If you have a bird in captivity, you may want to bond with it through petting, just like you do with your dogs and cats. However, before doing this, you should understand that your bird’s personality and comfort level will determine whether or not they will allow you to touch them. Whether your bird enjoys petting or not, we understand it is a matter of concern that requires attention.
So, do birds enjoy being petted? Some bird species enjoy being petted, while others prefer to stay around humans without physical contact. Parrots, parakeets, and budgies will likely allow you to pet them compared to other species, but this is still dependent on the bird’s personality. If your bird is cuddly and loves human contact, they will undoubtedly enjoy your petting. On the other hand, an aggressive and independent bird will dread human contact.
If you want to know whether birds enjoy being petted, this is the ultimate guide for you. We will help you know where birds like to be touched, where you should not pet your birds, and whether birds get turned on when you pet them. Read through the following sections to find out all the answers you need.
Where Do Birds Like To Be Touched?
Birds are social creatures and will give you cues on how to touch them during petting. Thus, as a bird owner, you should read and understand the cues your bird gives you to know which places they like to be touched. While you may want to start petting your bird as soon as you bring them to their new home, this may not be a good idea given that you do not have a solid bond with your pet. Petting your bird too early may result in unexpected behavior as they age.
Birds like to be touched on the beak, head, and neck areas. Species such as parrots groom each other in places they cannot reach around the head and neck. Touching these areas will mimic what they are used to, and your bird will certainly love your touch.
While petting and grooming your bird, you should pay attention to the plastic casing on the newly emerging feathers and remove it. If your bird likes your touch, they will often drop their head and fluff the feathers around the neck and head.
To train your new bird on petting, start by learning their body language. If it runs away when you approach it or it tries to bite you, it is a sign that they are not for the idea, and you should give it more time. Some birds may take a long time to get used to their owner, while others may take a short time.
Therefore, patience is key to building a good relationship with your pet. Ignoring your bird’s cues will stress it and make it aggressive. However, if your bird loves petting, it will bow its head, lean to the side, or even close its eyes in enjoyment as you touch or scratch it.
Once you notice your bird is open to petting, you can start training it slowly, starting with the beak. For effective training, you should pick a time, usually before bedtime, when your bird is wee-fed and relaxed. You can begin by talking to it before touching it and respect any resistance it may have. Afterward, you can lightly brush the beak, being careful not to poke their eyes. Your bird may poke you, but this is normal. If you get a positive response from touching the beak, you can proceed to the skin around the beak and work your way around your bird’s face.
After your bird gets comfortable with you touching their beak, you can move to the body and start by touching their feathers. You should be gentle and avoid petting the feathers against the grain as this may irritate your bird. As your bird relaxes, work your way around their neck, head, and back, and your bird will fall in love with your touch.
You can also handle your bird’s feet during petting. If your bird loves this idea, clipping will be much easier, preventing injuries from unforeseen scratches as your bird flies across your home or fights you due to aggressive or hostile behavior.
Where Should You Not Pet Birds?
The bird anatomy is different from most household pets, which is why you should handle it with care. As your bird gets comfortable and allows you to pet them, you should watch the how, where, and how long you touch it. This is because a sexually mature bird will have a hormonal response that will also affect its emotions.
You should avoid touching your bird’s vent area, under the wings, and along the back. If you touch one of these areas, you will put your pet’s hormones into high gear. Among the signs your bird will show in response to this touch include regurgitation, panting, and a drop of its wings to rub its vent using the tips.
Your bird may also raise its wings to allow you to pet its sides. For the males, inappropriate touches will make them mount on your hand or anything within their reach. While you may be tempted to continue responding to your bird’s signals, you should stop to discourage this behavior. Stopping at this point will also save your bird, whether male or female, from becoming sexually frustrated.
A sexually frustrated bird will scream, pluck its feathers and even bite you. On the other hand, if you insist on overstimulating the females, it will result in the overproduction of eggs, depriving your bird of its calcium deposits.
For species such as parrots, petting means sex, contrary to the owner’s thought of love and companionship. Given that birds reproduce for a limited season, they have a dormant libido, and touching certain parts of their bodies will stimulate hormonal production against the normal cycle.
Do Birds Get Turned On When You Pet Them?
If you want to build a healthy relationship with your bird, you should limit your touch to their head, neck, and feet areas. While doing this, you should ask members of your household to also stick to this rule. This is because, unlike dogs and cats, which interpret petting as a sign of love, touching certain parts of your bird’s body will stimulate them sexually.
Birds will get turned on if you pet them on their back and under the wings. This is because their sexual organs are located around these areas, and a few strokes on these areas will stimulate the production of sexual hormones. First-time egg-laying females will occasionally display their cochlea in response to these touches, while the males will mount on anything, including your hands.
When petting your bird, you should be cautious as some might view you as a potential mate, especially during the mating season or depending on how you are petting them. Thus, limiting interactions around the mating season is ideal to avoid turning on your bird.
Touching your bird in places that turn them on will change their perception of you and view you as a potential mate. This may trigger jealousy, and your bird may become hostile to other members of your household as it demands your attention.
Your bird will also become sexually frustrated if you continue touching them in these areas over time. A sexually frustrated bird is usually territorial, loud, and unpredictable. In some species, sexual frustration will manifest in the form of feather picking.
If you pet your bird in the prohibited regions, you will turn them on as they will think of you as a potential mate rather than a companion. This explains why the male birds will start mounting on your hands while the females may have an increased egg production.
The increased egg production in females is a disadvantage as it robs them of their body calcium reserves. A turned-on bird will also exhibit aggressive and hostile behavior, especially towards your household members, as they try to win over your attention. Thus, since birds can get turned on, you should avoid touching their erogenous zones and stick to the neck, head, and feet if you want a healthy relationship with your bird.
Wrap Up
Birds, unlike dogs and cats, respond differently to petting due to the differences in their anatomy. While dogs and cats interpret petting as a sign of love and companionship, birds will interpret most of it as a courting call depending on where you are touching them.
To be on the safe side, you should stick to petting your bird on their head, neck, beak, and feet. Petting your bird in these areas will soothe them, and your bird will love it. You should avoid touching them under the wings, back, and tail of your bird, as these parts contain the sexual organs of your bird.
Touching these areas will stimulate hormonal reactions that will affect your bird’s behavior in the long run. For this reason, if you touch your bird and they start screaming, throbbing their head, or stretch their wings to massage their vent, you should immediately stop and distract them to discourage this behavior.
