YoYo's finally home :) Also, a problem...

[Royalroacho]

After what seemed like an eternity, on saturday i got to bring my baby cinnamon green cheek home were pretty well bonded already, id been visiting him since he was a few weeks old. which leads to the problem. He doesnt want to be in his cage if im here. He wants to be on me, and sleep in my hair. most of you would suggest tough love, but he really goes nuts flapping around and falling off the perches and banging into everything in a panic. So its 4:30 am, hes in my hair sleeping, and im awake cuz i dont wanna crush him in my sleep. id really appreciate any ideas or advice before this becomes an irreversable habit.
But anyhow, im really excited and happy hes here, up all night or not (kinda have insomnia anyway) and wanted to share some pics

first meeting

first day he discovered he could fly haha

Hes Home! and lives in my hair

 

[LeaKP]

Yes you're going to have to teach him how to play with toys and self entertain. There are lots of threads on it. Conures, as they mature, can become more independent if they are taught. Yours is still young, it will work. Don't despair!

 

[Royalroacho]

he was really into his toys until yesterday morning, then he became a little feathered magnet, which was great until his bed time. the real issue im having is that im worried he's going to hurt himself. he really went into an increasingly blind panic for about ten minutes, at which point i felt like i had to take him out to avoid injury. i think im going to call the breeder/store owner, hes probably seen this before. thanks for your response, i think i read most of the conure threads when i was waiting to bring him home, but ill search around. And thanks for the encouragement, there's a solution out there im sure

 

[strudel]

Have you tested him out with some music to see how he responds? If he's freaking out because he's alone, a radio on low might make him feel like he's not been abandoned. I'm no expert on birds, but I'd sit there next to the cage talking calmly and soothingly, rather than fetching him out. Also, try not to let him be a magnet all the time because it is then "loved-ABANDONED!!!!", instead of sometimes I play with my people, sometimes I play in my cage, sometimes I sleep there. (Again, I'm a dog person, listen to the bird people if I've got it wrong)

 

[Royalroacho]

oh, that might work...i had a cockatiel that really loved the sound of violin, and used to peep along when i played guitar. ill test out different types of music...i also have a home recording set up, i could record my voice for him when im away. i was also thinking of using my other cage for him to sleep in, with minimal perches for him to fall from and flap into. would that stress him out to be in 2 cages? thanks for the music idea, im going to test it out

 

[strudel]

What do you do when he starts flapping? Do you react?

I'd be inclined to put him where you want him and try to get him to accept it by reinforcement. For example, take him to his perch in the cage and put him on. If he sits there without freaking out, give him a treat, lots of praise. Try to relax and not freak out when he's freaking out (if you do), try to talk to him. I wouldn't start swapping cages, unless that's what you want for him to have, longterm.

 

[Royalroacho]

i try not to react until he starts falling off perches and banging into everything. i still havent found a treat he likes yet. hes not really into millet, and fruit scares him for some reason. ill find something he likes, and keep trying. hes ok if hes on my hand in there, ill try to transfer him and give him treats till he feels comfortable being in there. thanks for the suggestions, i really appreciate it

 

[jugoya]

Your best bet here... is a sleep cage.

When I got Porter he was a magnet too... but we slowly trained him that sleeping near us was good enough. A small table; a smaller cage with a really low set of perches and nothing else.

Cover it on three sides with a blanket and then let him see that he's riiiight next to you.

Then just go to sleep... do this for a week; get him used to the cage at first but... eventually he will associate the cage with sleep and not your hair!

Now porter screams when I don't 'put him to bed' on time.

AND if we say bedtime? He gets all excited... bounces around and sqwawks flying to each of his people in turn if they don't take him fast enough xD

 

[miloslave]

I absolutely agree with jugoya. I think he is still insecure and feels safer when he is with you. So a sleeping cage with low perches, right next to your bed, three sides covered and a very soft nightlight might solve the problem there. That with a little bit of tough love when he begs to be let out should help. Then slowly, little by little, over a couple of weeks start covering more and more of the cage as he starts showing signs of feeling more secure. Being scared is one thing, being spoiled is quite another, lol.

 

[Royalroacho]

I will try the sleep cage, it seems like its worked for you guys. I got mixed responses about moving him between 2 cages. As long as im really close to him he stays pretty calm. I also went and bought everything I could think of thatd work as a treat. Most sstruck out, but dried cranberries and dried strawberries were winners.