I Need Help With My First Sun Conure, He's Only 5 Months Old :)

[Pens]

I just bought Sunny my Sun Conure yesterday from Petsmart and he seems very curious about everything. He has no problem climbing on our shoulders and eating food from everyone's' hands, but he does have a slight nibbling/biting problem. Every time he nibbles, I blow gently and say "No." in a firm voice, but he won't listen. Sometimes he even bites the nail a bit hard thinking that it's a nut? I don't know why lol but is it normal for him to nibble/bite at his age? I mean after all he is five months old He also won't let us scratch his head, he nibbles and rarely bites when we put our finger close to his head.

EDIT: His tail feathers also look messed up, but he has no feather plucking problems. Is this also normal?

This seems like a great community that I think would be able to help me since I'm a beginner bird owner. I also hope to contribute to this forum. Thanks in advance

 

[amysaviary]

He is a baby and not worked with as much as he should have been if u got him from a pet store. First u just got him u need to let him get use to everything and he might be biting to test u and see if he can trust u, he doesn't know u so he will test u. Work with him on step up. Put ur hand in front of his belly and tell him to step up after he does, kisses and all happy, good boy, then other hand, same thing. Do it like a ladder but make sure he knows u r happy when he steps up. This teaches him A. to step up and B. to trust that u will be there for him when u say step up. This helps to build a bond with him.

Next if he wants to be with u then use that to get him to stop biting. If he bites u put him down and walk away, don't say anything or blow in his face(not good) just walk away. Do not put him in his cage or play area because then he will learn to bite to go back in his cage or play area. Put him on the floor or table not a fun place and no toys. U have to do this as soon as he bites so he learn that is y u leave and u have to do it every time. He gets to be with u when he is good. This also works with screaming. He screams u walk out of the room and u only come back when he is quiet. Also don't let him out of his cage if and when he is screaming only when he is quiet.

Start these things now and it will be much EZer when he gets older.

 

[Pens]

He is a baby and not worked with as much as he should have been if u got him from a pet store. First u just got him u need to let him get use to everything and he might be biting to test u and see if he can trust u, he doesn't know u so he will test u. Work with him on step up. Put ur hand in front of his belly and tell him to step up after he does, kisses and all happy, good boy, then other hand, same thing. Do it like a ladder but make sure he knows u r happy when he steps up. This teaches him A. to step up and B. to trust that u will be there for him when u say step up. This helps to build a bond with him.

Next if he wants to be with u then use that to get him to stop biting. If he bites u put him down and walk away, don't say anything or blow in his face(not good) just walk away. Do not put him in his cage or play area because then he will learn to bite to go back in his cage or play area. Put him on the floor or table not a fun place and no toys. U have to do this as soon as he bites so he learn that is y u leave and u have to do it every time. He gets to be with u when he is good. This also works with screaming. He screams u walk out of the room and u only come back when he is quiet. Also don't let him out of his cage if and when he is screaming only when he is quiet.

Start these things now and it will be much EZer when he gets older.

Thank you very much, amysaviary. You have no idea how good it feels to know that this is all normal behavior. I'll be sure to use your tips

 

[94lt1]

He is a baby and not worked with as much as he should have been if u got him from a pet store. First u just got him u need to let him get use to everything and he might be biting to test u and see if he can trust u, he doesn't know u so he will test u. Work with him on step up. Put ur hand in front of his belly and tell him to step up after he does, kisses and all happy, good boy, then other hand, same thing. Do it like a ladder but make sure he knows u r happy when he steps up. This teaches him A. to step up and B. to trust that u will be there for him when u say step up. This helps to build a bond with him.

Next if he wants to be with u then use that to get him to stop biting. If he bites u put him down and walk away, don't say anything or blow in his face(not good) just walk away. Do not put him in his cage or play area because then he will learn to bite to go back in his cage or play area. Put him on the floor or table not a fun place and no toys. U have to do this as soon as he bites so he learn that is y u leave and u have to do it every time. He gets to be with u when he is good. This also works with screaming. He screams u walk out of the room and u only come back when he is quiet. Also don't let him out of his cage if and when he is screaming only when he is quiet.

