Still hormonal and it’s July

[FieryPhoenix]

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. She once lead eggs in December and January but she was younger. My sun is 18 years old. Prior to this, she has not laid eggs for 4 years. Clearly something or someone is turning on her oven.

Will it end or is my bird just going to be hormonal forever?
I am doing everything correctly and yet I get a surprise one a month or so. This is like a monthly cycle. It’s like living with a human female LOL!

So March and April were the worst with moodiness (I have scars) which culminated to her laying an egg in May. I thought she was out if the woods but then she laid an egg in June. I thought I was now in the clear since the days are getting shorter but she laid an egg on July 15th. Her behavior is okey although I noticed shredded paper towel on tbd bottom of the cage (I line the tray witt these). She be a bit nippy nothing like March in April that resulted in bleeding and bandages.

Here is what I have been doing.

1. Not over feeding
2. Day cage and sleep cage
3. Trying to avoid sameness
4. Covered in darkened room for AT LEAST 12 hours. I have giving more like 14.

I am wondering if I should cut back on showers? I shower with them (I have a Quaker) 3 to 4 days a week. Could that be turning on her oven

Anyone else have a sun Conure who is having a remarkable year ?

 

[ravvlet]

It sounds like you’re doing everything right. Not sure about the over feeding; it’s more about offering the correct balance of nutrient (not too much fat or sugar). Forgive me for not being familiar; what does she usually eat?

I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. The heatwave we have had locally has made our female YNA rather cranky too. Thankfully nothing more than a little cantankerous behavior.

 

[FieryPhoenix]

She eats Harrison pellets

Vegetable chop

Sometimes thst I put in foraging cups of sleet millet.

We are having a beer wave here too.

 

[SailBoat]

As an Amazon Snob controlled /over-seen by one of the Hot Three (Double Yellow-Headed Amazon) Hormonal season is challenging. and can be bloody. We closely monitor his diet and adjust to to what occurs naturally in his Native Range, cutting fruits to near rare and protein minimized as Sugar and two much Protein are serious No-No's for Amazons., especially during Hormonal Season.

I'm not a big believe in diets that are heavy on the Pellet side as it becomes important to keep a very close watch of not overloading them Chemically (heavy fortified diet).

Please consider stopping the practice of over-controlling the availabilities of dry food as that can drive behavior issues if a fear of starvation sets in. Check, which Harrisons you are providing as you likely should be providing their Adult series. Also, take a look at healthy natural foods that are season.

 

[FieryPhoenix]

Thank you for the suggestions guys. I suppose this is also me just overreacting too. Since my Quaker's wing amputation, I have been on like high alert.

I am working from home and have them out in their gym right next to me. It's amazing the difference in energy between the two. My Sun is much more active and Nikkis is more chill. I forget that Sunny is one month older, but then again she was always the more skittish of the two.

I feed Harrison's adult lifetime, but they were on the high potency fine for most of their life.

If anyone is familiar with Christine's Chop Shop I use a couple of her products. They love the soak and serve chop, but I also give them vegetables. I try to limit fruits but when I do give them the fruit they both like watermelon and blueberries.

I don't like to take any food away. They always will have something available to eat. I know some people take the food away after 20 to 60 minutes.

My mother has always petted my Sun below the neck which I think could have set off some triggers. I had surgery two weeks ago and I kept them in the day cage only for a good week or so since I didn't feel comfortable carrying them up the stairs to their sleep cage. So yeah they were in the same spot a lot.

It wasn't until the end of last week that they got back to their day and night cages, got out on their play gym, got to take showers, etc

I would love to take them outside but it is just too hot right now as we are in a middle of a heat wave (mid-90s).

All in all, the worst is over within germs of biting but thought the eggs would be over. I will say that I am glad it is only once a month and not once a day or a week.

 

[wrench13]

As the other highly esteemed members have said, you can try to limit, but never eradicate hormonal behavior.
I always recommend

• 10-12 hrs quiet dark sleep
• Eliminate or drastically reduce the sugar bearing foods, like fruits, corn etc
• No touching anywhere except head and neck
• No dark hidey places, like drawers or crevices
• No access to nesting like materials like shredding papers, cloth etc

Knowing your parrots body language is so important in avoiding the sudden, unwarranted bites so common during mating seasons. In conures that is a very subtle language indeed, but it's there! A thing to keep in mind during hormone time is to try and not let new, unwanted behavior develop into a learned behavior, lasting well past hormone time.

Good luck!

