Signs that your bird likes you

[haleyd]

So I've been reading about GCC behavior and in the short time I've had Gimli he makes these little like crunching/clicking noises at me when we talk. Sometimes it's just normal peeps though. Are these good sounds? I don't want to get my hopes up and label it as beak grinding and it turn out that he has me lol.
He also will do a wobbly fly to me when I tap my shoulder a few times and when I sit on the ground beside his cage top time he makes his way down and comes to me.
We are still working on the whole biting thing but they are nonetheless much less severe than when I first brought him home. He rode on my this morning throughout the house without any nibbling or anything. We haven't really gotten the whole step up thing down pat, and for some reason he does it better for my mother lol.
I'm hoping this means we are bonding, but then again it could just be curiousity.

 

[itzjbean]

A video may help determine what your GCC is doing, but it seems to me that if he/she isn't cowering in his cage, lunging or acting aggressive and is riding happily on your shoulder around the house with you, he probably likes you! Green cheeks can be very affectionate and loving, so you want to keep handling/training your conure every day. Your training sessions at this point should include recall/target training, to help him become a confident flyer and learn how to come to you when called, or go to a specific place when you tell him/her to. Bite-pressure training is also important, and it seems you are working on this. Great! Step up training is also a must, and all parrots should comply to step up before going anywhere with you. Seems like you're doing a good job so far though!

 

[itchyfeet]

It all sounds positive to me!
Even if it's just curiosity - if it's curiosity met by positive responses it'll lead to bonding ��
I had to love at the title of your thread through, our elder of the IRN's makes it easy for us to know we are loved. A kiss on the cheek for me and a wolf whistle for the hubby!!

 

[haleyd]

Thank you everyone, with more attention I am 100% sure its beak grinding. He loves to do it while he's being sweet and when I am talking very softly to him.
We are making excellent progress really, he hasn't bit me hard since the very first day and as of today we only had one nip and it was very soft and because he was angry that I had to put him up for a bit lol.

Off topic but I didn't want to make a new thread for a simple question, how do I go about expanding his diet? He is on ZuPreem Fruit Blend, and he loves it. Its high in sugar and I believe thats why he is reluctant to even taste other forms of food.
I have tried banana, he licked it and ran away screaming. Apples and grapes went over poorly, as in wouldn't take them from me and then I found them thrown into the floor later. I am going to try blueberries this evening and we just tried whole wheat cracker, which is the only thing I have gotten him to nibble on - even a few bites before he decided it was icky. I believe he ate the cracker because i would take a bite and offer it to him. But i did this with apple and he still refused.
I just want to make sure he is getting a varied and balanced diet. I know as a baby it isn't a huge deal to be on completely pellets but as he ages it will become an issue.
Any advice is appreciated.

 

[snowflake311]

IF they see you eat it they want to try it. My little guy LOVES Blue berries they make his poop purple. He like to eat carrots too. My little brat is picky compared to my Senegal that would eat anything. Trader Joe sweet potato tortilla chips he likes too. Just give him new things that you are eating.

 

[haleyd]

He seems to be very picky lol, I suppose I'm just going to try everything under the sun that he can eat. Can't hurt.

 

[SassiBird]

...

Off topic but I didn't want to make a new thread for a simple question, how do I go about expanding his diet? He is on ZuPreem Fruit Blend, and he loves it. Its high in sugar and I believe thats why he is reluctant to even taste other forms of food.
I have tried banana, he licked it and ran away screaming. Apples and grapes went over poorly, as in wouldn't take them from me and then I found them thrown into the floor later. I am going to try blueberries this evening and we just tried whole wheat cracker, which is the only thing I have gotten him to nibble on - even a few bites before he decided it was icky. I believe he ate the cracker because i would take a bite and offer it to him. But i did this with apple and he still refused.
I just want to make sure he is getting a varied and balanced diet. I know as a baby it isn't a huge deal to be on completely pellets but as he ages it will become an issue.
Any advice is appreciated.

Does he favor a specific color? We started with raspberries because Sassi favored the red pellets. Texture could also be a factor. Sassi prefers mashed and not too watery fruits and veggies.

 

[haleyd]

He seems to prefer the green the best actually, those are the ones he takes his time eating. I'm going to try some kiwi and leafy greens soon as well to see if he likes the squishier fruits.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Well, I am just so pleased at how well things are going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kentuckienne]

I've tasted those Zupreme and the green pellets are the sweetest.

Gus has been extremely picky. The best way I've got him to eat is this:

Put food in bowl. Parrot looks at you like, why are you trying to kill me?

Eat food myself. Make yummy noises.

Parrot watches me intently.

Eat more food, make more yummy noises. If there is a cooperative human nearby, give them some to eat and yum over.

Parrot stares intently, then sidles over to bowl and looks inside.

Keep eating and yumming.

Parrot looks into bowl, picks up new food in beak and drops it immediately.

Keep eating, not looking at bird, looking at food and saying how good it is.

Parrot actually eats a tiny bit. Might really like it and go into full eye pinning joy. Or he might ignore the food but then go back to it later.

I've started tricking Gus by making birdie bread with flour, whole eggs with the shell pulverized in the blender, along with chopped nuts and dried fruit. He refused it at first but the above charade got him to nibble it at least. Two days later it's the first thing he goes for in the morning. My sneaky plan is to start with this base recipe and gradually introduce bigger chunks of veggies. Sometimes they have to taste a thing several times before deciding they like it. After refusing them multiple times, Gus finally ate edamame and corn this week! I think he's getting used to the idea that these new things are food and enough of them have been tasty that he's willing to try more things. It's a gradual process, expanding his horizons bit by bit. He just never got anything but pellets before, now when I go in the kitchen he looks, watches, reaches up as high as he can to see, and at least tastes what I put in his bowl.

So be patient and don't give up! Get him at least on Zupreme naturals, which aren't sweet and don't have the dye, if you can. The Harrison's website has some very good information about converting a bird's diet - go check it out. And good for you!