# Puff thinks I'm her mate



## puffsmum (Apr 29, 2014)

My 8 month old hen Puff keeps bowing her head for scratches, when I do scratch her head she starts making wee chirps, much like a hen does when laying and turns her tail to me and lifts it, she spreads her wings slightly and won't leave my hands alone. I figure this is hormonal as she laid an egg two days ago. Does anyone have any ideas so I can make her realise that I am not her mate and I won't scratch her back. That is what she wants me to do! I have shortened her day by putting her to bed in a separate room, so she doesn't think it's spring. Autumn here in NZ, as I am typing this she is on my keyboard trying to get me to scratch her and when I don't she gets a bit angry, any ideas will be a great help


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## tmdonahue (Apr 6, 2014)

Not a clue but if someone has an answer I too would dearly love to hear it...lol...I type much faster with 2 hands and this spring crap is interfering with it...lol


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## ScarredEclipse (Apr 1, 2014)

She's definitely "in the mood" here. I think the best thing for you to do is to start curbing her emotions, and her behavior. Cover her cage with dark covers, good covers, and leave her in for longer. When she starts getting mad that you won't "mate" with her, put her in her cage, cover her up for a few minutes, and repeat until she gets the idea that you call the shots; not her. Whatever you do, do not pet her where she wants you to pet her. This will only encourage her. Curb her hormones by using the dark covers and not giving into her demands, and the hormones will die down.


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## BirdCrazyJill (Apr 23, 2013)

Our Muffin does the same thing with my fiance. just keep head rubs strictly to the front of her head (crest area) and maybe a little cheeks, but nothing past that. If she becomes demanding just ignore her. Is she your only tiel? give her some long night treatments (14 hours of quiet and darkness) and hopefully she will come out of her "desire" soon  it's an ongoing process with us, every 3-4 months Muffin gets like that!


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## puffsmum (Apr 29, 2014)

Thanks for the tips. BirdCrazyJill she is my only teil, I have been covering her in a seperate room from us with darker covers from about 6.30pm until 7.30am, I'm guessing this is long enough, when she gets demanding I put her back in her cage, but don't cover it, I will try covering it as well and see how that works.


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## BirdCrazyJill (Apr 23, 2013)

also avoid giving soft foods during these times, like mash, chop, or really soft veggies/fruits. Stick to the hard stuff like pellets, seed and millet. Hopefully you won't have to go through egg laying like we do!


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## puffsmum (Apr 29, 2014)

thanks, what do soft foods do when they are laying?


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## BirdCrazyJill (Apr 23, 2013)

I don't really know, but that's advice that I was given when Muffin went through this for the first time last year


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## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

Soft foods will make her think it's a good time to breed because they are easily digestible and gentle on baby birds' crops. If you give her hard foods she'll think it's not a great time for babies. This won't work on its own, only with longer nights and rearranging cage perches and toys etc.


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## ScarredEclipse (Apr 1, 2014)

I never see (or hear) my girlie Freckles "masturbating" or doing anything weird with her cages. Maybe that's because she has a mate and doesn't feel the need?


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## bed (May 1, 2014)

I have a similar problem where I feel my bird is too attached to me. She's 2 and a half months and I got her about 3 weeks ago. She grew really needy and attached to me all of a sudden after 1 week. 

She spreads and shakes her tails horizontally really fast. It looks like she's shaking things off? 

She also raises both of her wings temporarily, spreads her tail feathers and leans forward for a few seconds, then flaps to get back to normal? At first I thought she just wanted to fly but couldn't in the cage but after reading about hormonal changes and all that stuff, I'm a bit confused.

In the morning my bird would chirp and crawl around the walls of her cage until I put my hand in. She instantly goes on my hand and walks out of the cage. She seems satisfied just by being perched on my desk while I play on the computer. Sometimes she wants to fly right to me or get on my hand to walk up to my shoulders. Then she starts nibbing on my hair. 

I'm not sure if it is a good or bad thing to have her this close to me but because she's so willing to be near me, I took advantage of it and taught her how to do a handshake. I think during these times it's really easy to teach tricks. 

I myself wanted a little space to myself so even though she calls for me and crawls around the cage, I don't let her out. She eventually stops and plays with her toys after some time. I'm glad I got a female bird because her calls are at an acceptable level I think. It's almost like one of those squishy toys that makes a squeal when you squish them.

I don't really put on a dark blanket or anything because I feel that my bird has to get comfortable with me being a bit far away (at my desk) while she's in her cage. If I cover up her cage to block me out, whenever I would unfold the blanket she would be more insistent than before. 

I've also slightly changed a few things inside the cage to keep her interested. Nothing drastic but just switching the positions of some shoelaces here and there. I have her walk on shoe laces which is a little difficult but keeps her in a small struggle to make it interesting. She's getting really good at it after 1 day of introducing it...

I think knowing when to ignore her and tolerating some of her cries is a good start. I don't know much about birds but my bird seems to stop crying out after a while. I do keep her company and take her out sometimes to keep up with her, but not frequently. Once a day seems fun to me.


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## puffsmum (Apr 29, 2014)

sounds like my Puff too, she is very attached to me and doesn't leave me alone when out of the cage. Though I do leave her in her cage if she becomes too demanding. I am actually thinking about getting a male for her so she has a feathered mate instead of me


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