GCC Chewing holes in our clothes

Agapornis · Mar 11, 2013

Fiji is 7 mos old now, and just started a very annoying habit. He will sit on your shoulder and aggressively start chewing a hole in your shirt. When you try to move him, he gets really mad and bites hard.

Is this just a phase that all little bratty birds go thru? For now, when he does this, and we can pry him off, we set him down and try to distract him with something else. Is there anything else we can do? What about putting him down and walking away?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

weco · Mar 11, 2013

Apparently you didn't do enough research or you didn't ask the right questions.....but that's what conures do...from hatching...til.....whenever. Personally, I have 7 bird shirts, so I have a clean one for each day, because they tend to enjoy leaving presentations also.....

Best suggestion I can offer is either include any already re-designed shirts and/or get some oversize T-shirts that Fiji can perfect his craft on.....

If you are of the female persuasion & require other supporting equipment, those are fair game too, so you'll need to make accommodations accordingly......

Welcome to the forum & to being owned by a conure.....

Echo · Mar 11, 2013

I would be more concerned about the biting hard when you try to take him OFF the shoulder. I agree with having a bird shirt however, he should not bite you when you decide for him to get off your shoulder. It's a privilege he can't have unless he agrees to step down when you ask. I would work on that.

legal_eagle · Mar 11, 2013

Chewing on things is a natural behavior for parrots, not a bad habit that can or should be broken. When I am dealing with my GCC I always keep in mind that she is a wild animal doing the best she can in an unnatural environment for her. I think this helps me to behave compassionately toward her, and I think she senses it. :green2:

Jtbirds · Mar 11, 2013

i aswell have many shirts and hoodies i made my parrot shirts... they love to grab and put birdie lace in them lol. As well as stated the bitinig when coming of the shoulder may be an issue you need to solve, but you will have to live with the chewing of shirts

.

Agapornis · Mar 12, 2013

I can live with the chewing, as I already have "bird shirts" that i wear around the house. I just wondered if it was ok to let them do that. I will start taking Fiji's shoulder privileges away when he gets aggressive like that, from now on.

Weco: no need to be snarky, i did MONTHS of research before i got my bird. I read several books and read several years of back posts on this website and another bird forum i hang out in. i STILL hang out in both forums every day, reading all I can. Just because a person has a question doesnt mean they didnt do any research.

The rest of you, thank you for your helpful comments! I can easily live with the holey clothes, it is so worth it, when you get to have a cute little bird as a lifelong friend!

ACEPHONECHIC · Mar 12, 2013

Hi the chewing as you say is normal. The biting, I have three conures at moment and had several before, and have tried lots of different things. The one that works the best i find is distraction something for them to play with or chew even a scrap of paper can work if offered. Two of my greencheeks are last year babies and feeling their teenage feet at the moment. A gentle blow with one of them distracts but does not work with the other.
Keep with them they are such lovely creatures and so much fun it will get better.

Agapornis · Mar 12, 2013

Thanks, Acephonechic, I totally agree!

LoryLover · Mar 12, 2013

I started wearing tshirts around the house instead of button down the front shirts because my lories LOVE to unbutton clothes. My first lory also learned how to re-button the shirt. It was serious business for him, he would be studiously working on my shirt, unbuttoning and re-buttoning. If I tried to make him quit too soon, he would get mad. Such a clown!

PicklesParrot · Mar 12, 2013

weco said:
If you are of the female persuasion & require other supporting equipment, those are fair game too, so you'll need to make accommodations accordingly......

I almost peed myself laughing when I read this!!!! That's one funny way to put it! LOLOLOL!!!!

Abigal7 · Mar 12, 2013

I have to agree with everything that has been said conures in general like to manipulate objects like alot of parrots. I have a green cheek conure (most likely a female) she managed to undo a knot in one of her toys that I had to tie again. She usually preens my hair and buries herself in my hair. But if your conure is a male he may be more active (if there is a gender difference). He of course will have to learn being on your shoulder is a privilege and he cannot be aggressive to you when you go to take him off. Check out this guy’s shirt (who has Macaws).
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahUS5kvb3kQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahUS5kvb3kQ[/ame]

MonicaMc · Mar 12, 2013

You might want to design some birdy necklaces, birdy bracelets, etc. Or you could always buy them. Essentially a bird safe piece of "jewelry" that has toys and toy parts attached to it. *YOU* wear the item, the bird chews it!

Polly Wanna Necklace Bird Toy | Bird Toy | Parakeet Toys | Sun Conures Toys | African Greys Toys | Parrot Toys
Treat Cup Necklace-Medium Bird Toy
A Toy Enjoyed?. | The Bird Mama
Bird Toy Necklace

There's also the option of taking an old sweater, putting holes in it, then hanging toys out of the holes.....

Either way, it'll give your bird something to do while he's *on* you!

weco · Mar 12, 2013

Sorry that you thought I was being snarky in my post.....actually, not being current on Brit slang, I had to look up this week's definition & while I may have thought your post to be a bit amusing, I meant nothing untoward with my posting.....actually, I didn't see fault noted by anyone else.

In the future,I will be more careful about any replies I make to your posts......

GCC Chewing holes in our clothes

Agapornis

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weco

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Echo

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legal_eagle

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Jtbirds

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Agapornis

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