Senegal parrot behaviour - happy/excited?

[Neith]

His/her name is Kura (it's Polish for "chicken")
And so far clicker training's only result is that one morning (s)he woke us up clicking from his/her cage - (s)he just started mocking the clicker, so we decided not to use it for a while, but we'll go back to it soon

[Andromeda]

You just stopped because Kura was imitating the clicker? That's not really a big deal. My brown-headed parrot does a very good imitation of the clicker. It's really funny because if we give him a treat that he's REALLY excited about he will click when he takes a bite. I think he thinks he's training us. Haha

[Neith]

Well we are actually trying to make him remember than when we say "hop" he steps up - we use positive reinforcement for this, but no clicker. Same for flying from his cage to our arms, hanging upside down from our fingers. We thought that if he mocks the clicker, he won't learn much when we use it, but it seems we were wrong

Anyway today I had to walk away from him almost a dozen times, because every time I tried to take him out of his cage he started dancing But when he's out and on my arm or leg, he doesn't do it anymore.

As for the sounds - the best imitation (and his favourite sound so far) is farting... Now I'm just waiting for him to start imitating my bf's snoring - then I'll be sure that I have two men in the house

[Andromeda]

When it comes to the clicker birds are pretty smart. Even if they imitate it they learn pretty fast that only a click from you gets them a treat. You can even train more than one bird at a time without them getting confused about the click because they learn that in order to get a treat they need to both hear the click and be the one getting attention at the time.

You reinforced the dancing in his cage with lots of attention so part of the reason he's offering it is because he knows it gets him attention and praise. As long as you ignore it pretty soon he'll realize it's not getting him attention or praise anymore and he won't have as much reason to do it so he'll stop. Like I said, though, he might still do it during the spring when his hormones are in full force.

They are funny with what they imitate. My Poi talks a bit but he also really likes noises. He loves to imitate the microwave or oven beeping when he sees me go into the kitchen, and he imitates a creaky door when I leave the room.

[GreenWing]

Here is a video of a Meyers doing the "skirt dance":

Meyers mating dance

The head pumping forward and backward with an open beak is also a sexual behavior and is part of courtship (it mimics what they do when they regurgitate).

Andromeda (cool username BTW) is right on the money. Tiki does this EXACT. SAME. DANCE. It's definitely courtship behavior.

I see... so not only I have a parrot that's interrested in interracial relationshiop, but it could also be a lesbian That's cool, I love him/her anyway

Tiki is a lesbian. I am serious! She chose me as her mate.

A few things that can help your lusty bird:

Don't feed your Sennie while she's on you. This is very sexual to Senegals and probably all parrots in general.

When you pet your Sennie, try not to stoke from the neck down. I do this often -- guilty as charged! -- and it's also considered sexual.

[Andromeda]

When you pet your Sennie, try not to stoke from the neck down. I do this often -- guilty as charged! -- and it's also considered sexual.

Great advice from GreenWing! You should only pet your bird on the head. Stroking its wings or back or tail can be perceived as sexual by the bird.

[SenegalNovice]

My senegal is doing the "skirt dance" too! (On my hand) She is 2 years old and was hand-fed by me. She has always preferred me, but lately has started growling at me and biting when I try to handle her!
She is fully flighted and potty trained (to go back to perch to poop when out of cage). She is caged during the day until evening when I have time for her. At which point I open the cage and let her come out and fly to me. She prefers to perch on my shoulder until she's comfortable walking down to my chest where she lets me pet her.
She used to let me put my hand on top of her when she was on my shoulder and pet her, and then I would say "roll" and she would roll over and grab onto my fingers, then I'd rub her tummy. Now she growls and bites my fingers if my hand comes near her. Furthermore, she refuses to go back in cage! I've had to grab her and, screaming and biting, put her in cage so I can go to sleep!
Is this behaviour related to her arriving at sexual maturity?

[Wolf]

Actually more information is required for an accurate answer to the different things that you have mentioned. Some of the biting is related to sexual maturity but not all of it. Do you have a boyfriend, girlfriend, or any other significant other and are you making physical contact with them in front of your bird? Which one of you is actually the birds preferred person? Many times a bird that refuses to go into their cage perceive it as a punishment, such as being put in the cage for biting you or while the bird is still playing with you. I always give my birds a high value treat for going in their cage.

Biting can be caused by feeding a high protein diet, hormones, jealousy, by the human forcing their will on the bird especially when the bird has tried to say no don't do this with or to them. There are many possibilities for why the bird is biting you.

Tell us more about the parrots diet, its current lighting schedule, what the birds sleep schedule is, what does the bird do while not in the cage? How much time does the bird have daily out of the cage? Are their other people in the house that interact with you or the bird? What about other animals? The more information you share the better answers we can provide.

[Pajarita]

Going by what was posted, it sounds as if she is kept at a human schedule (caged all day, out in the evening, has to force her into the cage when owner goes to sleep) and has been improperly 'touched' (owner putting hand on back of bird to pet her) all her life so, without anything else to go on (so, please, correct me if I am wrong, Senegalnovice, as I would not want to make the incorrect assumption), I would say that she is going through a real bad puberty and has started rejecting the mother figure.

But, please, do tell us more about her diet, routines and schedules so we can give you specific pointers to correct this behavior.

[seagoatdeb]

Is there someone else that handles her too? Is there a change with how she interacts with them?

I woud recommend never to put her back in her cage when she is screaming and biting, it will hurt your relationship with her. Try putting her favorite treats in her cage and luring her in . You can also try making her cage more interesting by rotating toys more often, good wood chewables and foraging toys.

Pois tend to be good all their life about rolling over to lay on their back on your hand. The grabbing techique that Michael talks about in detail on this forum in the Trained parrot blog http://trainedparrot.com/index.php?bid=32 works especialy well for them.

I dont think it is a rejection of the "mother figure" necessarily. She may be bonding to a mate figure to someone else in your house or she may be becoming mistrustfull of you; the screaming and biting when you return her to the cage. Definately changes in diet and light schedule will help, but you need to find a way to get her back in her cage where she is not screaming and biting.