How/why is mating ritual/dance physically unhealthy?

[Pajarita]

Going by the door, lock and bowl holders style, it looks like the typical 22 x 22 x 30 cage and, if that is the case, it's way too small for a single jardine.

[Wolf]

The average length of a Jardine's Parrot, is 28cm. or 10.9 in.. so call it 11 inches. Most birds have a wingspan of approximately double their length so that is 22 inches. Double that for the minimum size for the length and width of the cage, which is 44 inches.
With a single doorway to a house being 36 inches your maximum depth of a cage can only be 36 inches, so the length of the cage should be a minimum of 52 inches and as tall as possible, probably a maximum of 60 inches. That is a cage size of 52" X 36" X 6o" tall, for a single Jardine's parrot. The smaller the cage is from this size the more time the bird needs to have out of the cage.
Don't fret too much as many of us don't have the right size cages for our birds. The cost of the cage is probably the biggest reason for this followed by the space required for the cage. As I said earlier on I need to come up with close to $5,000 at the very least, just to put my birds in the appropriate size cages. I compensate for this by keeping them out of the cages as much as it is possible for me to do so.

[DanaandPod]

its something around 36" 30" 22... kinda odd. But, wow... I mean, yea I would guess most people have too small cages especially when what is sold in pet stores is usually smaller than this one. Sounds more like what you are talking of is an indoor aviary. He looks rather tiny in his cage... I have never seen him stretch his wings in it. Only once in a while but not at a fulll flight wings out... When does a bird do that in a cage? With all the toys and things in a cage especially... There is a cage I was thinking of getting with the dome top that goes nearly all the way to the ground... I guess this would be better at least somewhat. I have a very very tiny apartment too. But, when i am home... he is never in his cage. literally, lol. The more i hear about these birds... it is just more unrealistic for anyone to be keeping one as a pet. I cringe at the idea that there are hundreds and thousands of birds out there... maintained in even worse conditions...
Anyway, despite the articles you sent me, Wolf. I am still confused. So ironic that my parrot started really getting hormonal when i began chatting on here. I dont hardly even touch him now. And what makes a bird bite when they are hormonal. frustration? He is going nuts lately. I just need specific and simple reasoning. The thing i am stuck on is what seems like a contradiction about making the conditions better...i.e., temperature, food, lighting... I mean what i keep reading is that the more suitable the conditions the more suitable it is for them to begin a mating desire... So I am confused about why I should keep trying to make the conditions more suitable, lol. Is it more to do with consistency than anything else? If the lights are on at a consistent time every day... then is that the reasoning to fix the inner clock? I had no idea... that maintaining a parrot was going to be so much work... Now i am back to thinking that any other bird would do because who knows if another parrot is going to mate with him despite him being so outgoing. But, then is my place suitable for a nother bird. REally, it is not. But i could manage... in order to keep the peace here. I actually have a rabbit in a cage here too. My eleven year old rabbit. they hardly know each other exists. At first they tried to attack each other so now... The rabbit only comes out at night for a couple hours when the other is covered up in his cage. Leaping for joy, mind you. (even at 11 yrs old)

[DanaandPod]

Nah, I just looked at the dimensions of that dome top cage...its 40 by 17 by 22 no bigger than what i have now... not worth it. where does someone even get the kind that is right? i wonder if an indoor aviary can be made?

[Pajarita]

I am a bit lost, I am sure it's me not understanding you completely and I apologize for that, but, if you would be so kind as to elaborate, I might be able to help you understand.

What makes a bird aggressive when hormonal? First of all, hormones, per se, don't make a bird attack you, it's more circumstances acting on the hormones that do it. When they have their 'cycles' normally (breeding, raising young, molting, resting) they don't really get that aggressive during breeding season when they are by themselves. It's only the males protecting the females and then only during the breeding season that do but, even when mated, male birds would not be overly aggressive toward their human -it's the parent-raised breeder males that are a problem, not the hand-fed, human imprinted pet birds.

