Hanging on cage and twisting body

[BowieChick]

I can't find anything about a budgie doing this. It's about Peter, again.
He has been doing this since the first or second day I've had him and I can't figure it out. I don't want him to get hurt!
What he does is he climbs onto the side of the cage, like normal, but then tucks his head down towards his stomach until his whole body flips around but his feet are still hanging on. I would get the impression that this would hurt but he keeps doing it. Sometimes many times in a row. Is he having fun? I have never seen this before. Ok so here are some pictures though it doesn't show very clearly what's going on...

Step one: Climb on the side of the cage
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa291/melodybowie/S6303569.jpg

Step two: Tuck head down towards belly
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa291/melodybowie/S6303572.jpg

Step three: Completely twist, so belly is towards inside of cage and feet are BEHIND back
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa291/melodybowie/S6303571.jpg

Here's a picture that shows one of his legs a bit better:
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa291/melodybowie/S6303574.jpg

It looks so painful but I don't think he would keep doing something that would hurt, would he? I can't figure it out, do I need to be concerned? :S

[BowieChick]

BTW, off topic in a way but his cere looks almost white in these pictures when it is indeed not. Just getting this out to avoid "He might be a She!" responses. It's definitely purple with a hint of blue.. no white. :)

[rachelle83]

It's completley normal. Mine do it all the time. They are very limber birdies.

[BowieChick]

Thanks for the quick reply! When you're only used to one budgie and it never did these things, it can seem really weird. I also never see pictures of video of them doing this. :thumbsup:

[Pippin's mom]

Yep they are funny little guys!:) It amazes me at times the things they do.

[ozzie]

haha i have yet to see my bird do that but it sounds perfectly normal =)

[pal0m1n0]

Mine would do something similar but in the corner, and I am trying to remember if they ended up upside down or not. Mine did it because they wanted out of the cage.

[aka.pody]

Live on stage! Peter.. the amazing twisting budgie!

I've got to imagine that he's having fun in his own silly budgie way. :D

[Xealot]

I'm constantly amazed at how limber and flexible budgies are! Even just watching them scratch their head with their foot I find entertaining :D

But to echo everyone's responses, I've seen budgies doing similar in pet shops and stuff. I think if they are being active there is nothing much to worry about :)

[softie]

Budgies are extremely flexible birds and they are known to be quite the acrobatics :)

Great photos! Your little guy sure knows how to twist ;)

[meta]

Chester never did this, but Lola does. Lola also does somersaults on the ground.

[meta]

Oh, and I've seen her hang from the top of the cage by her beak and spin her body around...

[A-n-M]

It's normal. My budgie Skye would always now again each day. I've learned from her that it means she wants out of the cage so I end up opening her door and out she comes happily.

[Goldielover]

They love getting into the strangest positions in their cage. Midge hangs on to the bars upside down and spends hours clanking the bottom grate with her beak. Her legs are sometimes twisted at unnatural looking angles too. Here's a couple of shots of a very common view of her.:D

[budgieboy28]

My little budgies do the same thing but i never realized it until you brought it up lol. i thought it was just some little budgie game. I know they have a lot of those lol.

[FrankenCub]

That's so funny !! I was just thinking last night ,as I watched my little Cruzer, of posting a video of him when he gets going. He walks upside down hanging from the top of the cage and twists his body to look around. I was hoping there were more budgies who did crazy stuff like this. I quite amusing. My keet will stick his head in his big brass bell and start squawking.

Speaking of video...can we post them here ?

[Goldielover]

That's so funny !! I was just thinking last night ,as I watched my little Cruzer, of posting a video of him when he gets going. He walks upside down hanging from the top of the cage and twists his body to look around. I was hoping there were more budgies who did crazy stuff like this. I quite amusing. My keet will stick his head in his big brass bell and start squawking.

Speaking of video...can we post them here ?

There's a subforum especially for video.:)

Midge does the upside down cage walk too - and she has a triple roof to navigate.

[ronsig]

Speaking of video...can we post them here ?
Yes, but you have to upload them to Youtube, Imageshack or another server first and then link them here.

I had birds that used to do the twisting thing:) They wanted out of the cage:p

Sigrid

[FrankenCub]

Thanks...I'll go lookin for it. I use Photobucket already so I should be good to go...well..as long as he does this while I have the camera :p

[Swaz]

yeah I think in their little mind they think if they can twist well enough between their legs than they can get through the bars too lol:D