New green cheek

Katiejayne

New member
Sep 30, 2013
191
0
Parrots
African grey
Green cheek conure
Hi this is my first parrot, I brought a hand reared green cheek conure baby, she squarkes and bites me hard when I try to get her out her cage but once she is out she is completely fine unless I let her go on my head then she bites hard when I try n get her down I do try n stop her but she is persistent.
So just looking for help on this and if anyone has any suggestions on games to play with her or things she will like

Many thanks katie and Dede
 

Agapornis

New member
Oct 25, 2012
478
1
California
Parrots
Turquoise GCC - Fiji - Hatch Date: 8/14/12 and Yellow Sided GCC - Sundance - Hatch Date: 4/12/13
I am a new GCC mama too. When my little monsters are on my shoulder and don't want to get down, they bite too. So I finally figured out a way to get them off without the chomping. I walk into the kitchen and say, "do you want a treat???? who wants a treat?????" :32: and then i get their pine nuts out of the fridge. well, they practically leave skid marks trying to get down off my shoulders and arms and onto the counter to get to their treat.:rolleyes: I give them a few pine nuts and then either put them in their cage or where ever I need them to go.

I'm sure the more experienced bird people will have a better plan, but that's what works for me! ;)
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
Media
2
43
Parrots
Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
Agapornis has the right idea in mind! Give your bird a good reason to do as you ask with rewards!

Does your conure enjoy coming out of the cage or does she find the experience to be a bad one? If she doesn't like coming out, make it a positive experience! Don't force her out, but teach her that coming out of her cage means good things!

If she's on your head or shoulder, then teach her that coming down can mean treats! Again, if you can avoid forcing her to do something then don't force her to! Give her the choice, but make it so that the choice you want her to do is more rewarding than what she is currently doing!
 
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Katiejayne

New member
Sep 30, 2013
191
0
Parrots
African grey
Green cheek conure
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Thank u for your replies, Yea once she is out she loves it, I have tried treats but she seems quite stubborn and just bites the finger holding the treat lol x
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
Media
2
43
Parrots
Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
What about putting a perch on the outside of the cage that has a cup at the end of it. When she's inside her cage, put treats in the cup to encourage her to come out on her own?
 

legal_eagle

Banned
Banned
Feb 28, 2013
305
0
Parrots
Green Cheek Conure Pee-Wee
I don't think treats are the best solution. I have had my GCC for almost 15 years and she has never been a biter, nor have I once offered her a treat to do something.

I would change how you're interacting with your bird.

First, I never stick my hand into my bird's cage ... she is generally eager to come out, and when she doesn't I don't force the issue. Show she knows my hand is not a threat and I'm not going to enter into a battle of wills with her.

Second, if I want her to step up when she is out of the cage I don't give her mixed signals ... I place my finger under her chest and will press back against her gently ... then she has to step up. I see a lot of people get bitten by my bird because they are kind of tentative and they hold their finger out away from the bird, which is a perfect biting target. I also think she senses that they are somewhat scared and she takes advantage of the situation. So my approach is not to send any sort of mixed signals.

Third, if your bird is in a situation where she is biting you should stop doing that until the biting stops. You are reinforcing biting behavior if you let her get up on your head when you believe she will bite once she is up there.

Hope that helps!
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
Media
2
43
Parrots
Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
Giving her a reward (doesn't necessarily have to be food, just one of the easier reinforcers out there) is a way to reward her for doing something you want.

Why do you think most people work? Not because they love their job!!!!! They work for money.

Obviously now, a bird isn't going to care about money unless they can play with it or chew it up....


What I'm saying is that bird doesn't have to be forced to step up. They can be be taught to step up without force and without the bird biting.
 

legal_eagle

Banned
Banned
Feb 28, 2013
305
0
Parrots
Green Cheek Conure Pee-Wee
It's kind of odd to call training a bird to step up "forcing." We are keeping them in cages away from their natural environment, right? And some folks go so far as to take their birds outside but "force" them to not fly away by putting them in harnesses. Forcing isn't the issue; the issue is respect.

By treating my bird with complete respect, and not reflexively labeling her natural impulses as problems, I have been rewarded with a virtually problem-free companion. No bribery required!
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
Media
2
43
Parrots
Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
By pushing into the birds chest or stomach or lifting their feet or even their beak up is forcing a step up. It's forcing them to avoid you, fall off their perch, or step up.

If you give the bird the choice to step up and teach them to step up without using force, you have less of a chance of a bird learning avoidance behaviors because they find stepping up a potential negative experience.



Here's a video of teaching a budgie to step up onto a hand for millet. The hand wasn't forced into the birds chest. If he didn't want to step up, he didn't have to but he was encouraged to because he likes millet and the experience was made positive for him.

Living With Parrots Cage Free: Bucky and Strider - Millet Eating Fiends!



It's great that Pee-Wee steps up for you, but sometimes suggesting force to make a bird step up can result in biting and avoidance behaviors... so I'd rather suggest positive reinforcement training that tries to avoid potentially negative experiences.
 

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