TAG Mating display with bell toy

[allie]

Hi Maggie,

This is Allie and Luna! Luna is doing really great, finally feathering out nicely, and we have made more progress together.

However, Luna, who has always allopreened with her bell toys (not with me:() has escalated her behavior to all out mating displays (pretty interesting to see for a biologist) with drooping wings, regurgitation, shimmying and dancing, and raising the feathers on her lower back around her bell toy. She has not acted differently toward me.

She is an only bird who was separated from her female mate when I got her. She has laid in the past, but I've been sure not to put any cozy triangles or dark boxes in her cage.

So do I remove the toy? Do I let her keep it and enjoy "the company?" I didn't know if her hormones would rage and bad things would happen. I'm considering removing THIS bell toy and putting another bell in since she does seem to need a bell for her innocent "allopreening."

Thanks,
allie and luna

[Maggie]

Allie,

I recommend that you remove the toy. If you don't, it may result in her laying another egg. This is something to TRY to avoid.

For anyone with this type of concern, please read all of the articles I have posted in this membership about dealing with egg laying.

There can be lots of complications from it, such as egg binding or even low levels of calcium in body because all is being used up in production of the eggs. Therefore, it is best to discourage any kind of sexual/egg laying behaviors.

GREY'T Blessings,
Maggie-

[allie]

Thanks Maggie,

I replaced the bell toy with a completely different type of bell toy. So far she's only doing "allopreening" with this one so this is a good result I think.

She had reached the point of doing nothing but dancing and drooping for her bell, no playing or interacting outside the cage; it was time for it to go "bye bye" for a while.

Allie

[Maggie]

ABSOLUTELY!!! It would have led to more intense sexual feelings...and eventually, a few eggs. Again, that's something that is best avoided.

You've got GREY'T instinct, my friend. Luna is teaching you well!

GREY'T Blessings,
Maggie-

[allie]

This is really sad. The day after I replaced the toy, in the evening she started acting strangely. She started doing this unhappy sounding contact call that I've never heard before. I tried everything to see what had her so upset: I turned on lights, I turned on the TV, turned off the TV, tried to see if she wanted to come out with me, gave her more food, etc. Nothing worked and she's scooting back and forth on her perch saying, "OK, ok,ok,ok, ok" constantly for about an hour or more. It was upseting.

I noticed she was trying to allopreen with the new toy but it's length wasn't "right" for her so I lowered it. The next day she happily preened with the new toy which now seemed to be at the appropriate length for her to do innocent allopreening.

Yesterday, Luna was very quiet in the evening and I asked her what was wrong, and she said one word quietly, "Zulu." That is the name of her mate that she was separated from when I got her! Isn't this sad?! She hadn't said Zulu's name in months. It broke my heart. I know the woman that ended up with Zulu, she does rescue work. She offered HER to me, but I'm not well enough to take on two birds and it seems that Zulu has already "moved on" at the avian rescue home and has a new mate.

Luna won't let me touch her, but I try to blow her head feathers for her whenever I hold her and she seems to really like that, as she lowers her head and ruffles her feathers, and shakes her tail. What more can I do for her? I know it's hormones, but it's more than that too. I feel so sorry for her.

Allie

[Maggie]

Allie,

This is more than hormones. She really loves and misses Zulu.

Has Zulu really been mated? It is too bad you can't take in both of them, since they were a pair before. Have you contacted the new owner, just to check in to see how Zulu is doing? It is interesting that Luna is reacting now, instead of a few months ago. Perhaps Zulu is going through similar sadness at his end.

Or it could be that Zulu finally let go of his feelings for Luna to become attached to the new mate...and Luna psychically feels the pain. I know humans do that.

There's got to be something you can do....

Anyone reading have any ideas????

Maggie-

[allie]

She used to call Zulu a lot when she first got here. It used to come out when she was really talking using language she had learned at her own home, and I didn't know if she really knew that was her mate's name since they were caged together and never let out. She stopped using the name for a long time, and now she's using it again.

She called her again today. Yes, Zulu, now called Lulu since we know the bird is a she (she's been egg laying) is feeding and paling around with a Congo Grey at the rescue. She was totally plucked, but I would have taken her if I had the health to care for her. I just don't. Already, I'm having to get help from family members to keep Luna's cage, bowls clean, etc. Lulu is growing back some wing feathers now so that's good news.

Today, we had a good day. She spent the morning watching the wild birds two feet outside her window and screaming at them. Then she flew a bit (I'm glad because she needs the excercise, I'm sure that will help with the hormones), found a new post to hang out at with a window---a large chest whose top is level with the window. She sat on my hand while I had my phone appointment with my doctor! She didn't want to get off my hand and seemingly enjoyed listening to my quiet weak voice going on and on. I blew her head feathers and she clucked and nibbled my hair.

I feel this is all I can do. I promised her out loud that if ever Momma gets better, she will get a Grey for Luna or see if Lulu wants to come here. Her owner is very kind and is going to keep Lulu, but would give her to me in an instant. Lulu is definitely very happy, I hear, and walks the floor proudly with her new mate, chasing the old dog around the house, pulling on his fur!

Allie

[allie]

Oh, just to clarify. I would never have bought a bird away from its mate, but the woman who I got Luna from was very dishonest and as I asked about her laying eggs, never told me she had a mate. I said, "oh, they'll lay eggs even when they're alone?" oh yes, she said, never acknowledging that Luna had a mate. She had already put Luna in another cage by towelling, when my sister arrived to pick her up. It wasn't until the next day, after I paid for Luna, that the woman admitted on the phone that Luna had a plucked mate that she was going to euthanize, but that a rescue person had called and found out about the bird and had taken it. Thank goodness! It was shocking to me that this woman felt Zulu had no value, and said that, "no on would pay any money for it, so I was gonna euthanize it." This is how Luna came to be separated from Zulu---I mean Lulu. At least they are both in much better homes now.

Allie

[Maggie-]

Oh, how sad!!! It must have been heart-breaking to go through that separation. I wonder if you could find out about Zulu/Lulu.

Parrots DO lay eggs alone. They are just not fertilized.

I'm SO glad that luna is with you!

Hugs to both of you!
Maggie-