BUT when a bird has been hormonal for too long, he is not only sexually frustrated (imagine been terribly sexually aroused 24/7/365 and having no way of relieving it!), he is also physically uncomfortable if not in constant pain and that's when hand-fed, human-imprinted, pet birds get aggressive. Because they can't stand it any longer and lash out to whoever is there with them (males have been known to kill their own beloved mates when they are not responsive to their advances).

And I don't know where you are reading that keeping a parrot under the right conditions makes them more hormonal... I've never seen anything to that effect anywhere and I've been doing research on birds for almost 20 years on almost a daily basis. Can you give me a link? Because I think you might be misinterpreting what is written.

As to parrots been kept in bad conditions, yes, you are 100% correct. I have no statistics but going by what I've seen on birdsites for the last 12 years or so, I would say that, easily, 95% of them are not been kept right (and I am actually been extremely generous and flexible on the criteria because, going by what I think it should be, the percentage would be 100% and I include myself in it). But people want what they want and they want parrots - and if that means having an animal living under not favorable conditions, they will still do it.

[DanaandPod]

I must be misinterpreting because I keep thinking that i am reading every where I look including on here... that the better the conditions lead to a parrot's opportune thinking it's good conditions therefore to mate in. Which also makes sense to me. Is there any way you can give me in a sentence or two without so much data regarding how a solar light schedule with special indoor bulbs decreases this hormonal situation? I do not understand or know how my bird has suddenly become hormonal in the last few weeks. He is doing his dance and regurgitating a great deal and whatnot. And, like i said... attacking me. He bit me a few times yesterday drawing blood. Basically, He is attacking my feet more when i walk... and attacking me for trying to handle something like a phone or trying to write with a pen. It gets scary when he flies back and forth and lands then bites me. He has not been this bad since spring time. He is masturbating (sorry but i dont know the bird term if there is one) in the morning... And i have ceased petting him anywhere but the top of his head. Could it be too much protein in the diet now that i started trying new things? He always was a nipper from day one mainly with jealousy aggression toward me or any time that I do something that isnt directly paying attention to him like phone, reading, writing, anything like that... (It makes me want to leave and go somewhere else quite frankly) Because i cannot function sometimes here because he wont let me. (I'm not allowed) But clearly recently it is hormonal.

[Wolf]

I know what you mean! When we provide the conditions that we do for them to be comfortable in we are in fact also providing the very same conditions for them to breed. We provide a temperature that is not lower than 65 degrees F. for two reasons the first being that any lower and the bird will be too cold, because it is from a tropical or semi tropical environment, and the second reason is that it is also in the lower temperature range for us as well. We provide them with a cage so that we can keep them safe from the dangers of living in our homes, but by doing this we are also giving them a permanent nest. We supply them with an adequate amount of food, although it is usually too high in fat and protein, so that they are not hungry, this also provides sufficient food for breeding. We provide them with long periods of light so that we can interact with them and enjoy their company, but this also sets the stage for them to breed.
All of these things that are to us minimum conditions are also what they need to breed. Nature keeps this in check by varying the availability of certain types of food and through light as all birds are also photoperiodic. These then are the very tools that we are trying to explain to people so that they can understand how the birds body functions and be able to keep their bird from becoming hormonal, and to control their breeding behavior. These are the only tools that we can use to control this as it is the way that it is done in nature.
In their natural environment parrots rarely bite. They will bite in self defense and to protect their nesting place and their young. We teach our parrots to bite because we do not see their signals and listen to them. Feathers are harder for us to read and understand than hair. The bird signals to us that it does not want something done to them and we don't recognize the signal for what it is so we proceed and force the parrot to bite us to make us understand what it is trying to tell us. We clip their wings so that they can not get away from us when we are busy having fun forcing ourselves upon them, and again since they can't escape from our unwanted behavior, they have no choice but to bite us to get us to stop.
Touching our birds is tricky, because this is enjoyable and comforting to us, we are hardwired for this behavior from birth. It is a common and natural behavior among mammals, but not so much with birds. Birds do need the interaction and the closeness of the flock for survival, but the only real touching that occurs with birds is from their parents when they are young and then from their mates and even then except for actual breeding behavior the only touching that is usual is the preening of another birds head and neck. This is because these are the areas that it is the most difficult for the bird to preen for itself. I spend a lot of my time with a bird on me, but only scratch its head and neck or its beak when the bird invites me to do so.
I know and freely admit to the fact that my cages are too small for my birds and I open their doors as much as it is possible to do so and let them out most of the day. It can be a lot of work as it definitely takes up most of my time. I know that conditions in my home are far from ideal for my birds, but I know that the conditions that I provide are much, much better than any of them had before they came to live with me.

