Green Cheek Conure

Yesterday I just got a Green Cheek Conure that is 7 months old. It was hand fed by the breeder. She was going to keep it for breeding purposes so it wasn't handled a lot after hand feeding. The parents had a pineapple conure so the breeder decided to keep it and sell this one. She stays in the back of her cage. Doesn't want to come out to us. Last night I got her out of her cage she bit us several times, but also would let us pet her. She is scared I know. She was preening my husbands hair. She also nestled in to my neck for awhile and then she just bit me. I was teaching her to step up which she didn't know and she was doing for me while I had her out. Any suggestions on how to handle her would be appreciated. The owner brought her out to me I held her and she was fine. The owner held her and was rubbing her belly so I know she can be sweet. She does seem flightly though. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

It's only been a day, it will take a while to settle it, as its a huge shock to be relocated. Give her some time to get settled, let her sit back and watch everyone. Keep talking softly to her, and handle her for short periods.

I agree with Kalidasa its only been a short time you have had her/him. When I got Chico he was really nippy but with a little hard work and a few months for handling he is a minimal biter.

I've read so many do's and don't about what to do that I don't know what to do. Some say you should make them come out of cage when they don't want to so that they know you are the boss and not them. Others say to let them in and not to do that. I just don't know what to do. Last night I just reached in and grabbed her to get her out. I know that sounds bad but I don't want her to think she is the boss. Any suggestions? She just stays in the back of the cage, she had a coconut hanging toy in there and it is so funny she is hanging on the cage by her feet, but she is leaning outward and has her body pushed up against the top of the coconut. She looks like she is laying on a bed vertically. That is where she slept last night also. That is her favorite spot. Also she will not eat anything or drink.

Parrots are not dominant creatures out in the wild. There is no reason to be your birds boss, instead, be your birds companion!!!

When I got Jayde, I didn't force her out of her cage, although she willingly came out. I didn't force her off of her cage, either. I wheeled her cage around the house so that she could be with me without having to be on me. After a few weeks, she was climbing onto my shoulder from the cage! It was 3 1/2 months before she'd climb onto my hands and arms! Rather than allowing her to bite, I tried to avoid the bites!


Your conure is biting because she's probably scared and stressed about being in a new home and situation! She's not trying to punish you or make you do things you don't want to do. She just needs time to settle in!



Please look into clicker training and positive reinforcement. These people have some great information as well as media you can purchase!

Barbara Heidnreigh
Lara Joseph
Susan Friedman
Kareny Pryor & Melinda Johnson

I don't feel like showing your bird that "your the boss" is the way to go. I have had very few problems with my bird since I got her but from day 1 she was on my shoulder. She went through phases and needed behavior modification but nothing much. She just hangs out with me, doesn't do tricks doesn't really talk, just spends time with me.

The only problem she has recently is we moved out of my parents basement where she spent her entire life with me, now when I leave the room she screams. She did it a little before at my parents but it wasn't as noticeable when she was in my parents basement.

I have some experience with socializing a bird from when I was working at petco (where I got petrie).

We had a sun conure come in from another store because it wasn't selling, from what I heard it had really bonded to someone at that store and now it was in a new place away from the person it had bonded to. It wanted nothing to do with anyone and wouldn't let you get your hand near it, just bites.

Over time I slowly got it socialized, I would go in there every day just look at it and talk to it, then I moved to wiggling my finger outside the cage as if I was playing a game, then I would open the cage and do a "got you got you" kind of a game with my finger to peak it's interest as if I was playing a game (I was careful to keep my finger away from the beak, moving it away and keeping a distance to avoid a bite while keeping it a playful moment). Eventually that game made the bird want to grab my hand with it's foot out of curiosity and playfulness. That was how I got it to step up. I went from there and eventually got it fully socialized with me. I slowly backed off from the bird not wanting to overbond and without saying anything another employee bonded with the bird and took it out every night while working in the bird room. Was a proud moment for me to see the bird hopping from perch's to him and vice versa. (it wasn't long after that when he/she found a home)

Your bird has never been handled so your process will be different. It was still attached to someone at the breeders even though it didn't get out of the cage. I guess my point is with enough time and patience you will learn how to do it properly.

This must be very confusing for the bird, it's excited to be handled but scared at the same time. Unfortunatley both emotions produce biting in birds and it's probably both for it.

When my bird is excited that energy transfers to her beak.

Patience love and attention to whats working is what you need.

she really just needs to settle into her new environment. she was nice with the breeder because she is in her daily environment around people she knows, she just needs time to adjust. parrots aren't dominant in the wild so I don't think you need to show her who's boss, just be her new bestie!