Taming Mishka (Green-cheek conure)

I have another thread where I've been asking how to hand-tame my 6-month old Green-cheek conure Mishka, but I figured she could use an introduction thread all her own.

Things I've learned so far since getting her Wednesday afternoon:
- she has no idea what to do with real fruits and veggies
- hand shy but not face shy
- love to explore and isn't at all isolated to her cage (3 escape attempts in as many days prove that!). This is good as I want to travel with her
- loves preening frayed rope but is still trying to figure out the wood toys

And, just because I finally figured out how to use Photobucket on an (broken; piecing these together took a while) iPhone, I can has PICS!!

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Now with Freedom Pics!!

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Like I mentioned she's not hand tame yet, which made getting her back in her cage after the escape attempts rather interesting (her first she hid beneath a towel and I wrapped her up; second time I took the top off her cage and she climbed back in). She's my little baby already, interested in my attention if not necessarily interested in my touching her, so as before any ideas are welcome.

What a cutie, and great pics!!!

We got our GCC about 3 months ago from a breeder. He was very tame, but hadn't learned to "step-up" yet (the breeder was working w/them, so it wasn't completely new to him).

She taught us how to "train" him to "step-up" and after a week we were able to use this to get him out of his cage, or off of the play gym.

I really think it is important to teach him the "step-up" and "step-down" tricks so that he will understand what you want him to do.

Did you buy any parrot books? We got 3 conure books, and then the "Parrots for Dummies" book. <--- great read -- lots of helpful info!

Like I said, I am fairly new to conure owning, and to this forum, but so far I have read a TON of great info. I am sure someone more experienced will come along with some great advice!

There seems to be a problem with how she is escaping ...
The doors open lol

What a cutie pie
it's amazing just how fast they work there way into your heart

good luck on years to come

Most everything you want your bird to do you must teach. Sometimes teaching by example is good. I am specifically addressing the playing with toys and eating fruits and vegies. Have her with you at your meal time and let her watch you eat the food you want her to eat. That way your are teaching her and letting her know it is safe to eat. That is what happens in the wild with a bird mom and baby.

gleek!: I sometimes wish I'd gotten mine from a breeder, just so I could play with her immediately!! But she definitely already has my heart; wants to be near me, even if she doesn't want to be touched.

Phoenix Rising: LOL! Yeah, my bad right? She's really interested in the outside world, although I got a bit nervous a few times the first time she got out (for me, she pulled an escape attempt on the Dude day 1) and circumnavigated my unbirdproofed apartment.

Spiritbird said:

Most everything you want your bird to do you must teach. Sometimes teaching by example is good. I am specifically addressing the playing with toys and eating fruits and vegies. Have her with you at your meal time and let her watch you eat the food you want her to eat. That way your are teaching her and letting her know it is safe to eat. That is what happens in the wild with a bird mom and baby.

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Thanks for the tips!! She couldn't have had what I ate for dinner today (except maybe the eggs but they were cooked in bacon fat) but I'll definitely try that soon! Wish she'd take things out of my hands (I wish a lot LOL) but I'm content with baby steps. It's only been 4 days after all - the fact she likes me has my heart happy.

She also likes my singing. Or maybe hates it - I don't know, but it gets her squwaking along! :09:

Well while she won't eat the fresh fruit I'm happy to report she seems to enjoy some of the dried fruit I've added to her fresh fruit bowl. Perhaps it's the bite-sized pieces, but she's generally pretty careful not to drop them when she's eating.

I'm thinking about ways to introduce her to bathing. Her tail feathers look a little tatty at the ends (possibly due to living with other conure? Or do they just get like that?) and I'm certain she needs it. I'm hanging out with her now and she's busy preening; I'm trying to decide whether I should buy a spritzer bottle or set a container of water on the bottom of her cage? I'd rather her perches, ropes etc not get too wet, but should I just go get a chea spray bottle and see how she reacts?

It's so much fun to watch her, even if I can't physically play with her. She enjoys sticking her sunflower seeds into the water dish, probably to soften things up a tad.

ETA: I'm on my way to get her a water spritzer of her own. Shouldn't be more than a couple bucks and I can always use it elsewhere if she hates it.

A question though: what toys can I get her for the bottom of her cage? She enjoys walking down there, and I'd like to keep it interesting...

Was she in a cage or aviary ? Did they have a dish or largish water bowl they would have been able to bath in ?
If yes to the 2nd I would go for that option if not misting is a great way to intoduce her to it
put a towel down on floor and sit quiet far back from the cage so the mist only just teachs cage
this gets them used to the look of thr mist the sound of thr spray bottle being pumped and can intrege them to come closer to see what's going on or lick the water off the bars
make sure the water is warm
whatever her reaction the 1st time don't move closer
2nd time if she liked it last time move a little closer
if she didn't just stay at the same distance until she is comfy with it and then move forward
do it everyday for as long as it takes for you to be able to get close and give her a good bath
continue this for 3 days straight and then cut down to 1 or 2 a week

You can also try misting her while she is bathing in the food bowl and see how she takes it

Good luck

Actually, I ended up not getting the misting bottle. I watched her sink her chest into her water bowl and realized she already had a bathing preference, so I got a glass baking dish, put maybe an inch of water in it, and let her have at. It was real cute to watch her get all bedraggled and fluffy.

