Beak Rub - Beak beak beak!

[danforth3]

My caique, Scooter, loves to have her beak rubbed. If you don't grab it and rub she'll rub all other your shirt or pants, if she is your lap, rubbing her beak.

My cockatiels will tolerate a momentary beak rub, but not like Scooter. Rub, Rub, Rub.

[Lisa B]

I was always told that...Rubbing the beak is kinda like forplay for parrots.
That is probably why they like it**LOL** :icon_smil

[Beaks]

I think they all like it which is cool with me because it keeps them calm if somthing happens or if you have to give a shot.

John

[nursenurse44]

Originally Posted by smallonion

Hi everyone,
Just wondering if anyone else has a parrot who likes having his beak rubbed. It's Humphrey's newest thing. You say to him, "give me your beak" or "beak beak beak!" and he will stick his beak between your fingers. Then you give him a beak rub and he closes his little eyes in pleasure and makes a strange noise.
He then often makes the noise to ASK for beak beak beak (what we call beak rubs in my house - in other words, my husband will say, "I can't get any work done. Humphrey wants beak beak beak all day long.") I could sit and rub his beak for hours - he'd let me. Also, he rubs his beak on my face which is lovely. But I've not heard of anyone else's parrot liking beak rubs!

Michele and Humph

ya my jojo likes his beak rubed has from first day

[Rhonda]

Rambo loves to have his beak rubbed as well.

[smallonion]

Hi Rhonda and Rambo!
Nice to have another UK person here! I"m in London. What kind of Amazon is Rambo? He is beautiful! Welcome to the board!

Michele and Humphrey

[Rhonda]

Hi Michele and Humphrey,

Thanks.. Rambo is a Red Lored Amazon. I bought him when he was 6 months old [actually not positive he is a male - hubby thinks female]. Rambo will be 2 in June. We took Rambo to High Gate last September - we have friends there and it was his first long road trip - he seemed to love the ride and showed off loads while visiting for 4 days.. What type of bird is Humphrey?

[Vankarhi]

Bo loves her beak rubbed, but will put her head in the way also (for the head rub). Skye does not let her beak be rubbed for too long, but will rub her beak on my cheeks and neck.

[Franciscus]

Originally Posted by Lisa B

I was always told that...Rubbing the beak is kinda like forplay for parrots.
That is probably why they like it**LOL** :icon_smil

EXACTLY. It drives their hormones up. It's not a good idea as it's not healthy for parrots to have elevated hormone levels and it can lead to all kinds of issues like egg laying and agressive behavior.

[BirdsUnlimited]

So beak rubbing drives up the hormones? Every time our birds wipe their beaks off on a perch or preen their feathers or the way many macaws will wipe or bang their beaks on the cage bars (much like a prisoner w/ his tin cup in old movies) this is driving up the hormones? It just couldn't be comforting much the same as gettting a good deep neck scratch? Now I know someone on a similar thread stated that Sally Blanchard or Liz Wilson said this is a sexual, hormone raising thing, I'd like to see it in print from an independent source. Like I said before Sally and Liz are not what I'd call good sources for scientific data, too many assumptions without enough real research.