Help me tame abandoned Sun Conure?

flightless · Feb 18, 2014

I'll keep this story short, but last weekend a mature sun conure was found in the middle of the road with a half dented cage (a very large cage) so I'm assuming it fell off a truck. I've made ads everywhere looking for the owner, but animal control told me it is most likely an abandoned bird due to noise level as nobody could ignore a cage that big falling out.

He's been staying with me, he checked out ok at the vet and I picked him up two days ago. He's not aggressive, eats and drinks in front of me and even took the millet and fruit seed mix I bought him, but he's so shaken up he is still afraid of humans.

Do you think there is any hope a mature sun conure can get over a traumatizing experience like that and become tame again?

Terry57 · Feb 18, 2014

I think there is always hope. The poor little guy is traumatized right now with what he has been through

I think that with enough love and attention, that he can become the bird he is meant to be

flightless · Feb 18, 2014

Terry57 said:
I think there is always hope. The poor little guy is traumatized right now with what he has been through
I think that with enough love and attention, that he can become the bird he is meant to be

Yeah he's still rattled right now, I'm trying to take things slow. We didn't originally want another bird (we have a cockatiel and a budgie), but after seeing him lying in the street and almost getting picked on by some dogs, we took him home.

This bird has been through so much in the past week.

Terry57 · Feb 18, 2014

He is so lucky you found him

I would just give him plenty of time and attention, even if it is only talking to him while he is in his cage now. Have you tried to let him out yet to see what he would do?

flightless · Feb 18, 2014

Terry57 said:
He is so lucky you found him I would just give him plenty of time and attention, even if it is only talking to him while he is in his cage now. Have you tried to let him out yet to see what he would do?

It's strange in that even though he isn't clipped, he refuses to leave his cage. When we found him, both the cage doors were wide open and he actively chose to stay inside instead of flying away.

CrazyEyes · Feb 18, 2014

send him this way... I will have him cuddling on my shoulder in no time flat!

but seriously, good luck with him.

lquan · Feb 18, 2014

When you first posted the story, I figured that someone purposely let him fell onto the road because some irresponsible people didn't want him anymore. An untied cage would rattle like crazy on the truck bed while onl the road; if the cage fell off, they would have noticed right away. The bird didn't leave the cage because of the unfamiliar surroundings. The cage is all he is familiar with.

I am glad you took him in. Give him some time, he will get better.

flightless · Feb 18, 2014

lquan said:
When you first posted the story, I figured that someone purposely let him fell onto the road because some irresponsible people didn't want him anymore. An untied cage would rattle like crazy on the truck bed while onl the road; if the cage fell off, they would have noticed right away. The bird didn't leave the cage because of the unfamiliar surroundings. The cage is all he is familiar with.

I am glad you took him in. Give him some time, he will get better.

Yeah that's what none of us get, this cage is huge so it would be impossible for the driver to NOT hear or see this thing fall out. We don't really know if this was an accident or not, I want to say it was an accident, animal control said it had to be on purpose because it's simply too big to ignore. I've still been looking for the owner with ads, but so far there's just people wanting to take the bird but not the real owner.

He's a little better today, I noticed he likes the word "pretty" or being called "pretty boy" as he reacts a lot differently to those words with chirps and such instead of loud, alert screeches.

TessieB · Feb 18, 2014

Sit near his cage and simply be quiet and calm. Read to him in a soothing voice, and avoid making direct eye contact. If you get bored reading to him, pretend to groom yourself, mimicking his grooming techniques as best as you can. Eat your meals near him. To help him gain confidence, position yourself so you are sitting lower than he is perching. Take your time and simply enjoy him.

flightless · Feb 19, 2014

TessieB said:
Sit near his cage and simply be quiet and calm. Read to him in a soothing voice, and avoid making direct eye contact. If you get bored reading to him, pretend to groom yourself, mimicking his grooming techniques as best as you can. Eat your meals near him. To help him gain confidence, position yourself so you are sitting lower than he is perching. Take your time and simply enjoy him.

