Help to put my mind at ease...

[CherryPepsi]

First off, I just wanted to say hello to everyone. This'll be my first post, and it's a pleasure to be here.

Okay, so, I've recently just purchased my first conure. It's a cinnamon, few months old. I've done a bit of research on the, and as I've owned other birds I kinda have an idea of what you're first supposed to do with them. So, since I've had them for a few days I'm currently just letting them adjust to the house. Most of the time it seems relatively calm and content but, and here's where I need some help, it sometimes starts to freak out. Squawking and hectically shuffling around the cage. Clearly it's not too happy, but I was just wondering... is this something conures normally do? Or is there something I can do to put it's mind at ease? I believe it's cage is spacious enough. It has toys. I give it fresh food and water everyday. And I'll talk to it about an hour everyday. So, as far as I know, I'm doing all the right things, and don't feel like I'm doing it any harm, but I thought it was best to maybe speak with some experienced conure owners, to just see if I'm doing anything wrong.

Here's a Youtube link so you guys can get a better idea of what I mean: [ame="https://youtu.be/VlKfJAWdDwM"]Conure freakout. - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Flboy]

Hello and welcome. You baby is looking for all the other birds! It is really hard to see them go through this!

 

[SilverSage]

Is he tame? You say you talk to him about an hour a day, but a parrot needs a lot more attention than that. He does appear to be looking for attention of some sort. Have you started training him? Also you say he has toys, but all I see are a couple of budgie rings? He needs A LOT of toys, especially shreddable ones. The cage, from what I can see in the video, also does seem small for a bird that is locked inside it all the time, does he get time to come out and fly around?

Another note... The cage bars seem dangerously wide... what is the bar spacing? If they are too wide you risk him getting his head or other body part stuck, and he could die.

 

[Allee]

Welcome to the forums!

You're little one is only a 'few months' old, the transition into a new home is traumatic for some birds. He'll need time to adapt to everything new. It's important to make sure he's getting enough nutrition, stress can cause birds to eat less. Did you change his diet when you brought him home?

Does your bird have a name? It's a perfect time to interact and build a bond with your new family member. Here's a link with helpful tips.

http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html

While your bird's cage may meet minimum size requirements for a conure, he would probably be more comfortable in a larger space, especially if he spends a lot of time inside his cage. As SilverSage mentioned, the large bar spacing is a big concern, your conure could easily get caught between the bars.

Congratulations, your new friend is adorable. A few improvements and a little more research should make your new adventure more rewarding for you and your bird.

 

[Mimsy01]

Wow, that video got Foo upset. She was chirping back to him. Usually she ignores conure video's.

Everyone gave good cage requirement info. I wondered on the bar spacing too. Though it can be hard to tell in a video sometimes.

I make hanging fleece toys that I use in one corner of her cage. Kind of like these https://www.etsy.com/listing/243309350/happywings-fleece-snugglepillar-bird?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_all_products-low&utm_custom1=4355fd30-a30b-7848-ab98-000006c751b5&gclid=CP6i9Zzy78gCFZJbfgod8ikBGg

Foo likes solid colors however. I sometimes add little beads to the bottoms as well. I hang those around one corner of her cage so she can snuggle and hide in. She likes to sleep there and she actually goes under those.

She also needs a variety of different types of toys. Easily shredable things. You can just take like construction paper and cut it into strips and then I binder clip them to the cage. I cut up straws and tie them in a knot, for easy to pick up toys. I will cut milkshake straws length ways and put them on the cage bars, and she will work at taking them off. Here is Foo's set up. It doesnt have to be as big as her cage, but it may give you an idea of what can appeal to a conure.

Is your conure able to be handled? Is she frightened? More information on whats going on with her and you and we can help more.

 

[CherryPepsi]

Hey, guys.

Sorry for not responding to you guys sooner, and thanks for all the replies. It's greatly appreciated. So, just to answer what most of you asked, no, they aren't tamed. I bought them from a pet store, and they were around another Conure, and some Kakarikis, and it didn't appear that the store owners gave them any real attention, so they were, understandably, a bit nervous around people.

