Lori & Pancake - The Pineapple Green Cheek Conure

[Lo_Liv]

Hello!

I am the proud new Mommy of 4 month old Pancake! He came home yesterday!

I have decided to seek out a parrot forum in order to learn how to better handle and train my little guy.

For years I owned a curmudgeonly Yellow Nape whom I loved dearly, but despite all our best efforts, there was no handling that bird. He was set in his ways.

Now, my fear is that for years, I was training my dear Yellow Nape to bite me further because I would yelp and pull away. Because, honestly, he could break a finger with his beak. Obviously my little Pancake doesn't pack that sort of punch right now with his baby beak, so I want to learn early how to discourage him from turning MaMa into a snack when we "Step Up".

I hope to read and learn more about how to be the best bird Mom I can!

Thanks!!

 

[Flboy]

Hi and welcome! There is much to learn here, our conure population is huge!

 

[Terry57]

Hello Lori and welcome! Congratulations on your new baby, I'd love to see a picture!
This is a great thread for building trust with your new baby:
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html

I'm looking forward to hearing more about Pancake (adorable name!).

 

[clark_conure]

WELCOME! First you need to totally bond with your bird, once the bird is in love with you, the bite training is easy.

 

[clark_conure]

No no....we have the green cheek emoji!!! Where in Missouri? I grew up there. Webb City/Joplin area.

 

[Lo_Liv]

WELCOME! First you need to totally bond with your bird, once the bird is in love with you, the bite training is easy.

Maybe this is a silly question, but how do I do that?

We have been talking and dancing through the cage. Then I will open the door and allow him to stand on the edge. I'll pet him until he reaches for me, and then we practice Step Up. At which point, my fingers become a meal. So I place him gently back in his cage and go do other things. I have been waiting a few minutes before I return to start over.

I have also allowed him into my lap (on a towel so he doesn't bite my legs) and we have practiced hand feeding. He likes to jump around and walk all over the living room.

Any additional feedback on how I can better bond with my little guy?

 

[Lo_Liv]

Pancake

Found it! Sorry, I'm new here

 

[clark_conure]

Read your other post http://www.parrotforums.com/conures/71486-new-owner-getting-nibbled-lot.html don't put him back in the cage, that's a reward. Read the other post what lordtriggs and I put.

 

[Scott]

A warm welcome to you and Pancake! If you get another bird, must consider the name of "Syrup!"

A technique to assist with biting is "bite pressure training" as described here: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/63988-bite-pressure-training.html

Another great thread was written about macaws but many principles apply to all parrot species: http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/56384-big-beak-o-phobes-guide-understanding-macaw-beaks.html

 

[Lo_Liv]

No no....we have the green cheek emoji!!! Where in Missouri? I grew up there. Webb City/Joplin area.

Springfield!

 

[clark_conure]

Best Bass pro shop ever, That's really all my family ever went there for though, or a stop on the way to Branson.

 

[MangoMuttonChops]

Hello and welcome! I'm still new myself but I would think that putting pancake back into the cage when he bites would actually reinforce biting...but I'm still learning if course!

Good luck to you both!!

 

[Lo_Liv]

Hello and welcome! I'm still new myself but I would think that putting pancake back into the cage when he bites would actually reinforce biting...but I'm still learning if course!

Good luck to you both!!

Yes, I had read that before I brought him home on a random page I found. There seems to be a lot of contradicting ideas of what works best. That's why I jumped into a forum I was hoping to get real time answers while Pancake and I fumble through learning each other!