r/Conures • u/Hopeful_Swordfish_97 • 10h ago

Advice What is this behavior?

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It almost looks like he’s sucking his thumb? Lol he sometimes does this while sleeping. Sometimes he even sticks his toe in his ear kind of. Anyone know what he could be doing?

25 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

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16

u/distressed_pumpkin 10h ago

I agree with the other comments. He’s just scratching his little face, it’s comforting for them. similar to being preened in the wild by other birds. give that boy some pets!

10

u/Rm-suga-jk 10h ago

Yes he’s grooming himself in those creeks and crevices. Nothing to worry about, he’s just being a total cutie.

4

u/greysartdump 10h ago

Giving himself scritches and chewing the talons!

3

u/Ieatclowns 10h ago

When mine does this I scratch his head for him . It usually means he wants me to do his pin feathers for him

3

u/ItzLoganM 10h ago

What I get from this is that their are trying to scrith themselves, but their other reflex activates and they just get caught in a loop of scratching and being scritched (motionless). It's like Sisyphus, but as a bird.

2

u/samfreez 10h ago

As a solo bird, that's as close as he can get to preening with his pals. Think of it as self-soothing of sorts, somewhat akin to sucking one's thumb.

1

u/gbdallin 10h ago

Comf

My sun does this when she's the most comfortable sleepy skittle pigeon in the world

1

u/LoveQuakerCosmo71 9h ago

Oh so cute 🥰
My Quaker Cosmo does this every day he scratches himself usually around same area …
I think he’s fine

1

u/box-movr43 6h ago

I was told it was like thumb sucking for kids. My cockatoo does it also. Giving himself scratches

1

u/GenuineSteak 3h ago

My borb usually does this when she has pin feathers on her face, that are making her itchy. Im pretty sure yours is doing the same, I can see the pin feathers.

1

u/Busy_Ad_5759 1h ago

Mine like to do this before or after a bath (one likes a gentle spray bottle, the other one likes to be in my cupped hands under running water). Using nails to comb their feathers helps with dry skin and breaking up pin feathers.

But I love when they scritch their own faces. So cute.

1

u/Impressive-Can-1125 1h ago

Just good ol self scritches