Brought my little guy home but I have no Idea what his behaviors mean help please!!!

[KBarnes]

Hey everyone....Thank you all who answered my last post.
Well I adopted my little guy and brought him home. He's doing certain things though and I have no idea what they mean.
He's still warming up to me slowly which I know takes time so he wont come on to my shoulder or hand yet but he will and wants to eat from my hand all the time.
Any way the things he's doing a lot which I need to know are normal or not are...
He bobs his head up and down at me which I read can be aggression but he doesn't seem like hes mad?????
Sometimes he acts like he doesn't want me near him so I walk away and he screams and when I say screams I mean it sounds like hes being attacked so I quickly rush back to him and he normally stops. Other times he will continue to do this for another minute or two then laugh at me. Also when I walk out of the room to do something he screams....I try to tell him if he would get on my shoulder he can be with me always. How do I fix this??? I don't want him to be afraid.
He is very possessive over his toys..for example I tried to move his bells our of the way because the old owner put them right in front of his water dish and he charges me to bite me.
He does this cute thing which I think is showing off but he climbs to the top of his cage puts his back to me lifts his shoulders and then flaps the tops of his shoulders while he looks at me(don't know if I explained that right) what does this mean????
He likes to bite....this isn't all the time just seems like if I don't give him the right treat (he wants a seed and not an apple) or I put my hand in to move something.
He seems to be really itchy especially his beak. He rubs the sides of his beak on everything. Then he likes to scratch himself and stick his nails in his nose ( I think he knows it creeps me out because when I squirm and go to walk away he laughs) anyway is this normal????
He seems very sweet and I love him already...He's 4 1/2 cherry headed conure. (don't know if that makes a difference)
If anyone can give me some insight to these things that would be great.
Oh and the old owner had a mite repellant on the side of his cage...Does he need this????
Thank you all so much.

 

[joewill85]

First off, congrats on the bird. Conures are an absolute riot to own. Now on to your concerns.

Head Bobbing: The head bobbing in my experience has always been good. My conure bobs her head all the time when she's happy, when I'm talking to her, when I feed her treats or other food, etc. I've never had her bob her head and then act aggressively towards me, although I don't have enough info to say that is the case with every bird.

Screaming: Mine screams at all sorts of things. Birds love to manipulate humans, so if he's figured out you come running every time he yells, he'll keep it up. Mine yells when I leave the room for an extending period of time, or if I leave the tv on and leave the room (still haven't figured out why the tv makes her yell). Basically, don't give him attention when he does it and he'll reduce how often he does it, although he may not ever fully stop. They mainly yell when they want you to do something, or when they want to make sure they aren't alone. Mine sometimes yells when I walk through the front door as a sort of "hello."

Territorial Nature: I quickly learned that if I wanted to adjust my bird's cage in any manner that I needed to get her out before I do it. She chases my hand all over the place and bites it aggressively, sometimes drawing blood. Birds become very territorial over whatever space they consider to be their home, and even their beloved owner isn't allowed to mess with it. Don't be concerned about. It doesn't mean he doesn't like you; it's just his nature.

Biting: Every bird is different, but conures are going to bite and that's about the end of it. Mine has become better as she gets older, and I've also worked with her to teach her not to bite, but sometimes they just want to bite. She's never bitten me out of anger, it's just being playful. Keep in mind that they don't have nerves in their feathers, and so they aren't used to feeling pain when they play like that with other birds. Your hand and other objects are foreign to them as well, and it's not realistic to expect him to realize it hurts you. Just look up training tips on how to reduce biting and you'll be much better in a few weeks/months.

Other Random Behavior: I could write a book on the weird stuff my bird does. Everyone has hilarious stories on this forum about things their bird does that no other bird does. These animals have huge and diverse personalities, which is one of the biggest joys of owning them. The wing flapping you're describing could be done for any number of reasons, not the least of which because, for whatever reasons, it amuses him.

Itchiness of the nose This is the only part to be very cautious about. It's not uncommon at all for birds to scratch their nostrils and sneeze to expel particles, but constantly doing it may indicate a problem. With how sensitive their respiratory systems are, it would be a good idea to find an avian vet to take a look at him, although it could be as simple as him having some particles stuck in there he just can't get rid of, and the vet can flush those out easily. Unless you're extremely concerned by his behavior, you may be able to wait until he's more accustomed to you before subjecting him to a vet visit. However, if you get concerned then you should take him right away.

I hope this helped. Enjoy your new friend!

 

[weco]

Head bobbing, without showing any aggression is a happy camper sign…..