 

[FieryPhoenix]

As the other highly esteemed members have said, you can try to limit, but never eradicate hormonal behavior.
I always recommend

• 10-12 hrs quiet dark sleep
• Eliminate or drastically reduce the sugar bearing foods, like fruits, corn etc
• No touching anywhere except head and neck
• No dark hidey places, like drawers or crevices
• No access to nesting like materials like shredding papers, cloth etc

Knowing your parrots body language is so important in avoiding the sudden, unwarranted bites so common during mating seasons. In conures that is a very subtle language indeed, but it's there! A thing to keep in mind during hormone time is to try and not let new, unwanted behavior develop into a learned behavior, lasting well past hormone time.

Good luck!

Yes, I am getting better with body language. When she bluffs (lounges) I don't mess with that and tell her NO. I am getting better LOL! You would never know I had this bird for 17 years so I am always learning.

The last point on your bullet list is what gets me. I line the cages with paper and sometimes she can get to it and it drives me crazy because she will shred. I don't know what else to line the pull-out trays except for some type of paper.

I put on black cage cover over the sleep cage. Would this make the cage a dark hidey place? A lot of youtubers with bird channels advise against bird covers.

I don't feed them straight-up corn but what if some of the treats have corn in them. They love avi cakes but I stopped giving those because there is corn in them. They also like watermellon.

When you say reduce, do you mean not offering it daily? Would once or twice a week be okay?

 

[wrench13]

Yes, I am getting better with body language. When she bluffs (lounges) I don't mess with that and tell her NO. I am getting better LOL! You would never know I had this bird for 17 years so I am always learning.
I always note that if the bite was my fault (like ignoring obvious body language or other circumstances when I know Salty will bite), that's on me. But unprovoked or other spur of the moment bites - I always use shunning to correct Salty.

The last point on your bullet list is what gets me. I line the cages with paper and sometimes she can get to it and it drives me crazy because she will shred. I don't know what else to line the pull-out trays except for some type of paper.
If the parrot tears out the paper liner for the plastic tray, don;t use the paper! The pull out plastic trays wash off easily. I do that during horny time.

I put on black cage cover over the sleep cage. Would this make the cage a dark hidey place? A lot of youtubers with bird channels advise against bird covers.
If your room is already dark, then yeah no black cover is needed. but if your like us, where Salty's cage is in the middle of the open floor plan kitchen/living/dinning room, we have to leave SOME lights on (for those midnight snacks!). SO we have a black cover we use at bedtime. FWIW - I give little stock to youtube gurus. THis board, Parrotforums, is the REAL deal.

I don't feed them straight-up corn but what if some of the treats have corn in them. They love avi cakes but I stopped giving those because there is corn in them. They also like watermellon.

When you say reduce, do you mean not offering it daily? Would once or twice a week be okay?
Thats fine, not too much though. Use the fruit as a treat or for training purposes.

 

[FieryPhoenix]

Yes, I am getting better with body language. When she bluffs (lounges) I don't mess with that and tell her NO. I am getting better LOL! You would never know I had this bird for 17 years so I am always learning.
I always note that if the bite was my fault (like ignoring obvious body language or other circumstances when I know Salty will bite), that's on me. But unprovoked or other spur of the moment bites - I always use shunning to correct Salty.

The last point on your bullet list is what gets me. I line the cages with paper and sometimes she can get to it and it drives me crazy because she will shred. I don't know what else to line the pull-out trays except for some type of paper.
If the parrot tears out the paper liner for the plastic tray, don;t use the paper! The pull out plastic trays wash off easily. I do that during horny time.

I put on black cage cover over the sleep cage. Would this make the cage a dark hidey place? A lot of youtubers with bird channels advise against bird covers.
If your room is already dark, then yeah no black cover is needed. but if your like us, where Salty's cage is in the middle of the open floor plan kitchen/living/dinning room, we have to leave SOME lights on (for those midnight snacks!). SO we have a black cover we use at bedtime. FWIW - I give little stock to youtube gurus. THis board, Parrotforums, is the REAL deal.

I don't feed them straight-up corn but what if some of the treats have corn in them. They love avi cakes but I stopped giving those because there is corn in them. They also like watermellon.

When you say reduce, do you mean not offering it daily? Would once or twice a week be okay?
Thats fine, not too much though. Use the fruit as a treat or for training purposes.

Thank you for the tips. I will remove the paper for a while.

I need to cover the cage because light bleeds through the blackout shades and keeps eve roon pretty lit.

 

[wrench13]

Hey you try stuff and give it a shot. All anyone can do is recommend something, hopefully based on experience, and it works for you & the dinosaur.