Handfed baby?? Fluffing feathers and rocking back and fourth

[Shans_Parrotlet]

I have had Bonsai for 1 week today and he is adapting quite nicely. He is less nippy than he was the first few days and is starting to love to cuddle close to my neck when on my shoulder. He is also strating to take to being scratched on his neck and chest and shuts his eyes in enjoyment :) I have noticed in the past few days when he is sitting with me that he is fluffing his feathers, spreading his wings, and rocking back and fourth with his mouth open sometimes. I think it is adorable when he does it but it is a repercussion from him being handfed right?

[Pado]

How old is he again? Is he eating okay? – It sounds like he is begging to be fed and maybe not completely weaned or reverting back? – Neither of mine did this behavior. I’m sure someone more experienced in hand feeding answers you soon.

[Shans_Parrotlet]

He is about 4 months old :confused: He is just finishing his first molt or is going through it, not to sure? He is eating great otherwise. I used to work for Petco in Cambridge Mass. and they have a beautiful aviary with a very knowledgable caretaker of the birds. I remember a Cockatoo Rocky doing this when he got attention. He was also a young bird.

[Pado]

I doubt it’s a feeding beg given his age – it might be him regurgitating to you –

Mine looks more like he is moving his head side to side with his neck kind of puffed out when regurgitating – mine doesn't usually spit up food when doing this - the female will lock beaks with him and take food. But when he does it an she isn't there no food comes up.

[Shans_Parrotlet]

I called the place I got Bonsai from about an hour ago and asked one of the knowledgable bird people. She said that he is only 3 months old and that he thinks I am his mom and thinks I am going to feed him now that he is bonding with me :p Not sure how true it is. A friend of my mom's has an African grey parrot who regurgitates food to show her love........

[AndreaFahy]

I have noticed in the past few days when he is sitting with me that he is fluffing his feathers, spreading his wings, and rocking back and fourth with his mouth open sometimes. I think it is adorable when he does it but it is a repercussion from him being handfed right?

This sounds like the defensive stance to me, like when they are scared of something but are big kids about it! They try to scare off whatever is startling to them. This would be side to side rocking, is that what you are describing?

[AndreaFahy]

A parrotlet wanting to be fed generally will not hold their wings out, mouth will be open and the head only will bob up and down.

[Pado]

It would be great to have an area in the site like a reference library - to view video clips of different behaviors first hand.

[AndreaFahy]

It certainly would, I was trying to get one of the parrotlets to do it so I could shoot a photo, but no one would! It is generally a behavior seen in younger parrotlets though.

[lily]

My bird did a little begging thing before she was four months old. I don't remember the details of the body language now-- I will think about it-- but I remember, when she was feeling very comfortable she would "ask" with body language. I'd offer her a single seed snuggled between my thumb and index finger. She'd get it out and be very happy and content for the attention. One seed was all it took-- like a little reassurance thing. "You gonna take care of me forever?" "Yes."

[Plato&Mya]

This is what my babies looked like when begging for food... very noisy.. it does sound like what Andrea said, the defensive stance.

http://pets.webshots.com/video/3037403750081121818XPgbDb?vhost=pets

[AndreaFahy]

That is not what I was picturing, although that video is absolutely representational of a feeding response, from all of my past experience. Is this what you have been seeing with yours parrotlet?