First Day Wasn't the Greatest :(

[lisa6373]

I'm new to the forum but you may have remembered my excitement over going to adopt a bird yesterday. I handled two different pineapple green cheeks. The first was calm..falling asleep while I scratched her head. The second wanted to burrow under my arm, was also calm, but using his beak more than the first. Since I had to go on first impressions I picked the first one I handled.

Her name is Mango I know some of you have a conure with that name on here and please don't think I stole it lol. I just really liked the name with her color.

She traveled in the car well. And when I got her in her new cage she explored and ate right away. I left her be for a while but later than evening wanted to snuggle with her a bit so I went to get her out.

She isn't step up trained so I had to pick her up to get her out. During this process she bit and it drew a little blood. I didn't react at all. Got her out and held her..she relaxed and fell asleep in my hand.

My 13 year old daughter wanted to hold her so I passed her off..she seemed fine so I stepped away to fix my other daughter something to eat. Within a couple of minutes I heard a scream and my daughter crying. She had gotten bit. I put Mango back in her cage at that point.

So know I'm so stressed that I'm going to mess something up! Did I pick the right bird? Should I not get her out if she doesn't want to get out? I thought I should at least get her used to being handled even if she won't step up but I'm confused and unsure now. I've read so much info but it's all running together.

Help please

 

[hacatta]

Congrats on your baby.
But it is the first day,place you´r self in her position.
Here you are happy with your sibling in your nice home, and then you are abruptly taken to a stranger house with a strange cage and strange people who actually pick you up!
The percentage of something like biting is a big chance with new birds,and even later on.
Let her go out on her own,forcing her is not going to help you.
Try talking to her or reading a book out load beside her cage.
You will have to gain her trust.
Try offering her treats trough the cage bars,if she takes that you can try it by putting you hand in the cage.

 

[MamaFuzz]

It is way too soon to be handling your bird if it reacts like that. She needs time to adjust to everyone and everything. Forcing her to come out of the cage and be handled by essentially strangers will not help her to trust you. A better thing to do for now is to sit next to the cage, talk to her, and give her treats. You can open the cage up and let her come out if you want. I just wouldn't try putting my hand in the cage to interact just yet. Get her used to your hands so she knows they are ok. It's important to move at the birds pace and not yours if you want a good relationship with your bird.

 

[lisa6373]

I had a feeling I was being too impatient . In addition to a pellet mix, the store gave me a fruit and nut mix that she really seems to like. They told me to give her 1/4 cup a day. I'm thinking ill just leave the pellet mix in her cage and try feeding her the fruit and nut mix by hand. I'm just so anxious for her to want to interact with me and be part of the family.

 

[Kiwibird]

As other members have said, it is way to early to be taking your new baby out since she is obviously uncomfortable with it. And most birds are not happy to be picked up round the body unless they are trained to accept it.

This is not your fault, or your daughter fault, or the birds fault. Very rarely does a bird come home and is ready to play and cuddle (and almost always those are birds the people have been visiting at the breeder/shelter/store for MONTHS in advance, building a bond with prior to bringing home). They need time to settle in, time to start building trust and bonding with their new family and IMO, be step up trained FIRST before being handled in any other way (except by a vet if necessary). I would suggest starting by sitting near her cage and either speaking or reading out loud in a soft, soothing voice. If she comes closer, offer a treat through the bas and tell her she's a good girl. This is the very first trust building activity you do with a new bird. It gets them use to you as a non-threatening presence and helps them see you as kind because you give them food.Once she seems calm and accepting of you, then start training to step up. Once she is reliable at that, then you can start really letting her out to explore and start training all the other things you would like her to learn. Expect the process to take several months to the better part of a year from where she is now to being an explorative bird who loves snuggles and steps up when you ask. The good news is though, while it may seem like a painfully slow process to you to build a good relationship with a bird, if you let her do it at her pace and have the patience for her to come to you, she will blossom into a wonderful companion for the rest of her life.

 

[riddick07]

Good advice so far! I know its hard to be patient you want to play with the new family member right away. Many of my birds still aren't fond of being bodily picked up but will tolerate it since they know I won't squish them like a bug. My one Monkey actually thinks its a game and is the only one who seems to enjoy it! Most of the time I will open my hand and she will just lay there on her back When she first came home there was no way that was happening...

I would start by talking to her in the cage and then opening the door when she is comfortable with your presence. She might be a little nervous now since you grabbed her once when she didn't want to go anywhere. But eventually you will win her over again when she realizes she now has a choice in the matter and you aren't going to eat her alive. Handing her treats while in the cage is definitely a good start like others suggested!

Just remember you easily have 20 more years with this little one! You have plently of time to get used to each other