Flying and attacking

[Andreyuhyay]

I have a conure, he is very young, I’ve had him less than a year. I know conures are bitey and nibbly by nature, and his normal bites are pretty hard, but I’m used to them and I’m okay with them. He respects me, and you could say I’m his favourite. The issue is my mom. He bites her really really hard and straight up attacks her. And it’s not because my mom wants to pet him or anything, I could be in my room and if my mom even peeks her head inside, he will fly to her and start attacking until she bleeds. It’s getting worse now because he saw my mom literally just pass by the hallway and he flew and followed her to get on her to start attacking her. When he starts attacking her , it’s super hard to get him off because he bites even harder. I don’t know what to do, I really really do not want to clip his wings, I find it very cruel and sad. It might be hormones , but I feel like he is being too aggressive to one person for it to just be hormones. Please someone help me, it is causing so many issues at home.

 

[kme3388]

Hi there, and welcome. I have a sun & jenday that both dive at people that they consider a threat. They created a flock of their choosing, and have decided everyone else needs a good diving at. I don’t let them out intentionally if we have guests no matter how much the guests beg, and compliment my conures. Some parrots can have cage aggression too. There are so many different reasons why they do this. My larger parrot attacks my husband because he’s possessive over me, and sees me as his mate not his friend/owner. Always remember although our parrots appear tame as we interact with them. They truly aren’t 100% tame/domesticated. Some of this is natural instincts. They don’t mean to be harmful, or to cause harm to someone.

Has your mom tried giving him treats as she’s walking by, and as your conure is in his/her cage? I assume your mom probably doesn’t want to be dived at or attacked trying to give your conure a treat is why I’d try this with the conure in his/her cage. Trying to make interactions like this on a regular basis can help build a relationship safely. Even if your mom is just dropping a sun flower seed in the food dish if she can’t physically hand off the seed through the cage bars may be helpful.

 

[birdworms]

have you tried positive reinforcement when he's calm around your mom?

 

[Andreyuhyay]

Hi there, and welcome. I have a sun & jenday that both dive at people that they consider a threat. They created a flock of their choosing, and have decided everyone else needs a good diving at. I don’t let them out intentionally if we have guests no matter how much the guests beg, and compliment my conures. Some parrots can have cage aggression too. There are so many different reasons why they do this. My larger parrot attacks my husband because he’s possessive over me, and sees me as his mate not his friend/owner. Always remember although our parrots appear tame as we interact with them. They truly aren’t 100% tame/domesticated. Some of this is natural instincts. They don’t mean to be harmful, or to cause harm to someone.

Has your mom tried giving him treats as she’s walking by, and as your conure is in his/her cage? I assume your mom probably doesn’t want to be dived at or attacked trying to give your conure a treat is why I’d try this with the conure in his/her cage. Trying to make interactions like this on a regular basis can help build a relationship safely. Even if your mom is just dropping a sun flower seed in the food dish if she can’t physically hand off the seed through the cage bars may be helpful.

We think it might be a territorial thing bc he gets very aggressive upstairs, which is where I’m with him most of the time. We are trying to get him accustomed to other places. Because we noticed that when we are at the dinner table, he doesn’t attack my mom. So I’m trying to get him out and hang out at different spots and not just my room. If you still have any other suggestions I’m open to those too! Thank you for the help!

 

[zachconur]

I have a conure, he is very young, I’ve had him less than a year. I know conures are bitey and nibbly by nature, and his normal bites are pretty hard, but I’m used to them and I’m okay with them. He respects me, and you could say I’m his favourite. The issue is my mom. He bites her really really hard and straight up attacks her. And it’s not because my mom wants to pet him or anything, I could be in my room and if my mom even peeks her head inside, he will fly to her and start attacking until she bleeds. It’s getting worse now because he saw my mom literally just pass by the hallway and he flew and followed her to get on her to start attacking her. When he starts attacking her , it’s super hard to get him off because he bites even harder. I don’t know what to do, I really really do not want to clip his wings, I find it very cruel and sad. It might be hormones , but I feel like he is being too aggressive to one person for it to just be hormones. Please someone help me, it is causing so many issues at home.

It sounds like your conure has developed a fear or aggression toward your mom, which could be triggered by territorial behavior, especially if he sees you as his mate or feels protective. Hormones may indeed play a role, but this level of aggression suggests a deeper issue. To address this, try to positively associate your mom’s presence with rewards, like treats or gentle interaction, when he's calm. Consistency is key. Avoid punishment, as it could reinforce the aggression. Consulting a professional avian behaviorist can also help identify the cause and provide a tailored solution without resorting to wing clipping.