Start these things now and it will be much EZer when he gets older.

That about says it all

 

[strasia93]

Congratulations on your addition to your family! Lets see some pictures!

It will also help to read as much as you can about Sun Conures, there are some good books online.

 

[Pens]

Congratulations on your addition to your family! Lets see some pictures!

It will also help to read as much as you can about Sun Conures, there are some good books online.

I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post them I think that even though he was expensive, he basically paid himself off the day we brought him in. No one in my family was a pet person before we brought him in, now they just can't get enough of him haha.

 

[amysaviary]

I breed Sun's and they r my Fav. all time bird! If u have questions I would be happy to try to help. They make great pets and have fun with the new little guy!

I forgot to say about his tail, yes very normal, when young they don't have the best balance so they tend to beat it up. Also in the pet store they might have had a perch to close to the side of the cage. Look for that in ur cage, if he is on the perch and his tail is hitting bars then move it, that way his tail will grown in nice and long!

 

[MonicaMc]

Conures are very nippy/bitey in general, regardless of species, so yes, that's normal.

Find out why he is biting/nipping/beaking. Birds at a young age *love* to explore with their beaks! Is he exploring? Or is he out right biting?

If it's explorations, then teach him "easy" or "gentle" and distract him with something to chew on... such as a foot toy, wooden beads, leather strips, bottle caps, etc.


Just like a puppy that is chewing everything, you don't want to discourage them from chewing and playing on things, but rather redirect them to appropriate things to chew on.


Don't worry about the tail feathers! They will get better with time!

 

[Pedro]

I just bought Sunny my Sun Conure yesterday from Petsmart and he seems very curious about everything. He has no problem climbing on our shoulders and eating food from everyone's' hands, but he does have a slight nibbling/biting problem. Every time he nibbles, I blow gently and say "No." in a firm voice, but he won't listen. Sometimes he even bites the nail a bit hard thinking that it's a nut? I don't know why lol but is it normal for him to nibble/bite at his age? I mean after all he is five months old He also won't let us scratch his head, he nibbles and rarely bites when we put our finger close to his head.

EDIT: His tail feathers also look messed up, but he has no feather plucking problems. Is this also normal?

This seems like a great community that I think would be able to help me since I'm a beginner bird owner. I also hope to contribute to this forum. Thanks in advance

Pens, your little guy is feeling with his beak. Parrots use their beaks as a third hand he doesn't know that he is hurting you. Your the one that has to set boundaries & teach your little guy what is acceptable & what isn't.
When one of my babies are nibbling a bit to hard i say "Gentle, don't bite me".

http://www.lafebervet.com/downloads/education/Biting.pdf

 

[banannaz4yew]

Helllo Bird Loving Friends!! I just bought Zuchini the green cheeked conure as well, 5 months. Very nippy and curious also. What i do is try to distract the bird and switching chewy toys every other day.

A fun thing is that I potty trained Zzuchini. I would just place the bird on newspaper and once they pooped i would pick them up and fed Zuki a sunflower seed. Now once i start to bring the bird towards the newspaper and hover her over it the bird just automatically poops wihtout me having to place her on the ground. She is potty trained for sure, only promlem is having her around important papers!! So i only have her play around newspaper. Within the 4 weeks that i have had her, i had trained her to poop and also to spin around when i give a hand motion. Now wen i come home she spins around indictaing she wants sunflower seeds!! super cute

 

[banannaz4yew]

Hi i hope all goes well with your first parrot!! I got just mine from Petco and it is a green cheecked conure, named Zuchini. Do not know the sex but i have a feeling it is a girl. I trained her to poop on newspaper and spin by a finger motion. I feeed her sunflower seeds after she does the trick and she looooooves them. I have trying to introduce new fooods, NOAVACADOS NO ONIONS NO CHOCOLATE. first rule, also my bird nippps very hard so we disipline by putting her on her cage, she dislikes being alone so once she calms we play with her again. Also i rotate chew toys so she is distracted and bites on those things instead of our nails!!!