GCC is Biting In the Cage!

I’ve had my Conure for six years now. We’ve always gotten along just fine. Until about three or four months ago when he became very irrational in his cage. When I ask him to step up from his perch in the cage or if he’s standing on top of his cage, he will bite ferociously. Once he’s out of the cage, he loves to snuggle up on my neck ,loves to have me scratch his feathers and so forth.

I am brand new here and have done a lot of reading through posts and looked at a number of threads that dealt with biting. But I don’t see anybody having specific issues with parrots biting in the cage. I cannot think of a specific moment when I might have caused this new behavior. Do any of you folks have ideas on why he would go from evil on his cage, to become my best friend after I’ve taken him off the cage?

I had a gorgeous and beloved green cheek conure called Baci (after my favourite brand of Italian chocolates ) for a sum total of about four and a half years prior to joining this forum, so I do not pretend to know everything about them. It does seem however that as a species they are prone to a thing called "cage aggression", where they come to regard the cage as their territory and will defend it very vigorously. The fact that yours is still snuggly and loving away from his cage suggests that this may well be a factor at play here. There are apparently a couple of species that are fairly notorious for it, the quaker parakeet is another that springs readily to mind.

Other members will hopefully be able to give you some pointers on how best to manage this behaviour - thankfully you and your GCC seem to have a very strong bond apart from this. Meanwhile I am still waiting for those pictures........

http://www.parrotforums.com/technical-support/6287-how-post-pictures.html

HINT HINT!!

That could be the problem...when I am near the cage he climbs to the door, puffs up and snarls . When I open the door he climbs to the top hurling Conure profanity. I offer him my shoulder and he’ll sink his beak into my shirt to bite and crawl on...as soon as he’s left the cage he becomes Mr Cuddles. It’s like his inner demon leaves his body. Later when I take him back to the cage he reverts to angry mode as soon as he’s on the cage.

Cage aggression a strong probability!
Another thought. When my JoJo isn’t in the mood to step up, you will feel it! He starts with a simple push away, but if I ignore his wishes, it quickly escalates!

Have you taken him to an avian certified vet to verify that all is well in terms of health? Although this behavior isn't a major red flag or anything, they always say to take them when you notice a sudden change (either way, all of them should go at least 1x yearly with blood work every 3 or more often if needed)

This SOUNDS like it is related to hormones- Make sure he doesn't have any of those snuggle huts/tents in his cage (or any boxes etc), make sure when you pet him you pet on the head and neck only (within reason, obviously , medical exams etc are unique circumstances), 10 hours of sleep each night on a schedule in a dark/quite place. Less than 10 hours sleep and their immune system and hormones (plus mood) get messed up. Touching all over or "cuddling" is like making a sexual promise that you can't keep.

How much time is he getting out of the cage daily? Do you have any mirrors in there? If so, those are also not good for hormones.

If he doesn't want to be touched, don't touch him for now, but do consider adjusting anything that might be making him more hormonal. Cage aggression can happen for other reasons too, but given what you have said so far, I'm thinking hormones, but not positive.


Have you had any major changes to your home or schedule? New people, new job etc?

Timeline is rather puzzling with a long-term relationship, well past onset of puberty, hostility too entrenched to be seasonal hormones.

Certainly appears to be a form of cage aggression, but why now? I confess to having no experience with conures, but would strive to make a list of possible changes to the environment or daily structure. A well-check visit with avian vet is highly advisable.

Has something changed? Have you moved the cage or changed anything in it's vicinity that might have unsettled the cage area in any way. Is there a particular toy perhaps new, that he loves in there? He is apparently protecting something in the immediate vicinity, so what might it be?

Cage agression can come from hormones though. When hormonal, many birds get cage aggressive. I agree that timing is odd, but just because an adult bird hasn't appeared wildly hormonal before, doesn't mean they cant get that way if some other change triggers them. Noodles went years and years without laying eggs (despite being well past sexual maturity) and then did all of the sudden due to changes to my work schedule (presumably). I went back to work in-person and whenever she saw we after work, she was so excited that it seemed to cause a sexual response.
You would think that it would have happened when I was home and spending so much time with her, but it happened after I stopped spending full days with her and returned...It was like my presence caused her to get SO excited at the end of the day, that it triggered a sexual response based on our bond. She has been more hormonal than ever this year (all year, off-and-on). While she has always been hormonal when triggered by obvious things (like boxes or excessive petting) the egg laying appeared to be random based on all of the years we have spent together without that issue..So just because he has been sexually mature doesn't mean that he cannot suddenly get super hormonal if triggered by something in terms of sleep, cage setup, a new toy, schedule change, petting etc.


