Need help please?? Conure conundrums

[djdancer]

I have 3 conures, a Jenday (very well behaved), a Sun and a green cheek.

My Sun screeches all day. I've had him for 2 years. The behavior is not new but driving all of us up the wall. We have tried giving him new toys, different food and lots of time out of the cage. He doesn't like to be touched at all. I imagine the home that we got him from was a bit overwhelming for him because he came to us without liking to be touched and even screeches when he's out of the cage and with us. He also refuses to fly but we did notice that he tries to fly in the same position as if he were on a perch and not with his chest pointing toward the floor like the others so it's almost always a crash landing.

My green cheek recently started pulling hair from our faces and out of our heads. We've had him for a year and this is new behavior for him. He's had to spend more time in the cage because when he rips the hair off our body's it really hurts and the behavior comes unexpectedly when he does it but it's all the time now.

Both birds were clicker trained. I don't want to get rid of the Sun because he and the Jenday are bonded but if I can't get the screeching to stop he has to go because my husband has cancer and cannot sleep when he needs it.

 

[djdancer]

Not sure if anyone has seen this post but if you have and know anything that may help us please respond? We really love our birds and don't want to see any of them have to be rehomed. Our Sun is nervous about everything and would really like to help him. Our Green Cheek is a great little bird but the hair pulling really has to stop in order for him to get any time out of the cage. We have tried chewing sticks for him as an alternative to our hair but he's scared of them.

 

[RavensGryf]

Hi, I'm sorry no one responded. It happens to all of us from time to time. Sometimes too many new threads come in within a short time frame and push other new posts down on the list making it less visible. Also, sometimes the only people who would know the answers aren't on at the particular time to see your post. I'll do my best here .

With the GCC pulling hairs - if they're unwanted hair, great right?! Seriously, I'd let it be known that this behavior is not acceptable. If he is doing it while on your shoulders where you have less control, he needs to lose his shoulder priviledge until he learns that pulling hairs is off limits. On your hands or arms he is more controllable. Simply tell him a stern "no!" Look at him in the eye. Do it consistently every single time he tries. When he starts to get it, or backs off, praise profusely or give a small treat like a single safflower seed (parrots love those and are small enough for training). If he goes longer than normal without going for a hair, praise and treat. You could try gently grabbing his beak between your thumb and index finger on the sides of the beak so he can't bite down further (not the top and bottom) and say 'no' or 'no hair' or whatever. Make sure you catch it and do it in the same split second he does it, so that he will associate the 'no' and fingers with his immediate action. This is also a good way to train a smaller bird from being so nippy. You can also keep a fun foot toy in your hand (of a type he especially likes) and when he attempts to pull hair, immediately give him the toy. That might distract him if he likes the toy enough, though doesn't really teach him not to pull hair. Good luck with that.

As far as the screaming Sun goes I'm at a loss too... If he does it regardless of whether he's with you or not, I don't know. I'm not real familiar with what makes conures scream. Best of luck, I hope someone with insight to this sees this thread. Best wishes for your husband.

 

[djdancer]

RavensGryf thank you for responding!! I guess I'm doing something right and it will just take some time. It's easier to train a bird than it is to train the rest of the family how to react to bad behavior. Trust me I don't do everything right either but have been doing exactly what you said.

As far as the Sun goes he does scream all day no matter what. He is a very nervous bird and so wish that they had a such a thing as birdie xanax because I would love to see him enjoy his life rather to be scare of everything all the time. He came from a home with a bunch of little children that used to grab and play with him and I don't think he liked it and may have made him nervous. I did make some good progress in the two years that he's been with us with clicker training him but as you've read he still needs more progress so that he can enjoy himself and also be a pleasure to be around.

No complaints what-so-ever with the Jenday. He is for sure the perfect family member. Sure he doesn't like my husband at all but even that has calmed down.