Hi everyone I’m looking for some help if possible please. I have a Green Cheek Conure who is roughly 10 years old. We do not know whether M or F having never DNA tested. We always assumed a he. He never really liked affection or to be petted only on his terms and he was a biter and also very vocal! However over the past year there has been a change in him. He is much quieter and has taken to liking affection and cuddles and also now keeps hiding in strange places for example he likes to sit for ages on the wire behind a picture on our wall and when I try to get him he doesn’t want to come out. He also likes to burrow under the pillows in the bedroom right down into the back of the bed! I am wondering if he may be a she and is exhibiting hormonal or nesting behaviour. Has anyone else experienced this? I would love some advice. He used to have a best friend our budgie but she sadly passed away two years ago do you think he needs a new friend?
Conure behaving strangely!
- Thread starter VJB
- Start date
- May 9, 2026
- 484
- 665
- Parrots
- CAG
Sounds like female behavior. You may want DNA testing to be sure. In meantime limit access to enclosed dark areas. This will stimulate nesting and possible egg laying. Hopefully those with experience with hormonal hens will give more help. Check here on foods not to feed hormonal parrots.
RitzQuaker1
Member
- Dec 27, 2025
- 29
- 25
- Parrots
- Pineapple Green Cheek, Nekkid Senegal, Galah, LSC 'Too, Orange Winged Amazon and Blue Crown Conure.
I would suggest trying a new buddy, but not necessarily in the same cage. That takes time to see if they would get along. But just having a friend in the same room to talk too is good for the majority of birds, they are not a solitary species generally.
kme3388
Well-known member
- Sep 17, 2021
- 2,116
- 5,641
- Parrots
- Eclectus Parrot: Nico (male)
Sun Conure: Charlie (male)
B&G Macaw: Blue (male)
Great advice above. I have a male conure, and I had a female who unfortunately passed away. You cannot tell in conures if they are male or female without DNA testing. My male is snuggly and will burrow into my neck, and so didn’t my female. Both of my conures could be snippy. My sun conure is very snippy, and he’s my male. He chomped down on my husband’s finger so hard last week that he drew blood. My husband was just trying to have him step up, and my sun conure didn’t want to leave my husband’s shoulder. He was snuggled into his neck. When he doesn’t want to leave a shoulder, or doesn’t want to go back to his cage he bites. I’ve been working with him for a few years now with this. Shunning him doesn’t work, and nothing I’ve found has completely gotten rid of the behavior. I won’t put him on my shoulder. My husband still does. He often gets bit.
