Green cheek conure biting at cage time

[BentleyandNori]

I recently purchased an approximately 2 y.o conure. It is believed to be a male but we’re not sure yet. He was said to have been close to his previous owner and bonded and would ride around on her shoulder. She got rid of him when she got a new bird and they fought. The rescue that took him in didn’t really work with him or take him out of his cage the short time they had him.

After I purchased him he did bite through the cage and seemed fearful, however he was released from his cage after a couple days and was very friendly. However, he will refuse to go back in his cage. If he’s on my hand and sees me heading for the cage he will fly away. If he is sitting on his cage and I try to put him in he will bite aggressively. It takes a very long time to eventually get him back inside. I know it’s only been a week but it’s frustrating to keep getting bit hard after his exercise. Is there anyway to prevent this? Thanks.

 

[LaManuka]

I recently purchased an approximately 2 y.o conure. It is believed to be a male but we’re not sure yet. He was said to have been close to his previous owner and bonded and would ride around on her shoulder. She got rid of him when she got a new bird and they fought. The rescue that took him in didn’t really work with him or take him out of his cage the short time they had him.

After I purchased him he did bite through the cage and seemed fearful, however he was released from his cage after a couple days and was very friendly. However, he will refuse to go back in his cage. If he’s on my hand and sees me heading for the cage he will fly away. If he is sitting on his cage and I try to put him in he will bite aggressively. It takes a very long time to eventually get him back inside. I know it’s only been a week but it’s frustrating to keep getting bit hard after his exercise. Is there anyway to prevent this? Thanks.

Welcome to the forums, @BentleyandNori, and thank you for giving this little one a loving home! At 2 years old he is likely into his first ever phase of over-active hormones, in preparation for what would usually be a breeding season if he had a mate around, so that may be one factor at play here. At this time they can get VERY territorial about their cage, in fact GCCs are fairly notorious for it, and it's surprising how hard they can bite for such a little bird! Is there a particular treat that he really likes? Maybe you can use that as bribery to coax him back into his cage at the end of the day and save your fingers!!

 

[BentleyandNori]

Welcome to the forums, @BentleyandNori, and thank you for giving this little one a loving home! At 2 years old he is likely into his first ever phase of over-active hormones, in preparation for what would usually be a breeding season if he had a mate around, so that may be one factor at play here. At this time they can get VERY territorial about their cage, in fact GCCs are fairly notorious for it, and it's surprising how hard they can bite for such a little bird! Is there a particular treat that he really likes? Maybe you can use that as bribery to coax him back into his cage at the end of the day and save your fingers!!

Hi! So he I’m still learning what is his favorite treat is. It seems to be millet currently as well as blackberry. I was thinking that he was too young for him to be hormonal but I honestly didn’t know. I will continue to try luring him in with treats as that did work one time. Thank you!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Have you tried using a stick perch to transfer him into his cage instead of your hand? I have a budgie that bites hands so I move her around on a perch instead so I don't get bitten.

Of course this won't help get him into his cage if he plays jump the stick every time you approach him with it. I have a few budgies that play that game when I'm trying to put them all to bed and they aren't ready.

 

[BentleyandNori]

Have you tried using a stick perch to transfer him into his cage instead of your hand? I have a budgie that bites hands so I move her around on a perch instead so I don't get bitten.

Of course this won't help get him into his cage if he plays jump the stick every time you approach him with it. I have a few budgies that play that game when I'm trying to put them all to bed and they aren't ready.

Hello, so he can usually ride around on my hand when he’s away from his cage without biting. It’s when he sees me nearing his cage that he bites. I tried a stick but he does the jump stick game as well when approaching the cage. He seemed to be quite upset when I once wrapped him in a towel so I have avoided doing that as well. Just have to keep working on him I guess.

 

[wrench13]

You should consider a light clip until he learns the house rules. ANd YAH chasing and covering with a towel to get him back in is a big time trust buster. Feathers grow back. Learned behavior, like flying away at cage time, is a real bear to break once learned.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Most hate the towel but I need to do it sometimes. I drape a small fleece blanket over them and pick them up to put them inside and they don't struggle at all and don't hold it against me- they know the drill! I turn the lights down real low about 10 minutes before their bedtime to calm them down. I have 8 budgies that come out all day. A few go inside themselves and a few are easy to put in on my hand or a stick but two of them can be a real pain.
I think Conures are more sensitive than budgies and I wouldn't want to towel them. People say to just leave them out on top of the cage, lights very low, and leave the room and they'll go in by themselves. Maybe, maybe not. Don't feed them outside the cage- you need to give them a reason to go back in.

 

[BentleyandNori]

Most hate the towel but I need to do it sometimes. I drape a small fleece blanket over them and pick them up to put them inside and they don't struggle at all and don't hold it against me- they know the drill! I turn the lights down real low about 10 minutes before their bedtime to calm them down. I have 8 budgies that come out all day. A few go inside themselves and a few are easy to put in on my hand or a stick but two of them can be a real pain.
I think Conures are more sensitive than budgies and I wouldn't want to towel them. People say to just leave them out on top of the cage, lights very low, and leave the room and they'll go in by themselves. Maybe, maybe not. Don't feed them outside the cage- you need to give them a reason to go back in.

Yes my conure seemed to hate the towel grab but he’s fully flighted and just would not go to bed. I will try turning the lights down like you mentioned to see if that helps. And I def don’t feed him outside the cage. I even left his water in there because at some point he gets thirsty and goes back in.

 

[BentleyandNori]

You should consider a light clip until he learns the house rules. ANd YAH chasing and covering with a towel to get him back in is a big time trust buster. Feathers grow back. Learned behavior, like flying away at cage time, is a real bear to break once learned.

I had considered doing a partial clip but was then told by others that the conure would be heart broken that he can no longer fly. So I’m kinda stuck with either clipping and upsetting him or using a towel to grab him and upsetting him. I am going to amp up the training this coming week and see if that helps. It’s gonna take some thinking on my part to decide about the clipping.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I would NOT clip so much he couldn't fly. I would just trim off the tips of his longest primary flight feathers less than about 2 inches to start. I promise you he will still be able to fly. It will just be lower and slower. I also promise you he won't be heartbroken. Daily toweling is much worse for trust. I think it will help your relationship to have him a little more dependent on you.

 

[BentleyandNori]

I would NOT clip so much he couldn't fly. I would just trim off the tips of his longest primary flight feathers less than about 2 inches to start. I promise you he will still be able to fly. It will just be lower and slower. I also promise you he won't be heartbroken. Daily toweling is much worse for trust. I think it will help your relationship to have him a little more dependent on you.

I was told that initially by the person I got him from but because I got so much push back from others I was hesitant to do it. But I am re considering now that it has become so hard to get him back in the cage. I do have an upcoming vet appointment so I can always do a partial clip then. Thank you!

 

[rheashard2]

To clip or not will be an ongoing debate for as long as you own a bird. There's as many pros as cons as situations requiring it. Do reading. Whatever you decide both of you have to be comfortable. Toweling is a necessary evil of bird ownership. Vet care, emergency care all can require it. So be prepared for tantrums etc. I find it easier to let vet techs be the villains. I am the rescuer with treats, soft voice etc.