Why does my bird rub his bum?
A bird may rub its bum against an object or person as a sign to mate. It is often associated with a hormonal reaction depending on the bird’s environment, diet, and/or age.
In most cases, this behavior will cease after a while but it can certainly be odd at first.
The signs can include:
- Leaning Over
- Preening
- Rubbing Against Things
These are just some of the signs a bird will display as it rubs against items. A bird that rubs its bum against you will likely want to mate. It’s similar to a dog humping your leg!
If you are in a situation such as this, there are a few solutions that can be implemented.
Anyone that is asking “Why does my bird rub his bum?” should take their time to understand what’s going on first. Some birds will do this as a mating action, while others are just going to be doing it out of boredom. You have to figure out which one is the case in your situation.
This guide will showcase what to do if you’re asking, “Why does my bird rub his bum?” and what to look for when it’s time to make corrections.
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Tips on How To Stop Bird From Rubbing Its Bum
Tip #1: Place the Bird Back in the Cage
The first thing you’re going to do is place the bird back in the cage right away.
In general, you never want a situation where the bird continues to rub its bum against you and/or other objects. This is a clear-cut sign that it wants to mate, which is obviously a serious concern as it will lead to all sorts of unwanted behavior.
As a result, you want to take prompt action and move the bird back to its cage.
By doing this, you are going to distract the bird and it will stop.
In rare cases, the bird may start rubbing against things in the cage, but what you want to control is the behavior around you.
This is what matters the most.
If you keep them in the birdcage, it is easier to regulate the bird’s behavior and that’s essential. Anytime you’re sitting and asking, “Why does my bird rub his bum?” it’s best to put the bird back in the cage.
Tip #2: Set Up a Nesting Box (Multiple Birds)
Let’s assume you have multiple birds and one starts acting like this.
In that sense, it may be time to set up a nesting box, especially if you want to breed the birds. This is a good sign they may be open to such activity and are going to respond well to any changes made to support the action.
As a result, the new nesting box will do wonders.
Make sure the nesting box is well-sized and appropriate for your birds.
It’s the only way they are going to use it otherwise they will stay away. It’s essential to think about this when asking “Why does my bird rub his bum?”.
Tip #3: Distract The Bird
Do you have any way of distracting the bird?
This is one of the ultimate ways to get the bird to stop rubbing its bum against you. In most cases, the bird is only going to be able to focus on one task, which is why distracting them is smart.
How do you go about doing this?
Just make a few clucking noises and/or place a treat in front of them. This will be more than enough to get the bird to stop and focus on whatever you’re doing or giving to it.
Tip #4: Use Bird Toys
Bird toys are a fascinating option, especially when it comes to the bird being inside the cage.
You will want to set up a few bird toys and see what happens.
A lot of the times, the bird is going to start playing with them and that’s going to assist with any aggression that builds up inside the bird.
There are other ways of doing this, but bird toys work the best.
They are easy to set up, long-lasting, and will be affordable too. What more do you want when it comes to a bird rubbing its bum against you daily?
Just set up the bird toys and the results will come.
Final Thoughts
“Why does my bird rub his bum?”
Your bird is ready to mate and this is the sign it’s going to give. So, you have to take action and see to it that the behavior doesn’t persist for long periods.
A good way of doing this is using bird toys, placing the bird back in the cage, and making sure to set up a new nesting box if there are multiple birds.
These are the changes that will work the best!
Here is more on caring for birds – advice for giving apples to birds, how to prevent cage aggression in birds, using reptile lights for birds, and setting up a nesting box for birds.