How do you deal with conure constantly making messes?

[quackerz]

Tux's been with us for 1.5 years, wings clipped. I give him pretty much maximum freedom during the day. He is only put back to his cage when I head out or go to bed. So he is free to roam around the room.



The problem is the mess he makes. He never plays with his toys outside his cage. I have tried several rotations but none seemed to interest him. Instead, he enjoys shredding. Paper towels, tissues, cell phone cases, gaming controllers -- you name it. The worst thing is he distributes debris to the floor after he is done. I literally have to clean the floor like every 2 days to not make my room look like a landfill.



Another major issue is how he eats juicy fruits in general. I usually offer him berries but when he eats them he would frequently shake his head, flinging the shredded berries everywhere around him, including my white wall. I have to constantly monitor his behavior while he's eating fruits and clean up the mess asap because it's hard to get dried berries juice off.



He also loves pushing things off desks. Once he declares something his toy, he would bite anyone that touches it and be constantly pushing it off desks. This is more of a minor annoyance but I'd appreciate if someone has a solution.



Don't get me wrong he is otherwise a fantastic bird otherwise I'd be having more serious issues lol. I just wonder if it's normal to constantly clean up after the bird? How do you deal with it, maybe getting a roomba?

 

[noodles123]

You clean them up lol!!!


I use mats around the cage (like, the spiked carpet runners----I cut them up). It is still a mess, but that is how parrots are- that is why they are able to spread seeds and pollinate things etc etc.


Target training and perch training is also huge-- my bird is not allowed to go wherever whenever, although she is literally out with me as long as I am home and her wings are unclipped.


Parrots being messy is normal and healthy--- they will push things off desks and get into anything that they can (assuming its not scary). So it's up to you to figure out the rest lol! sorry!

 

[fiddlejen]

Stop the fruits. Otherwise you will have ants come summer, big time! And birds don't Need fruit. Fruit is treat only, give fresh veggies instead.

See Noodles' response above, especially regarding target training and perch training. It will help. (Sometimes more difficult to do with smaller birds-due to, less-motivated human. Since, a Conure's bad behavior will only inconvenience the human; and Not maim, kill, or deafen you like a 'too!)

Roomba yep. I tried getting a robovac. It kept bumping the cages stressing the birdies. But cleaned good. Sent it back got one that uses laser vision instead. IT left an un-touched swathe about 2-feet exactly the worst area in need of cleaning. (I think due to the color and shape of my baseboard radiators.) SO I am stuck with regular vacuum. (Cordless stick vacuum 2x daily most days, "regular", more heavy-duty vac occasionally. Also regular mopping And sweeping.

Avoid the fruits to less-attract ants. MUST vacuum and sweep, to not attract rodents. All part of the fun of owning (aka, being servant to) a bird!

Beautiful handsome little conure by the way. Definitely has that look of birdie-mischief-maker in his eye!

 

[quackerz]

but that is how parrots are- that is why they are able to spread seeds and pollinate things etc etc.

I didn't know parrots help spread pollen and seeds. Good to know!

Parrots being messy is normal and healthy--- they will push things off desks and get into anything that they can (assuming its not scary). So it's up to you to figure out the rest lol! sorry!

I'll let the pushing slip then as it doesn't bother me THAT much.

 

[noodles123]

When they poop, they shoot out seeds- that is why they are programmed to poop as they do and to drop things off edges as they eat--- it lets new things grow. Think about what a bird pooping seeds could do if one flies 40 miles a day pooping seeds


SOME (but not all) parrots also help with pollination (lorikeets are popular pollinators) .

 

[quackerz]

Stop the fruits. Otherwise you will have ants come summer, big time! And birds don't Need fruit. Fruit is treat only, give fresh veggies instead.

Definitely don't want ants/mice/roaches here. I tried veggies but he didn't like them. I'll browse more posts and figure something out.

Roomba yep. I tried getting a robovac. It kept bumping the cages stressing the birdies. But cleaned good. Sent it back got one that uses laser vision instead. IT left an un-touched swathe about 2-feet exactly the worst area in need of cleaning. (I think due to the color and shape of my baseboard radiators.) SO I am stuck with regular vacuum. (Cordless stick vacuum 2x daily most days, "regular", more heavy-duty vac occasionally. Also regular mopping And sweeping.

Looks like I'm not alone lol. I'll get a roomba at least it will keep the regular areas in my room clean. Cage cleaning I will continue doing it myself.

 

[noodles123]

Stop the fruits. Otherwise you will have ants come summer, big time! And birds don't Need fruit. Fruit is treat only, give fresh veggies instead.

Definitely don't want ants/mice/roaches here. I tried veggies but he didn't like them. I'll browse more posts and figure something out.

Roomba yep. I tried getting a robovac. It kept bumping the cages stressing the birdies. But cleaned good. Sent it back got one that uses laser vision instead. IT left an un-touched swathe about 2-feet exactly the worst area in need of cleaning. (I think due to the color and shape of my baseboard radiators.) SO I am stuck with regular vacuum. (Cordless stick vacuum 2x daily most days, "regular", more heavy-duty vac occasionally. Also regular mopping And sweeping.

