Please help me figure out what I've done wrong.

Albie has become really nasty. It started yesterday evening when I got home from work. I had a total of 8 days off with 2 days work in the middle.

He's biting without provocation and he means it. He's fluffing up with a flat head and fanned tail and lunging at me, and chasing what ever body part is offending him. I cant get him out of his cage with out him lunging at me. He's never been cage aggressive. I don't put my had in the cage. I put it near the entrance so he can climb on me. He let's me know when he wants out by hanging out by the door and when he really wants out he hangs upside down trilling. If he doesn't, he hangs put at the back of the cage and I don't bug him.

This evening I got home said hi to him and got him out as he was giving me his sign he wanted put (hanging upside down by the door trilling at me) he bit me 2x, 1x when I went to give scritches like I usually do (I invited the scritches with a finger wiggle and he told me he wanted by coming to me with his head bowed) and 1x when I went to remove him off my shoulder for time out. Both times it was my hand and fingers. Normally he steps up no questions asked if I tell him to. Then I went in the kitchen to move away from him he followed and landed on my shoulder. I start singing to him, not attempting to touch him again, and he runs down my arm and bites it really hard to the point he almost drew blood. It hurt. I calmly got hubby to remove him and put him in his cage.

Im upset and trying hard not to take it personally. He's currently contact calling me.

His chop yesterday consisted off : rocket, spinach, watercress, red chilli, yellow Bell pepper, sugar snap peas carrot and fir the first time in a while some strawberries and grapes. This evenings chop is more or less the same but minus the fruit. He has a sunflower and peanut free seed mix and I don't give him pellets, trying to find a sutible one he will actually eat. He only gets sunflower seed for training. He's been getting about 11 hours sleep at night on a cage that's in our bed room.


He's evening going after my hubby. I don't know what I'm doing wrong and feeling really crappy. Is just me going back to work and he's mad att me for it?

Hatched a year ago, right? Welcome to puberty! Nothing you did wrong, anyone who starts with a baby goes through it.

Hormonal controls apply: lower any sugar (including sugary pellets and fruits), ensure 12-14 hours of sleep, don’t touch inappropriately...etc.

Most importantly: patience. Hormonal controls aren’t miracle workers, they’ll take the edge of a LITTLE bit. Puberty really is something that you hunker down and ride out/endure, get through to the other side. Albie will calm down with the biting by years end, if not sooner. And you’ll get him back, if not a bit different (like humans their personalities change over time as they mature). The aggression won’t be constant, it’s more unpredictable and sporadic in nature. he’ll go through sweet and sour phases so it won’t be all bad all the time.

Thanks for this. I was really stating to worry I had done something wrong.

Thank goodness I target trained him. I was able to get him to his bed time cage with sun flower seed and his target stick. To any one reading this, NEVER under estimate the power of teaching your bird to target a stick. It may seem like a silly useless "trick" but it has saved my fingers and sanity this evening by being able to get albie into his bed time cage with out having to touch him.

my GCC has gotten mad at me when I worked a bunch and didn't spend time with her fir a few days, or if I'm in the hospital for a few days. The quickest I get it to turn around is apologizing, feeding treats by hand, sweet talking , watching that body language, . Then she gets over it. She doesn't like any changes in routine, abd gets huffy if there has been a change. Spending extra time together the huff, has her back to sweetie.
https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/bird-behavior/

Syd is super hormonal at the moment. It feels like completely the wrong time of year but I can see that at times he really doesn't know what to do with himself. I do remember that the first time at about a year old he suddenly turned into the nastiest being possible. Like you I used a target stick all the time, sunflower seeds and just avoided him. Now he knows the word 'no' and 'no biting' and it's enough to make him think twice.

It won't last just don't offer any bits to bite, no shoulder privileges, I remember wearing hat, scarf and gloves in those early days just to make myself unavailable. I remember lots of blood before we both got the hang of it.

Ah, pain! Thy name is puberty . Hormone season is bad, and the first time is the worst and longest.

Just repeat this mantra "And this too shall pass" .

Have you thought of using chamomile (dried flowers) in/on foods or as a tepid tea? Also invest in some challenging toys, give him plenty to do/destroy which will both tire him out and distract.

Tango did this too, at just over a year old. I wore a hoodie with the hood up and tied tight and bandages on my fingers . It does pass.... your sweetie will be sweet again. Way to go on the target training - very handy in these situations!

plumsmum2005 said:

Have you thought of using chamomile (dried flowers) in/on foods or as a tepid tea? Also invest in some challenging toys, give him plenty to do/destroy which will both tire him out and distract.

Click to expand...

Looks like I'm picking some up th s evening after work!

Stitchthestitch said:

plumsmum2005 said:

Have you thought of using chamomile (dried flowers) in/on foods or as a tepid tea? Also invest in some challenging toys, give him plenty to do/destroy which will both tire him out and distract.

