Hi guys! I'm new to this forum and parrot owning. Although I am inexperienced at owning a parrot, I've done months of research and looked for the right kind of parrot.
To start, I own an almost-2 green cheeked conure by the name of Neo. Neo was adopted from a woman with 3 kids and not enough time to devote to my feathered friend. He has a large green cage with clean water, some destructible toys a constant supply of food, and a cozy tent to sleep in.
AT first I had the cage on my dresser, but I noticed he had some dominant behavioral problems, so I did more research and decided to put the cage on the floor so he was no longer at eye level.
The next thing I started doing was attempting to put myself as head flock by trying to teach him how to step up and down. Right now I'm at the stage where everytime I get him on my finger, I say "up" and when I want him to hop off I say "down". This works with 80% success rate at the moment.
I got him last week, so his first vet visit is planned for this upcoming monday to get him checked out and the works (he's a fully flighted bird and too hard to train this way, so I'm getting his wings clipped as well as trimming his nails).
My problem(s) are that he suddenly started being horribly territorial (mostly when he's on his cage waaaay under eye level, but it's not just there). He puff up and squawks very quietly, sniffing and clicking his beak. Then I can't even put my finger close enough to discipline him before he gets me. He's also terrified of perches and wont step on them unless they're in his cage. We were getting along so well....I just dont know why he started to act like this. I'm terrified of him now. I just cant get him to stop nipping or to get him to understand that I'm the head of the flock, not him.
I want him to be a part of my small family, and right now, he's starting to look like a cage-parrot, which is horribly detrimental to the parrot. I dont want to make him mean or into a biter. What can I do? I'm so desperately upset
One more thing. Whenever I left the room up until this day, he'd shriek for me. We were trying to get him to calm down by rewarding him for the silence. Now it's scary how silent he is, mostly because it seems coupled with the biting behavior.
My disciplining method is just me saying "no" sternly while he's nipping, and giving him a dirty look. It doesn't seem to be working
Any help is so, so appreciated. Ive only had him a week and I already want to cry.
To start, I own an almost-2 green cheeked conure by the name of Neo. Neo was adopted from a woman with 3 kids and not enough time to devote to my feathered friend. He has a large green cage with clean water, some destructible toys a constant supply of food, and a cozy tent to sleep in.
AT first I had the cage on my dresser, but I noticed he had some dominant behavioral problems, so I did more research and decided to put the cage on the floor so he was no longer at eye level.
The next thing I started doing was attempting to put myself as head flock by trying to teach him how to step up and down. Right now I'm at the stage where everytime I get him on my finger, I say "up" and when I want him to hop off I say "down". This works with 80% success rate at the moment.
I got him last week, so his first vet visit is planned for this upcoming monday to get him checked out and the works (he's a fully flighted bird and too hard to train this way, so I'm getting his wings clipped as well as trimming his nails).
My problem(s) are that he suddenly started being horribly territorial (mostly when he's on his cage waaaay under eye level, but it's not just there). He puff up and squawks very quietly, sniffing and clicking his beak. Then I can't even put my finger close enough to discipline him before he gets me. He's also terrified of perches and wont step on them unless they're in his cage. We were getting along so well....I just dont know why he started to act like this. I'm terrified of him now. I just cant get him to stop nipping or to get him to understand that I'm the head of the flock, not him.
I want him to be a part of my small family, and right now, he's starting to look like a cage-parrot, which is horribly detrimental to the parrot. I dont want to make him mean or into a biter. What can I do? I'm so desperately upset
One more thing. Whenever I left the room up until this day, he'd shriek for me. We were trying to get him to calm down by rewarding him for the silence. Now it's scary how silent he is, mostly because it seems coupled with the biting behavior.
My disciplining method is just me saying "no" sternly while he's nipping, and giving him a dirty look. It doesn't seem to be working
Any help is so, so appreciated. Ive only had him a week and I already want to cry.