Female Caique likes to hump is this normal?

[lovespud198]

Hi,

This is my first thread, Caique (pronounced kay-key) is my 11 year old female Caique, she has been playing under my spare bed for months on and off but recently trying to 'hump' things like teddy bears and slippers, now she seems obsessed with doing this and the noises she makes are weird! The vet has suggested hormone injections then implants as she is too old to be nesting I think and she said Caique, as a girl, shouldn't really hump!

Another thing is I think she has separation anxiety from my male partner, doesn't want me unless to sit on my head and hair surf! She will scream until he's back!

I have recently lost a 30 year old parrot to Aspergillosis so I am being really paranoid with my parrot, this stressed behaviour can't be good for her and I worry about long term effects, within the last week as well her droppings loose and possibly red, I am a Microbiologist so running tests but do wonder if it's because I swapped normal sunflower seeds to husked ones as I was worried about the Aspergillus causes?

Has anyone experienced this and any ideas such as letting Caique have a male bird!!!

If anyone has any answers or helpful suggestions please help!

[Chelle]

Hello and welcome.
I would curtail anything that is seen as hormonal or nesty to her. I would not let her have free rein of the house and all its nesty places. I wouldn't go so far at this point to take away her hidey hut... Dark, 12 hour sleep.
I think also that the behavior towards your man is going to lead down a dangerous road in the future.
I am sorry to hear of the death of your parrot to Aspergillosis, you are testing your caique for just in case?
I think that humping is a natural part of a healthy life. I do not however want a bird to think that I am partner in that process. Male or female. I would not love it if my girls layed eggs.

[Sillypup5]

I have a female BHC who is 2 years old, and ever since i"ve had her she has like to 'hump' her toys, blankets, slippers.. pretty much anything fuzzy is fair game. I don't think 11yo is too old for a caique to be nesting, considering their lifespan is from 40-50 years, and they aren't really suitable 'parents' until they are 4 or 5. I would go to a different vet and get a second opinion.

[Janette]

Hi and Welcome.

The humping part is perfectly normal behaviour for both male and females. It is better to be directed at inanimate objects rather than you and I agree that you should discourage her from claiming nesting places around the house. But 11 years old is not old for a caique so I wonder how familiar your vet is with caiques and why the suggestion of hormone injections/implants? What you really need to be aware of with females is that this kind of nesting behaviour can lead to her producing eggs. The danger for hens is if they become egg bound which can be life threatening.

When my male does the humping thing I make sure it is not on me, I do not make a fuss, and when he regurgitates I don't take any notice of it so I am not encouraging mating behaviour between him and me as I do not want him to perceive me as a mate (we're just friends!). It's really a perfectly normal outlet for parrots, especially if they don't have a mate.

The question of getting your caique a mate is a whole different matter.

[Emily]

I just wanted to say welcome to the forum, and the above posters gave you a lot of great advice.