Senegal behavior question

[ninhalo5]

Hi, I Just got a Senegal two days ago. She's about 10 yrs old and is trying to get settled. When I first seen her she was very friendly and loved getting neck scratches and being close. Now she'll hide on the other side of the cage and not interested in the scratches but will still take food from my hand, all this I know is natural when in a new environment.
I'm curious about one thing she does and that is sometimes when I'm talking to her, her eyes will pin and she'll lift her head all the way up and it'll almost touch her back at the same time her beak is going a mile a minute, like a teenager on the phone.
Is this a good sign or some strange way of saying go away or something?
She'll bend her head backwards more often like that if I have my hand above her as well.
Friday night if I put my hand close to her she would lower her head and was begging for scratches, I'm guessing this behavior is different.

Thanks

[chrisp]

Hi ninhalo5. I am still a beginner at this. Only had my Senegal for a couple of months. He is still young. 7months old.

I don't think you have anything to worry about though. Coming to a completely new environment, it is normal for your senegal to be quiet and try to hide.

My senegal likes to hind behind his swing when he is unsure about something

[ninhalo5]

Well I just learned that it's a good thing the previous owner had her flight feathers trimmed or my banana would have become sole property of her. Gabby was hiding in her favorite corner on the top of her cage until I set a banana on my desk, then I hear her chattering and I turn around and she's now on the corner closest to me eying up my breakfast lol... of course I shared my banana, guess she's seen them before.

[Wayne361]

I havent seem my senni put his head back till it almost touches his back...but when he has his head all the way up and eyes are pinned it usually means he is agitated. This could be because there is something new around him or he thinks he hears or sees something. I give him space at this time to avoid getting a bite. But two seconds later he is fine. To sum this info into a useful post, I would say he needs to get more adjusted to you and gain trust. Dont push the bird at all at this stage...just let her warm up to you and realize you are not a threat. If she comes to you that is a good sign. Let her decide on how the trust is progressing. Hope this helps.

Wayne

[ninhalo5]

Hi Wayne,
Yes that helps, I figured it might be some sort of aggression but wasn't sure. She sort of looks like she's in a good mood when doing it but it's hard to say. Sometimes she dances around, sways, then her beak starts opening and closing repeatedly and fast then she'll tilt her head so far back I'm looking at the underside of her beak where it's attached (or well her lower beak don't really look attached; direct center where the beak meets the head).
She bit me once when I first met her guess I caught her off guard and boy did that hurt, didn't break the skin or anything but was as fast and even felt like a mouse trap so I'm trying not to get bit again.
She's a really good bird and I know she'll be easy to work with once she gets settled in. She's used to people so that is a definite plus.

[ninhalo5]

Hi, Just wanted to post and update... I figured out what she was trying to tell me with lifting her head like that... she wanted chin scratches. I took my chances of being bit and was scratching her head and she did it again so I placed my fingers under her chin and then the eyes really pinned while she was getting her rubbing and she rested her head on my hand... heaven lol.
She really is a good girl