bird all of a sudden attacking me please help

[jmigs]

I have a 4 year old cinnamon green cheek conure. She's super loveable and I never had a problem handling her. I recently had to work crazy hours the past week and a half and I was only able to take her out of her cage 2 days for a couple hours. Now that my schedule is back to normal I went to take her out and she attacked my hand so hard trying to get her out of the cage that I bled. She now won't come of her cage without attacking me. I need to pick her up with a towel and when she's out she seems fine let's me touch her and pick her up from the stand. But then 10mins will go by and she will attack my fingers again. Dies anyone know if conures can be like this cause she didn't come out or that she is hormonal cause its spring time? She has another bird next to her cage thaw keeps her company. I'm just upset that now I'm nervous to hold her and I don't want her to not be like this. I am bringing her to the vet to get her wings, nails and beak trimmed so I'm hoping the break trim will help her calm down cause I have noticed they get mean when they can bite everything but it's never been to the point of me not being able to hold her or even take her out of her cage. Any suggestions you have will help!

 

[Dinosrawr]

Have you had her for the entire four years of her life? It would surprise me greatly if you have and she had never experienced hormones before. It's likely a mixture of both... conures can definitely hold grudges against you for awhile if they've chosen you and they feel you've neglected them. And it is also that time of year where birds are experiencing hormones.

I'd give it a few days of love and doting on her while staying hands off. You don't need to touch her to interact with her. If it doesn't wear off in a few days, it's probably hormones and it'll be like that for a month or longer. Just time and patience, really. Birds are allowed to have their cranky days too

 

[jmigs]

Thank you for responding! I got her when she was about a year old but like you said I don't think she really experienced hormones. I really think it is that because she does let me pick her up at times like everything is normal but with getting her out of the cage she hasn't. Is been an issue

 

[Birdman666]

Probably hormonal.

Might also be going through a hard molt.

Go back to basic no bite, and step up training. Reinforce it.

From time to time, they need to re-learn when they act up.

Don't take it personally. It's not. Especially if it's hormonal... the bird can't help it. That's like blaming a pregnant person for having mood swings, or being a little on the b!tchy side... NOT HER FAULT!

 

[jmigs]

You are right! I think it is hormonal. Do recommend a certain way to get her out of the cage? She will attack my hands so hard I can't get her out. I have been either using a glove or towel and that has been the only way. I'm afraid that will discourage her or become more afraid if I do keep doing it that way

 

[Flboy]

Let her come out on her own. Offer a treat at the door and have her step up on a stick. But act like it is totally normal! You can avoid developing habits this way. My JoJo is perfect with me but a bit unpredictable with my daughter. She avoids the whole confrontation thing using the stick. Remember to a conure every challenge is a hill worth dying over! Smart buggers! Better memory than mine!

 

[jmigs]

Only thing is I've tried leaving her cage door open all day and she never comes out! She's so stubborn

 

[Flboy]

Only thing is I've tried leaving her cage door open all day and she never comes out! She's so stubborn

A treat on the edge works for me! But remember if she realizes it is a trick you loose! So do several treats and then, oh by the way, am scooping you up!

 

[Hawk]

You are right! I think it is hormonal. Do recommend a certain way to get her out of the cage? She will attack my hands so hard I can't get her out. I have been either using a glove or towel and that has been the only way. I'm afraid that will discourage her or become more afraid if I do keep doing it that way

It can be, but look at this from the parrots point of view and their eyes, be the parrot here for a second. You're reaching into "their" cage, which is Their territory, not your's. From a parrots point of view, what's inside their cage belongs to them, what's attached to the cage...yep you guessed it, it belongs to them, their food dishes, Yep, don't think about taking that away and refresh it when they are right by it....( My parrot stares at me when I want to get their dishes as if saying or thinking, " Are you feeling lucky....just try it" ) I get nipped now and then.

It's reinforcement time....what I do with mine, they get nippy when I try to pick them up is say " fine, you stay there the rest of us are going out side" I take my other birds and leave one that's nippy behind...soon she realizes hey the rest of the flock is having fun, Then My Zon will say " Poppie is a good girl now" (after a 30 minute time out) Then she's saying "up up come on come on..hurry"

My Zon Nips to be funny.... the "Harr Har har harr har...." laugh...I might not be in the mood for a nip. So she knows. My Senegal is a Draw blood terrorist...but a smart little bugger...You don't reach in his cage.... Like reaching in a piranha tank....you WILL get bit. But he is loveable, I find getting a treat he likes will coach him up then your fine. Some birds are like that. But birds are emotional, they don't like long periods in their cage.
They get cranky.