Unusual Behavior

[bebs.]

Hi guys!
I've been reading up on quite a lot of threads here and I really like how detailed everyone's posts are.

I've had my parrotlet (Mr. Crumbs) for about 1 week now and just recently, he's always at the bottom of the cage facing me. I'd take him out whenever he looks at me but once I put him back in, he starts putting his beak through the frame at the bottom of the cage and tries to rip the newspaper out.

He kind of reminds me of my dog. Could they be just plain bored or is something wrong?

[pattypan]

Hi and welcome to the forum! Not quite sure what Mr. Crumbs' behavior really means but maybe you could answer a few questions that might help us get a better sense of what's going on. How old is he? Does he sit at the bottom of the cage on both feet and fluffed up? Is he still eating and pooping normally (might be a tough question after having him for only a week)? From previous posts some have said that young healthy parrotlets might prefer to stay near the bottom of the cage. But, staying at the bottom of the cage and not acting normally may be signs of illness as well (hence, all the questions :p).

[Sally]

What does your cage and toy set up look like? Can you show the cage? Does he have lots of toys, perches and playgyms?

[Kumiko]

My mother's cockatiel, Sonnie, use to chew his perches off the cage, chews on the newspaper underneath his grid, and chews dad's laptop... Eversince I bought him some new mirrors and chew toys, he is so pre-occupied that he doesnt chew on aything else but his new toys.

[catfish]

Hpnotiq does this if she can reach the newspaper. I just make sure that she has shreadable toys in her cage and that seems to detour her from going for the liner.

[bebs.]

How old is he? Does he sit at the bottom of the cage on both feet and fluffed up? Is he still eating and pooping normally (might be a tough question after having him for only a week)?

He's about 8-9 weeks old.
Whenever I'm next to the cage, he's sitting at the bottom and chirps a lot. It depends on how long he's been in the same spot for, then he'd get fluffy.
Yep! He eats a lot! He's really active too. Every morning at around 830-9 he'd chirps nonstop and I would hear him munching on his seeds, I also hear the bells from his toys ring nonstop as well. Hehe

[bebs.]

What does your cage and toy set up look like? Can you show the cage? Does he have lots of toys, perches and playgyms?


I haven't had the chance to get him many toys. He has about 4 perches in his cage so that he can get up and down in his cage. He has a coconut shell, a bell, and some kinda swirly toy with rope-like ruffled ends on each end.
He did have a swing with leather chewies on it but I gave that to my boyfriend's p'let.

Once I get pictures, i'll post them right away. It is kind of late right now and his cage is covered.

[pattypan]

I agree with Kumiko and Catfish.. he must like shredding things! There are toys out there that are made for shredding etc. You could try putting pieces of a paper towel roll in there in the meantime (just make sure he won't get stuck!) or paper that doesn't have any ink on it.

[chapala]

He's very young, and young birds (don't know if it's true with P'lets, but it is with many other parrot species) will spend a lot of time on the floor of the cage. They aren't as coordinated as they will be, and it may be hard for him right now to climb the cage bars, flit from place to place, etc. Are his food and water on the cage floor?
Reta

[catfish]

it was true with both Hpnotiq and Gelato.... they were not coordinated enough when first brought home, so I stuck with a short small cage until they matured. They both spent much time on the cage floor. Now they both spend equal time in the perches and toys and the cage floor. I keep toys on the floor that Gelato likes to push around and Hpnotiq likes to climb a series of ladders I have positioned near the bottom.

[IceQueen30]

First of all welcome on the forum Bebs :)

Does your Mr Crumbs only stands at the bottom of his cage or does he stay there most of the time? I dunno if it can help you but I have a bird who seemed to enjoy to stay at the bottom of his cage until we bought him a rope perch (he loves it :D). I'd consider buying him one of these if he only has plastic and wooden pearches because rope is more comfortable for them than plastic or wood :D

Parrotlets tend to fluff up when they're sleepy but if he spends most of his days fluffed up I'd be concerned. But since you said he seems to eat and chirp normally he might just be comfortable at the bottom of his cage or want play with the newspaper...Also don't be shy to buy him toys even if he doesn't play with them, it might take a few days or weeks before he realizes that he can chew his toys too :p

[catfish]

since he's 8 weeks old he's still very much baby. Give him time. He will start to play/roost higher up. I use movable platforms with ladders when Hpnotiq was a baby baby. She found ladders easy to climb and the platforms were wide enough she woldn't fall.

[bebs.]

I bought him a few toys and he seems to love the wood chewie i got him. BUT!!! he still sometimes sits at the bottom and go crazy at the newspaper.

By going crazy, he kept flapping his wings and then diving into the newspaper and starts ripping it. He continuously does this and its like a routine. He'd rip some newspaper, flap his wings, and climb up the ladder to the wood chewie. -- THen he goes back down and rips the newspaper again. -_-



It's really weird!

[Kumiko]

I bought him a few toys and he seems to love the wood chewie i got him. BUT!!! he still sometimes sits at the bottom and go crazy at the newspaper.

By going crazy, he kept flapping his wings and then diving into the newspaper and starts ripping it. He continuously does this and its like a routine. He'd rip some newspaper, flap his wings, and climb up the ladder to the wood chewie. -- THen he goes back down and rips the newspaper again. -_-



It's really weird!

Weird indeed! :) I think that is why we buy p'lets and other birds cages. So they can be crazy all they want. Sound like he is having a ball:D

:D Have you every heard of foot toys? Kiwi loves foot toys. I give him birdie pencils (also chewable), wooden blocks, and squishy rings. He really enjoys them. :cool:

[bebs.]

Foot toys? Does that mean they stand on it?


I sometimes find Mr. Crumbs hanging upside side on his wood chewie and swings on it. It's so cute!

[Pado]

Foot toys are small toys that the larger Parrots can pick up with their feet - although Parrotlets enjoy these too to play with because they are small - Parrotlets don't usually pick them up.

My Parrotlets favorite toys are Weeble Wobble foot toys (they keep righting themselves) it really gets my male going as the toys keep bouncing around when he hits them :p

[Kumiko]

Kiwi mostly picks them up with his beak and tosses them everywhere sort of what Pado mentioned with his male. They are fun to the bird and keeps them active.

[Max]

I think he is fine.
When I first got max he spent alot of time at the bottom of the cage, and he loved to chew/shred the paper on the bottom (this is when his cage didnt have a grill covering the paper)

But now max doesnt really go to the bottom
Once in a while he' ll venture down off his perches to try to get at the seeds that have fallen through the grill.