Cage aggression

[FiFee Fiona]

I'm lost again ...
Birdie is getting his winter feathers.
He's screaming so much it's killing my head. It and the biting I just can't get used to.
Which means it my issue not his ...
But now he's really aggressive in his cage.
I can take the bowls. But putting them back he will go out of his way to bite me.
And it is a bite not just fun.
He stretches out to get me.
I actually went mad at him the other day and he stopped and looked at me.
Next day at it again.
Its at night too. He gets a couple of seeds before bed. And while I clean up.
Talk about bite the hand that feeds you!
Before I cover him he gets a kiss goodnight.
He gets out on my hand. He has a try to bite me ... but I tell him no. And he wants the kiss goodnight more.
But when I put him up on his perch. He has another try.
I sort of thought I'd tough it out and take no notice.
But it hasn't stopped. And it hurts !
Any thoughts ?

 

[zERo]

I'm lost again ...
Birdie is getting his winter feathers.
He's screaming so much it's killing my head. It and the biting I just can't get used to.
Which means it my issue not his ...
But now he's really aggressive in his cage.
I can take the bowls. But putting them back he will go out of his way to bite me.
And it is a bite not just fun.
He stretches out to get me.
I actually went mad at him the other day and he stopped and looked at me.
Next day at it again.
Its at night too. He gets a couple of seeds before bed. And while I clean up.
Talk about bite the hand that feeds you!
Before I cover him he gets a kiss goodnight.
He gets out on my hand. He has a try to bite me ... but I tell him no. And he wants the kiss goodnight more.
But when I put him up on his perch. He has another try.
I sort of thought I'd tough it out and take no notice.
But it hasn't stopped. And it hurts !
Any thoughts ?

What do you mean by winter feathers? Just curious!

I’ve heard of green cheeks being cage aggressive, my own GCC was when I first adopted him 2 years ago.
The best way I have combated this is training him to stand on one side of the cage while I put his food/water back in the cage.
You start by handing them a larger treat that takes a moment to eat while you put the bowls in and eventually the just automatically go there over time when they see you returning with a bowl.
And, though it may make you sad, if kissing him goodnight causes a bite, just don’t do it.
Also, how old is your conure?

Sorry you’re going through this with your bird!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I'm lost again ...
Birdie is getting his winter feathers.
He's screaming so much it's killing my head. It and the biting I just can't get used to.
Which means it my issue not his ...
But now he's really aggressive in his cage.
I can take the bowls. But putting them back he will go out of his way to bite me.
And it is a bite not just fun.
He stretches out to get me.
I actually went mad at him the other day and he stopped and looked at me.
Next day at it again.
Its at night too. He gets a couple of seeds before bed. And while I clean up.
Talk about bite the hand that feeds you!
Before I cover him he gets a kiss goodnight.
He gets out on my hand. He has a try to bite me ... but I tell him no. And he wants the kiss goodnight more.
But when I put him up on his perch. He has another try.
I sort of thought I'd tough it out and take no notice.
But it hasn't stopped. And it hurts !
Any thoughts ?

Gloves?

 

[FiFee Fiona]

What do you mean by winter feathers? Just curious!

I’ve heard of green cheeks being cage aggressive, my own GCC was when I first adopted him 2 years ago.
The best way I have combated this is training him to stand on one side of the cage while I put his food/water back in the cage.
You start by handing them a larger treat that takes a moment to eat while you put the bowls in and eventually the just automatically go there over time when they see you returning with a bowl.
And, though it may make you sad, if kissing him goodnight causes a bite, just don’t do it.
Also, how old is your conure?

Sorry you’re going through this with your bird!

Sorry I just mean new feathers. He's moulting because winter is coming. So he's a bit cranky. I'm in Sydney.
I'll try the treat idea.
Bedtime is not too bad ... but if he attempts to bite there is no kiss goodnight. Its funny he looks very put out with no kiss.
He's an adopted rescue escapee ... no clue of age. I've had him 14 months. He's grown so I don't think he was very old when I got him.

 

[Terry57]

I'm so sorry that you're going through this with your baby. Does he have time out of his cage? If so, perhaps you could change the food and water while he's out?

What do you mean by winter feathers? Just curious!

I’ve heard of green cheeks being cage aggressive, my own GCC was when I first adopted him 2 years ago.
The best way I have combated this is training him to stand on one side of the cage while I put his food/water back in the cage.
You start by handing them a larger treat that takes a moment to eat while you put the bowls in and eventually the just automatically go there over time when they see you returning with a bowl.
And, though it may make you sad, if kissing him goodnight causes a bite, just don’t do it.
Also, how old is your conure?

Sorry you’re going through this with your bird!

This is excellent advice, and all I have to add to it is something that worked when I got one of my retired breeders who was very aggressive when we put his food and water in.
He loves paper towels and I'd stick one through the bars on the opposite side of his cage and while he was tearing it up I had time to change his food and water. He now steps back away from his food and water and lets me put them in without an issue

My birds are terrified of gloves, that's not something I would use.

My birds have to earn both shoulder privileges and kisses, and when they're biting they lose those until they stop.
Hopefully he is grumpy because he's molting and this will pass soon.

 

[wrench13]

My opinion and everything I have read - Gloves are not the answer to biting. Maybe warranted for birds of prey, not conures. zERo's suggestion seems to be one to pursue, but keep in mind - parrots rate of acceptance to change is GLACIAL when compared to our monkey brains. IT may take a while for this method to sink in.

If that does not work, maybe a cardboard shield could be inserted to block him off from your hand? Outside my scope of experience with my parrots. If he was growing recently, he may be in the throes of puberty, where all common sense and behavior goes out the window!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

My opinion and everything I have read - Gloves are not the answer to biting. Maybe warranted for birds of prey, not conures. zERo's suggestion seems to be one to pursue, but keep in mind - parrots rate of acceptance to change is GLACIAL when compared to our monkey brains. IT may take a while for this method to sink in.

If that does not work, maybe a cardboard shield could be inserted to block him off from your hand? Outside my scope of experience with my parrots. If he was growing recently, he may be in the throes of puberty, where all common sense and behavior goes out the window!

I only mentioned gloves in case of a situation when you needed to prevent an injury. You could try putting your hand inside the sleeve of a familiar nonthreatening sweatshirt if you fear your bird is going to cause some damage when you put your hand in to change their food and water. . Nobody wants trips to the urgent care for stitches, infections, scarring, etc.