Conure attacking me and screaming... nothing unusual but its getting ridiculous 😐

[FiFee Fiona]

So Birdie is over preening.
I can feel new pin feathers. But its winter. Do they get new feathers in winter?
Im used to birds getting feathers at change of season. This is going on a lot longer.
Now he's attacking me if I go to open his cage door in the morning. And he's started screaming again.
The screaming is getting me down. It's always if I leave the room. I can't open the balcony door without him going ballistic. He can still see me. Obviously he wants to go out there. But he can't.
Today I had washing to do. I can't go to the laundry. He's screaming and talking really fast. Then he says stop it really loudly.
I can't let him out all day. It's not practical and we do have a routine in the mornings. By afternoon it's a lost cause.
He wants to go out the front door too. It's not safe to let him out of his cage ... unless the doors are staying closed. He's really fast.
He is unhappy. I can't make him happy
I get so fed up with the noise I tell him to shut up. Or I cover him sometimes.
I tried ignoring him but its constant and he couldn't care. He just screams. And its high pitched constant one scream every couple of seconds.
I'm doing the wrong thing because he wouldn't be like this.
I was told he should be out the minute I wake up. But I wouldn't even be able to boil a kettle if I did that.
He's into everything. Distraction works for a minute. Then he's back trying to get to the stove or the toaster or anything at all. It's not safe.
Now he won't have a bath. He loves a bath. But I usually hold his dish and he uses the filter water to splash in. Now all he wants to do is bite me hand. So I can't hold it anymore. He panics if I spray him.
He has also started to chew my clothes. I think because its winter I'm wearing long sleeves.
He wants to be with me all the time. Which I can't change because I'm the one here.
And then during the day he gets up on my shoulder and cuddles in for a nap. Or gets silly and hangs off my shoulder by one leg ... on his back and biting me. So being silly and playing.
I can't fathom it and nothing is working with him. Maybe he's too much for me. And I'm too short tempered
Do your birds just stay out all day ? He goes really ratty if I leave him out too long. So I try to get him in and out during the day. He gets at least 11 hours asleep.

 

[Cottonoid]

Oh you both have been dealing with this for so long! Credit to you both for persisting. I don't know that I'd say he's not happy - he's figured out a way of communicating that isn't working, but he sounds like he enjoys his time with you.

I'm still new to this and my bird is the total opposite personality of Birdie so I don't have good experiences to help - hopefully someone that's been through this or knows GCC better than I will come along.

I'm sure it feels like there's just one thing missing and then it will all fall into place, but this has been challenging from the get go. He reminds a little of when my brother and I were young - my brother wanted to be with me all the time and knew exactly how to push my buttons and get my attention, but then he'd be upset that I was upset and then we both were upset and the whole morning was ruined. My poor mom. Her solution was to boot us outside but that's not gonna work here.

I do know with my bird, he is very sensitive to my state of mind and body language. If I'm rushed or annoyed, he KNOWS and acts very differently than when I'm calm and relaxed around him. He basically mirrors my mood. On days that I'm not focused and calm, he's not interested in training with me.

Have you tried any training exercises with Birdie? You might think about trying to formally clicker train him, and then start rewarding him for being quiet . When I've done this with my dogs, you basically click the SECOND they stop barking/screaming - even if it's a split second - then reward. It doesn't take long for them to figure out this is a puzzle and usually they'll realize it's being quiet that gets them the treat. Or instead, reward him every time he says a word or makes a sound that you DO like. The idea would be to make him want to say "Hello" "Out now" or beeps etc instead of just going straight to screaming. At some point he decided that screaming is the only way to get your attention or get what he wants, and if I remember right that point was pretty early on with him.

 

[FiFee Fiona]

Oh you both have been dealing with this for so long! Credit to you both for persisting. I don't know that I'd say he's not happy - he's figured out a way of communicating that isn't working, but he sounds like he enjoys his time with you.

I'm still new to this and my bird is the total opposite personality of Birdie so I don't have good experiences to help - hopefully someone that's been through this or knows GCC better than I will come along.

I'm sure it feels like there's just one thing missing and then it will all fall into place, but this has been challenging from the get go. He reminds a little of when my brother and I were young - my brother wanted to be with me all the time and knew exactly how to push my buttons and get my attention, but then he'd be upset that I was upset and then we both were upset and the whole morning was ruined. My poor mom. Her solution was to boot us outside but that's not gonna work here.

I do know with my bird, he is very sensitive to my state of mind and body language. If I'm rushed or annoyed, he KNOWS and acts very differently than when I'm calm and relaxed around him. He basically mirrors my mood. On days that I'm not focused and calm, he's not interested in training with me.

Have you tried any training exercises with Birdie? You might think about trying to formally clicker train him, and then start rewarding him for being quiet . When I've done this with my dogs, you basically click the SECOND they stop barking/screaming - even if it's a split second - then reward. It doesn't take long for them to figure out this is a puzzle and usually they'll realize it's being quiet that gets them the treat. Or instead, reward him every time he says a word or makes a sound that you DO like. The idea would be to make him want to say "Hello" "Out now" or beeps etc instead of just going straight to screaming. At some point he decided that screaming is the only way to get your attention or get what he wants, and if I remember right that point was pretty early on with him.

