Frustrated

[Wenilow]

Kit has gotten back into the daily swishy dance/gacking routine.
It first started almost a year ago, and since then she's had sort of fazes where it goes from a five-times-daily thing to a once every other day thing, and back again.
I know there's not a whole lot that can be done about it, and I wouldn't mind at all except that it's like incessant gacking to my fingers, knuckles and toes. I've got cuts on my fingers from where she grabs on to do her swishy dance, and a sore on my one knuckle from all of the regurgitation beak-bumps and the tissue wiping.

I've been trying to distract her with little foot toys and such, but there's only so much distraction she can take before she's back and in the mood. It's just frustrating. :roll:

Can you guys think of anything I could be doing to discourage her without totally putting down a behavior that's natural?

[LauraO]

Can you guys think of anything I could be doing to discourage her without totally putting down a behavior that's natural?

Honestly, this sounds more like you need to make the adjustment rather than Kit. I understand lovie behaviors can get annoying cause they are incessant about what they want and often nothing can deter them.......Kit obviously thinks of you as his mate and that is that!

The only thing I can think of is to try and provide an alternative source of affection for Kit. I know some of my lovies, through the years, have been happy to pour their affection on stuffed animals or birdy buddies. And, if Kit's behavior really bothers you, you can just not allow him to do his swishy on or near you. Granted, this will be a battle of wills but it may help.

I once had an incessant lovie who was bonded with me. I hated the whole swishy thing on my person, but lost the battle of wills I mentioned. So I just gave in, put my hair in a pony for him to hump and he was a one and done birdy. So it was much easier to give in and move on.

8o 8o 8o 8o

[Wenilow]

I always let her do it, and it doesn't bother me so much as it bothers my family. They hate it. I just think it gets a little tiring. :)

There is one object other than me that she'll gack to, and that is the computer mouse. Usually she gets in that mood when I'm at the computer, so maybe I'll try changing out the mouse to a different one? I don't know if that would help or not.

Thanks, Laura.

[wilkiecoco]

unfortunately, Laura O. is right. Kiwi humps either a kleenex or my finger (which I cover with a kleenex to avoid the cuts and irritation) incessantly, daily, multpile times, repeatedly, all the time, (you are getting the point right???) :blush: :confused: :( :whistle: :roll:

You could try a hump buddy, or a happy hut, a toy, moving him to that whenever he gacks or humps, but you have to be persistent. We have tried everything, anything, distractions, discouraging him, but he is more tenacious than I am. If he doesn't get to do the swishy swish, he is impossible to deal with. So - i accepted that birds are birds, this is what they naturally do, and on we go.

He is most " excited " >o in the spring and summer, with it winding down a little in the winter. He is almost 4 now, with no signs of stopping. But we love him no matter what, as he is our cuddly, snuggly, charming, wonderful lovie. :happy:

[Wenilow]

That's what I thought.
I'll try covering my hand with a kleenex, if that works for you. It's mainly the irritation that bothers me.

Thanks!

[wilkiecoco]

rowena - the kleenex on our finger ("sigh" - sometimes I can't believe i am actually discussing this - if my non-bird friends saw this thread they would be doing some gacking of their own :blush: ) does work, but it also took kiwi some time to get used to. be persistent, cause he eventually figured out it was the only way he was getting to do it on my finger. :blush: >o :(

The other thing I have started doing, is when he is finished ("sigh" again ), he will sometimes want to do another one right away. This I strongly discourage, cause sometimes enough is just enough, so I distract him with millet, a nutriberry, something else he loves to eat and it gets him " out of the mood " ("sigh" )

Good luck! :)

[Janie]

rowena - the kleenex on our finger ("sigh" - sometimes I can't believe i am actually discussing this - if my non-bird friends saw this thread they would be doing some gacking of their own :blush: )



That really made me laugh out loud! It's true, friends W/O birds would not understand that! :D

Rowena, I feel your pain and your story (and others) makes me really appreciate that Shy only gacks to his birdie buddy..... and not on me! Surely they stop eventually (I HOPE) and Shy has slowed down since his wing clip but it's still a daily event and messy! :rolleyes:

[Wenilow]

So far, she's not liking the Kleenex, but I'll stick with it.

Okay, good. It's the one after the other after the other that gets to me. We can't all be Energizer bunnies! :wink: Thanks so much!

Very messy! That must be pretty tough to clean off of a birdy buddy. Here's hoping! :rolleyes:
The gacking is pretty new for Kit. Before, she'd do the motions, but stuff rarely came up, and when it did, she'd swallow it. Swallowing is a thing of the past now.

[Chickobee]

This whole thread is really a crack up! LOL

Now I'm doubley happy that my birds have each other to do this with!!! And, baby birds are so cute. Of course, I may have a whole different story when I try to get them to stop and they want to continue and we have too many eggs...

I guess everything has it's "ups & downs"!!! LOL

Linda

[linda040899]

I have just one comment to make here! Just be thankful that Kit is not a macaw..........:omg:

[chromasnake]

Oh boy, is this thread headed south! LOL!! Good thing we're all birdy people!

How about cold showers. Or cold birdie baths. What lovebird can resist a splash in the pool? (Oh, wait a minute...mine can. Unless I am splashing around in it at the same time with my fingers until they can't stand it any more and have to dive in.)

[Wenilow]

:lol
Only here would I have brought something like this up, hah.

You know, that's something I always try, and that never works! Kitten HATES baths! I have tried tons of different ways for her to bathe, since I see so many adorable pictures of bathing birdies, but... she only takes baths in my water cups!

I'll get a glass of water, set it on the computer desk and go to get something else, and when I come back, the glass is half-empty, the desk is sprayed, and Kit is sitting on her toy cup, totally drenched, looking at me like, "What? I'm ALWAYS this wet." :D