Help with my conure?

[holly6386]

Hello, im new here. Hoping i can find help now and in the future for my new "buddy"

I recently got a 6 yr old male sun conure off a breeder who said he was sterile but she kept him around for a while as he was one of her babys. So I never planned on him being the most loving lie on his back type being so old and set in his ways, but i was looking for a companion. I went to meet him and he was fine with his owners. when i took him he would fly away but he wasnt mean at all.
So 3 months later i have been leaving his cage open, giving him random treats and talking to him. He did step up fine from his cage so began bringing him around the house with me while i would be doing housework. Sometimes he would stay on my shoulder, other days he flew to spot to just watch and that was fine too. Then he began learning the layout of the house and now when i bring him out as soon as i stand still he flies back to his cage.
He has also began getting nippy to the point that i would rather not stick my hand near him while he is in his cage. When i ask him to step up he bites a few times then reluctantly gets on my finger and immediatley back off. I tried just leaving him alone for a few days thinking maybe he was in a mood but it is just worse. He wont leave his cage at all but will scream if the door is closed. He gets on the top a few times a day to stretch his wings then back in he goes.
If i bring him out and his cage isnt in site he will let me grab his beak or pet under his feathers but he seems like he is tolerating it more then enjoying it.
Any suggestions to make this little guy part of the family? I have been looking up what to do about it but i cant decide how to go about it. im not sure if its considered cage bound, cage aggression or just antisocial. Maybe none of the above. Thanks so much for reading this, i know there is a lot to read, but any advice would be wonderful! If you need more information about him then please feel free to ask, i have wanted a sun for such a long time and i would really love for our relationship to be a good one!

I guess what i'm asking is; if i were to start fresh, how would i approach his issues and get him to enjoy getting attention.

 

[roxynoodle]

My conure is pretty territorial and can be cage aggressive as well. I always open the door, and she comes down and then steps up. There isn't any point to my reaching in because she will get mad and I'll get bitten. If I'm giving her a new toy, she is happy about that and then will kiss my hand, but otherwise, I don't have my hands in there much except for scrubbing poop off the bars (and usually I take her out before I do that).

You could try giving him a treat he likes when he steps up nicely. And of course praise for what a good boy he was.

Do you think he's nipping to be a bossy little snot, or out of fear? If he's being a bossy little snot, you will need to remove him from you when he bites, put him on his cage or play gym and ignore him for a couple of minutes. And you will need to do it consistently until he learns he can only be with you when he is nice. If he's biting out of fear, maybe you should start all over again. Sit near his cage, or on the floor to be even less intimidating. Talk to him, sing to him and offer him treats from your hand. Try to build trust. Be patient and kind and realize he may need a lot of time to feel comfortable.

You could also clip his wings, at least for now, for training. Then he will need to stay where you put him, and rely on you for transport.

 

[holly6386]

i believe its fear more then anything. He just seems like he is perfectly content in his cage left alone. He gets frustrated when you try to interact with him. I did the sitting with him talking and treay overload for the first month. He seemed comfortable with stepping up in his cage then i began taking him out after he was good with that. he was making progress until he learned to get back to his cage and thats when he started the aggression. He never bit until that. His wings were cut professionally when i first got him and the little guy can still fly somehow. But i think im going to look at them again and see if it can be done better. Thanks for the reply!

 

[roxynoodle]

My Blue Crown could still fly fine with clipped wings. For some reason even though they are big conures, they hardly weigh anything. My Nanday will drop like a stone if her wings are clipped, and so does my amazon. I know Suns weigh less than Nandays even though they look about the same size. An avian vet should be able to clip him correctly.

 

[holly6386]

I did a better wing clip. I am the babysitter for my father in laws sun and GCC when he goes on buisness trips so i had the experience. That is actually the reason i have wanted a sun of my own for so long!
So he can fly anymore. the breeder just cut the first 4 long ones. He is still being extremely cage aggressive but not im not sure if its fear or just attitiude. I ignore the bites and get him out of his cage with "step up" he comes after the 4th bite.
But im questioning the aggression because with his wings clipped he would rather be on my shoulder then on the floor/playstand/dresser.
not sure if its trust or just the lesser of two evils situation. Hoping with the daily interaction and staying with me all day he will actually enjoy the attention. He doesnt bite or show aggression when he is with me, just when he is in the cage!
just a little update and thank you again for the info

 

[d2page2]

One of my GCC can fly no matter how her wings are clipped. She is also cage aggresive. I have learned with her atleast if I wait untill she comes out of the door on her cage she will step up without biting. She seems to go through phases where she bites more often. Good luck.

 

[MikeyTN]

One of my GCC can fly no matter how her wings are clipped. She is also cage aggresive. I have learned with her atleast if I wait untill she comes out of the door on her cage she will step up without biting. She seems to go through phases where she bites more often. Good luck.

Most likely her primary feathers aren't clipped short enough or not enough is being clipped if she can fly well! must have all primary feathers clipped to the line of the secondary feather.

 

[MikeyTN]

Plus all the primary flight feathers needs to be cut to meet the secondary feathers towards the body. Basically half way down the wing. About 6 feathers I think. I'm so used to clipping babies that I don't even count....

 

[roxynoodle]

I did a better wing clip. I am the babysitter for my father in laws sun and GCC when he goes on buisness trips so i had the experience. That is actually the reason i have wanted a sun of my own for so long!
So he can fly anymore. the breeder just cut the first 4 long ones. He is still being extremely cage aggressive but not im not sure if its fear or just attitiude. I ignore the bites and get him out of his cage with "step up" he comes after the 4th bite.
But im questioning the aggression because with his wings clipped he would rather be on my shoulder then on the floor/playstand/dresser.
not sure if its trust or just the lesser of two evils situation. Hoping with the daily interaction and staying with me all day he will actually enjoy the attention. He doesnt bite or show aggression when he is with me, just when he is in the cage!
just a little update and thank you again for the info

You are welcome! I'm glad to hear there is improvement. Try letting him come down to the open cage door for step up. It really has worked much nicer for my conure. Her cage is her castle.