JJ's behavior on our Tx trip

Our trip to Tx was the first real trip that JJ's been on. I've taken her in the car numerous times on trips up to about eight hours in length (in the car for about 4-5 of those hours), but we've always returned home at the end.

On this trip, she could tell things were different. She was clingy all day on Sunday while I was packing - absolutely would not leave my shoulder. The only time she left my shoulder was to go sit on top of her cage and watch me while I was working around the area where her cage was. When I left her sight, she flew after me.

The odd part of all this is that from the time we got in the car to leave until we returned home four days later, she treated me like a leper! She preferred spending time with anyone and EVERYONE else but me. The only time she was interested in me was at bedtime - when she and I usually snuggle up together and/or play while I lie down on the mattress and she rolls around like a little puppy. I couldn't get her to stay with me for love or m... mangos! I almost started getting sad and depressed, and would have if I hadn't reminded myself that I knew she might choose someone else at some point in time, and I'd already decided it was OK.

Then late Thursday evening we returned home. She went to bed as usual, and when she woke up on Friday she was back to being my bird... to the point of attacking my daughter last night and my husband today - the same people she preferred over me while we were gone.

Has anyone had any experiences like that? Do you have any explanations for those behaviors? Guesses? I'm pretty bewildered myself.

It was Texas. Everything is wrong in Texas.

KayLayUh wrote:

It was Texas. Everything is wrong in Texas.

Of course. Why didn't I think of that? You are a font of avian knowledge.

VickiNumbers wrote:

Of course. Why didn't I think of that? You are a font of avian knowledge.

I know, I know.

But seriously, birds are weird that way and who knows why they do what they do. She could've been angry that you took her so far away from home. She could've been confused as to what was going on. She could've just decided that she liked other people better than you on neutral territory.

KayLayUh wrote:

She could've just decided that she liked other people better than you on neutral territory.

LOL, great! What does that say about our relationship? "Mom, I only like you when we're at home. When we're not at home, I like everyone else."

I wonder if I could finagle a relationship like that with my husband? LOL!

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OT - BTW Kaela, I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one with a GCC who uses my head as a perch! LOL!

VickiNumbers wrote:

LOL, great! What does that say about our relationship? "Mom, I only like you when we're at home. When we're not at home, I like everyone else."

I wonder if I could finagle a relationship like that with my husband? LOL!

I've never taken Cheney Bird in a car or farther than walking distance, but he was driven here from Maryland by the rescue I adopted him from. He's also been driven other places as a kind of show bird for outreach programs by that rescue.

The first time he'll be in any kind of vehicle with me is when he, the budgies, my boyfriend and I are moving across country. California is a lot further away than Maryland and I'm assuming we're going to be in whatever vehicle we decide to rent for the trip. I'd be interested to know if this is a conure thing, or if JJ is just a weirdo that way. Then again, conures ARE weirdos.. so, who knows.

Birds are nuts. Seriously. That's pretty much the explanation. So long as they're not a danger to themselves or others, I don't over think their behaviors much.

Alrighty then. I'll just go with weird bird thing then. It's as good an explanation as any I suppose! LOL!

It's a little like Scooter being mad at me when I've been on a trip. Ive wondered if somehow he doesn't recognize me at first, but I don't really think that's exactly it. I'm beginning to think there is something funny about their sense of context.

ScooterNScotty wrote:

I'm beginning to think there is something funny about their sense of context.

That's an interesting theory... I wonder if any research has been done on that?

VickiNumbers wrote:

Then late Thursday evening we returned home. She went to bed as usual, and when she woke up on Friday she was back to being my bird... to the point of attacking my daughter last night and my husband today

I just have this part of the experience. Merlin seems to hate my oldest son and my wife. Though if my youngest boy is around I cease to exist, Merlin just wants to be with him. Then he'll bite him on the fingers or the ear and then my son doesn't want him around, and Merlin can't seem to figure out why. Birds are weird.

Just read a behavioral article that *might* explain the behavior.
At home JJ's in her territory and you're being identified as her mate so she's possibly exhibiting territorial aggression.
On the trip away from home, she's not in her perceived territory so she doesn't exhibit territorial aggression.

But at ?7-9? months old, would she have selected a "mate" already?

VickiNumbers wrote:

But at ?7-9? months old, would she have selected a "mate" already?

Dunno. Maybe a mate preference. Ducky's only 10 months old and exhibiting sexual behaviors. He started exhibiting sexual behaviors at about 6 months. It's very young, but it happens.

do the smaller bird species become sexually mature earlier than the larger species?

moa wrote:

do the smaller bird species become sexually mature earlier than the larger species?

That's what I think, comparing articles about different species of parrots. The same goes with time of eggs laying, weening time, etc...

moa wrote:

do the smaller bird species become sexually mature earlier than the larger species?

Margaret wrote:

That's what I think, comparing articles about different species of parrots. The same goes with time of eggs laying, weening time, etc...

I would think it would be adventageous for smaller birds to become sexually mature at earlier ages because they often have shorter lifespans. A cockatiel would need to become sexually mature and able to reproduce sooner than a macaw because a cockatiel lives for 12 to 15 years and a macaw lives for much, much longer. It's all about perpetuating the species.

moa wrote:

do the smaller bird species become sexually mature earlier than the larger species?

They do. Gallerstein's book tabulates averages, but unfortunately lumps all conures together. I think Scooter hit maturity between 1 and 2 years of age. Scotty seems to have been mature when we got him, but we don't know his age. I think he is 4, but not certain.