your attention to Robyn's post from this same thread on the first page:

The first part is to recognize that this is an instinctual thing for them, and there isn't a lot to dissuade them from the instinct they feel. Once you come to peace with this and understand that it is not something they can help, you will be able to accept that this is part of who and what they are.

We don't want to confuse new or inexperienced lovebird owners that serious behavioural issues are automatic with any masturbating lovie. We continue and encourage everyone to post their experiences and observations so that we might all learn about these unique feathered powerhouses !!

Thanks for understanding,
Kimmie

ADDED:
My edit was in regards to 'masterbating birdies', but it has since been clarified that Angela's birdie is chosing ANGELA to do his deed on....I agree, never encourage birdies to masterbate ON someone, it can really cause some problems down the road :) Better to redirect birdies advances to something other than your foot, arm, shoulder, ear etc...