Conure scared of EVERYTHING

Hello,

My conure's been with me for 2 months. I believe he likes me a lot as he would snuggle up my neck and he would flock call and chase me as soon as I leave the room. He steps up and is okay with my hands handling him in general. He also lives in a fairly large cage.

Here comes the problem - he is literally afraid of everything he's not seen before. Fruits, treats, objects, toys, you name it.

Expanding his diet was the most painful thing. He wouldn't try it even if I eat in front of it. I have tried blueberries, raspberries, bananas, oranges, etc etc and the only fruit I managed to get him to eat so far is apple and I had to cut them up into small pieces and leave them in his food bowl.

Showering is the second most difficulty thing. He only seems to shower in his water bowl which doesn't really fit him at all. I've tried small basins, taking shower together and water spraying but he always backs off.

He also rarely plays toys I put in the cage (believe me I've had several rotations of toys, none seemed to grasp his interest). When we interact, I tried to slowly introduce new toys but it doesn't work. My other conure was adventurous. She would try everything I gave her immediately and goes through (destroys) toys like crazy.

When he has nothing to do he just sits in his cage and watches me, kinda sad. I most of the time place my ipad in front of the cage playing cartoons, etc to entertain him while I'm away.

It seems like he doesn't like exploring and is extremely timid. I'm concerned about his diet, hygiene and mental health. I wonder if there is a way to make him less timid and discover other wondrous aspects in his life.

Welcome to your new one, may he liveong happy healthy life .
My GCC is afraid of new stuff, and doesntike to play that much. But she likes to shred paperback book pages, and untie knots. I had read that GCC really like to untie knots so I tried and it true!!!
As you and your bird have more time together, new stuff gets less scary. And the more they try new foods the better they get at trying new foods. It takes time, but then you reach a tipping point and the bird just gets it, and learns to like new stuff.
Even though you've had birds go back and read all the blue threads in general parrot info. I have too. I don't like clickeres, I just say good bird as the bridge but the bonding thread is good. I'm going to link 2 article here too.
This one is just great! But I think you have to keep scrolling down past adds, like you think the article is done but there's lots more, even covers diet
https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/stress-reduction-for-parrot-companions/
Since you had a bird fly away, I'm not sure if you will be keeping this one flighted, and I can understand that, but here is an article on fledging and flight
https://www.windycityparrot.com/blog/2010/04/13/flight-important-parrots/#ixzz62HloSvKV

Awww. I don't have much advice, except just one thought about the food. You mentioned lots of fruits. My own Sun Conure is quite picky about fruits, actually strongly dis-likes many of them, but likes a lot of different kinds of veggies. IF IF you haven't tried various veggies, you try offering some veg.

Welcome friend. If your conure is OK with hands andhas startedto forma bond with you thats great. Use that to show him the 'ropes' of life in your home. Really, he sounds just a bit timid, but you can help!
First for the bathing, they make a 6" water dish which should be plenty big for a conur to bath in. Let him. Parrots sometimes do change how they like thier baths, but give him this much.

For toys and new foods it may help if you play with the toys and eat the new foods, very enthisiatically, andlet him see you enjoying them. Lots of times this works; parrots do learn by observation. His curiosity will get the better of his shyness and timidedness, especially if you really put your heart into it.

I think you are doing pretty good for 2 months. Work at his pace, be patient and consistent, I bet he will surprize you.

My GCC used to be quite timid of everything as well. New toys, new foods, new everything. He's just like how you described your GCC-- he flock calls me, flies after me, and just sits on me whenever he can. However, he is currently cuddled up to my neck and grooming my hair or ear. If he can't do any of the above, he calls for me.

Anyways, the best thing I found to help with the scardy-cat attitude is being incredibly slow with everything. Callum would always fly away if scared. So, what I did what any new object is slowly bring is closer to him. When he doesn't spook or even reaches out to touch it with his beak, I take it away and shower him with praise and affection. If I see he's about to fly, I take the object away to lower the pressure. Later on, I'll try the same thing (after a good while, giving him a chance to calm down). He always becomes comfortable with the object after this. At least for Callum, this has IMMENSELY improved his timidness. Now, he reaches and touches anything new immediately, because he knows I'll give him tons of love for it.

Callum also constantly tries to eat whatever I eat. Callum didn't start this behavior until he was a little older, so don't feel upset if your GCC doesn't do this right away either. But now, if I want him to eat something, I will stare at him and very loudly eat something (the whole gross loud chewing shebang lol. I hate it, but I'll do anything for my birb) to get his attention and then do the whole "Mmmm!" noise at him. Then, I offer it to him. 98% of the time, he walks right over or leans over and takes just the tiniest bite. I've done this with juice, fruits, any sort of food. Though, now he's gt the habit that he'll try to eat anything that goes in my mouth, even chocolates lol.

He watched me drink a cup of Mountain Dew and was trying to get in between the rim of the cup and my face to get to what I was drinking. I didn't let him, but it was pretty funny.

Just keep in mind, what works for my bird may not always work for yours. Callum is a very easy-going bird, I've noticed. He adjusted to my new apartment within days and doesn't seem to care a week and a half later. He flies around without fear, sits and looks out the window, etc. Just remember to take everything incredibly slow with your GCC.

Since he seems like he is bonding to you pretty fast, you can teach him how to eat veggies and fruits. Mine, when reluctant to try something new, always watch me eat it first and then they want to try.
Every bird is different as you know it. I used to have budgies, up to five at one point, and every single one was different in personality! Your little guy is timid, so it may take a long time for him to accept things. Remi loves showers now, but Petey will still only bathe in her water dish. You can only do so much sometimes, lol.

Slow down! That would be my advice. Syd is just the same. A new toy especially if brightly coloured sends him into a corner. Everything new approaches slowly. So a new toy appears in the room for a couple of days and waits for him to approach. I have a blue shopping bag with bright red on it and no amount of coaxing will induce him anywhere near it, he simply screeches warning me that it's dangerous. I don't let him see it anymore.

New foods are introduced as a morsel in amongst his other food although after 2 years he is more ready to trust me if I hand it to him. He will at least lick it first before telling me what he thinks of me and it! I had a new top on the other day - he didn't even know who I was. It took him a while to approach even though I was speaking to him.
2 months is still very little time for total trust - but it's so worth working for. Good luck.

fiddlejen said:

Awww. I don't have much advice, except just one thought about the food. You mentioned lots of fruits. My own Sun Conure is quite picky about fruits, actually strongly dis-likes many of them, but likes a lot of different kinds of veggies. IF IF you haven't tried various veggies, you try offering some veg.

Click to expand...

Interesting I've never tried that. I'll give it a shot thanks!