[DanaandPod]

This one is most ideal!

[DanaandPod]

Wolf, Okay. I'm sorry for if I am exhausting you on this subject. All of what you said is indeed what I mean when referring to these elements as perfect breeding condition. But, what i am unclear on is how then to reduce the hormonal reactions. If nature does this by limiting these things such as certain foods and light at certain points of the year... then what am I to do specifically to mimic this? I feel like getting a light will increase the problem... Does it have to do with the duration of lighting?
Sadly, my home is the best that Pod has had. Infact, I believe that is why we bond so well... plus, I am one of those that Pajori mentioned in a thread once... by saying some people get a bird to fulfill a void in them, lol. Pod and i were two lonely birds, I guess you can say. But, I am sincerly wanting to increase his conditions for the better for him.
His biting was always from day one. It is always around me doing something... that is not paying attention to him. Like i keep saying, reading, writing, computer (omg, I just noticed he has removed two more necessary keys) and if I am walking... For example is it his breed or is it typical for a parrot to want to be on the floor more than anywhere else? I wish he would ride my shoulder!!!!! He'd rather park himself on my foot! Another problem that i have not been able to do anything about is any time i go to move....lol, (its sort of crazy when i am now talking about it because I live in a way where i am prisonor in my home...something most individuals wouldnt tollerate) but for example, if I go to wash my dishes... he will sit near by and chirp loudly until I am done. Any time I perform an act or am moving about he will screach/chirp loudly and it is so aggrivating. Only those who live in an apartment know all too well what its like to walk on egg shells as far as noise level goes. Luckily, nobody complains. Infact, my neighbor likes hearing the parrot. I am guessing besides jealousy aggression that he has seperation anxiety? I mean, is this more of the norm with parrots though? If I go out the door or pick up speed as i am getting ready to leave...this is when he screams the loudest. (He stops after I have closed and locked my door luckily) If i am doing laundry and leave to go down the hall he starts up unless I take him with me... which he seems to get a kick out of... so it is fine. But, yeah... this is the reality here. Other times he is lovable and quite comical... The other day he fell into my rain boot while being a clown. I mean, bec ause of my small space...it will probablly be difficult to change most things... but, just giving you a clear and honest view. Oh, and he will also yell at me when walking in the door from going somewhere... or yell at me after say leaving the bathroom. (I have to leave the room to make a phone call and close the door, at which point he will sit at the door and knock very loud with his beak) and when i am done and come out... frazzled with my high anxiety... because he won't allow me to make a phone call... He yells at me on top of it! I am serious, it is like he is yelling at me for keeping him out. IT IS A COMPLETE UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP!

[Wolf]

Both you and Pajarita replied while I was typing so to try to answer your last response, I am back.
Your bird is not suddenly hormonal, it has been building in him for however long. I can't really say how long but it has been for a substantial period of time.
The reason for a solar light schedule is to keep the bird from being hormonal all year long, not to stop it totally, but to restrict it to the birds normally occurring breeding cycle. This is partially how it is done in their natural environment. All other factors being consistent light and food type and quantity are the only things, tools, that we have that can accomplish this, because that is how it is accomplished in nature. It is simply how the birds body functions.
Yes, the behaviors that you are describing are hormonal mostly. but not entirely. Pod relates to you as his mate and doesn't understand such things as why you would waste your time and his talking to a thing like a phone when he is there and ready to spend time with you. The same hold true for writing and other such things. It is simply not the way a proper parrot would act.
Just caught your last post, I know exactly what you mean as it is one of the reasons that it takes me so long to type anything. I always have at least one parrot telling me to stop and spend my time with them, so I dodge nips and such the whole time. Parrots spend all of their time with the flock and especially with their mates and they expect the same behavior from us.