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Sunnyside | HELP?! (Patreon)

Published:
2020-08-27 16:00:01
Imported:
2026-06
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Alright guys, this is the only other macaw I've ever seen do this (Ninja, an older blue and gold macaw):

Any info/resources you have on it... please let me know in a comment or DM. Thank you! 

So far everything I've heard is that it's mostly "non-flying birds" and its been seen in cockatoos, red fronted macaws, blue and golds... and that all vets across the board say it's nothing to worry about. So I don't expect to get anywhere on it, but just curious about other experiences if there are any. 

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Sunnyside | BLOWS UP

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Comments

Jen Greenberg

So, I am no macaw expert by any means but I actually do know of a macaw who did this. The belief is, that it is something they develop as a habit. I think that Dave could be on to something with the original reason he started doing it but now it is just a habit, like overpreening or plucking can be, even though he isn't hungry anymore. It isn't a completely uncommon habit. If you search the Internet and Avian Avenue, you will find others who have had similar experiences with thier macaws. I don't know for sure but the common belief is that it is a habit they develop.

Carmen Griggs

No bird experience, but I have a rescued cat who apparently “remembers” being hungry (anthropomorphism) and will stuff herself with food to the point of throwing up if I free feed her. She went from very skinny to rather obese and I’ve not been able to break her of the habit in 8 years!

Wendy Cottingham

I have seen a ruptured air sac that kind of looks like that but a vet would have picked that up I would think. I'm assuming he has seen the vet by now? I really hope that's not the case!

BirdTricks
>>42942298

Yes, that is the same thing I've come to learn. Interestingly enough Sunny seems to do it when he's most content.

BirdTricks
>>42942315

Wow! It's actually been hard to put weight on Sunny, if we free feed him he still doesn't gain and he actually tends to eat better with meals because everyone else is eating too. But since the new feathers are in he weighs around 10 grams more!!

BirdTricks
>>42942397

Yeah, I think the vet would have caught that as well. I think it's a weird habitual thing he developed to cope with whatever he went through in the past.

Jen Perry

I'll be seeing my vet on Monday and I'll ask his opinion. If he says anything other than it being a habit, I'll let you know. I'm also curious if it is exclusive to macaws and why.

Jen Greenberg
>>42942298

Interesting 🤔 Poor guy. I wonder if he was feeling so bad in his previous situation that he did it to feel better/not hungry which was positive reinforcement to continue doing it even when it isn't necessary.

Carmen Griggs
>>42942315

My other fur baby is like that. He only eats small amounts at a time and he has always been just tiny. I figured out about 5 years ago that he is sensitive to both corn and gluten and he seems much happier since I switched his diet. But I don’t think he will ever put on weight. Like Sunny, he will always probably always look a little lean for his size. But hopefully Sunny starts building some muscle and he might have more of an appetite once he is getting more exercise 💕

Lorrie McCarthy

I have not experienced this with any of our birds but I have heard of a ruptured air sac that will cause them to look lopsided...however, this is his crop. I definitely think that it's habit. I'm not sure that it's related to current hunger. With my experience with horses, they will develop a habit of "cribbing", sucking in air due to boredom (they shouldn't be in their stall so much!) and not having forage 24/7. It's really hard to stop once their physiological and physical needs are met. Possible the crop expanding birds started to do this out of boredom, stress or hunger to make themselves feel better. At least it doesn't seem to be a harmful habit. Great share! I love learning new stuff.

Shelley Colter

No bird expert here, I don't even own one. I am a psychotherapist and have observed that a lot of the work you do with your birds is similar to interventions that I use with clients, the exception being that my clients have a (somewhat) higher understanding of what is going on. That being said, Sunny may have started this action to make himself feel more full, and thus more comforted, to simply associated it with self-soothing or comforting. It will be hard to determine if this is in fact the case because he has a bird-way of communicating and not human. So detailed monitoring to identify date & time, event, when the air was released and any identifiable causes for the release of air. If there is no physical reasons, I'll be dollars to birdie bread that Sunny is soothing himself. Like twirling hair or thumb sucking.

Shelah Moore

Will sunny always remember his awful experience? Or will it fade with better treatment?

Heather J Stevenson

I think it is a habit he developed to cope with his old situation - it looks like it is anxiety based from starving before. My Skittles is super anxious and so she does some weird things - we are working on rewarding the calm behavior.

Kelly Sanchez

Makes me think of horses when they "crib" or "wind suck" (two terms for the same action), where the horse grabs a board or something by his top teeth and sucks air. Most of the time it's a vice learned because of having too much time on the horse's hands in the stall. One of the worst parts of a horse cribbing is the damage they do to their teeth grabbing ahold to suck. I'm curious how Sunny is getting the air...is he abusing his beak in the process??

