First Bird and sooooo need advice!

[woopskiwoo]

I adopted a green cheek / yellow sided baby conure about 3 weeks ago, the woman I got her from had "peanut" in a smaller parakeet cage, I bought a large cage and switched all the toys and such that Peanut came with to the new cage. This is my first bird and I have done so much reading that I could just DIE about this baby and still I come here with so many unanswered questions. I have scheduled an apt in Jan for a vet check but I have noticed that the bird is pulling and ripping at the tail feathers , I do spend a good amount of time holding and interacting with Peanut but still not sure if I am doing something wrong, I cover the cage at nite, and let Peanut take showers with me, in the sink and even see the bird in the water bowel in the cage lol I just am baffled as to why all the recent squawking and feather destruction as well as biting of my ears (ouch) and so I really try not to let the little guy on my shoulders as much any more just hold him on my hand and lap anywhere but near my ears. I could really use some advice. thanks

 

[woubette]

Congrats on your new baby! Also good for you for doing the research so you know how to take good care of him. Do you know how old Peanut is? Some young birds (especially greenies) can be rather beaky, it's how they explore their world just like a human baby putting everything in their mouth. He just needs to be taught limits and how much pressure is acceptable. Rio is acting kind of hormonal right now and is a little nippy (she usually isn't at all) but she likes to nibble my ears. I tell her to be gentle and if she gets too rough I let out a high pitched squeak of displeasure so she usually stops. Just be patient and continue to work with him. It sounds like you are headed in the right direction!

 

[woubette]

Oh....and post LOTS of pics! We love pics!

 

[roxynoodle]

I've never had a bird that plucks, but as I was looking to adopt a new bird lately, I did do quite a bit of reading about it since so many of the available birds were pluckers.

There does seem to be a lot of different reasons for it. It could be nutritional, could be lack of sleep, lack of things to do, hormonal behavior, over preening and one thing I read said it might be that birds are trying to look like their human (mostly bare skinned) flock members.

The vet check is a step in the right direction. Provide a mineral block and see if that helps at all.

Otherwise it sounds like you and the bird are happy together. I agree it's not good idea to let a bird on your shoulder. Even a conure can give a pretty nasty bite.