Older Adopted bird; advice?

[Fae]

While we were in a local pet shop yesterday we had never been in before, we found an 11 year old ruby crowned conure in need of saving. His owner had died and her son didn't want the bird so he was put on consignment in the shop. However, after a couple weeks there, the bird became crazy stressed out since they have him right at the entrance of the store and the owner asked the man to come back for him.

The man said "he's yours now, I'm not coming back for him" and this poor bird has been left at the store for almost a month now. The shop keep said he was originally going for 200$ but if we wanted him she'd take 40 to get him out of there, she wasn't a very bird friendly person and was tired of hearing him screaming.

Without even asking my husband whipped out 40$ and said we'd take him but we'd need to pick him up the next day (later today) after we got our Amazon's new cage delivered and set up for him. I walked back to the conure and gently offered my hand to him to see his reaction and he snapped at me, not bad enough to draw blood but he was mostly reacting to the stress he was under, I'm sure.

So I'm wondering if anyone has advice on how to settle this poor old fella in best. We have a small flock of various birds already, so it's going to be a bit noisy for everyone in the house, but we have a spare room I'd planned to quarantine him in, hopefully to warm him up to the house and away from being too overwhelmed by the other birds in the house.

It just broke my heart seeing him there on display and not having any personal space or even space to move, the cage he's in now is TINY, aprox 12x cubed at best. We have a much larger cage we'll be moving him into once our Amazon is moved into his new home this evening, so I hope his bigger play space helps settle some of his snappiness.

 

[weco]

I wouldn't be too concerned about the bird's actions.....it's been taken away from what it knew & was used to and popped into a small cage, on display to those coming & going and probably some amount of poking & teasing thrown in.....

Once you get your new little conure home & have had the opportunity to show the bird what is in store for it, you'll see changes, though it might still try a bluffing front.....virtually all companion parrots do this as an attempt to establish a higher position in the homes's pecking order.....

Good luck & enjoy your new friend.....

 

[Sammy01]

Just give him time and lots of affection. The way I generally win parrots over is by finding out their favorite treats. In the beginning they may not want to get to know you or want you never them but after a while they warm up.

 

[MonicaMc]

Ruby crowned???? Do you have a photo, by chance?

I was told my cherry headed conure (Noel) was 9 years old when I got him, but he could have been 11 or older! It took a long while of learning to understand him. He was my first conure, first rehome bird, and had many health problems. I was 13 years old at the time. *NOT* the kind of bird for someone that age to have! Even though he never became as tame and friendly as I read conures were supposed to be, I still cherished him, and I miss him. I had him for a little over 8 years and he passed on due to failing health.

My mitred conure (Charlie) was 12 years old when I got him and pretty much clung to me instantly! (had no interest when he was at his foster home, but once in my own home, that was the opposite) He is the complete opposite of my CHC in everything but color! Health, likes, dislikes, etc. I thought after having the Noel that I'd be prepared for another conure, but boy is he a handful compared to Noel!

I now have a red throated conure, too! She's kind of in-between Noel and Charlie but much closer to Charlie than Noel. And she's also much different at the same time! I thought she was 10 years old, but she's really a baby at 3 years old! I've had her for 3 months now and progress is a bit slow, but she's doing better than when she first got here! I've been able to do more with her than her foster mom was able to within 6 months, so I'd say we are definitely making progress! She desires attention, but she's afraid of being on hands. She's not afraid of hands specifically, because she loves scritches! It's just one thing to receive scritches and another to be *on* said hand. Talk about confusing!




Just know that it's probably going to take some time. I would definitely recommend looking into clicker training and positive reinforcement. That and learning to respect and understand him!

 

[Kalidasa]

Thank goodness you guys found him before they got tired of him and let him out the nearest window. My conure was abandoned also and acted aggressive and a bit insane when I first got her (April) but everything's peachy now...it'll take a little work but things should smooth right out.

 

[Fae]

We brought him home yesterday, The shop owner called him a ruby crowned conure but I'll be honest I'm not sure what he is, he doesn't look like a cherry head to me and I'm not as conure savvy as I am budgie savvy.

His name is Snooky, but I cringed when I heard that so we're seeing if he's responsive to it before we try changing it. If he responds we may have to keep it, such a terrible name, you can tell he was an old lady's bird!

However, the shopkeep seems to imply he may have gone aggressive with the stay there. He was kind at first then during the 2 months he got bity, but when he arrived home I asked him kindly to "step up" and he walked right out and up to my shoulder and chilled with me. He's an absolute sweet heart, despite being a bit upset at our other birds when he's around them. He gets into his stress cry loud fits so I'm trying to keep him as much away as I can to keep him calm and such.