Guy Goldstein K

COULD or could not be an air sack underneath the skin, it’s common in parrots like him, due to a past full plucking and not moving a lot. I hope I am totally wrong and I’m not a professional, but if it is the case you should get him to the vet ASAP, it’s easy to fix but it could lead to death if not treated.

Carrie Stewart

April Aldcock of Parrot Playhouse has a caique called Puffy - so named cos he swells suddenly. But I think it’s hormonal & stays a while & requires vet treatment to reduce. Not sure tho. xC

Elen

my baby cockatiel does this (i literally do not know why. we have had her checked by every vet in the vicinity of 6 hours of driving and they couldn't find a single thing wrong with her.) and i have no clue why. i think it's just a habit of some sort? she's happy but i have no clue why she does this, lol. note: i am not treating my cockatiel poorly, definitely not to the point of plucking or anxiety

Alexis Stubbs

It might be a hormonal thing (making himself look bigger), or may be to assert status if he has a bit of an issue with your flock. Have you noticed if it’s only around certain members of your flock?

Lorrie McCarthy
>>42945287

Yeah! I watched the video without sound and is he making the movements with his mouth that seem like he wants to do it or maybe is taking in little bits of air? I'm just more suspicious it's really a learned thing from an uncomfortable situation he was previously in.

Nancie Rogers

❤️❤️I wonder if stress actions are not just habitual too. Higs for sweet Sunny!!

Kathy Surber

Really interesting. I hope it's nothing that would harm him and that you can let us know what you find out about this, if anything. 🤞

ShelB

Ruptured or infected air sac?

Amelia

I have seen this in 4 or 5 other birds, mostly macaws, but definitely at least one Amazon. It was always birds who had past traumatic histories, and while there were different triggers one did seem to do it when he was just sitting and seeming content; and they always released it before eating, which almost completely eliminates air sack concerns. As someone above mentioned try to keep a little journal of when/where he does it, what’s going on around him, and what causes it to release. I will add that in all of my years of experience birds who learned coping mechanisms like this and did them even when they seemed content were usually still feeling some anxiety, sometimes it was just the anxiety of their life having changed, even though for the better. It can take a long time to undo that psychological damage. Frequently many years. One blue and gold macaw I worked with was 4 when I brought her home, and I ended up working with her for 3 years, and once in her forever home it took 3-4 years for her to really finish working through her anxieties and fears.

kgov

Our newly adopted 30 year old blue and gold macaw does this several times daily (we only got him four weeks ago from a rescue). His old owner had him for all of his life and then she passed away, I think he puffs up because he can make his voice sound muffled and drum like and then talks to himself in a muffled tone sort of replaying old memories. I noticed today when he went to talk in a 'normal' voice that he released the air first. I don't have any background on him so I don't know if he was handled much or interacted with much but he is very skittish with us and won't allow us to touch him yet and he is resistant to target training so far so we can't get him to step up. He seems to be enjoying himself so far and plays nicely on top of his cage most of the day.

Jennifer Perez

Have you noticed if he does it only in front of you or Dave? Like maybe a display thing?

BirdTricks
>>43568078

We usually walk in and he's puffed, sometimes I have been taking care of everyone and hear him puffing it full and he will deflate when his intention is to eat a meal. But no real pattern - he has done it in front us both of us, in front of strangers, and while he's been alone or in the presence of other birds. It doesn't appear to ever be a negative response to something, it does almost seem more like a content behavior. His stressed out/anxiety is very hunched over, hanging onto something and quick flaps so it's nothing like his usual negative responses.

Fiona Popovic

Even though vets say it’s nothing to worry about, like you, I believe in finding the cause, reason for this. After all how can we make a bird feel safe, secure or listened to, if we don’t try to puzzle this out. Obviously the bird is telling us something, with this behaviour ♥️♥️♥️

Hamdaan Mussa

My male blue and gold macaw has recently started doing this, but I’ve assumed it was always due to food after eating because thats usually when I see it the most. Although he Started doing this from the past week and for the past 3 years that I’ve had him, I’ve never seen him do such. So I’m curious as well to figure out why he does this or if it’s just natural for him to start doing it after having food

Catrin Griffiths
>>43062380

This is completely unrelated to Sunny. However, I got my Goffin Cockatoo named Cheeky at age 4 as well as a rescue. A year into ownership, he started plucking and obviously it could be due to a myriad of reasons. But do you think it could be due to his traumatic past vs me doing something wrong? He's got zero health issues otherwise, spent tons of money making the vet check everything and run tests. Just curious what your take might be on my baby since you have years of experience with birds with baggage. :)

Elaine Wilson

My bl/gold female macaw does this daily.she is incredibly hormonal.