What Is He Doing?

Laney

Regular Member
Loki has started this weird behaviour and I’m not sure why. He likes to hide food in his feathers and eat it off himself. A bit worried that this is going to start him plucking. Anyone seen this before? Is he just enjoying having somewhere to hold it maybe?
He has also found his tongue lately and keeps playing with it, after monitoring him I’ve noticed it’s after he is zipping feathers and preening (maybe because he is finding crumbs?). His tongue was getting puffy the day I recorded it. Thankfully the tongue thing has worn off and he only does it now and again for a few seconds.
Am I just being a worried momma?
Maybe I should check him for mites?
I love my goofy little dude
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Ok do not panic, When he dose hide hie food in his feathers it is just him being playful and entertaining himself, Even my Buster does similer plus i have had other Too's Tiels and Love birds that do similar, but he places it on his wing, he then flicks it up in the air and tries to catch it (most times succeding). Toos, tiels and lovebirds are so bright and the inteligence they use when playing and figering out differant ways of having fun even exploring there own parts of the body like it toung and feet is all part of these intelligent birds ways. no its not mites, i must say i have not observed this behavior in other bird species but i would not be shocked if i do. love the video's, i friend with his tiel gets his bird to poke out his toung on command. Porrots have great control of there toungs and although it may appear swollen it is not and its only the way he is using his misckes in the toung that makes it look fatter
 
Hey Laney
May I ask what food young Loki is eating please?
Also how often does Loki have a bath?
Tongue does look a tad puffy from over manipulation by is beak pondering if there are a few fibres on it from preening or something else that is on it he doesn't like as it looks like he is trying to scrape it through his beak.
None of my cockatiels display this kind of behaviour yes they groom and occasionally if a feather particle gets stuck they will scrape their tongue to get rid of it but they do this on perches or something handy.

@sunnyring What's your thoughts Jenni have you seen anything from your tiels like in these videos?
 
I can't see videos as my internet rubbish at the moment but my take would be prehapse misdirected breeding behaviour, the urge to feed another bird can be very strong. maybe pretending with his own feathers. a mirror might be an idea as would at least take his attention away from his feathers.
 
Hey Laney
May I ask what food young Loki is eating please?
Also how often does Loki have a bath?
Tongue does look a tad puffy from over manipulation by is beak pondering if there are a few fibres on it from preening or something else that is on it he doesn't like as it looks like he is trying to scrape it through his beak.
None of my cockatiels display this kind of behaviour yes they groom and occasionally if a feather particle gets stuck they will scrape their tongue to get rid of it but they do this on perches or something handy.

@sunnyring What's your thoughts Jenni have you seen anything from your tiels like in these videos?

He has Tidymix seed with roudybush pellets in the bowl that he is doing this at. He has mixed veg in a separate bowl but seems to be the pellets and little oat bits from seed mix that he is hiding/grooming with.
I try to bath/spray him once a week. He doesn’t like a spray in the shower, sometimes gets into it when I do it outside but usually not a huge lover of it. We are still getting him used to a shallow dish of water, last time he hopped in after his precious Tupperware lid but only got his feet wet.
I was worried about the tongue but that has thankfully eased off (still keeping an eye tho) he was chewing it like a pea that day, like he just noticed it was squishy! He is a funny/strange one ❤️ I love him and hope this is just silly behaviours but thought I’d see what others thought x
 
Ok do not panic, When he dose hide hie food in his feathers it is just him being playful and entertaining himself, Even my Buster does similer plus i have had other Too's Tiels and Love birds that do similar, but he places it on his wing, he then flicks it up in the air and tries to catch it (most times succeding). Toos, tiels and lovebirds are so bright and the inteligence they use when playing and figering out differant ways of having fun even exploring there own parts of the body like it toung and feet is all part of these intelligent birds ways. no its not mites, i must say i have not observed this behavior in other bird species but i would not be shocked if i do. love the video's, i friend with his tiel gets his bird to poke out his toung on command. Porrots have great control of there toungs and although it may appear swollen it is not and its only the way he is using his misckes in the toung that makes it look fatter
Thankyou, I hope this is the case, he is a little character. I was laughing at the tongue thing then I was like “oh wait maybe he’s not just being a goof and there’s something wrong”
It is very cute (as long as he ok) x
 
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