Biting Conure

ShadowLeshen

New member
Sep 20, 2021
3
7
Parrots
Sun Conure
Hi guys!

I recently adopted a male Sun Conure, and for the most part, he has taken to me very well. He is very needy, and always wants to be around one of us in the family. He sits with us and preens himself, scratched himself, etc. But a problem that has come up is his biting.

He usually bites stranger first up, but only because he is nervous. The real problem as of late is the face/neck/chest biting. He has been biting with no notable trigger that I can see, and its getting quite painful and aggressive, as well as a bit spurratic. I cant exactly do much to distract him whilst he is on my face, so what should I do? Why the sudden change in behaviour?

Thanks guys!
 

LaManuka

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Hi there, welcome to the Forums to you and your Sun! Don't forget to tell us what his name is btw, will you? :)

Sudden changes in levels of aggression can have a lot to do with puberty/sexual maturity, so it would be interesting to know how old your bird is. In Suns it generally occurs around the age of 2 years. Heightened levels of aggression may also accompany the onset of annual breeding seasons which with Suns occurs in spring and into summer. Biting can also be triggered at any age if he has picked out a member of the family that he is most attached to, like you for instance, and other family members come too close to you. In this case they call it "displacement biting". This when someone else comes too close to the person that the bird considers to be his mate, and he will actually act aggressively towards his mate in order to warn her to stay away from the one that he perceives to be a threat to his relationship with his "chosen one".

As to exactly how you curtail this kind of behaviour, I am not the best authority on that subject because my three walk all over me and do whatever they want! So hopefully another member will weigh in with some advice for you as to how you might go about that, as well as some different insights into what might be causing the behaviour. It may also be a good idea to have him checked out by an avian vet too, because sometimes sudden changes in behaviour and aggression are the outward manifestation of a health issue. Good avian vets are also an absolute goldmine of information about such things as behavioural quirks as well. The link below may help you find an avian specialist vet if you are not already acquainted with one...


Oh, and don't forget, we love pictures around here too...


Thank you for joining and reaching out with your question, and I wish you and your Sun all the very best :)
 
OP
S

ShadowLeshen

New member
Sep 20, 2021
3
7
Parrots
Sun Conure
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #3
Hi there, welcome to the Forums to you and your Sun! Don't forget to tell us what his name is btw, will you? :)

Sudden changes in levels of aggression can have a lot to do with puberty/sexual maturity, so it would be interesting to know how old your bird is. In Suns it generally occurs around the age of 2 years. Heightened levels of aggression may also accompany the onset of annual breeding seasons which with Suns occurs in spring and into summer. Biting can also be triggered at any age if he has picked out a member of the family that he is most attached to, like you for instance, and other family members come too close to you. In this case they call it "displacement biting". This when someone else comes too close to the person that the bird considers to be his mate, and he will actually act aggressively towards his mate in order to warn her to stay away from the one that he perceives to be a threat to his relationship with his "chosen one".

As to exactly how you curtail this kind of behaviour, I am not the best authority on that subject because my three walk all over me and do whatever they want! So hopefully another member will weigh in with some advice for you as to how you might go about that, as well as some different insights into what might be causing the behaviour. It may also be a good idea to have him checked out by an avian vet too, because sometimes sudden changes in behaviour and aggression are the outward manifestation of a health issue. Good avian vets are also an absolute goldmine of information about such things as behavioural quirks as well. The link below may help you find an avian specialist vet if you are not already acquainted with one...


Oh, and don't forget, we love pictures around here too...


Thank you for joining and reaching out with your question, and I wish you and your Sun all the very best :)
Hi!

Thanks so much for your reply!

My Sun Conures name is Sonny! Just recently adopted him. Due to this, I don't know his age specifically, but i know he is about 1 - 2, which would make sense with what you're saying, and it is spring.

And as requested, some photos of my boy!
 

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OP
S

ShadowLeshen

New member
Sep 20, 2021
3
7
Parrots
Sun Conure
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #4
Hi!

Thanks so much for your reply!

My Sun Conures name is Sonny! Just recently adopted him. Due to this, I don't know his age specifically, but i know he is about 1 - 2, which would make sense with what you're saying, and it is spring.

And as requested, some photos of my boy!
 

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kme3388

Well-known member
Sep 17, 2021
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Minnesota, USA
Parrots
Eclectus Parrot: Nico (male)
Jenday Conure: Kiwi (female)
I've owned a jenday conure for 10+ years. My conure bites me to warn me of anything scary, if I try to remove her from my shoulder, or from under my shirt. I think I'm so used to it that it doesn't hurt (not that it makes it better). I've noticed in a more quiet enviornment when it's just my conure, and myself that the demeanor is more calm. I don't get bit as often. I can also mention that my conure tolarates other people, but is more of a one person bird. Others struggle significantly even getting my conure to come out of her cage. I love my conure, but these little buggers can sometimes be very stubborn, picky, and very sensitive of their surroundings. Mating season, and when a conure has pin feathers also can be reason for aggression. I use my thumb nail to just crunch the feathers very gently. My conure loves it, and it helps the pin feather process along. Conures also tend to scream to warn, or to contact call. They are constantly worried about where their humans friends are! I hope something in here helps, or helps you at least understand your conure.
 

LaManuka

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Aug 29, 2018
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Queensland, Australia
Parrots
Fang ({ab}normal grey cockatiel), Valentino (budgie), Jem (cinnamon cockatiel), Lovejoy(varied lorikeet), Peach (princess parrot)
Awwwwww, thanks for the pics! Sonny is indeed a very gorgeous, if a bit naughty, little boy! :)
 

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