Blue crowned conure

kitkat135

New member
Jul 23, 2012
33
0
Georgia
Parrots
Maggie - Blue Crown Conure
I've had Maggie, my blue crowned for over a month now and she still hates my husband. She doesn't just not like him, she acts like she wants to kill him. When I found her at the bird store she only took to me out of all the people that kept messing with her. When I got her home, each day I have my husband take a treat and talk real sweet to her. He's been trying every single day now for a month and it sure seems hopeless. If my daughter hands her the treat Maggie will take it cautiously but if my husband hands it to her she bypasses the treat for his fingers. He's been able to avoid getting bit so far. Maggie doesn't just go after his fingers, she strikes like a snake with her feathers puffed out and swings her head back and forth. Even though my daughter can't pick her up Maggie doesn't act like this at all with her. I've had my mother, my daughter's friend and my husband's friend who has birds try to get near her, but no luck with anyone.

One time when I was gone I left her out on her cage with the door open and she either jumped down or fell down and was walking along the floor. My husband heard her and came in the room. He went over and said step up and she did. He put her back on her cage and he thought there was hope. No sooner was she back on her cage then she started with the feathers poofed, head swaying, angry birdie. I guess that was the abandoned bird test that I read about. It worked once.

My question is, what else can I do to get Maggie to like them? I don't want to have to leave her in her cage if I go somewhere because no one else can touch her. She is somewhere between 2 and 3 years old. Any advice?
 

BoomBoom

Well-known member
May 2, 2012
1,722
58
Parrots
Boomer (Sun Conure 9 yrs), Pewpew (Budgie 5 yrs), Ulap (Budgie 2 yrs), Eight & Kiki (Beloved Budgies, RIP)
Sorry to hear about your conure. Try handling him less for now. I'd give all the treats, playtime and going out of cage time to your husband. You can also let your husband 'save' him from a brief stay in an empty room. I've heard from people it works to build trust. Don't overdo these things if he is in distress so as to keep his stress level down. Take it slow. Read online guides for your husband to properly approach / walk up to a parrot. Do the bonding sessions in a neutral space, away from the cage.

Some birds just get overly territorial when they come of age. Hopefully others have better advice for you.
 

thermodynamic

New member
Apr 13, 2012
184
0
Stillwater, MN
Parrots
Rosie = Rescued Pineapple GCC,
Rusty = bought Cinnamon GCC,
Scooter = bought Normal GCC,
Tybbi MacGuyver = Rescued Blue Crown Conure
Maggie letting hubby pick her up, but then getting all puffy once she was back in her cage... that sounds like "cage territorial defense" behavior to me. My Tybbi, who readily comes out to play, does so only on a perch - and will climb onto it and then perch on my finger. But if I put in my hand inside her cage, even to add food, she will puff up and whine and growl.

BoomBoom's comments of letting your husband do more of the work, treat giving, 'saving' the bird, etc, are definitely on target...
 

FineFeatheredFriend

New member
Aug 30, 2012
205
0
Parrots
Lovebird~Precious, Sennie~Snoopy,Hahns Macaw~Fiona
I am sorry if I will sound negative but I gotta tell it like it is. Birds are different from dogs that if you will feed them then they will like you. My female Quaker hates my wife. My male Senegal hates my wife. My daughters love bird hates me and my wife. Birds are very picky when they choose their humans as their flock. You will have to get a all person bird like a Meyers or a Ekkie. Some conures like Green cheeks and Suns will tolerate more than 1 person. My late Meyers Monty only like me and my wife. He detested my daughter. The baby Sun has gotten well with the entire family. I have made a strong point to my wife and daughter to spend time with the baby or else it become a one person bird. Sounds like your Blue Crown has chosen you. So the hubby will have to get a bird for himself, unforunately.
 

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