Ask Lafeber

Different bird

Verde stayed at my friends house for a while because we went somewhere over night just for one day, and when I got verde back she was a completely different bird she lets you pet her she steps up without and glove thing on my hand hand her bites aren’t as nearly as hard as they used to be but there’s one thing that concerns me when I but my finger through the bars of the cage she’s put it in her mouth then mover her head up and down like a baby trying to eat from a syringe or from its mother is this normal she is 3 months old but i don’t think she should be doing this what should I do to make it stop

Hi Morgan,

This is a common reaction for a young bird when she gets stressed. She is very happy you are home! Some birds will be mad and pout for a few days. But many are like Verde and just grateful to be back with the person they love. She may not have eaten well while you were away. She didn’t understand being taken and left somewhere else, so she is relieved to be back home. As long as she is eating well, I wouldn’t worry about her feeding reaction. She has just reverted a little bit because of the stress. Of course stress can bring out an underlying illness, but she did just have a Vet visit. So again, as long as she is eating well, the behavior is due to her little sleepover trip. If she were to stop eating well and start sitting fluffed up or only want to be held, then you probably need to take her to the Vet. Take advantage of her extra sweet behavior to make some more progress with her. If she stays with the same person again, it will be easier for her each time because she will know she is going back home soon. And as she gets older, her reaction to being left may be different and she may get mad and pout.

Thanks for the update!

Brenda