Conure Dance

[kyrubas]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ8Qycr7hps

So Dac (Jenday Conure) has shown us a new dance. He was slightly wet from a bath and Veli (Sun Conure/the bird he's bonded to) had stepped up on me. Dac refused to step up and then started this dance. He repeated it enough that I had time to go get my phone and start recording. In the video you can here me say he must be upset and I was assuming that based on his continued refusal to be anywhere near me even though I had Veli. Even when he's being kind of stand offish he'll usually step up once Veli does.

Anyone have input/ideas on what this dance is?

[Pajarita]

He is not dancing, he is trying to 'arrange' his crop or bring up something from his throat. It actually looks as if he has something stuck in his throat -not necessarily a real obstruction... could be something like a thread. Do you give them things made out of material or cotton threads that might fray?

[Wolf]

I can't be certain but I think that I saw a couple of heavily frayed rope toys in the back of his cage, the threads from these things are a serious health risk as they can cause a blockage or impaction any where in their digestive tract from the crop to the vent. Very dangerous for them.

[kyrubas]

Ah, thank you. We're fairly new bird owners and I thought we had made safe toys. All the toys made with cotton string have now been removed. Dac and Veli are both eating and pooping normally so I don't think any damage was done. We've now got lots of leather lacing (veggie tanned) and raffia to make future toys with.

[Wolf]

You could use sisal rope to make this type of toy as the fibers break up much earier than cotton, if you must use rope. You could also use sea grass or palm fronds, I believe. I hope that this will help some. I don't know if they make it undyed but just thought of twisted paper roping, too.
We all make mistake now and then, it is just part of the learning process that we all must go through.

[Pajarita]

I don't use leather. I don't like anything animal going into their beaks... Dry corn husks are also great for toys...