While you may want it at this point, you will find a time when you need to do things without a parrot clinging to you…..correction can be clicker training or putting him back in his cage & ignoring him…..talking to him & telling him where you are going & that you will be back will finally sink in, when you do do what you tell him you are doing…..

Be careful about running to screams, because he will associate screaming with attention from you or it can become a game…he screams, you run…..it’s a parrot’s version of crying wolf…..

Normal behavior for some parrots…the best time to add, delete, rearrange cages is when the resident bird is occupied elsewhere or distracted by someone else…..


The wing flapping could be showing off or it could be exercising his wings.

On the biting, you’ll have to establish limits…what’s acceptable & what’s not. Best way to start correcting this, unless you want to start clicker or other training, is to put him back in his cage & ignore him. Flock animals don’t like being ignored & away from the action.

Beak rubbing is a normal parrot behavior & part of their grooming routine…..it lets them scrape off flaking beak layers & helps them keep it shaped…..

Sticking nails in nares is normal, fun behavior…..often done when relaxed…..
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Hmmmm, guess two of us were typing at the same time, but it looks like Joe was faster than me...wasn't trying to dupe anything.....
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[KBarnes]

Thank you guys...
I actually dont mind him clingling to me if only he would cling.(we are still working on the trust) Which I don't understand he wants to eat from my hand(one seed, pellet etc... at a time) but wont come out of his cage or get on my hand. He will come to me if there is food or he wants to see what I am doing but he still isn't ready for shoulder or hand.

I will try all of these things starting tomorrow.
I really think the wing thing is just him showing off and Im glad to hear you guys don't think its aggression. I just wasnt sure if it was like a mating thing or a I have better feathers then you so stay away.

I really wouldn't mind his regular screaming or talking I think its cute...I just don't want him to be afraid. But I will let him know what I'm doing etc I hope this helps.

He took his first bath today which really made me happy he came right to me and got in the bowl when I brought it to him...I think it made him happier throwing water at me.

 

[LoveMyParrots]

How old is is him? Young birds bobs their head up and down when they beg for food.

And with the screaming, if he screams, don't walk back to him. Ignore the loudness, if you walk back to him while he screams, then next time when he wants you to go up to him he'll scream. By going back, you'll be training him to scream.

At the start, parrot can be aggressive if your hands are in the cage. If he bites you, don't pull your hand away, let him bite. I will teach him that biting won't hurt and will not make your hand to away, and soon it will stop biting.

Rubbing beaks on perches, toys, etc is normal, your conure is just getting food off from its beak.

 

[KBarnes]

Does anyone have an opinion on the mite repellent that's on the side of his cage??? I never had this for my amazon.

 

[joewill85]

Does anyone have an opinion on the mite repellent that's on the side of his cage??? I never had this for my amazon.

Sorry. I meant to mention that. Get rid of it. They aren't very effective, and if your bird manages to crack it open they can eat and ingest very harmful chemicals.

 

[weco]

Just be patient, he'll come around & not be fearful.....picture yourself at 4-5yo, picked up & placed in a home where you didn't know anybody...would you be a little fearful?

Being cage protective is much like a blanket or special toy to a child...it's their space & they feel safe there.

I missed it on the first read, but get rid of the mite repellent, unless you plan on letting him play with wild birds or go scratching around with chickens or unless you have a current mite infestation, you will have no need for that toxic can hung on the side of the cage.....just because it is sold in a pet store or on an avian webpage, doesn't mean that it is safe for or necessary for your feathered friend(s) ! ! !

The package doesn't tell you, but that stuff can kill your bird! The active ingredients in those things are the same as mothballs.....para-dichlorobenzene or naphthalene.....

 

[KBarnes]

Does anyone have an opinion on the mite repellent that's on the side of his cage??? I never had this for my amazon.

Sorry. I meant to mention that. Get rid of it. They aren't very effective, and if your bird manages to crack it open they can eat and ingest very harmful chemicals.

Thought so I will get rid of that ASAP THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

 

[KBarnes]

I am so happy to hear he doesn't need that mite repellent...I myself can not be around pesticides or strong chemicals (another reason I chose to get a bird because they cant either)...Ill have my husband throw that thing away. Thank you again.

 

[joewill85]

I am so happy to hear he doesn't need that mite repellent...I myself can not be around pesticides or strong chemicals (another reason I chose to get a bird because they cant either)...Ill have my husband throw that thing away. Thank you again.

No problem. Happy to help.

 

[MonicaMc]

Congrats on bringing home a little red head!!!!

Would love to see some photos of the guy!