# Puzzling over behaviour



## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

So far everything's been fine with Harley, but he exhibits some behaviour which is confusing me.

He's taken to constantly making a sound that's basically a variation on the static cry. He's about 13 weeks old, and he's very much eating seed and pellet and the noise doesn't seem to be connected to his feeding in any way.

He will only make the noise if he can see me. If the cage is covered or I leave the room he usually stops immediately. He makes the noise with his crest down flat which would make me think he's unhappy, but he also whistles and beak grinds and eats and cleans himself making the noise, and he seems most vocal with it when he chooses to come to me. 

At first I thought the flat crest and crying might be crankiness from being tired, but he gets about 8 hours a day out of the cage and a good 12 hours of sleep, and he also has a daily routine that doesn't change.

It annoys everyone else, but doesn't really bother me most of the time.

He never displays any aggressive behaviour like biting or beak tapping, so I'm a bit confused as to why he holds his crest down; if he's angry, why is he coming to me for attention and company? He's not possessive of anything or anyone, so that deepens the mystery to me.

Any suggestions? I always assumed it was just attention-seeking, but the flat crest has me flummoxed.


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## Sophia (Aug 11, 2007)

I have never heard the static cry you are describing, as for the crest down when this noise is being made, he may not be angry because when Earl wolf whistles/chatters his crest is down but not fully down! 
Is Harley's crest fully down so it is flat to his head ??


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## elijahfan (Jul 28, 2008)

the stactic noise is the babie asking for food, just ignore it for a while they soon stop


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

The static cry is a begging sound, babies make it at their parents for quite a while after they're weaned. It's a security thing.  You're Harley's mum now, so it makes sense that he makes the sound when you're nearby.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

Yup! he's begging. That would explain why he only does it when he can see you. The other behavours you mentioned (beak grinding and preening) are both signs that he is comfortable and content.


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

When I say flat, I mean very flat against his head without being raised at all.

I pretty much assumed it was begging for attention, but I thought I'd ask. I've been watching him carefully and he usually has his crest almost entirely flat but very slightly lifted (similar to a relaxed posture, but flatter than most photos I've seen), although he also preens and grinds with it absolutely flat against his head.

He's so funny with the begging, sometimes he just wants me to watch him eat and he gets really cranky if I look away or don't tell him how clever he is for sitting in his food bowl.


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## Aderyn (Apr 1, 2008)

It sounds like all he wants is attention from his mommy. Murdock is doing the same thing at the moment, though he's still being handfed. Just try not to spoil him, since he also needs to learn to be independent as well.


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

When he does that I pretty much try to ignore it, and I don't pay any more or less attention to him when he's quiet. He does get a lot of out of cage time, but I don't take him everywhere with me, and if I have a busy day and he has to stay caged for longer than usual he doesn't seem bothered.

I was worried he was a bit clingy (he initially refused to play on his own when he was out of the cage and would only stay on me), but now he likes to wander off to explore and play on his own sometimes and checks back with me for a chat or a cuddle when he feels like it.


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