Any idea when the next molt is supposed to happen? Is there a certain time of year?

Awww... a beautiful birdy! One thing, though. How long is the frayed rope? They can strangle themselves on it if it is too long. A breeder I know online has lost 2 or 3 budgies that way before it was rectified.

Awesome that's great news ! I didn't catch how old she was sorry but it'd generally around the 1yr mark from dob and every year following
some have a small molt during the middle of year but I think that's generaly bigger species

Ratzy said:

Awww... a beautiful birdy! One thing, though. How long is the frayed rope? They can strangle themselves on it if it is too long. A breeder I know online has lost 2 or 3 budgies that way before it was rectified.

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The rope she likes is actually the ends to a swing, the exposed cords dangling down maybe 3". There's no loops to hang herself on; she doesn't really seem to enjoy the swing but does like the rope.

Believe me, if I saw any loops in the cage, I'd be in there with scissors in hand cutting them free! I don't want any unwelcomed "surprises" when I play with my baby.

Pheonix Rising said:

Awesome that's great news ! I didn't catch how old she was sorry but it'd generally around the 1yr mark from dob and every year following
some have a small molt during the middle of year but I think that's generaly bigger species

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Her HD was 4/1/10 I believe (6 months old) so I have a bit of time until she molts again. Her wings are clipped but not horribly so; I think I'd like to keep her unclipped and let her fly, but I'm curious if there are harnesses or lanyards for birds this small? I'd love to travel with her (eventually, definitely won't be happening anytime soon!) but don't want her getting into mischief or flying away.

Aviator harness go down as small as petite
it goes on their weight but I'd think she'd be x small
good luck she's a beautiful bird

Originally I had planned to try experimenting with leaving treats in my hand today but instead me and the Dude took turns just keeping our hands laying in or on the cage in an effort to let her get used to them. She's extremely hand shy and that doesn't seem to be lessening, despite her interactions with us. I'm not sure what I can do to get her over the fear of being handled, or just near hands, except keep them in the cage until she gets over the phobia.

I consider there to be small successes today though: she's mainly an afternoon eater (when I'm home or she has company) and keeping my hand near her food bowl produced a couple hesitant forays for sunflower seeds. Baby steps, I know, but my NOW! mentality is starting to kick in... I'm being patient and just hanging out beside the cage, chitchatting either next to her or from across the room/around the corner, but I SO long to be able to touch her!

Question .. If you leave cage door open will she come out? Also is she clipped at all

Up until yesterday I was leaving the cage door open when I hung out with her and she's definitely interested in the outside world. She's gotten out three times since I've had her -neither time did the Dude or I use hands (directly) to get her inside: first Dude used his hat, then I managed to trap her under a towel she crawled beneath, then I took off the top of her cage and guided her back inside. She's also at least partially clipped but still does a good job of getting herself through the air; I intend to keep her flighted and try harness training, but she circumnavigated my apartment a few days ago with several flight attempts so she gets around decently via aerial travel.

Seriously, any ideas on what more I can do for the handshy-ness would be greatly appreciated!

So I feel as though I made a small breakthrough today. When I got home (around 12:45) I took out her seed dish (she's an afternoon eater anyway) and before she could get any real food anxiety I stuck my hand inside the cage. That shut her up pretty quick! I hung out like that, arm laying in the cage, flexing my hand ever so often until she was getting somewhat close to it. When I saw she hung out on or under her water dish I kept my hand on the outside of the cage right above the water dish.

The real breakthrough however came a bit later: I took a sunflower seed she'd discarded outside the cage (she's a messy eater ) and held it through the bars. Boy, was she ever I interested!! She got pretty close a couple times (maybe half a foot or less) but always chickened out at the last minute. I switched to a bright piece of dried fruit and same thing, so I set it down on the edge between bars and let her take it and chew it a bit before putting her seed bowl back and getting myself some lunch. Instead of digging in like I thought she would though, she climbed all over the front of the cage calling for me.

Totally melted my heart.

She was making the cutest little warbles and purrs too; I get the feeling she wants to hang out with me except for the hand thing, and I don't want to take her out until she'll at least get on my hand, so we're at an impasse.

For now.

It's official: I love this daft little fluffball. She had a dish of water to use as a bath but nooooo, she has to use her water bowl and of course sprays me as much as she can with flinging water.

What a little birdbrain. (dunno if I'm talking about Mishka, or myself!)

I know you wish her to be flighted in the end, but would you possibly consider clipping to help you and she get past the present situation? Just think about it. I am not speaking about a full clip but rather a lift clip... so she can't get loft on her own. This will grow out with her first real molt, but it might help me help you get past this stage in meantime. She will not be angry with you about it...not a conure. If you absolutely are against this, and many people are, then I will try to help you get farther without it. There are several things we can try even with her flighted.

At the moment she can fly pretty well despite having at least the first 3 or so outer primaries cut. She's interested in leaving the cage on her own, should I let her come out? How do I get her back I side if she won't go onto my hand?

I'm curious, how will clipping her further help tame her? Keep her from being able to fly away from hands?