is this playful or aggressive behaviour

[tyson]

It looks like agrression to me but im new to conures
Thanks in advance
You have to click the link btw. No idea how to get a video on here
https://vid.me/2IeG

 

[Mallory]

My GCC Eva plays with toys in the exact same way so it well may be play behavior. We need a little more background on your bird and your relationship with your bird though before answering this question. Is your bird relatively tame and comfortable with you or is he fearful or aggressive with you? How long have you had him? Give us some background to put the video in perspective.
If your conure is uncomfortable with you this could be redirected aggression - I'm mad you're here but I can't get to you so I will attack this toy instead. This is called displacement. However if your bird is comfortable in the situation this is normal healthy play. Parrots tend to be very rough with their toys - shredding, vocalizing, hanging upside down swinging off them, etc. - when in a playful mood. It is a perfectly normal way for them to get out energy and explore their environment.

 

[JerseyWendy]

It looks like agrression to me but im new to conures
Thanks in advance
You have to click the link btw. No idea how to get a video on here
https://vid.me/2IeG

Hi there Tyson,
The easiest way to share videos is by uploading them to YouTube because the link will actually embed into your response/question.

 

[tyson]

My GCC Eva plays with toys in the exact same way so it well may be play behavior. We need a little more background on your bird and your relationship with your bird though before answering this question. Is your bird relatively tame and comfortable with you or is he fearful or aggressive with you? How long have you had him? Give us some background to put the video in perspective.
If your conure is uncomfortable with you this could be redirected aggression - I'm mad you're here but I can't get to you so I will attack this toy instead. This is called displacement. However if your bird is comfortable in the situation this is normal healthy play. Parrots tend to be very rough with their toys - shredding, vocalizing, hanging upside down swinging off them, etc. - when in a playful mood. It is a perfectly normal way for them to get out energy and explore their environment.

Thanks for your quick response
Ive had him for 2 months. Our bond is growing im teaching him tricks and showing affection. Although i am wrestlin with some nipping behaviour. He likes my shoulder but can only stay there if he doesbt bite my ear. He is a bit jumpy and with other people he can get aggressive quickly.

 

[Birdman666]

That's play.

The thing is, they get worked up into a state when they play rough, and then they stop controlling their bite pressure.

Conures, just like all birds, have to be taught to control their bite pressure.

 

[Mimsy01]

Thats just an excited green cheek.

If your's tends to be nippy, I do avoid handling when they are all worked up like that. Not because they are showing aggression, but when they get all crazy like that it can turn to bitey crazy behavior if fingers get involved.

I always wait for Foo to be calm before I play/teach/handle her. As you get to know him you will better read when it's likely to be bitey and when it's more calm play. For example, your video, when Foo acts like that I don't handle her because she is really crazy having fun but rough play, when she is rolling on her back being goofy she is gentle playing and fingers are safe then.

 

[tyson]

Thank you all.
How do you advice in teaching him to be gentle? He is flighted. The earthquake method makes him very angry and back in the cage as a punishment makes him dredd going back into his cage on any occassion. At this moment im just trying to observe and give him space when he is fed up. But if he bites i try to ignore him as much as i can. Any help is greatly appriciated.

 

[Mimsy01]

I can tell you what I do with Foo. I've had Foo now for about 3 years, and though she is mostly a sweetie, she has her moments or days as the case may be.

It will become easier when you are able to read him better. I don't hang out with Foo when I know she is in one of her moods. She's out all day and is flighted. So if she is in a really bad mood and flys to me and then bites I tell her no bite, or be gentle, she knows what both means. If she doesn't I put her back on her cage or her play gym and ignore her. If she is persistent, and flys back to try again to bite (which she hasn't done in a good year or more) I put her in the cage and close it. I'll walk by every few minutes and say Hi Foo. If she is being calm and happy I take her back out and if she is being sweet usually give her a treat. This is where reading them helps a lot, I can tell when she is still in a bad mood, including the difference between she can come out and hang out on her cage but isn't going to be super f un to really hang out with and when she is back to her normal sweet self completely and can come hang out with me. This just takes time to know the little differences.

If your's is so bitey that you are getting bit while trying to bring him back to his cage or some other perch other than you, you can use a towel. Find what works best with yours and then stay consistent. These guys are really smart, but if you are not consistent you may end up sending mixed messages.

If yours is just biting too hard by accident because he doesn't understand how soft you are, same rules really apply, though you might encourage him to chew on something else-like a piece of cardboard, or other toy that is ok to bite hard.

Discipline may cause them to get even more angry, like your earthquake method. Think of it like a small toddler, it can be a battle of wills. Be consistent and you will win and your conure will be happier for it.

You are going to want to pick the best methods that you and your parrot are comfortable with and then stick with it. That goes for both discipline (like putting them on a time out perch) and giving praise for good behavior (like a piece of millet).