Change in my conures behaviour.

Hello guys I was hoping you can help me with an issue I am having with my green checked conure.

Max has always been a little attention seeker, always the first to greet me when I get home and spinning on his cage for me to pick him up. He had always been a bit of a bully to my other birds especially my female plum head parrot.

I move out of home a few weeks ago and for the first week it was all as normal but lately Max's behaviour has taken an odd turn. He won't let me pick him up anymore and runs when I try to put him in bed. The oddest thing he does now is jumps onto the other bird cage with my plum head parrots and won't move, he chases them when they get to close and chases them if he sees them eating. It is stressing out my other birds to the point they just don't move when he is there.

I like to keep the cages open all day as its what the birds are used to but being forced to cage max is upsetting for the both of us. When we moved I got him a larger cage other then that there have been no changes, maybe less people around but other then me no one ever payed attention to the birds. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Moving can be a big deal to a bird. Since you got a new cage for him as well, it's a bit to take in. A bigger cage is always nice. But birds tend to get attached to their cage, so a change can be hard for them. Try and set the cage up like you had his old one, so things are still familiar to him.

You may have to cage them if your not able to watch them, you don't want him picking on the others if you are not there. Otherwise, just give him time to get used to things. You may have to redo some training, just stay consistent.

Foo, our green cheek is does not like changes in the house. We have a new bird in the house and even though that doesn't effect where her cage is, or her cage itself..it upsets her. She tries to chase it, she doesn't want to go to bed when it's time, she's taken up tearing apart my dresser...basically like having a 2 year old that's in a bad mood. She'll get over it eventually, it just takes time and patience.

Thank you for that. I still have the old cage it was just a bit flimsy. His favourite spiotin the cage was a hammock I placed in there, it's where I would always find him but now he doesn't touch it anymore. Should I just fix the old cage and keep the new one for another time?

If you have the space, you could keep the big cage all set up nicely. Then push the old cage right up next to it with it set up but not as many favorite things in it. (even if it's things like a tasty millet spray in the new cage to tempt him) This is based on Foo and how she hates change...He can then have the security of his old cage and get to know the new one a little more slowly. If the best stuff is in the new one and he always finds his favorite treats in it, eventually he'll probably love it best and stop going for the old one and then you can take it out.

That's a great idea thank you very much. I'll try to put the plum heads cage on the other side of the room InThe hopes that won't be tempting anymore.

Okay I hope posting here isn't a bad thing but I figured it's better then making a new thread. Max preferred his old cage and since he hardly spends any time in it anyway I put the new one away for now, but I now have a new problem.

He's been back to normal for weeks, loving clicker training and being the centre of attention when I am home but he has started chewing his tail feathers for the past week. At first I didn't think much of it but today two of them looked like he had bitten the tip off and half of it was bare. I didn't know what the cause of it was until I put him on his cage and walked away to prepare dinner and he instantly started chewing his tail feathers.

I don't know what to do here, I give him as much attention as I can on a daily basis but every time I put him down more and more is missing of his tail. My mother has offered to take him since he spent over a year in that house surrounded by people but his favourite person has always been me and the idea of giving him up upsets me greatly.

I don't know anything about plucking or barbering.However I would not think another move would be the answer. Hopefully someone with experience will chime in. For now you should do searched on feather plucking or over preening. I'm sure there are lots of threads full of information and advice.

Feather destruction is completely heartbreaking and not easy to figure out the cause.

If he's only doing it out of separation anxiety, perhaps you can try something like the Birdsitter DVD from Parrot University to let him feel like other parrots are around. Don't reward him by watching or coming back to get him when he is chewing on his tail. Do come see him when he is playing independently, or doing other healthy activities.

My conure often drags his tail in his poop. Dirty tail feathers really irritate him. Something to watch for and be aware of. If you can encourage bath or shower for your little guy, this may help.

Also, where your conure chooses to stand or hang in the cage, is his tail rubbing anything? Maybe a rearrangement so that his tail is clear of toys/bars/perches.

If he doesn't already have a raffia pinata or easy shreddable, get him one or several - this may get him chewing on more productive things.

Another idea is, before you make your food, why don't you feed him? It will give him something to do, and you can eat together when your meal is done.

I have two other birds in that room and they regularly have conversations with each other, it's quiet cute to watch. I've recently bought a few toys for him but he just never shows much interest in them all he ever wants is to get out of the cage really the only time he spends in the cage is when he is sleeping, he always poops over the edge of his cage so I doubt that's irritating him. I always give him some Extra veggies in the side she he always eats when I do, it's really the only break I get from him besides work.

He's probably a little over attached to you and then the move made him a bit neurotic. I agree with not showing him any attention when he does it, it most likely will just encourage him.

My conure poops off the cage too when given the opportunity. I have a surplus of rag rugs to toss around cages.

Keep up on regular baths and try to get him to start playing with his toys. It might mean you need to play with the toys. I even turn my back on Foo with a toy, like it's really special and I don't want to share..that seems to encourage her into thinking it must be something awesome.

Hopefully with a little time and encouragement of being independent he'll stop worrying you so much.

Now exactly do I encourage Max to play with his toys? None of my birds seem to be interested in anything I get them.

Unfortunately, that seems to be common thing. It took me several 'expensive' shopping trips to find what Skittles particularly likes. He is partial to shreddable toys.

Try studying your bird and have him interact with things out of the cage and see what he responds too.

Skittles will immediately go after anything wooden, paper or cotton.

It's also more economical to make your own toys using 'safe' household items.

So far he has been interested in clothing and thin wooden toys, I've never really tried paper before.