Looks like I'm not alone lol. I'll get a roomba at least it will keep the regular areas in my room clean. Cage cleaning I will continue doing it myself.

It quite literally took me over a year of daily exposure to get my parrot to try spinach (and now she loves it)...Same with leafy green anything.....YESSSS , the waste is horrific, but don't assume that you can just give up because your bird is picky---you have to keep presenting the same stuff and eat it in front if your bird. Vegetables are better (as a rule) for parrots than fruit, but don't just throw in the towel.

 

[T00tsyd]

I cut any fruit that Syd has into small bite size pieces and feed them from a dish in his cage. I have white walls and it works. That way I find he eats it rather than throwing it around. I cut up an old sheet into smallish spot covers and Syd has learnt to check where he poops and usually hits the covers. They then just go in the washing machine, I have about 20. He also loves to push things off worktops etc. He has a collection of foot toys, little wooden balls, pencil shapes etc in a large shallow bowl for his use. That tends to stop him grabbing my pens. He chases them around the bowl eventually managing to toss them out, but it takes some time. For shredding I loop up a small paper roll in his cage which at least centres the mess, but then I don't have him out all day. I vary his schedule all the time both in and out of his cage. It probably works out a little more out than in.

 

[Laurasea]

very beautiful conure!!
Try yucca chips, mine live to chew those, shredders weavers, cork sold for burds, Chinese finger traps, and willow twigs, bird safe leather straps tied in loose knots, conures love to untie knots

 

[quackerz]

I cut any fruit that Syd has into small bite size pieces and feed them from a dish in his cage. I have white walls and it works. That way I find he eats it rather than throwing it around. I cut up an old sheet into smallish spot covers and Syd has learnt to check where he poops and usually hits the covers. They then just go in the washing machine, I have about 20. He also loves to push things off worktops etc. He has a collection of foot toys, little wooden balls, pencil shapes etc in a large shallow bowl for his use. That tends to stop him grabbing my pens. He chases them around the bowl eventually managing to toss them out, but it takes some time. For shredding I loop up a small paper roll in his cage which at least centres the mess, but then I don't have him out all day. I vary his schedule all the time both in and out of his cage. It probably works out a little more out than in.

I tried cutting it up to conure bite sizes. The shaking continued. I think it's not the bite size for Tux maybe some part of his beak is sensitive to touching fluid. I observed similar behavior when he showers himself/drinks from my water cup. But he doesn't do it quite often when he drinks from his water bowl.. Welp every parrot has a different theory.



Tux doesn't play his toys outside his cage, but he still recognizes them as his toys as in he doesn't allow me to touch them either. He mostly learned not to poop on the bed but not elsewhere.


He absolutely does not tolerate being left in the cage when I'm in sight or in the room and would scream his lungs out. Interestingly he doesn't do so when he knows I'm out, by telling the type of clothes I'm wearing. He recognizes my pajamas. If I'm wearing something else he thinks I'll head out and bites me hard to show his frustration.

 

[quackerz]

very beautiful conure!!
Try yucca chips, mine live to chew those, shredders weavers, cork sold for burds, Chinese finger traps, and willow twigs, bird safe leather straps tied in loose knots, conures love to untie knots

Thank you I think I haven't tried knots and yucca chips. I'll try to get my hands on some. Everything else I already tried. He plays with them in his cage but not outside, which is the problem lol.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Stop the fruits. Otherwise you will have ants come summer, big time! And birds don't Need fruit. Fruit is treat only, give fresh veggies instead.

Definitely don't want ants/mice/roaches here. I tried veggies but he didn't like them. I'll browse more posts and figure something out.

Roomba yep. I tried getting a robovac. It kept bumping the cages stressing the birdies. But cleaned good. Sent it back got one that uses laser vision instead. IT left an un-touched swathe about 2-feet exactly the worst area in need of cleaning. (I think due to the color and shape of my baseboard radiators.) SO I am stuck with regular vacuum. (Cordless stick vacuum 2x daily most days, "regular", more heavy-duty vac occasionally. Also regular mopping And sweeping.

Looks like I'm not alone lol. I'll get a roomba at least it will keep the regular areas in my room clean. Cage cleaning I will continue doing it myself.

You want to see the mess my lot make with Pomegranate but it would be bad to deprive them of something both nutritious and well liked. It could be if your bird likes fruit better then the sweeter veggies; roots, beetroot, carrots also (lightly steamed) sweet potatoes perhaps broken down in a food processor would be taken to better?

 

[clark_conure]

In your initial post.....um....

you basically summed up green cheek conure behavior.

TEXTBOOK.

I don't really see what the problem is or how to help you.

I'm dead serious. Those are their defining characteristics, you should just put that on wikipedia.