GC Questions - Treats and Cage

[sue8866]

Hi Everyone -

First question:

My GC will not take treats of any kind. He looks at me like I am nuts. I have tried sunflower, hemp, nutri-berries, fruit, you name it. It is going to make training really hard. Any suggestions would be super!

Second question:

He will not come off his cage. He will fly to me sometimes and he wants to be with me because he contact calls and head bobs, but he will not come off his cage. He is out when I am home about 8-10 hrs a day and 2-3 hrs on work days (an hour before work and 2 hours after). He has not learned step-up because he is biting and not trained (see first question!). I know at 8 months he is probably hormonal, but I don' think this should affect leaving the cage top.

Any help would be great!
Sue

 

[GaleriaGila]

Let me start by saying... you're a hero, for being so devoted.
I'm not an expert... in fact, I have reinforced every bad behavior and let the Rb run amok for 40 years, buttt... you're trying the right things... hang n there. Also, the search engine here is great for finding info.
As for food... here is our story... maybe it ight help...
Too many are kept on seeds or other poor-nutrition things. They need veggies, legumes, grains... pellets are a good staple. Here's what I use.

HARRISON’S BIRD FOODS – CERTIFIED ORGANIC BIRD FOOD

See what's new at Harrison's Bird Foods: Certified organic, non-GMO diets for birds. Nutritionally complete for all life stages.

www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com

I feed Harrison's, supplemented by fresh healthy treats. My first, and later, my current avian vet recommended it. My bird loves the pellets now, but to get him converted, my avian vet suggested putting pellets out all day, and putting seeds (his old diet) out for two 15-minute periods a day. That would sustain him but leave him hungry enough to try new stuff. I presume the same technique could be used to get him to eat other healthy stuff, like good seeds, fruits and vegetables! My guy was eating pellets in a couple of days, and now I can feed a good variety of other stuff, knowing he has the pellets as a basic. Pellets are out all day... fresh treats a few times a day. I also like Harrison's via mail because I never have to worry about out-of-date products.
Also... if he sees YOU eating something, he ight try it. es, I have eaten a few pellets and other funky stuff in my life.
Stick with us. Good luck!

 

[jacattack]

Hi Sue! Not sure if I can be of any help, but my green cheek Henry that I adopted a little over a year ago had some similar things in the beginning that I was very frustrated with.
First, how long have you had him for? I read your other post about how you recently adopted him.
Sometimes, even experienced bird people go a little too fast. Each bird has a different margin of time before they become comfortable with you and gain trust. If your previous conure was very close to you, often times you can rush the beginning stages a bit with a new bird, wanting to relive the same relationship you had with your previous one.
Do you have a stand somewhere that he can fly to? He may not be comfortable enough with you to fly to you just yet, but getting a stand nearby where you work might help him get a little closer to you.
I rescued my gremlin at 4 years old, so I can't help with the juvenile hormone stage, however he used to bite me whenever I would attempt to have him step up, and I would be so frustrated because I never understood why-- I wasn't forcing him, I was rewarding him with treats, but he would always break the skin. Looking back, I realized that it was probably very stressful for him to come into a new home with a new person, and I should have taken it a bit more slowly.

M recommendation-- just take it slow! Give him a little more time. Let him get used to you and his new surroundings. It may take many weeks or even months, but taking your time will be worth it.
As for the treats, maybe try leaving them in his bowls to see if he explores them? Also, have you tried walnuts or pecans? Henry goes mad for them. Maybe try putting fruits and veggies on one of those metal skewers that hangs in the cage like a toy (here) and see if he tries them.

I hope this isn’t too basic for you, and I wish you all the best with him.