Spring Fever
An interesting article on birdy adolescence.
N.B. The months stated here are for the Northern Hemisphere.
by Marilu Anderson, Bird Nutrition and
Behavior Consultant
An interesting article on birdy adolescence.
N.B. The months stated here are for the Northern Hemisphere.
by Marilu Anderson, Bird Nutrition and
Behavior Consultant
It's that time of year again - flowers are blooming, robins are nesting, bees are buzzing - and your sweet companion baby bird is suddenly moody and unpredictable.
"Oh no, What do I do? My baby is turning mean!"
Luckily it's not a sign of a "good bird gone bad," or an indication that you messed up as a bird parent - it's simply the raging hormones of adolescence.
It starts around March and often lasts until June, when things tend to even out again. The good news is that once your "teenager" reaches sexual maturity the problem generally resolves itself. Sexual maturity occurs between approximately 2 to 7 years in hookbills, depending on species. (cockatiels 1 - 2 years)
There's a lot of myths about this tumultuous stage. A couple of my favorites - "You must discipline him, show him who's boss or you'll have problems later!" or the ever popular "You must get a mate!"
What you really need to do is understand that this is part of normal development - be patient, supportive, and understanding. Now is definitely the time to ignore much of the negative behaviors and give lots of praise for the positive ones. Don't overreact to the occasional nip or loud squawking - this will only create more problems down the road. It's best at this time to avoid sexually stimulating interaction, such as petting under the wings or tail. Recognize signs of your bird getting upset or over stimulated and let your buddy be by himself when he starts getting over-amped. Now is not the time to work on learning a new trick!
Recognizing "spring fever" for what it is - simply, a transitional hormonal phase young birds go through in adolescence - will greatly ease their stress, as well as yours during this time of year.
A note on egg laying: Some single sexually mature hens will lay eggs and want to "mother" them.
(Hey - they are infertile - there's no documented immaculate conception in birds! Also, if it lays an egg, it's a girl! I still get calls insisting "my male bird just laid an egg!)
Leave eggs in the cage 3 - 4 weeks and let "mum" do her thing, removing them only leads to continued egg laying, which can cause serious calcium depletion. Feed her plenty of calcium rich food, like kale, broccoli, and cheese. She'll ultimately get bored withthem and then they can be removed and everyone's happy!
"Oh no, What do I do? My baby is turning mean!"
Luckily it's not a sign of a "good bird gone bad," or an indication that you messed up as a bird parent - it's simply the raging hormones of adolescence.
It starts around March and often lasts until June, when things tend to even out again. The good news is that once your "teenager" reaches sexual maturity the problem generally resolves itself. Sexual maturity occurs between approximately 2 to 7 years in hookbills, depending on species. (cockatiels 1 - 2 years)
There's a lot of myths about this tumultuous stage. A couple of my favorites - "You must discipline him, show him who's boss or you'll have problems later!" or the ever popular "You must get a mate!"
What you really need to do is understand that this is part of normal development - be patient, supportive, and understanding. Now is definitely the time to ignore much of the negative behaviors and give lots of praise for the positive ones. Don't overreact to the occasional nip or loud squawking - this will only create more problems down the road. It's best at this time to avoid sexually stimulating interaction, such as petting under the wings or tail. Recognize signs of your bird getting upset or over stimulated and let your buddy be by himself when he starts getting over-amped. Now is not the time to work on learning a new trick!
Recognizing "spring fever" for what it is - simply, a transitional hormonal phase young birds go through in adolescence - will greatly ease their stress, as well as yours during this time of year.
A note on egg laying: Some single sexually mature hens will lay eggs and want to "mother" them.
(Hey - they are infertile - there's no documented immaculate conception in birds! Also, if it lays an egg, it's a girl! I still get calls insisting "my male bird just laid an egg!)
Leave eggs in the cage 3 - 4 weeks and let "mum" do her thing, removing them only leads to continued egg laying, which can cause serious calcium depletion. Feed her plenty of calcium rich food, like kale, broccoli, and cheese. She'll ultimately get bored withthem and then they can be removed and everyone's happy!