Sometimes little changes to routine etc, in conjunction with environmental factors (such as a snuggle huge) can suddenly become problematic, even if they didn't seem to be before.


It could also be that you are doing something with your hands that he doesn't like. Does he associate your hands in the cage with you locking him up for long periods? That could also be part of it, but again, once you make sure he is okay at the vet, I'd make sure you look seriously at making sure he is getting 10 hours sleep (solid, on a schedule), petting on head and neck only, removing any shadowy toys etc etc. Sleep deprivation can trigger sudden shifts in hormones over time as well.

Thanks to all of you for your advice. I realized after searching the Conure forum there are discussions about biting on almost every page. I imagine you folks get tired of that. But again the unique situation that I have is that he is very cuddle he and loves to perch on my fingers or my knee or on my shoulder. As soon as his claws touch the cage he reverts back into this sinister personality.

For the six years that I have had him, I have used a little fur covered tube that I bought at a pet store, and he has always seemed to enjoy snuggling in there when he goes to sleep at night.I noticed a couple of you suggested that those sleeping items are not a good idea. I’m going to do some more research to figure out why my Conure shouldn’t be provided with a little fur covered nest.

Regardless of the cause, is it time for me to try a clicker and a chopstick and begin handling him with that in his cage?

Might consider bite-pressure training to alleviate the worst of "chomps" to sensitive flesh: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/63988-bite-pressure-training.html

Prime issue with fuzzy fabric "sleeping huts" is propensity to chew and swallow strands, often leading to painful illness and death. They are in fact one of the most dangerous cage accessories. If you insist on providing one for your GCC, daily inspection will identify threat level. Some birds will chew but never swallow, so any alteration must be considered potentially hazardous. Enclosures such as huts and nest boxes potential hormonal and behavioral reproduction triggers.

Alternatives in the form of grass construction mitigate hazards of thread-like consumable strands.

Very good to know...thank you!

SnakeRiver said:

Thanks to all of you for your advice. I realized after searching the Conure forum there are discussions about biting on almost every page. I imagine you folks get tired of that. But again the unique situation that I have is that he is very cuddle he and loves to perch on my fingers or my knee or on my shoulder. As soon as his claws touch the cage he reverts back into this sinister personality.

For the six years that I have had him, I have used a little fur covered tube that I bought at a pet store, and he has always seemed to enjoy snuggling in there when he goes to sleep at night.I noticed a couple of you suggested that those sleeping items are not a good idea. I’m going to do some more research to figure out why my Conure shouldn’t be provided with a little fur covered nest.

Regardless of the cause, is it time for me to try a clicker and a chopstick and begin handling him with that in his cage?

Click to expand...

"Happy huts" and bedding products like them are generally not recommended due to the various health and behavioural problems they can cause. Unfortunately many parrots do chew on them and ingest the synthetic fibres, which can prove to be very dangerous as it can cause blockage of the gastro-intestinal tract. In addition, they can contribute to chronic egg-laying in hens and hormonal aggression in both genders as they can perceive them as a nesting site.

Some people still do provide a bed of sorts made of seagrass which can be a lot less problematic. My budgie Val quite likes this "flying trapeze" type, he doesn't sleep in it overnight but sometimes he just likes to hide himself away for a nap during the day or just take the weight off....



Not everyone encounters problems with the fabric hut or tent style beds, but they are common enough and for me personally it is just not worth the risk.

SnakeRiver said:

Thanks to all of you for your advice. I realized after searching the Conure forum there are discussions about biting on almost every page. I imagine you folks get tired of that. But again the unique situation that I have is that he is very cuddle he and loves to perch on my fingers or my knee or on my shoulder. As soon as his claws touch the cage he reverts back into this sinister personality.

For the six years that I have had him, I have used a little fur covered tube that I bought at a pet store, and he has always seemed to enjoy snuggling in there when he goes to sleep at night.I noticed a couple of you suggested that those sleeping items are not a good idea. I’m going to do some more research to figure out why my Conure shouldn’t be provided with a little fur covered nest.

Regardless of the cause, is it time for me to try a clicker and a chopstick and begin handling him with that in his cage?

Click to expand...

https://birdtricksstore.com/blogs/birdtricks-blog/the-most-dangerous-parrot-cage-accessory <-- good explanation on why huts are bad


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNBALAF3U5E&t=445s"]Are You Making These 10 Common Bird Care MISTAKES? - YouTube[/ame] see 13:10 in video above)


https://threebirdsandacloud.wordpre...-and-your-parrot-the-triggers-and-what-to-do/ --more on preventing hormones (including preventing access to shadowy spaces, such as huts)


[ame="https://youtu.be/by54qevmF-4"]What a HORMONAL BIRD Looks Like!! - YouTube[/ame]

Again, thank you everyone!