YAWN SPOT

[Julie]

The Yawn Spot

Most baby birds can be made to yawn by gently massaging the areas on each side of the head, below the ears, in the areas of the temporomandibular joints. For some reason, by gently touching, or lightly making little circling motions in that area, this will elicit the yawning response. I think this response can be elicited in most species of psittacines, but I usually fool around with baby macaws and Amazons, making them yawn.

I found the above on this site www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/strange.html and wondered if this might be of help(if it's true!) to anyone handrearing a reluctant feeder?

[luvmybirds]

Hi Julie, yep used this method myself with trying to h/rear four 5 week old ringnecks last year that didn't want to open their gobs for food. At this age the ringnecks were very fearful of me and just wouldn't open up their beaks, it was like someone had glued their beaks together and no way was I going to get anything into their beaks, stubborn buggers and then I remembered this trick. Have to be quick though LOL and had to keep doing it for a couple of days till the ringnecks realized I was trying to give them food. Made feeding time a very long and drawn out affair but eventually they came around. Cheers Anna

[Julie]

Oh! Good to hear it works!
I remember when i used to live in a park,we used to have a lot of orphaned baby birds and I was told to mimic the mother bird flying in by by holding my hands up together,palm upwards,swapping right palm to left and vice versa and linking thumbs then make a flying movement over the baby bird and brush the side of the beak as I 'landed'! It most times worked but I'm sure knowing about the yawn spot but would have much easier!

[Admin]

WOW thats a good tip to remember, our baby kak's last year were a nightmare to get food into to start with, will remember that "yawn spot" for next time

[maggie56]

That's a very interesting and practical link, Julie. It comes in handy to know things like this, when there is a bird that just won't open it's mouth. Thanks for sharing.