Looking for help with my conure

[Adeybug]

Hi, all, I just joined the forum and looking for some advice. My soon to be 11 year old conure, June, has suddenly started biting me at a specific time. She has a very comfortable sleeping cage in my bedroom where it's dark, quiet and warm. In the morning, when she is ready to come out of her sleeping cage, she usually whistles to me and I get her to step up and cuddle her against my chest as I carry her to the living room, and put her on the handle of her basket, where she does her morning poop. Normally, I get her to step up and put her on my lap and we cuddle for 15 minutes or so, then she steps up and I put her in her day cage. So far, so good, for the past 10 years.

Lately (past 2 weeks), right after she does her morning poop, she has been getting very aggressive and bitey towards me when I ask her to step up. She grabs my finger with her foot and holds on tight and has been trying to bite me, and has succeeded several times already. She then attempts to fly on to my lap for cuddles and moves to have me cup her on my lap (which is normal). This is the only time it happens during the day. She steps up if she is in her cage during and at the end of the day and I want to give her a snack in her basket, or she steps up when I tell her it's time for "sleepytime." The after-morning poop is the only time she displays this type of behavior and has only started recently. I'm at a loss for what is causing this and how to remedy it. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks in advance!

 

[zERo]

Hi, all, I just joined the forum and looking for some advice. My soon to be 11 year old conure, June, has suddenly started biting me at a specific time. She has a very comfortable sleeping cage in my bedroom where it's dark, quiet and warm. In the morning, when she is ready to come out of her sleeping cage, she usually whistles to me and I get her to step up and cuddle her against my chest as I carry her to the living room, and put her on the handle of her basket, where she does her morning poop. Normally, I get her to step up and put her on my lap and we cuddle for 15 minutes or so, then she steps up and I put her in her day cage. So far, so good, for the past 10 years.

Lately (past 2 weeks), right after she does her morning poop, she has been getting very aggressive and bitey towards me when I ask her to step up. She grabs my finger with her foot and holds on tight and has been trying to bite me, and has succeeded several times already. She then attempts to fly on to my lap for cuddles and moves to have me cup her on my lap (which is normal). This is the only time it happens during the day. She steps up if she is in her cage during and at the end of the day and I want to give her a snack in her basket, or she steps up when I tell her it's time for "sleepytime." The after-morning poop is the only time she displays this type of behavior and has only started recently. I'm at a loss for what is causing this and how to remedy it. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks in advance!

Has anything changed in the environment? Displacement biting is a common thing, she could see something scary or new and doesn't like it so she takes her fear/anger out on you.

Hormones can also play a big part in biting more often than normal, have you recently added any excess carbs/sugar than normal?

 

[wrench13]

Both good guesses zERo. Then again she might just have woken up on the wrong side of the perch a few times, or didn't get a good nights sleep.

 

[Adeybug]

Has anything changed in the environment? Displacement biting is a common thing, she could see something scary or new and doesn't like it so she takes her fear/anger out on you.

Hormones can also play a big part in biting more often than normal, have you recently added any excess carbs/sugar than normal?

Hi, zERo, and thanks for getting back to me. June's environment (her basket) is exactly the same. It's in the same place in the morning as it is in the afternoon and evening, so I'm not sure what she could be finding that's scary in the morning as opposed to other times. I can't help but thinking (although I'm not observing it) maybe she's having trouble pooping? That's the only time the biting behavior occurs. No changes in her diet at all for Volkman Lovebird and Conure Food

Both good guesses zERo. Then again she might just have woken up on the wrong side of the perch a few times, or didn't get a good nights sleep.

 

[Adeybug]

Hi, both, and thanks for getting back to me. June's environment (her basket) is exactly the same. It's in the same place in the morning as it is in the afternoon and evening, so I'm not sure what she could be finding that's scary in the morning as opposed to other times. I can't help but thinking (although I'm not observing it) maybe she's having trouble pooping? That's the only time the biting behavior occurs is after her morning poop. No changes in her diet at all (Volkman Lovebird and Conure Food and Roudybush Mini Pellets), and a variety of fruits and veggies as snacks, but only snacks (v. small portions).

 

[HeatherG]

Hi, zERo, and thanks for getting back to me. June's environment (her basket) is exactly the same. It's in the same place in the morning as it is in the afternoon and evening, so I'm not sure what she could be finding that's scary in the morning as opposed to other times. I can't help but thinking (although I'm not observing it) maybe she's having trouble pooping? That's the only time the biting behavior occurs. No changes in her diet at all for Volkman Lovebird and Conure Food

Or maybe she could be nesty and wanting to stay in her nice sleepy cage with her momma. ??