A 28-year-old macaw from Oklahoma has gone viral on TikTok for an unusual behavior that has melted hearts among online users.
In a viral clip shared on Friday by the bird’s owner, under the username @noplucksgiven, the parrot, Louie, can be seen curled up on his owner’s chest, with one of his toes in his mouth as a self-soothing gesture.
“My bird’s version of thumb sucking. He’s 28 years old,” the poster, Kelsey Cave, writes in the caption.
Cave told Newsweek that Louie is a rescue bird who loves cuddling with his human, and often snuggles on her chest and scratches his own head while she pets him.
“This ends up with what I call him ‘sucking his thumb,’ because he’ll keep one of his toes in his mouth as a form of comfort,” she explained.
Despite being a bird owner herself, Cave believes that parrots are not ideal pets for most people, and that they truly belong in the wild.
“However, if you have the ability to share your life with one of these sweet souls, please look at the many birds waiting for loving homes in parrot rescues around the world,” she said.
When housing birds, spacious horizontal cages are required, and they should measure at least twice the bird’s wingspan in width. Natural hardwood perches of varying diameters prevent foot issues.
Birds need a separate play area and at least 45 minutes of human interaction twice daily, usually morning and night, according to Park Veterinary Centre.
Cages should be placed in active household areas but away from smoke, fumes, and Teflon cookware. Clean, chemical-free toys like pinecones and natural rope are beneficial. These birds also require exercise, fresh air, natural sunlight, and 12 hours of dark, quiet rest nightly.
Use paper on the cage floor for easy cleaning and health monitoring, changing it daily and deep-cleaning weekly. Food and water bowls should be cleaned daily and placed to avoid contamination.
A seed-only diet is insufficient as birds often choose fatty sunflower seeds or peanuts, leading to obesity and nutrient deficiencies.
The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 160,100 views and 18,500 likes.
One user, Robin Hakos, commented: “Who knew birds snuggled.”
Rickenbacker4001 said: “From what was probably a terrifying flying dinosaur millions of years ago to this.”
Michael Scott added: “My bird always puts her feet in her mouth. lol It soothes her. Her name is Willow. She’s the best. Your bird looks very content. Lol.”