Taming my sun conure

[Zeyrox]

Hello! I hope you're all having a great day. So I'm posting this thread to seek help. So recently I've just got my sun conure (like a week ago) And I really want to build a bond with him, I've started the basics (staying next to him while he's in his cage, talking to him gently, giving him millet e.t.c) 3 days ago we started step up training with sun flower seeds. When he sees the sun flower seed and I put my finger in front of him, he will step up on my finger, take the seed and he goes right back to his cage. If I don't have a sunflower seed he won't step up. Does anybody know what to do at that stage? He doesn't bite, sometimes he doesn't mind my hand being close to him and sometimes he's a bit scared and will go a few steps back. I understand that I have to go at my bird's pace but Idk what to do to make him know that my hand is 100% safe. For context he is with my green cheeked conure who is tamed and I have a great bond with him, they're both males. The sun conure is 4 years old while the green cheeked conure is 10 months old. They're both on a seeds and pellet diet and I give them vegetables and fruits but they mostly eat seeds and pellets. They're in a big cage with a lot of toys and perches. Would mean a lot if you could help me on how to bond with my sun conure!
Sun conure is named Rio and GGC is named Yuko

 

[PrimorandMoxi]

Sounds like you are doing GREAT if he steps up and doesn't bite.

If treat rewards get him to step up then keep that up for now.
Can you get him to step up and then move away from the cage to hang with him?
Have you had time with him away from Yuko?

 

[Zeyrox]

Sounds like you are doing GREAT if he steps up and doesn't bite.

If treat rewards get him to step up then keep that up for now.
Can you get him to step up and then move away from the cage to hang with him?
Have you had time with him away from Yuko?

Unfortunately I have not. He will scream so loud if Yuko isn’t in his field of view.

 

[wrench13]

Unlike Yuko, Rio being older means he comes with baggage from his previous life. WHo knows what that was? So take your time with him, parrots rate of acceptance of change is often GLACIAL, especially when compared to our quick monkey brains. You've a great start, just continue it. When traing parrots some tips:

Be consistent -always ask for the action or effort the same way every time, to avoid confusing the parrot. Even subtle differences can make a difference.

Be immediate - have the reward close at hand and reward immediately whne there is even a slight improvement. He stays on your hand a second or two longer? Progress! Again, so the parrot associates the action to the reward

Be patient! - See above. Some parrots get training in 1 or 2 tries, some need more or a lot more. And it will depend on the ask. My 'zon,Salty, often gets new tricks in 1 or 2 tries, but some tricks he is not crazy about (teaching him to roller skate at the moment, and not going well at all).

If Rio sees Yuko doing something, odds are it will help a lot, parrots are very observant!

 

[clark_conure]

Wait are they in the same cage and/or hang out a lot?

Parrots learn from other parrots more than they learn from humans....if the GCC sits you all the time and isn't the jealous type you basically have a cheat code.

Leave cages open and when the ggc comes over offer treat. Once the sun conure follows, it will, offer treat.

You basically have a backstage pass to bird training so long as the GCC is fine with it.

 

[Zeyrox]

Wait are they in the same cage and/or hang out a lot?

Parrots learn from other parrots more than they learn from humans....if the GCC sits you all the time and isn't the jealous type you basically have a cheat code.

Leave cages open and when the ggc comes over offer treat. Once the sun conure follows, it will, offer treat.

You basically have a backstage pass to bird training so long as the GCC is fine with it.

Oh yea my GCC doesn’t mind at all. I think they are currently building a bong because they don’t want to be separated they always have to be in the same room and if they aren’t. The whole neighborhood will hear their screams.

 

[clark_conure]

I'd worry if they build a bong together next thing you know they drop out of school and vote for the green party and all that.

 

[clark_conure]

I'd worry if they build a bong together next thing you know they drop out of school and vote for the green party and all that.

Can't believe I didn't get a bigger laugh at that ...ofh well can't pick your audience.

 

[Featherii_Fids]

Hello! I hope you're all having a great day. So I'm posting this thread to seek help. So recently I've just got my sun conure (like a week ago) And I really want to build a bond with him, I've started the basics (staying next to him while he's in his cage, talking to him gently, giving him millet e.t.c) 3 days ago we started step up training with sun flower seeds. When he sees the sun flower seed and I put my finger in front of him, he will step up on my finger, take the seed and he goes right back to his cage. If I don't have a sunflower seed he won't step up. Does anybody know what to do at that stage? He doesn't bite, sometimes he doesn't mind my hand being close to him and sometimes he's a bit scared and will go a few steps back. I understand that I have to go at my bird's pace but Idk what to do to make him know that my hand is 100% safe. For context he is with my green cheeked conure who is tamed and I have a great bond with him, they're both males. The sun conure is 4 years old while the green cheeked conure is 10 months old. They're both on a seeds and pellet diet and I give them vegetables and fruits but they mostly eat seeds and pellets. They're in a big cage with a lot of toys and perches. Would mean a lot if you could help me on how to bond with my sun conure!
Sun conure is named Rio and GGC is named Yuko

View attachment 52996View attachment 52995

oh my, Another bird named yuko!
I'd recommend spending more time around Rio and talk to him quite often, or keep him in a room/place where you often are if possible. He now does not really fear your hand and steps up, so now he has to build trust and bond towards you. Sometimes, Like the other people who replied in this thread said, you can also demonstrate Yuko to Rio so that he'll understand. It's what I did to make my store-brought budgerigars, Yuko and Luna, Have enough trust to sit on my shoulder, simply peek into whatever I'm doing- I used My Dilute opaline Lovebird, Snowii, since she is all friendly and hand-raised by me. Please give us an update soon if possible! And I hope Good ol' Rio is going to bond with you soon.

 

[LalaH]

Can't believe I didn't get a bigger laugh at that ...ofh well can't pick your audience.

I am sitting here laughing my head off at what you said...my husband didn't get it.

 

[clark_conure]

TY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Danny1]

Sounds like you are doing GREAT if he steps up and doesn't bite.

Quick question about this. One of my conures is learning to step up but it uses its beak to do it. Would this be something that would be considered ok or is this a "bite"? It doesn't seem to do it to hurt me just to help himself get on my hand.

 

[onamom]

Quick question about this. One of my conures is learning to step up but it uses its beak to do it. Would this be something that would be considered ok or is this a "bite"? It doesn't seem to do it to hurt me just to help himself get on my hand.

Nope, not considered a bite. Just balancing to get on your finger. It is common for Conures to "beak" you and it's only a bite if it's really hard and painful.

 

[Danny1]

Nope, not considered a bite. Just balancing to get on your finger. It is common for Conures to "beak" you and it's only a bite if it's really hard and painful.

Awesome thank you for the response!

 

[onamom]

Awesome thank you for the response!

Np! My Ona used to use her beak to step all the time when she was just a couple months old. She eventually grew out of it as she got older and became better at balancing.

It's also very normal for them to rub their beak on you, gently nip/preen you. You will know when it's a bite because it will hurt like a really hard, sharp pinch 😅

 

[Danny1]

Np! My Ona used to use her beak to step all the time when she was just a couple months old. She eventually grew out of it as she got older and became better at balancing.

That makes sense my two are at the 2 month mark this weekend. So just a bit more training and confidence and they should just step right up.