He needs a vet visit, his beak is a bit overgrown, very sharp, and his talons are sharp and a bit long also. We noticed last night one of his toes looks like the toe tip including the nail bed may have been amputated from a previous injury as he's missing a claw altogether but has most of the toe overall.

 

[irowiki]

Probably going to rename him to Rain, Sunshine and Rain!

 

[Fae]

Ah ha, after doing some species checks, I'd say he looks to be a Gold-Capped Conure. First one I've ever seen. Our petshops are big on the green cheeks so we don't see much variety here.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Very cute. I'm so glad you took the bird home with you. He may have had a pretty good life previously, before his owner passed away, and is just terribly confused right now, but once he settles in, you may have a wonderful new friend.

 

[MonicaMc]

Glad you were able to figure out his species! There is no "ruby crowned" conure.


Of the Aratinga species, you have the following "red and green" birds

Green Conure
White Eyed Conure
Red Throated Conure
Cherry Headed Conure aka Red Masked Conure
Mitred Conure
Finsch's Conure
Wagler's Conure aka Scarlet Fronted Conure aka Red Fronted Conure
Hocking's Conure
Chapman's Conure
Hispaniolan Conure
Cuban Conure

Of those species, the most common ones are White Eyeds, Cherry Heads and Mitreds followed by Waglers and Red Throats.

No "ruby crowns".


Of the Pyrrhura's, it's a little more simple! First two species most common.

Rose Crowned Conure
Hoffman's Conure
Red Eared Conure
Santa Marta Conure



I'm surprised the shop didn't call him a sun or jenday conure!

 

[faeryphoebe1]

He's so beautiful. You're an angel for saving him. How about "cookie" or some other name that rhymes with snooky?

 

[Fae]

Wow, we finally had an opportunity to read the old bird's leg band, the bugger is 18 years old and from California originally. A bit older than we'd be told, I dare say, and I was pretty sure he wasn't a New Mexico bird as I'm not aware of any Gold-Capped Breeders now or within the past few years unless it's a small time breeder.

I can't believe how much of a sweet bird he is through, his previous mum must have absolutely spoiled him for him to be so well behaved and kind. He's a bit of a screamer though, when it's time to wake up, he'll wake the neighbourhood.

 

[MonicaMc]

About as old as my mitred conure, and he's also from California!


It's great that he's settling in so well!

 

[Chelle]

He is BEAUTIFUL!! I am so glad you found him and he is no longer in the pet-shop!!!! If he is already being sweet at home I am sure he knows he is in a loving home

 

[jojob]

I find covering my hand with an oven glove helps my dusky headed conure, he too doesnt like to be on my hands

Ruby crowned???? Do you have a photo, by chance?

I was told my cherry headed conure (Noel) was 9 years old when I got him, but he could have been 11 or older! It took a long while of learning to understand him. He was my first conure, first rehome bird, and had many health problems. I was 13 years old at the time. *NOT* the kind of bird for someone that age to have! Even though he never became as tame and friendly as I read conures were supposed to be, I still cherished him, and I miss him. I had him for a little over 8 years and he passed on due to failing health.

My mitred conure (Charlie) was 12 years old when I got him and pretty much clung to me instantly! (had no interest when he was at his foster home, but once in my own home, that was the opposite) He is the complete opposite of my CHC in everything but color! Health, likes, dislikes, etc. I thought after having the Noel that I'd be prepared for another conure, but boy is he a handful compared to Noel!

I now have a red throated conure, too! She's kind of in-between Noel and Charlie but much closer to Charlie than Noel. And she's also much different at the same time! I thought she was 10 years old, but she's really a baby at 3 years old! I've had her for 3 months now and progress is a bit slow, but she's doing better than when she first got here! I've been able to do more with her than her foster mom was able to within 6 months, so I'd say we are definitely making progress! She desires attention, but she's afraid of being on hands. She's not afraid of hands specifically, because she loves scritches! It's just one thing to receive scritches and another to be *on* said hand. Talk about confusing!




Just know that it's probably going to take some time. I would definitely recommend looking into clicker training and positive reinforcement. That and learning to respect and understand him!

 

[MonicaMc]

jojob, covering my hands was no different than having them uncovered. In fact, she would still go after my hands/arms to bite.

Rather than ignore the bite and allow her to tear up my flesh, I decided to try avoiding the bites. We are now at a point where she is ok with my hands and arms. She will climb up onto either without biting, then make a dash for my shoulder. Next step is to teach her to stay on my hand as well as stepping up from my shoulder so I don't have to lean against something to get her off.