 

[Aquila]

Wow, that video got Foo upset. She was chirping back to him. Usually she ignores conure video's.

Everyone gave good cage requirement info. I wondered on the bar spacing too. Though it can be hard to tell in a video sometimes.

I make hanging fleece toys that I use in one corner of her cage. Kind of like these https://www.etsy.com/listing/243309...000006c751b5&gclid=CP6i9Zzy78gCFZJbfgod8ikBGg

Foo likes solid colors however. I sometimes add little beads to the bottoms as well. I hang those around one corner of her cage so she can snuggle and hide in. She likes to sleep there and she actually goes under those.

She also needs a variety of different types of toys. Easily shredable things. You can just take like construction paper and cut it into strips and then I binder clip them to the cage. I cut up straws and tie them in a knot, for easy to pick up toys. I will cut milkshake straws length ways and put them on the cage bars, and she will work at taking them off. Here is Foo's set up. It doesnt have to be as big as her cage, but it may give you an idea of what can appeal to a conure.

Is your conure able to be handled? Is she frightened? More information on whats going on with her and you and we can help more.

I really like that cage!

 

[MangoandKiwi]

Hi,

The others gave some great advice and ideas with the cage and set-up/toys! (I love Foo's cage)

So I just played your video and my birds in the other room started screaming too immediately! One of the screaming calls in your video is what mine use as a "alarm call" actually what I call their "defcon 3 alarm call" at 0.10 (I heard it only shortly)
Ours do this when they see something of what they think is "imminent danger" A scary broom or if something falls and scares the heck out of them, if I suddenly and without announcement enter their room etc.

Are your birds housed together? It might be a "protect the flock" thing if they are not handled much. It might help if you talk slowly to him/them so he knows everything is okay. That helps snap our birds out of their screaming fits when they do this.

 

[Minimaker]

If you need a good deal on a more suitably sized cage, ebay often has some decent sized flight cages for much less than the pet stores. Here's an example of something with more room:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bird-Parrot...4e981ba&pid=100005&rk=1&rkt=6&sd=281843357428

Or here is another option: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Large-Bird-...c44e3e4&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=231711464117

Mysafebirdstore.com has a great selection of toys and rope perches, etc.

 

[MonicaMc]

The behavior kind of looks like begging behavior mixed with escape behavior.


Does your conure always go to that one spot in the cage, stick his/her beak between the cage bars and lean into them?

 

[CherryPepsi]

Hey, guys!
Again, thanks for the replies. I've taken your advice on board.
I will get on the more toys thing as soon as I can. I might even have a go at making some myself. Spend sometime with my bird whilst making some. I'll also try to get on the cage thing as soon as I can, but that one's a little more tricky for me. I see now that the spacing is a bit of a problem. My conure doesn't seem to be able to get her head through, but I realize that seeming isn't as good as straight up knowing. So, when I'm in a position to spend so much on a cage, then I'll definitely get one(If anyone can suggest something I can do to make it safer in the mean time, that'd be great). I've also spent a lot more time with them. I spent a few hours with them yesterday, and managed to get them to take food from my hand, which felt good. They also came out of their cage this morning, but that was mainly because they wanted to get away from me. But I didn't chase after her or anything. I just tempted them back in with some food. Though, now that I've spent some time with them they seem to be freaking out even more now. Is it because they liked the attention? I don't know because they'll also do it whilst I'm trying to interact with them.
Either way, I feel it's going well. Not amazingly, but I feel progress is being made. I also have some more questions for you guys.
1. They seem to like their beak on their perch, I know this is to clean their beaks, but the perch seems too smooth to really do anything. Is there something I can put on them to make the perches better for them?
2. I have the cage near a window and I'm sure that they can see the birds outside. Is this a bad thing?
3. I have a toy mirror hanging in the cage. Is this also a bad thing?
4. Would it be better to move my bird downstairs? Currently I have them up in my room so I can bond 1 to 1 with it, but I'm thinking it'd be better to just put them around more people. However, my other bird is downstairs(Bourke Parakeet), will this stress my conure out more? Or will it make it calmer?

