Conure questions! Help please!

[Skye]

Hi guys! I've had my little guy for a little over a week now. I recently just talked to a longtime bird owner who said I need to make sure that my new jenday is socialized and brought out of the cage even if he is resistant. I had been reading/talking/singing to him and eating around him everyday for a majority of the time I've had him. I just don't want to traumatized him by forcing him out of the cage too soon! Is this okay? Or should I be waiting longer before taking him out and letting him explore? He doesn't seem to want to come out at first but then seems very happy once he is out. Thanks guys!

 

[EnglishMuffin]

I'm not an experienced bird owner and I just got my conure on Saturday, but she came out of the cage on the first day! I put her in the cage but left the door open and let her do her own thing. She flew right out of the cage and landed with me and spent the whole evening cuddling and asking for reassurance. Why not try this technique? Just open the cage door up wide and sit in the room talking to him/ singing or whatever and let him come out on his own

 

[riddick07]

You can open the door and see what he does! He should be curious about you and adventure out on his own. I wouldn't force the issue. You guys are still new to each other some birds take longer to come out. Have you tried getting him to step up using a treat?

 

[Skye]

Thank you for responding! I have been leaving the cage open but he doesn't seem to be as friendly as the other birds I've been reading about on the forum (which is fine, maybe he just needs a little more time than others). I know that the environment is new to him and I don't want to make him more skittish than he already is or make him uncomfortable. He has been getting a lot better. I can clean his cage without upsetting him and have my hands around him but he will try to bite me if I get too close so I have been backing off when he shows signs of stress. He has been jumping around, sometimes dancing and talking to me so I don't think he is unhappy or anything. I don't want to have any setbacks by being too aggressive or impatient. Also, I got him from a petsmart (I know a lot of people are against pet stores but he needed a good home too!) and I don't think they really spent time with him or gave him much attention so I'm wondering if that affected him negatively?

 

[Skye]

Oh and another thing! He isn't interested in any fruits/veggies or treats(peppers, nuts etc) that I offer him. I don't think the pet store ever gave him these options so what are ways that I can introduce them to him I'm a non threatening way?

 

[Starlit_Night]

Eat it yourself and make a big deal about how yummy it is. Aleta won't try anything unless she's seen mom eating it, then I can't keep that little beak off it.

 

[veimar]

Oh don't worry! We had our GCC for little over a month now, and he wouldn't go out of his cage for the first week or so. Quite frankly we were afraid to let him out too, because we didn't know how to handle him. Now he is very well socialized, learned how to step up and stuff, and he climbs out of the cage as soon as I open the door.
Just let your sunny settle in a bit.

 

[riddick07]

He might be territorial about the cage. If he isn't scared of a stick/perch try getting him to step up on that. If use some kind of food he is in love with and show it to him he might come to you. You can first try putting your hand near where he is and see if he inches closer and then grabs it from you and runs. Eventually you should be able to get him to inch onto a perch or hand that you can then use to bring him out of the cage.

You can try making a mix of veggies. A mix looks more appealing then just a single veggie to them.

Even if you only skim this thread you will get some ideas to use
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html

 

[Skye]

I have been bringing him out of a cage with a towel which is what was recommended to me but now I'm wondering if this is a bad idea? Opinions on this? I'm thinking that I'm just going to try to just leave the cage open like you guys suggested, thank you! I really don't want to push him too much, especially being in a new environment. And thank you for the link for appropriate food! I'm going to try to make a skewer with different types of fruits and veggies and hopefully he'll use it as a toy and also be tricked into eating them haha

 

[riddick07]

Toweling is usually a last resort kind of thing. The only one I had to towel to take out the first time was my abused cockatoo who just needed to realize that coming out wouldn't kill him. After that first time he hasn't been aggressive and if he doesn't want to come out he just nudges my hand away.

I hope some of the suggestions work