Today was a bit good and bad as far as training goes. The good news is this is the first time he actually came out of the cage and let me hold him. Unfortunately, he gets startled EXTREMELY easily. I was holding him when someone opened the door and he suddenly decided to bite the nearest thing, my fingers. he's never come out of the cage before all week until now, it seems like he wants to make friends, but is fighting his instinct to not trust strangers at the same time.

BoomBoom · Feb 20, 2014

Time, time and more time

It's still very early after such a traumatic even in this bird's life. I think he will trust again, he is already showing signs. Just let him take the lead.

Thank you for taking him in!!!

MikeyTN · Feb 20, 2014

He's already showing signs of wanting to trust like BoomBoom says. He did come out of his cage for you and perching on you. When they do get startled they do bite the closest thing even the ones they're bonded with. That's happened to me countless times. So when you do train, lock the doors! He'll calm down over time with the door opening and closing with people coming in and out, but that's just gonna take him some time to get used to.

flightless · Feb 20, 2014

MikeyTN said:
He's already showing signs of wanting to trust like BoomBoom says. He did come out of his cage for you and perching on you. When they do get startled they do bite the closest thing even the ones they're bonded with. That's happened to me countless times. So when you do train, lock the doors! He'll calm down over time with the door opening and closing with people coming in and out, but that's just gonna take him some time to get used to.

I wouldn't call the perching session a true success, when he came out on his own I simply tried to get him to step on my hand and although really rattled and bitey, followed along but did bite me a few times.

I'm hoping with the right work he can be tamed, as this bird is a bit harder to read than my cockatiel when I trained him. He gives me those threat displays with him shaking his wings and screeching, yet he does not like it when I leave the room. Today I tried things a bit smoother, no handling, just leaving the cage open and letting him hang out with me while I'm the computer. He was very quiet and calm today until the evening came when he started his routine screeching again lol. Any tips on making a good routine for a rustled bird like this one?

MikeyTN · Feb 20, 2014

It's just gonna take some time to get him used to the idea. Multiple times of being handled per day and keep on working with him is all you can do.

flightless · Feb 23, 2014

MikeyTN said:
It's just gonna take some time to get him used to the idea. Multiple times of being handled per day and keep on working with him is all you can do.

One question I should probably ask, how do you work with a startled bird that does not want to leave the cage? I got lucky that first time when he came out on his own, but he typically doesn't like to come out and I avoid chasing him with my arms as I don't want to traumatize him.

Is there a more efficient way to get a startled bird outside the cage without scaring him?

MikeyTN · Feb 23, 2014

Without having to get him out he would need to come out on his own. Otherwise it would be up to you to get him out of the cage. Once out, go into a different room away from his cage, basically a neutral area where he's not used to. I usually go into a smaller enclosed room to work with them one on one.

flightless · Feb 24, 2014

MikeyTN said:
Without having to get him out he would need to come out on his own. Otherwise it would be up to you to get him out of the cage. Once out, go into a different room away from his cage, basically a neutral area where he's not used to. I usually go into a smaller enclosed room to work with them one on one.

I've been trying to bribe him with millet and he slowly lets his guard down lol. I'll let him eat some, he drops it, I pick it up and move it a little closer to the opened door every time.

He seems to be a little more playful but is still trying to hide it from people. He started playing with the toys I bought him and started turning his head upside down like an owl when he saw. Do you think slightly moving the millet is a good way to get him to come out so he thinks it's rewarding?

Terry57 · Feb 24, 2014

I think using the millet is a great idea! I use almonds to get Xander back in the cage, so the reverse should end up working as well, I would think. Sounds like he is starting to feel more comfortable with you

jbail1026 · Feb 24, 2014

I know! And who knows what this poor bird has been through besides the known trauma of falling off a truck/being abandoned. I think you are doing great work with him and I know it's so hard to wait for the rewards, but they are coming!

flightless · Feb 24, 2014

jbail1026 said:
I know! And who knows what this poor bird has been through besides the known trauma of falling off a truck/being abandoned. I think you are doing great work with him and I know it's so hard to wait for the rewards, but they are coming!

Training birds is hard lol, i just dont want to give up. He seems to have been through a lot, he has this scab above his nose from when I found him that I hope heals. I dont know what his background is prior to me finding him but I hope things can turn around.

Help me tame abandoned Sun Conure?

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