Sudden behavior change

[SilverSage]

I am new to conures. I have had many birds in my life, but my GCC is my first conure, and he is nothing like any other bird I have ever owned. When I got him in October he was a bit beaky, had definite opinions about when he did and did not want to be handled, but would accept lots of touch, but no snuggles. He has suddenly changed. He will lunge and bite if any attempt is made to touch him other than on his head, but when on my shoulder, he nuzzles in. Then comes backing up. He insists on having his tail in my face, and by tail, I mean the whole back end, tail pointed in the air. It resembles what I have seen other birds do during certain seasons, namely females. however, I was told this is a cuddly species, and he is only 9ish months old. I am starting to suspect he may be a she? If this is hormonal mating behavior I am at a loss as how to handle it, since I was really hoping to harness train him, which requires being touches on more than his head.

 

[riddick07]

Sounds like hormones! Fun times:52:

You don't want to touch him anywhere but the head right now for scratching/petting. You just have to learn and work around his behavior. No cuddling that can trigger a reaction. You will have to be extra careful about how you handle and read his body language. (An example my female gcc fluffs up her neck before she takes a chunk out of you as a warning.) And then you have to think about how you are interacting with him. Are you doing something, are interacting with him somewhere that can trigger him, is it something you are wearing, something he sees or heard.... Once the hormones hit it can be tuff to deal with them sometimes!

You can also do some training with him to get him to focus and burn off some energy! Training should also help with the biting that was a problem before the hormones hit. Foraging toys also help. Make sure there isn't something that can make him think of nesting especially if you aren't a hundred percent sure it's a him and not a her! And well it sounds like a her.

Does he like ripping things apart? You can try baskets though they will have to be like these ones because you don't want him/her nesting.

http://www.parrotforums.com/do-yourself/42313-basket-alternative-my-hormonal-female-gcc.html

For the backing the butt up in your face.... make her come down every time she does it and don't let her back up right away. Sounds like she loves your shoulder so she should associate the behavior with no longer being able to be up there.

My two gcc are in full hormonal swing right now too and my girl just drew blood today when I wasn't paying close enough attention to her My streak of no bites with her apparently ran out today. She is my worst though I think because she is so tiny she thinks she has to act like three hormonal conures instead of just one

Umm Good Luck:54: