baby sun aggression

[Juliana]

Hi I have just gotten a 14 week old sun conure from a breeder a week ago. I work with him everyday at least an hour. The bird shows a lot of aggression when inside his cage. When I look at him he will fluff up and hiss along with lunging to bite. When I play with him he doesn't bite but will sometimes hiss at my face when he's on my shoulders. He has learned to step-up but only outside of the cage. The breeder showed me how to train him to stay on me and for the most part he stays but after a while will try to fly somewhere else. I just don't know how long it takes for him to stop seeing me as a threat. What else can I do?

 

[erik7181]

My opinion, I raised my little guy sense he was 3 weeks old. First I think for now you should keep him off your shoulder. For the first two to three weeks you should leave them in the cage and only take him out three times a day for 15mins at a time. I know it sounds weird but he needs to get used to the cage, you can play with him through the bars all you want. Talk to him. step up is the easiest thing to teach your bird and there is plenty of time for that trust me you have the next 15-30yrs with him. Did the place give you a new owner booklet that explains everything? Diet, dos don'ts? If not I can mail you one I got it's the best iv read so far. After the cage period you keep him out and put him in the cage 3 times for 15mins at a time after and at that period... Handle handle handle as much as possible and he will be your best friend.
This is my opinion you don't have to do it but I promise you that you wont regret it if you do. And im sure others will be along shortly that know more then I do and thats the great thing about this forum is we all learn from eachother. Anyone else please feel free to correct anything iv said. Good luck and use this forum for Anything you need to know. Erik

 

[roxynoodle]

Some birds are just cage territorial. It is their home and they don't want you in it, even when they love you. Rowdy is this way so the easiest thing for us both is for me to open her door and let her come down to the open door and then step up. I would do that instead of insisting you get to be in his stuff. It's his stuff

He also needs more time to get to know you and settle into your home. Be patient. Let him set the pace. And yes, keep training sessions short. Let him share meals with you though as that is flock behavior. The fact that you will share food may help with the trust. Be careful if you are eating something messy though as he may jump right in!

I also advise not letting him on your shoulder. Many birds get aggressive when they are allowed to be up there. They now see you as at least equals, and one day he may decide he doesn't want to share that perch with your head. Of course your head is there to stay so it may be bitten. There are other reasons, too, why birds shouldn't be on your shoulder. Another person or animal can approach you, and the bird bites you out of jealousy. Or it bites you because it perceives that other being as a threat and that is it's way of telling you to fly away from the danger. Facial bites can be particularly devastating. No one wants a facial disfigurement.

 

[roxynoodle]

Oh, I don't think it's aggression so much as fear.

 

[jaynava]

Yup sounds like his territorial my Sun conure I used to have did the same thing but would not bite just hiss n fluff up