I'm very upset right now. I've had Sunny for almost a year now and have had no problems with him at all. We've been bonding a lot lately and he's been spending lots of time with me. Today, I had him out as per usual and let him sit on my shoulder. I turned my face towards him and he bit my cheek hard leaving a mark. I was upset and put him back on his perch. Ten or so minutes later he comes over and starts being cuddly. So I have him step up on my finger and scratch him a bit. Sunny starts making kissy noises so I lean in to give him a kiss - which is usually him lightly tapping my lip with the top of his beak. Only this time he grabs it and bites hard drawing blood. I know it could be a lot worse but still. Honestly I have no idea what to do. This is so out of the blue and completely unlike him. I almost feel betrayed by him, how silly right? I'm hoping someone can give me advice on how to react to this behavior.
Aggression Help?
- Thread starter Iceeyy
- Start date
Birdman666
Well-known member
- Sep 18, 2013
- 9,904
- 276
- Parrots
- Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
Don't take it personally. It happens from time to time. It's not a betrayal. He's a bird.
Here's what you do, either one or the other:
1. Realize that every single time you put your face up against the bird, you could be bitten on the face. Anticipate that. If the bird does something unusual, get your face out of the way immediately or sooner, before the bird latches on.
OR
2. If he's unpredictable, don't put your face up against the beak where it can be latched onto... (unless of course, you're into the piercing craze... then you can ignore this advice, and just stock up on studs to fill all the little holes...)
Here's what you do, either one or the other:
1. Realize that every single time you put your face up against the bird, you could be bitten on the face. Anticipate that. If the bird does something unusual, get your face out of the way immediately or sooner, before the bird latches on.
OR
2. If he's unpredictable, don't put your face up against the beak where it can be latched onto... (unless of course, you're into the piercing craze... then you can ignore this advice, and just stock up on studs to fill all the little holes...)
- Thread starter
- #3
Thank you for your response. This is just the first time he had ever done something like this. I mean, he's bit me before but that was mainly when I was training him to step up in the beginning. I think I just got too comfortable with him and forgot that he could/would bite me.
Birdman666
Well-known member
- Sep 18, 2013
- 9,904
- 276
- Parrots
- Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
4dugnlee
New member
- Apr 27, 2014
- 1,133
- 4
- Parrots
- Sassy - 13 y.o. Blue Front Amazon, Cisco - 6 y.o. Sun Conure, Peanut - 8 y.o. U2
Fred - 2(?) y.o. Cockatiel, Ginger - 3 or 4(?) y.o. Cockatiel
Maybe he's a little hormonal? Or molting? My sun gets cranky when he's molting...when he's hormonal I usually can't even get him out of the cage without being bitten. When mine bites me for no reason I put him in his cage for a "time out" for 5 or 10 minutes. He's never bit my face though..just my ear. If yours is biting your face I wouldn't let him on your shoulder...I know...easier said than done...
- Thread starter
- #6
He let's me take him right out and steps up instantly. Maybe it could be his hormones though. I think I will try refrain from any shoulder sitting for awhile. Just wish I knew what caused him to bite so I could try to prevent it from happening again 
Birdman666
Well-known member
- Sep 18, 2013
- 9,904
- 276
- Parrots
- Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
True story:
My dusky conure was a little stinker.
He and his mate had "evil-ed" their way out of four prior homes, before they wound up at mine. He was also one of the smartest little birds around... one of the few I've ever had that consistently spoke in context...
I caged those two at night, and while I was at work. (Cuz they were evil and could not be trusted.) And my Dusky used to be in full suck-up mode at bedtime, trying to get extra out time.
So he did his full on attention oriented thing, calling me over to the cage, giving me kisses, and I picked him up again. He did the full on displays, and games, and kissing noises, and affectionate behaviors in the palm of my hand. And he was a happy and super-affectionate little bird... (momentarily.)
Then I told him good night, and lowered him down toward his cage. THE MINUTE HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS GOING TO BED, HE GOT MAD AND QUITE LITERALLY PUT HIS BEAK ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE FLESHY PART OF MY FINGER... LENGTHWISE! LIKE TIP OF THE BEAK STICKING THROUGH THE OTHER END...
Needless to say, I was pissed... but so was he and he just threw a little birdy hissy fit. Never happened again. And like you, he was in suck-up mode afterwords. (I showed him my finger the next morning, and he actually verbally told me he was sorry! Where he picked that one up I don't know, but as evil as he could be, I assume he had practice.)
