Parrot & Pregnancy

[missz]

Hello,

I've a 3 year old amazon parrot, her name is Yoshi. And I'm pregnant. My husband and I are waiting for our very first baby. I'm a little worried with Yoshi. I would like to prepare our baby's arrival. I try to explain her, showing her my belly, saying "a baby is coming, say hello". I was adviced also to put her on my belly so that she can feel the baby moving. I think she clearly understood that I'm pregnant, she is more excited and she tries more often (actually everyday) to masturbate on my shoulder when I work on my computer. Of course, I don't let her to do it and I try to get her attention on a toy.

So my question is what can you advice me to deal with this new situation? How will I do when the baby is there, do I have to open directly her cage and let her flying in our flat, or wait for some time?

[GreenWing]

That's interesting Yoshi tries to mate you... she might be responding to your excitement, or is just hormonal... birds get hormonal themselves twice a year.

I don't have children, but I have read success stories on other parrot websites of people having children while also keeping their fids happy. I know there's some folks here on the parrot forum who have children as well as parrots, so they can probably offer some great advice. I think it's probaby a good time to work some target and trick training in. Just be sure to make time for Yoshi even though you'll be busy with a new member of the flock.

[Pajarita]

I seriously doubt she knows you are pregnant. How would she? She has no point of reference whatsoever because this is not even a normal bird thing (they don't get pregnant, they are oviparous). Masturbating is normal for them this time of the year (we are in breeding season). Mine don't but I have six of them which live together.

As to preparing, you can try but I doubt it would make any real difference in the long term. She will react how she will react when the baby arrives. What you can do is start a strict schedule and routines with her that you can follow after the baby arrives so there is no huge change in her life once this happens but I don't see how you can avoid the big change because babies are all-consuming, when you are not changing them, you are feeding them, and when you are not feeding them, you are rocking them to sleep, and when you are not rocking them to sleep you are bathing them, cooking/eating/taking a shower or passed out on the bed from exhaustion (LOL). I am not trying to be negative or implying that it won't work out with her and the baby, all I am saying is that I don't see how you can actually prepare her for it...

[pennyandrocky]

how is your with children? mine loved kids so I had no worries when I was expecting my son. they came to be best friends my son even started taking him in his room at the age of 3 to play with his toys. just be careful mine always loved kids we used to poke our fingers in his cage when we were visiting our grandmother's house but not all birds like little fast moving fingers.

[missz]

She seems to be nice with them, and very curious. But she has never seen a baby. A specialist told me that they can understand and it's essential to prepare them, explaining them that a baby is coming. I've started to put her on my belly, and she is like shy... I think she can feel the baby moving inside.

[Pajarita]

A 'specialist' told you that? I suggest you read studies done on parrot's intelligence because if you expect her to connect the belly to the little baby that will arrive, I think you will be disappointed.

[missz]

I read a lot of things and above all I live with a parrot. I think living with animals is the best way to understand them. Maybe you think animals are stupid, so I suggest you to read studies and in particular Yves Christen books.

That's said, everyday I put her on my belly, Yoshi my parrot seems to be happy and excited. If my husband talk to the baby inside of my belly, yoshi comes immediatly... it's a very interesting experience

[Pajarita]

No, I certainly don't think that animals are stupid but I also don't think they are omniscient or that they can see things we don't (like people who say that cats can see ghosts). Animals know certain things by instinct and others they learn. A parrot could not know by instinct that a big belly means a baby will come out of it and, unless it has gone many times and often enough through the experience and actually seeing every live birth, I seriously doubt it would make the connection between the two, either.

Yves Christen has written only one book on this subject: L'animal, est-il une personne?, the rest of his books are about human biology (his expertise and training) and, as far as I know, this one hasn't been translated into English, yet (and I know because I've been periodically looking for it - I read everything about animals that I can get my hands on). Mind you, I'm not arguing the fact that animals have feelings and that they think and figure things out but, in my personal opinion, believing that to believing they know things that are not natural to their physiology (they all understand about eggs even if they had never laid one) or experience is a huge stretch.