Thanks for reading, guys. I already feel better knowing that there's some experienced owners I can talk to about these things. I've gotta go for a little while. I look forward to reading your responses when I get back.

I'm gonna try and keep you guys posted. Maybe like a journal or something of progress. It'll be fun.

 

[Minimaker]

My conure never gets stuck in the bars, but then again he's not trying to get through like your bird is. I think he'll be fine, but you do need a bigger cage honestly. That cage is for a single or pair of tiny budgies at most. If you think about it, a small cage is a sad end for a bird who's limit is the wide open sky under normal circumstances. I'd save up if I had to. Even put a coin jar out for "donations" from family for one if need be Loose change adds up quickly.

As for toys, they don't have to be expensive. Bird kabobs are a favorite of mine:
Wesco Mini Bird Kabob Parrot Bird Toy Parts Foot Munchie Chew Shred

And these things go over well: 1816 Chew My Duck Bird Toy Parrot Cage Toys Foraging Cages Cockatiel Parakeet | eBay

That's the only stuff mine ever plays with. He just chews them up over time and that makes him happy. As for the beak scraping, you can get either a calcium perch like this: New Pollys Cuttlebone Calcium Bird Perch Small | eBay

or a grapevine perch (my bird's favorite for sleeping on and he has a wide variety to choose from):Grapevine Perch, large

The window view is fine, it will give him mental stimulation if he has a view. Mirrors can be bad depending on the bird. Mine could care less, but others develop a bond with the "mirror bird" or can become territorial.

As for moving the bird downstairs, it's best to keep them quarantined from other birds for a few weeks to make sure everyone is safe and healthy. Afterward that's up to you. If you feel your bird might be happier down there you can try it-after all if it doesn't work out you could move him right back.

 

[ZephyrFly]

I would recommend a cement perch in the cage and maybe a calcium perch, they add a new rougher texture plus the calcium. Place them higher in the cage but I wouldn't personally have the cement one at the highest point.
I have no experience with multiple birds let alone untame birds, so I look forward to seeing other people's responses.

 

[Mimsy01]

If they are eating food out of your hand that is a great thing. I was a little worried about how wild they were. If they will take food from you, then there is already a bridge to a relationship.

As far as perches-you want a variety of textures, sizes and types. That will keep their feet in good shape. You can use branches from your yard from bird safe tree's even (Safe and Dangerous Woods). Those dowel type one's you get with cages all the time you can wrap with things to make more interested as well. I've wrapped them with sisal rope, vegetable tanned leather or vet tape. If you use ones that are really rough, such as cement, or sandy types to help with beak and nail care, they should not cause any issues as long as you don't put them in the highest point of the cage. Reason being most birds will typically sleep and do most of their lounging at the top, so long periods on a rough perch, some feel may hurt their feet. Many put it by t heir food bowl, so they will use it, but not stay there too long.

Toys don't have to be expensive, just be creative-cut strips of cardboard and weave it through the bars of their cage and you have something they can chew on.

Being by a window is fine, most birds enjoy having a view to outside and to get some sun, as long as it doesn't get too hot where they are.

I think both choices, being downstairs around activity and being upstairs where they get one on one with you and a window view sound like good places. So I would go entirely with what you feel is best.

For a reasonably priced cage, you might keep an eye on craigslist. I see nice cages for very low prices all the time on there. Just make sure the bars are only 1/2" apart. Clean really well since you don't know the birds that were in it. Light bleach solution, used away from your birds, make sure to get it into all those little crevices. Rinse well and then wash again in vinegar and it should be safe. Probably should at least be well cleaned with vinegar even if the cage is new.

I'm looking forward to seeing how you progress with your little ones.