Bottom line, he didn't do it again, though he always had a bit of "stinker" in him. With the smart as a whip, and fun, also comes feisty... it's a given. A conure is basically a shrunken macaw! Same behaviors, smaller scale.
And it didn't require stitches, so he was still "pet quality."
He's the little green bird...
King of the world! Yeah, watch your fingers taking him out of the treat mix... "IT'S MINE!"
And he still had shoulder privileges even after that:
He beat up Py and stole his skateboard. That's how he learned to do this...
My dusky conure was a little stinker.
He and his mate had "evil-ed" their way out of four prior homes, before they wound up at mine. He was also one of the smartest little birds around... one of the few I've ever had that consistently spoke in context...
I caged those two at night, and while I was at work. (Cuz they were evil and could not be trusted.) And my Dusky used to be in full suck-up mode at bedtime, trying to get extra out time.
So he did his full on attention oriented thing, calling me over to the cage, giving me kisses, and I picked him up again. He did the full on displays, and games, and kissing noises, and affectionate behaviors in the palm of my hand. And he was a happy and super-affectionate little bird... (momentarily.)
Then I told him good night, and lowered him down toward his cage. THE MINUTE HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS GOING TO BED, HE GOT MAD AND QUITE LITERALLY PUT HIS BEAK ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE FLESHY PART OF MY FINGER... LENGTHWISE! LIKE TIP OF THE BEAK STICKING THROUGH THE OTHER END...
Needless to say, I was pissed... but so was he and he just threw a little birdy hissy fit. Never happened again. And like you, he was in suck-up mode afterwords. (I showed him my finger the next morning, and he actually verbally told me he was sorry! Where he picked that one up I don't know, but as evil as he could be, I assume he had practice.)
Bottom line, he didn't do it again, though he always had a bit of "stinker" in him. With the smart as a whip, and fun, also comes feisty... it's a given. A conure is basically a shrunken macaw! Same behaviors, smaller scale.
And it didn't require stitches, so he was still "pet quality."
He's the little green bird...
King of the world! Yeah, watch your fingers taking him out of the treat mix... "IT'S MINE!"
And he still had shoulder privileges even after that:
He beat up Py and stole his skateboard. That's how he learned to do this...
Last edited:
Birdman666
Well-known member
- Sep 18, 2013
- 9,904
- 276
- Parrots
- Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
He let's me take him right out and steps up instantly. Maybe it could be his hormones though. I think I will try refrain from any shoulder sitting for awhile. Just wish I knew what caused him to bite so I could try to prevent it from happening again
I doubt it at 1 year old. Too soon. More than likely it was a startle reaction, and nothing more. You moved suddenly, he didn't expect it, and he just reacted and let you have it...
gracebowen
Active member
Mark your conure skateboarding is adorable.
- Thread starter
- #10
That's what I was hoping. I think I'll just be a little more cautious around him and try not to get so complacent again lol!
What a cute, yet evil, bird! His eyes are so pretty! Did you have to go to the hospital for it? It's kind of funny that he apologized the next day - shows how smart he was~!
What a cute, yet evil, bird! His eyes are so pretty! Did you have to go to the hospital for it? It's kind of funny that he apologized the next day - shows how smart he was~!
Birdman666
Well-known member
- Sep 18, 2013
- 9,904
- 276
- Parrots
- Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
How about a birdie basketball court?!
They also had a bowling alley. The little green bird cheated. He would roll the ball, but then he would run behind it chasing it, and knock over any pins he missed. I also taught him to set the pins back up. (The bowling alley had little slots the pins sat in.)
The little green bird also had a hockey rink... and a little plastic goalie he could assault if his shot got blocked...
Birdie golf was going to be next, but then an owl ate him...
Smartest little bird out there, but no street smarts what so ever!
All my conures were trick trained. And they were so much fun to play with at night...
Last edited:
UltimateConure
New member
- Feb 26, 2015
- 1
- 0
Would like to know the story behind "then an owl ate him...".
Thanks in advance,
UltimateConure
kahluasmomma714
New member
- Jan 17, 2015
- 22
- 0
What is his diet? Is he getting adequate Uv rays?
Most Reactions
-
334 -
191 -
163 -
89 -
80 -
72 -
70 -
53 -
42 -
J
31
-
26 -
20 -
20 -
17 -
17
Similar threads
