Acquired a 25 year old Green Cheek, I need help!!!

Hello everyone! I'm new to the forums and I've been searching but I'm at a loss...

In the last couple months I have semi adopted a 25 year old Green Cheek Conure from a family member who was no longer able to take care of her. She was always nippy, so I never really tried to interact too much, but here in the last few weeks I figured I'd spoil this little girl with some new toys, higher quality food, treats etc.

About a week ago I wanted to hold her, but the bite she has is unreal. I have to wear leather gloves to bypass the biting... and that is the issue. I believe she has cataracts in both eyes, and I can tell she doesn't see well, not until I'm up close. But she bites, I tried "step up" the tapping on the beak, blowing, ignoring the bite.. using a guide finger/ stick, feeding treats, but she bites and I don't know what to do. I feel bad this girl is stuck in a cage, but she wont even let me get her out. Only way is to grab her and then set her on my hand. She still bites.

I'm not sure what more information y'all may need. If I have this girl for some years to come, I would hate for it to be cage bound .

Thanks,
Kyle

Please hang in there, do some searching on threads by MonicaMC!

How about interacting on a playstand instead of you holding her? Take her out with a stick or the gloved hand and move her onto the stand which can be moved around to where ever you are in the house. Pine nut treats will move mountains with a conure, they love them. Here's an example of a playgym and these can be made very easily yourself with pvc pipe and a small handheld coping saw if money is an issue: Rainbow Medium Tabletop Cagetop PVC Bird Gym Play Stand with Ladder Perches | eBay

I would also say to associate certain colors with treats. If she can't see well, she's going to nip at anything that comes into her view out of fear. So maybe get a bright blue pair of gloves and use them to offer her food, or when you change her bowls or clean her cage so she knows what it is. She probably only sees big blurs, depending on how bad the cataracts are, but don't worry! I think any improvement in her life right now will make a difference.

Wow, 25 years old! That's great you have taken her in! For a GCC, she is quite a senior citizen at that age. I'm no expert but my gut thinks that at that age, maybe she might just be happy with her "routine" and her cage and the comfort of what she knows. Maybe she isn't comfortable with hands from a past experience? Especially if she has cataracts and doesn't see well, I would imagine she instinctively feels vulnerable...that's pretty old for a Green Cheek

A 25 old gcc? How wonderful that she has had such a long life and is blessed by being taken in by someone who wants her senior years to be wonderful.

If she was with the previous owner for many of those years, it's not really a surprise that she is biting and cranky. Green cheeks are not really known for being shy about telling you about their displeasure, it's up to us to figure out what it is that is upsetting them. Was she known to bite at her old home or was she just nippy? Gcc's to tend to be nippy. I ask because it makes it easier to know if she is upset about the move to a new person and environment or is she behaving like she always has.

Gcc's are also extremely visual. They will study your face to gauge your mood or intents, they watch their surroundings. With her eyesight not being great, it's bound to be quiet unsettling for her.

if you are patient, hopefully she will learn to trust you. But I think it's highly possible that it may take a while with her poor sight and elderly years. I think Minimakers idea is a good one to try. using a perch to have her step up on and then move her to a play station and from there working with her may be helpful. With her poor sight I think I'd do any introductions to new area's slowly though, it may be quiet frightening if she can't see well. I also like what Aquilla said about color. many birds are scared of red things...so avoiding that color and keeping it to things that feel safe. Shapes can do it too. As an example-Foo loves her rope perches now and even while they are still in the package laying brand new on the kitchen table she flys and lands on them cause she knows that is hers. However the first time I introduced one...OMG she totally freaked out. I think she thought it was a snake or something.

You are doing a very kind thing, even though your sore fingers may tell you differently. For a small bird, they do have quiet the bite! If you can take her to an avian vet you might have them look at the eyes too and maybe a blood test. I'm on another board for birds and one of our members had a very old bird who looked like it had cataracts. It turned out to be cloudiness due to a vitamin deficiency, I think it was D, but it's been awhile and I can't be sure which vitamin with certainty. The bird was given supplements and almost all the cloudiness disappeared and the bird had better sight for it. Not saying this is the case with your gcc, but it may be worth investigating just in case.

Wow, I hope my bird lives that long.... don't give up on her.... I would continue using the gloves and hopefully eventually she will chill out when she realizes who you are.

Thank you everyone with your thorough tips. I've never owned a bird so this is a very new experience for me. I'll definitely implement what y'all have said. I like quick results, and it seems it may take a lot of time and biting.

To answer the question about her biting. She bit mostly everyone except her one owner and then she bit him on the ear one good time and that ended that. I don't know how long ago that was, maybe years.

When I finally do get her on my hand she good for the most part. I try the step up with my hands but she prefers just biting.

Hope this little ol' gal is doing well!


I would have personally suggested taking the bird to an avian vet for a thorough checkup, including blood work and fecals. Aggression can be caused by a lack of handling, but it can also be a sign that the bird isn't feeling well. An older bird going blind, is it due to age? Or could it be due to a health issue?


Just some thoughts.