Parrot masturbation is natural, normal, and usually healthy. That hormonally activated behavior is exhibited both in the wild and in captivity. Typically, it is best that bird caregivers neither encourage nor discourage it. At all times, it should be accepted and respected for what it is.

If you read the article, you can see that I was on my best journalistic "behavior" when writing it demeanor-wise. Please check out the conclusion and let me know if you agree with it. If not, SHAME ON YOU!!!

Parrot Masturbation

Good article, Les. My African Gray would occasionally rub herself on her perch, but she was quiet about it and it was very infrequent.

She would get very excited if I made my hand into a bird "head" and bobbed it up and down as if to feed her. Birds regurgitating on you is a sign of affection, and now and then she'd bring up a little food from her crop for me. I would back off when she would squat down and spread out and shake her wings a bit. It was obvious that she wanted to be mounted, and I could not help her there. I did not want to torture her by getting her more excited.

Birds are fascinating creatures.

Some of our birds get frisky with mirrors, blankets, or other objects. We just go about our business, and they do theirs.

I agree about the videos. They are in terribly bad taste, and it defies my imagination to understand what people get out of watching them.

Hi Debbie,Connie and all,

Perhaps I should do a review of all of those You Tube videos and then come up with the appropriate DSM-IV diagnosis for the humans(?),sub or otherwise that so degraded and abused their birds by videoing and posting them there. As for the birdy voyeur viewers, they are of the same mentality too. The only problem with that plan is that I would have to watch them which I absolutely refuse to do. I have yet nor will I ever view ANY of them. Why don't those cretins post pictures of their children doing the same type of self-stimulation-oh ya, that would be illegal!

Now it is time for me to feed the birds and let (but not watch or video) Peeky Peeky do whatever he so pleases with the broccoli and his perch mirror.

I agree. Making videos of these activities is highly inappropriate.

Now that I think of it, when I had budgies they were quite active in this area, but I never paid too much attention to it.