Yes its going on too long. We got a bit better for a while. I was really hopeful. But now we have gone backwards.
The feather preening started getting worse. And he's cranky again.
I just looked at my shirt and he's chewed holes in it. This is new ... I mean he would chew everything possible. But I have things covered so he can't. Now its whatever he can get hold of.
He is like a child. But there's no logic or chance of changing his behaviour.
I bought a clicker and I clicked it once and he screamed and flapped.
I have worked out he's easily stressed. And even after hurting himself flying madly he still panic flys.
He's out now on his perch onthe window. But not calm. Always looks like a crouching Eagle ready to fly. Its like he doesn't relax very much at all.
I did think my stress was causing him issues. So I have worked on changing things. And again there was a bit of improvement.
But now we're back again at the same place.
Stressed out.
Then suddenly he's wanting a scratch and rubs his head all over my hand ... then chews a hole in my clothing.
All within a couple of minutes. If I didn't have a clue I really don't now

 

[HeatherG]

I found that my gcc was very high energy and reacted and fed off my moods. So if I got upset with him then he got upset and I got more upset…

And he’s guarding you from the scary things outside when he sits on your windowsill. Could you put up some curtains? My birds would be so upset if they thought there was something scary outside (like a construction crane or hawk) and they couldn’t get away from it.

 

[bonitabird59]

GCCs are very high energy little dudes who are very attention seeking. They feed off energy, and WILL reflect the energy that you are displaying. So if you're upset, he's upset, vice versa. I know the biting sucks, they're like puppies with the mouthiness. I've heard that GCCs communicate with their beaks and applying pressure, so maybe look into that if you haven't already?
As for covering the cage or ignoring him during this, I would try to stop. The thing that upsets them the most is when their bonded human starts ignoring them. You do not want to punish your bird for communicating with you. Instead, put the energy elsewhere. Have you tried target training? It's a great hands off way of training and I feel like this could help you both. As for the clothes chewing, and chewing in general, its a part of having birds and is just something that you have to regulate! Supply him with things to chew on instead of your clothes. My birds like popsicle sticks, chinese finger traps, and much more. You can also try those birdy kabobs, they're popular but very very messy!
Good luck with your baby. I totally understand your frustration but props to you for sticking it out for so long. Update us with how things are going, I'm very interested to hear!

 

[FiFee Fiona]

GCCs are very high energy little dudes who are very attention seeking. They feed off energy, and WILL reflect the energy that you are displaying. So if you're upset, he's upset, vice versa. I know the biting sucks, they're like puppies with the mouthiness. I've heard that GCCs communicate with their beaks and applying pressure, so maybe look into that if you haven't already?
As for covering the cage or ignoring him during this, I would try to stop. The thing that upsets them the most is when their bonded human starts ignoring them. You do not want to punish your bird for communicating with you. Instead, put the energy elsewhere. Have you tried target training? It's a great hands off way of training and I feel like this could help you both. As for the clothes chewing, and chewing in general, its a part of having birds and is just something that you have to regulate! Supply him with things to chew on instead of your clothes. My birds like popsicle sticks, chinese finger traps, and much more. You can also try those birdy kabobs, they're popular but very very messy!
Good luck with your baby. I totally understand your frustration but props to you for sticking it out for so long. Update us with how things are going, I'm very interested to hear!

He has toys and plays with them. But when he's out he's not interested.
The screaming some days does not stop. Now he's screaming at night if I make dinner. He can be in bed and if he hears a screen door he yells. I've just started to walk away. I live in an apartment so I don't want him driving people mad. He can see me if I open the balcony door and go out. But he yells continuously if I do go out there.
I do ignore it. Some days it's really hard. Some days he's better than others.
He chews he's off straight away now. I can't have holes in my clothes. He knows now ... he has a bite then jumps off and runs.
None of the birds I've had has chewed on my clothes.
Today he's fine. He's in his cage playing with his toys. Talking away.
The screams will start when I go to the balcony door.
Unfortunately for him he's not going out there. But he wants to.

 

[FiFee Fiona]

I found that my gcc was very high energy and reacted and fed off my moods. So if I got upset with him then he got upset and I got more upset…

And he’s guarding you from the scary things outside when he sits on your windowsill. Could you put up some curtains? My birds would be so upset if they thought there was something scary outside (like a construction crane or hawk) and they couldn’t get away from it.

There are blinds but I have a perch on the window for him. He loves it. He wants the rainbow lorikeets out there.
He sits in the sun there after a bath.
Hes not keen on the cockatoos. But they've left for the winter.
He did have a fungal and bacterial infection. The fungal was hard to get rid of in his crop. And he seems to be a but calmer. I have no idea how it would have affected how he felt. But it must have been unpleasant.