Question: Lovies over 2 1/2 years old

[Janie]

Do they EVER stop gacking?????? I don't mind the humping at all but that gacking is driving me nuts, a slimy mess. :rolleyes: Since Oliver was already 7 when I got him I missed all of that maturing behavior that I certainly expected but good grief, Shy doesn't let up! Big Boi stopped the gacking and humping at least 6 months ago and since they are clutch mates who will be three years old at the end of May, I kind of expected they would mature on the same schedule or at least close to the same schedule.

One more question. His gacking/humping companion is a birdie buddy. I used to keep one in Oliver days cage (a community cage that is always left open and all three have access to) but removed it because Shy went from the one in his cage to the one in Oliver's cage, back and forth all day. I kept two in BB and Shy's cage, one for each but as BB got less interested in humping Shy started taking that one over, too, so I removed it. So, should I remove Shy's one remaining source, his birdie buddy? Would he find something else (like Oliver :omg: ) to hump if I do? I don't want to stress him out or make him unhappy if this is still normal behavior so I'd like to hear others thoughts on this. I want someone to tell me that his third birthday is the magic number and he'll stop in May. :whistle:

[wilkiecoco]

kiwi was 3 in january, and the gacking and humping goes on!!! and it's not on an inatimate object either, it's either my son or me :( :confused: :blush: (Don't ask )

i also can tell you that no matter what we do, kiwi does find something to hump or gack - anything, - a piece of kleenex will do if he's desperate enough. i'm not sure removing shy's birdy buddy would help. when there's a will there's a way.

However, Kiwi has lessened his activity somewhat in the last few months. It used to be continually, finish one and on to the next, but now it is only a couple of times a day. So perhaps with maturity, the urge lessens??? :)

[LauraO]

Somebirdies just hump more than others:omg: :omg: . I've never had a problem with the gacking, but I've had lovies that humped incessently. In fact, my Chewie bird and his mate Eva hump their bear together all day long. Their little butt wings are all humped to a nub, but what can I do? They enjoy their bear and they aren't really doing any damage 8o 8o .

The reality is Shy will likely look for something else to hump if you remove his buddy. I don't think it will be the other brids, but may be a rope or wood perch. You could try taking it out for the day like it were the cozy and only give it to him at night.

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Milo is three and he still humps pretty regularly. Lord only knows how often he does the dirty birdy with Melody, but I know he goes after the computer mouse a couple of times a week. However, he's never ever gacked for anybody but Melody.

[lucky melatonin]

what exactly is that, gacking? like throw up? what does it look like? i don't think mine have done it, of course, they are still too young (supposedly, i know nothing)...

[Janie]

I do not mind the humping, it's the gacking!:rolleyes:

Emily, gacking is not throwing up but it is regurgitating seed. They eat it and then they regurgitate it. Nice little wet piles. :rolleyes:

Thanks for the info., Laura!

[butterfly1061]

Janie,

Piper humps his BirdieBuddy ALL THE TIME! My friend who watched my birds when I went out of town last month, said "Piper is a sex feign" :lol I do agree with her. He tries to gack to me (a lot), but nothing gets regurgitated - only when he does it to Molly.

[thebubbleking]

Lucky for me sunshine and boo only gack for each other and sunshine only does the swishy with boo.

[carrier]

This thread is too much! :rofl: :rofl:

I was recently treated to a day-long gack-fest held in the birdie-condo this past weekend! :x

Fenway fed Wrigley. Wrigley returned the favor. It seemed to me that they were passing the same seed back and forth for HOURS. :roll: :whistle:

[Janie]

I appreciate everyones input! :) I wish Shy would gack to one of the other two so that *I* don't have to constantly clean up his piles. I weight that bird once a week for fear he's gacking himself to death but his weight this week was 56 grams so that was a relief. He does eat what I don't remove. :rolleyes:

Big Boi, btw, was SIXTY TWO GRAMS! :omg: Poor little Oliver was down to 44 grams but he's usually not ever above 46 or 47 and was only 40 grams when I adopted him 4 1/2 years ago.