Eva is such a booger!

[angiemw]

I can't get her to step up or anything. I know she's just a baby, but she's already showing defensive signs. If I put my hand in the cage to even touch a toy she charges after me. She don't like anybody sticking their hand in her cage. I put toys in there and she's so smart she figures out how to rip them down. LOL I put in a ladder for her to climb around on. She figured out how to lift it up and move it to the bottom of the cage. She ripped her swing down and threw it on the bottom of the cage. She will wedge herself under her food bowl and water bowl and she figured out a way to dump them both. I sit by her cage, and if I move my hand around the outside, she follows it. She don't bite hard, she nibbles and licks my fingers. But don't let me put my hand in that cage, she will bite it. When I give her a snack I make a clicking sound, she's now mimicking that noise. lol I thought I heard her say "Hello" once, but it wasn't very clear so I'm not sure. Her favorite place to be is outside. She know's once she's out there, she can sing as loud as she want's with the other birds. But in the house, she's only vocal in the morning.
This picture is me with my hand in her cage. You can see she's not liking it too much. (This is her porch cage)

 

[aufde]

From what I've read, Green cheeks are really territorial and usually don't like people getting in there cage. You can leave the door open for her to come out on her own then try to pick her up. That way you're not invading her territory.

If you can figure out what her favorite treats are, use a perch for step up training and hold her treat just out of reach so she has to step up onto the perch to get it. You will also save yourself some pain by using the perch at first.

Sounds like you got a smart one I'm not sure what to do about the food bowls and toys, besides securing them better.

 

[Wulfgeist]

My green cheek has gone through some really bratish stages but he's doing alot better now. I think alot of them can be little terrors. I suppose perhaps you could think of her like a puppy or kitten. They explore, push boundries, test the whole world around them. Being that she's young she's probably going through this. "Hey look what I can do!" Maybe she wants to redecorate on her own. Just keep working with her and have patience. Let her have fun but don't let her push you around, if she gets the best of you now that might set things up for more trials down the road. Good luck with her!

 

[angiemw]

Thanks Aufde and Wulfgeist. I haven't thought about letting her come up on a perch. I'll do that after work today.

I have secured her bowls down better. I don't think she will dump them again. I also put little cat balls in the bottom of her cage. She has a blast throwing those around.

I haven't found what kind of treat she likes best. She don't care for people food. And she refuses to eat vegies and fruits. I still put them in her cage daily to offer them to her. She will take a bit of banana or what ever I'm eating, but she won't take more than a nibble to try it. I have a couple of conure books I've been reading. But they are more of explaining the different types of conure's rather than trying to train them. She's young yet. She will learn. (I hope) LOL

 

[AFP520]

Lucy likes rice crispies. It takes her about 5 minutes to eat just 1 piece

 

[angiemw]

Eva so far won't eat anything but her seeds and pellets. I still offer her a variety of different types to see what she wants. She likes peanut butter, but don't take more than a nibble of it. She wont eat more than a taste of anything.

I left her door open for 2 hours yesterday and she wont even try to come out of her cage. I tried to just get her out to sit on the table, and she sticks her head out then jumps back in. I'm not sure if I should walk away from her cage with the door open. I want her to get to trust me outside the cage as well as she does when she's in it. She will follow me around her cage from the inside.

I still find it so funny how when she wants a safflower seed she makes the treat clicking sound. Then she will sit and wait until I do the clicking then I'll give it to her.

I wish she would come out and sit with me or even sit on the top of her cage, but she wont yet. I guess in time she will. It's going to take time and patience.

 

[Furf]

With my Green Monsters it took 3 weeks of leaving the cage door open before they would come out. As soon as they came out and were on top they are all about the step ups now.

Gonzo actually flies around the house looking for me.

So it really comes down to her comfort zone. Which we all want to be instant. I know I did with my two. I wish you luck and patience.

 

[Wulfgeist]

I have had trouble giving Tico fruits and veggies. As a treat I had blended up some frozen fruit and gave to them. Big mistake. He flung purple goo *all* over..my lampshade across the way, my walls that I had just painted white..yeah..
What I have found that he will eat with his pellets (he's on roudybush now) is something called Just Veggies. My Safe Bird Store carries it, I got mine at the bird place I bought my grey. They are dried veggies and they also have some fruit ones. Those he will eat though he's not fond of the peas, he does love the corn. They also get Avicakes crumbled up in their pellets too and seem to love those. I bought them nutriberries but even the small ones he doesn't quite seem comfortable with that ball.

 

[angiemw]

Thanks Wulfgeist. After I get home from work I will look into ordering some of that to see if she likes it. I wish I could get that kind of stuff in sample pack to see how she takes to it. I hate having to buy all those bags of fruits n such just to find out she don't like it. Then there's that money out the door. I have found out nobody wants to pay full price for an open bag of seed. Even if there's only 1/5 of a cup out of it.
I have found she loves those parrot seed things that hang in the cage. I hate that the local pet store sells the one that are made with artificial flavors. I have to order them from Pittsburgh so I know I get the better one's. I asked the pet store if they can get them in, well they charge twice as much as it costs for me to order it. I know they have to make a buck, but that's ridiculous. Eva also loves the dried corn in her seeds. She like the pumpkin seeds also. Her weakness is sufflower seeds. Those little white ones.

But if anybody knows of a place where I can get just small samples of different kinds of fruits n vegies to try to see if she would like them, I'd appreciate the info. I'm struggling with her food preferences. Here I thought my 12 y.o. was picky. LOL