[Kathy S.]

I can’t seem to keep Willie off the floor, it’s making me anxious! I let him out of his cage and he just jumps to the floor and starts trying to court whatever’s on the floor around the room that I have. He courts my waste baskets, tissues boxes, bottles of soda things I put near my chair when I’m using them. I do put these items away but he just keeps finding whatever he can to court! When I pick him up and sit with him on my shoulder in my chair he’ll bite me and fly to the floor again to try to court something again. I pick him up and put him in his cage for a time out but when I take him out of his cage again the whole thing starts all over again! I’m thinking maybe I cover his cage for sleep to late at night and it’s making him hormonal?

 

[David Miller]

Hi, Kathy!


He is hormonal because of nature. He will go through this behavior for a while, then he will calm down. At least this is what I have experienced with my parrolets and countless budgies over the years. My p'letts, Bogie and Ricochet went through this phase of being " hormonal " and both eventually almost completely stopped the behavior.

I do know they need 11-12 hours of sleep; preferably covered sleep each night.


There could be other reasons he could be acting like this, but I'll bet hormones has a big part in it.


David

 

[JackieRTP]

It is possible that if you cover the cage too late at night, that he could be hormonal due to not getting enough sleep at night. It is recommended that they get 12 hours of darkness, but if a bird is hormonal - many times you need to increase the hours of darkness more than that.

 

[Kathy S.]

Hi, Kathy!


He is hormonal because of nature. He will go through this behavior for a while, then he will calm down. At least this is what I have experienced with my parrolets and countless budgies over the years. My p'letts, Bogie and Ricochet went through this phase of being " hormonal " and both eventually almost completely stopped the behavior.

I do know they need 11-12 hours of sleep; preferably covered sleep each night.


There could be other reasons he could be acting like this, but I'll bet hormones has a big part in it.


David

Ok thank you! 😊

 

[Kathy S.]

It is possible that if you cover the cage too late at night, that he could be hormonal due to not getting enough sleep at night. It is recommended that they get 12 hours of darkness, but if a bird is hormonal - many times you need to increase the hours of darkness more than that.

Ok thank you I will try that. So if they are covered and are in the dark for 12 or more hours then that will stop the hormonal change or do they have to be asleep in the dark for the whole 12 hours? Because sometimes he wakes up early when he hears me walking around and at that time it’s less then 12 hours of darkness. I cover his cage with black bath towels for his bedtime.

 

[Anya]

I agree. Trying to mate with objects is not normal behavior, it is hormonal behavior.

If you have been keeping Willie up later than normal that could be one of the reasons that he is showing hormonal signs. Extended light triggers hormonal behavior in birds. Birds do not know the difference between natural light and artificial light, so by keeping Willie up later, he thinks the days have become longer and it is time to mate. The best way to stop this is to decrease his light intake by covering him up two hours longer every night. If he was normally sleeping 12 hours, add 2 hours to that. This will help to convince him that it is “wintertime” and not mating season after all. You may need to do this for up to two weeks before the hormonal behavior stops. Those two added hours also give his body the extra time to rest and to lower his hormonal levels. It takes a lot out of them.

Another thing is to avoid giving any food that is high in fat, carbs, and calories during this time. These will provide Willie with too much excessive energy that that will keep convincing him that it is a good time to mate. The last thing a hormonal bird needs is more energy! So, no human snacks, white rice, pasta, corn, etc. for now. Stick to healthy veggies, leafy greens and good quality seeds. Sprouts and wheat germ are good. Nuts, sunflower seeds, berries can be given occasionally.

I do not blame you for being worried every time that Willie lands on the floor. I hate it when mine does that too. It is one of the most dangerous places for them to be. Is the floor the only place he acts hormonal or are there other places like this cage? Also, it may be a good idea to keep Willie away from your face while he is like this.

Hang in there. This too shall pass (the hormones anyway). Hopefully, the going on the floor will too.