Click to expand...

Looks like I'm picking some up th s evening after work!

Click to expand...

I use this to make a tea for my G2, if you use as the water source make sure it is taken to and he will drink it? Change often please? If used on fresh food grind it up finely. Keeping his diet 'pure' can help too. No artificial colours or preservatives and no added sugars. Sometimes a cage change around can also help, with the addition of new toys. Something else to focus on.
Ps their are dedicated parrot teas on sale see: www.pollysnaturalparrotboutique.com


If you are looking for a pellet then it should be an organic one and that is TOPS (my preference) or Harrison's (my flock's). Harrison's do a good range of different sized pellets so please have a look at their website.

plumsmum2005 said:

Stitchthestitch said:

plumsmum2005 said:

Have you thought of using chamomile (dried flowers) in/on foods or as a tepid tea? Also invest in some challenging toys, give him plenty to do/destroy which will both tire him out and distract.

Click to expand...

Looks like I'm picking some up th s evening after work!

Click to expand...

I use this to make a tea for my G2, if you use as the water source make sure it is taken to and he will drink it? Change often please? If used on fresh food grind it up finely. Keeping his diet 'pure' can help too. No artificial colours or preservatives and no added sugars. Sometimes a cage change around can also help, with the addition of new toys. Something else to focus on.
Ps their are dedicated parrot teas on sale see: www.pollysnaturalparrotboutique.com


If you are looking for a pellet then it should be an organic one and that is TOPS (my preference) or Harrison's (my flock's). Harrison's do a good range of different sized pellets so please have a look at their website.

Click to expand...

I don't intend on replacing his water source. But I know he like camomile tea as hubby drinks it on occasion and he tries to ear the tea bags hahah

Stitchthestitch said:

plumsmum2005 said:

Stitchthestitch said:

Looks like I'm picking some up th s evening after work!

Click to expand...

I use this to make a tea for my G2, if you use as the water source make sure it is taken to and he will drink it? Change often please? If used on fresh food grind it up finely. Keeping his diet 'pure' can help too. No artificial colours or preservatives and no added sugars. Sometimes a cage change around can also help, with the addition of new toys. Something else to focus on.
Ps their are dedicated parrot teas on sale see: www.pollysnaturalparrotboutique.com


If you are looking for a pellet then it should be an organic one and that is TOPS (my preference) or Harrison's (my flock's). Harrison's do a good range of different sized pellets so please have a look at their website.

Click to expand...

I don't intend on replacing his water source. But I know he like camomile tea as hubby drinks it on occasion and he tries to ear the tea bags hahah

Click to expand...

Birds always want what is yours, so could be a good way of him having some and it being a nice/bonding time? Just make sure the temperature is tepid not hot though

You might look up avian teas, greywood manor has a line of them. You can serve it, as noted above, as just the dried leaves on top of their food or brew the tea.

My first instinct reading your initial post (and not having conure experience) was hormonal activity. Either puberty or seasonal!

Please console yourself with the knowledge Albie's aggression was almost certainly not result of you or your actions!

Scott said:

My first instinct reading your initial post (and not having conure experience) was hormonal activity. Either puberty or seasonal!

Please console yourself with the knowledge Albie's aggression was almost certainly not result of you or your actions!

Click to expand...

Thank you, I think every one has hit the nail on the head with it being puberty as he's now 13 months old and there's no pattern to his aggression. Right now he's being sweet as can be sat on my hand as I type this but I do not trust him right now as he was the same when I got bit last night which has left a nice purple back shape bruise.

He's had some camomile tea which he really seemed to enjoy and he's got a new fountain bath!

I'll take a bruise over a break in the skin anytime hun


Whether the tea actually works or not, it is a calm and bonding experience to share that will I hope help to build trust. If as suggested it is the dreaded hormones he will need an outlet, exercise and toys are examples of things to burn off energy and refocus him. Another I have found with my G2 is the use of a back pack and taking her for a walk, even in the rain (if temps allow). This helps reduce that frustration and angst they get, so allowing a calmer remainder of the day.

Eurgh..... Its been 5 days and I've been bitten hard every day with blood drawn 3x so far.

How long does this normally last?

Tonight, I was doing some target and trick training. The targeting went well, treating him was absolutely fine. Then we moved on to spinning, went fine, asked for a hand shake and he nailed me. Hard. I now have a lovely blood blister because he couldn't break the skin. He then flew to my shoulder and hubby had to remove him. He was put to bed an hour ago.

short training sessions, only 3 max reps. Feet that takes a lot of trust, mine simply never let me touch their feet i too would be bitten .

It was a very short session, and he normally shakes with out prompting as he anticipates its the next trick after his spin. He usually can't wait to put his foot on my finger (I never grab his feet unless we are play wrestling) as that's our "shake" I don't move my finger or hold his toes.