Conure Help for Beginner!

[Nelikya]

Hi!

I'm posting on here because I'm a new parrot owner and I need some help!

We just rescued 4 year old Rolex who is a patagonian conure about 3 weeks ago from the animal shelter. She was found strolling the streets of downtown before someone contacted the animal shelter!

We've allowed her to settle in and get used to our home but she seems so different from the other conures I've read about online. She does not like to be handled and doesn't even like hands inside her cage. She also doesn't like to be pet and won't come out of the cage even if the door is open for a very long time (she won't sit on anyone's hand either).

I've slowly convinced her to let me change her food and water without being bitten and she's let me pet her twice without gnawing my fingers off.

I'm hoping slowly but surely she'll let me pet her and eventually let me take her out of the cage. Any pointers? I want to keep my fingers if possible.

She's definately not shy. She's learned to say a few words since she came here and she's always very vocal about her opinions.

 

[Beilana]

If patience is one your side, your off to a good start. She obviously and rightfully is lacking trust with humans. I recommend taking things very slowly. Don't try to force her to be touched or handled, let her come to you.

You can sit by her cage and read out loud, this will get her used to your voice as well as your company.

Have lots of yummy treats available and try to offer them to her, this will associate your hands and you with good things.

You can also try perch or clicker training with her.

I am sure there are many joyous days to come with the little one She is a lucky girl that you rescued her! Has she been to the vet? What is her diet?

 

[Nelikya]

Thank you very much Beilana! I usually spend my days studying next to her cage (i'm a in college) so she's finally gotten used to me.

By the way! We have found her secret! She just truly dislike fingers (not sure if that's a good thing).

If we pet her slowly with a closed fist she has no problem and will sit there for minutes on end and let us pet her. It's so adorable and I'm absolutely thrilled!

We took her to the vet and it seems that she's in good health but lacking proper nutrition. Her diet right now is a mix of parrot and conure food that I mix to ensure she doesn't get too many peanuts.

We also give her a small bowl of fruits and veggies every day but it seems that her digestive system isn't used to it because she started having diarrhea this morning. I think I'll have to back off of on the fresh produce a little?

What veggies and fruits do your birds enjoy?

She also has a cuttle bone and I give her a treat of millet spray here and there.

We'll definately look into the clicker/perch training! Thanks a lot!

 

[suebee]

she might step up to your wrists, i offer my wrists to nut as i can't always tell if she's going to nip or not

if she's had an increased diet then her morning poop will be huge!!! lol but what did poop look like?? i ask as i have no idea what bird diarrhea should look like? but i've always found nut's poop to reflect what she's eaten, as long as i see coloured/white an clear liquid sections

as for her veggies and fruit fresh pea's in pod, but you might have to offer it in sections with pea showing 1st as when i offered these to nut at the start she just dropped them, corn on cob, apple, orange segments (she wont pick up segment unless its got membrane on it) butternut squash, but nut will only eat if off the skin?? pomegrante, nut loves that

brocoli/carrot etc but nut will not touch these lol in any form and always offer more then the once to be sure, do not give seeds of most fruits apples and lychees of top of my head advocardo is toxic

 

[Kokihi]

My little GCC adores Papaya.

Also, I agree with Suebee about the poop. I've been cleaning up after Tori for long enough that I just know what his poops are supposed to look like, and yes, I also have noticed that it reflects what hes eaten.

As far as socializing goes, it sounds like you're doing exactly what you should be doing. Hang out, offer treats and let her come to you. If she moves or turns away from your hand, don't follow her. When I first got Tori I found out quickly that he loved bells, so I held out a bell for him to play with which seemed to help a lot with him getting used to me. Maybe if you can find a nice toy that she likes you can try that too?