Ask Lafeber

any way to make an alexandrine like cuddling?

okay so I have a boy alexandrine parrot and he’s about 4 years old now, had him since he was like 4 months old. one thing I’ve noticed is that this guy will tolerate any kind of caressing, petting, cuddling – basically anything that involves touching or fiddling his feathers around (keyword: tolerate) but he just doesn’t like it. I know every parrot is different and how some just don’t like it but shouldn’t he also not tolerate it? he basically only lets me play with him like this and hates it when someone else in my family (who is obviously not me) tries to do it themselves. also, sometimes this guy just looks at my phone screen for 2-3 mins and starts to dig inside my blanket (means that he just tries to burrow/cave dive) for no reason at all. what does it mean, like idk he’s just too dumb sometimes

Hi,

You shouldn’t cuddle with any parrot. When you pet or touch a bird on its body, this is something only a mate would be allowed to do, so it can trigger hormones. We should not have a mate bond with a parrot, because this causes frustration for the bird. When you handle your bird, any petting or touching needs to be limited to only the head and neck. He is already exhibiting hormonal behavior by only wanting you to pet him, and by digging in your blanket. He is exhibiting nesting behavior when he does this. He is reaching the age where he would start breeding in the wild. You should stop trying to cuddle with him and stick to head scratches. Don’t let him dig in your blanket and keep him out of dark, cozy places. Hormonal behavior can include aggression, unwanted noise and health issues for him. He isn’t dumb – he is an exotic bird who is driven by his instincts. He is not a domestic pet like a dog, and thus can’t be treated like a dog. It’s up to you to learn more about him so that you can better understand him, rather than just thinking he is dumb.

Pet Bird and Parrot Behavior

Teaching Your Bird

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda