I'm Gona need all the HELP I can get

[ann]

Hi all, so I got my patigonian conure Thursday as some of you may know. he is a real sweet heart, he cuddled with me and preened me for a half an hour today . I have some questions though. I was under the impresion he was 7 monthsold, turns out he is at least 3 years old, so I got a little more than I bargained for. He will not step up. He steps up on a perch, and once on my arm from the perch. He tries o bite my arm or fingers when I try to get him to step up. He's very patient though, he pushes his beak or lunges first and when he finally clamps, it's a gentle pinch. I dont react I just stop and wait a few seconds before petting him again. He was so happy cuddling he wanted nothing to do with stepping up. What do I do o get him to step up, and what do i do when he bites me while trying to get him to step up? Also is preening a breeding behavior? Thank you for any and all help!

 

[Mozzie]

Congrats on your new conure!! That is very exciting! I am sure it will just take time for him to settle in. It is a big change to go to a new home. I am sure you are doing all the right things. Just follow his lead and watch his body language and you will be able to tell if he wants you to handle him or not. In time he will be your best friend!

 

[ann]

thank you! the only thing is he did want to be handled, but sometimes i have to put him back in his cage whether he wants to or not. i dont want to push him too hard, but should i just make him step up anyway, even if i get bit?

 

[luvmytooo]

Congratulations Ann !!!
I think you should just let him get used to his environment and new family.
I wouldn't expect too much so soon either. That's a big difference in age !
Where did you get him again ? Sorry , I forgot
Anyway , just give it time, I'm sure once he is comfortable he will stop the nipping or at least curb it. I just can't help but think if he likes cuddling so much , allowing himself to be pet should come along soon....maybe he just doesn't like how you approach him with your finger/hand ? Just a thought ....

 

[ann]

thank you! i got him from a breeder in Alabama. oh and he loves to be petted, he sits in my lap and cuddles . he just hates stepping up, i can pet him, feed him, he preens even me, but as soon as my hand approaches to step up, he lunges! its so frustrating, im trying not to be scared but its hard. he only steps up to a perch. I'm afraid he wont like hands. i try to approach him gently and firmly, i don't poke or jab, i just place my arm at his chest and he lunges. i love him so much, but i wasn't expecting extra baggage. i understand hes still adjusting, but it seems like more than that, he only bites when i try and get him to step up, he even bites the perch. also its not a steadying bite, its a lunge "go away" kinda bite. thank you for all the help, but what do i do? should i clicker train him?

 

[thebirdnerd]

Once he settles in you should look into training using positive reinforcement. Barbara Heidenreich is successful animal trainer who uses this method. I would suggest investing in some of her books and videos. She also gives seminars all over the country. Her website is goodbirdinc.com

 

[ann]

thank you, i will look into that. also im finding allot of down feathers, and when he shakes a floofie or two comes out, is this normal? he has some feather casings so he may be molting?

 

[Mozzie]

I wouldn't force him to step up at this point. When we got our blue fronted Amazon, she would not step up either. She was a rescue bird and had come from a bad situation. She was terrified of hands. We just gave her lots of time and was very patient with her. We never forced her to step up. Eventually she started trusting us. She would step up on our arm but not our hand. It took her over a year to totally trust us. Now she steps up great, loves to be scratched and cuddled and is not afraid of hands at all. So just give him time and you will be amazed at his progress. Sounds like you are off to a great start! Good luck. Oh and as far as the feathers go, I would bet he is just molting. Mine are too.

 

[Oedipussrex]

A great easy way to introduce them to new things and get them to where you want them to go is 'touch training'

just get something like a chopstick, and (assuming she doesnt automatically hate it or associate bad emotions with it because some of them do) and get him to touch the end of it with his beak, and every time he touches it give him a treat. he will associate the stick with the treat and then you can hold the stick just out of reach wherever you want him to go and eventually he should follow the stick with you treating him every time he touches it.

this is also able to be combined with clicker training, so once the behaviour is reinforced you should just be able to call him and phase out the stick later

 

[henpecked]

I'm not so sure he's biting because he afraid of hands (he loves the pets), he's biting to say "NO" to going back in to the cage. He doesn't want to step up and leave you. Will he step up to leave the cage?

 

[ann]

i havent tried steping up from the cage, im using a perch like that for now. i will try that today. it could be she doesnt want to go back, i will work on that. you guys have helped so much, i feel much better now. if i keep using the perch for now, will she not like hands and only perches? and yes, i plan to start touch training her today

 

[RescueMe]

I have had a lot of success in kinda leading them to step up by having a treat that I hold above and a little past my hand or arm and lead them to a step up. This is a great way to positively reinforce the behavior and making it fun. I also do this when I want a bird to go happily into her cage. I never have a grumpy bird being shoved into a cage.

 

[goalerjones]

my Hahn's will step up when he knows I am going to work, but getting him to "step-up" off of his cage to my finger is near to impossible. I have been using treats like broccoli and carrots and reward him when he steps up and that seems to be working.

He would much rather just get onto my shoulder though and bypass the finger and "step up" altogether.

 

[ann]

I have had a lot of success in kinda leading them to step up by having a treat that I hold above and a little past my hand or arm and lead them to a step up. This is a great way to positively reinforce the behavior and making it fun. I also do this when I want a bird to go happily into her cage. I never have a grumpy bird being shoved into a cage.

thats exactly what i did yesterday and it worked wonders. we are still working with each other but its getting better. *henpecked*- it doesn't matter where we are or where hes going,he doesnt really want to step up but we are getting better .

 

[ann]

my Hahn's will step up when he knows I am going to work, but getting him to "step-up" off of his cage to my finger is near to impossible. I have been using treats like broccoli and carrots and reward him when he steps up and that seems to be working.

He would much rather just get onto my shoulder though and bypass the finger and "step up" altogether.

same here, except i dont let mine on my shoulder...yet . i hope its going well with your hahns.