I need some advice

[PhoeStar]

I picked up my Conure this past weekend, So I've only had him about 3 days. I understand that before we bond, trust needs to be built, although he's already started giving me love nibble on my fingers.

I try to interact with him, from what I've read they are very social birds and need one on one interaction, however he's very skittish and doesn't seem to really want to "play". The most he'll do is let me hold one of his chew toys as he nibble on it, and then he seems to want to switch from the toy to "tasting/nibbling" on my fingers, mind you it's not very hard. He is gentle when taking food from my fingers/palm. So he doesn't seem aggressive.

I have left his cage door open while I am around, and he's gotten more adventurous and started climbing around out side of his cage, but he never strays far. He's a Sun conure, and approximately 1 years old. From what I can tell, his previous owner had to give him up to a new home because she didn't have the time to give him the attention and care he needs. I know that she worked as a nanny and had a lot of small children around him, so I am wondering if perhaps one or two of them gave him a rough handling a couple times.

He's my first Conure I've ever had, but not the first bird. So I have some experience with birds as family pets. I've done a lot of reading up on Conures specifically, and I know some people said to start off slow with touches and work up his comfort zone of handling. However he won't even let me touch his toes, he always move away. Even when I try to get him to perch on my finger. It's all very puzzling because of all my research into the Conure behavoir.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Well, you pretty much answered your question in the first sentence. Three days is not a long time. I'd say that given what you are telling us, he is making remarkable progress.

Some conures will take right to you and others require a little more effort. I'd give it a couple of weeks of doing what you're doing. Continue to interact with him. Hand feeding treats and letting him near you are great trust builders. Be consistent and patient. You are doing great so far.

As for his toes, some birds don't like to be touched in certain places while others have particular areas of preference. For example, Skittles LOVES wingpit scratches. It could also be that he just isn't THAT comfortable yet.

 

[Roanoke]

As for his toes, some birds don't like to be touched in certain places while others have particular areas of preference.

This is true. My conure lets me put him on his back, tickle his belly, stroke him from his head to tail and grab his beak. We're still working on toes
(He gives me warning pinches) and he does not allow me to extend his wings yet.

Just keep working with him, and make everything a positive experience! Give him lots of his favorite treats, rewarding him for getting a little closer and a little closer to stepping up.
Judging by your post, you'll do fantastic!
Let us know how it goes

 

[Minimaker]

It's almost been a year and the eight year old breeder I bought hated hands. Completely understandable since he was in a low cage where kids could poke at him through cage bars. I'm just now able to touch his head without getting a warning nip. He loves shoulder rides and will step up briefly on my hand but runs up my arm to get away from it. There's nothing to do but be patient and consistent and build that trust. Treats really help. Mine would do practically anything for a pine nut. Just love him and spend time with him. In time he will trust you. The birds that end up not tame are the ones that get left in cages too much without interaction. They are not decorations, but thinking feeling loving creatures who need a relationship with something other than toys and a cage.

 

[PhoeStar]

I know he loves peanuts, and apples although I have to pick some up from the store.

I tried giving him some papaya, which he seems to enjoy but not as much as apples. I've figured out he likes Crunchy food, anything to soft and he doesn't seem to eat it.

I'm planning on getting him a second cage so that in the evenings when I have work on my computer, he can still spend time with me upstairs. And his downstairs cage will be his "play" cage for day time usage.

 

[MikeyTN]

You can just get him a play stand instead of another cage for upstairs!

Just be patient and keep working with him, he'll get better over time.

I always work with my birds from day one, but first few days I do just a little bit and just let them be. Then I start routinely working with them. It's been a long time since I owned conures cause I really don't care for their scream as it bothers me a lot. But when we received our Sun Conure Isis, she was named before all the madness, she was in very poor shape with a permanent damage with her foot due to stupidity of the owners. They left her outside all the time and she was covered with a tarp while they go on vacation. There were maggots in her cage. She came around nicely and got some mobility back to her foot but the damage is done. She now likes her tummy scratch and enjoy sitting on our shoulders and act pretty.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

It is important to begin working from the very start but like has been said - you DO want to give them a few days to become accustomed to their new environment. They are much more likely to be defensive in a 'new' environment. BUT, this is where reassuring them comes into play as part of the training process.

Skittles will let me (actually more like demand, lol) scratch his wingpits, stretch out his wings and grab his feet (he 'shakes hands'). I especially like playing 'grabby beak' with him. I will say to him "i got your beak! i got your beak" and he will play along.

He's not afraid of my fingers, in fact he likes to rub the side of his beak against my fingernails.

 

[PhoeStar]

Well, Phoenix (It's what I named him, he does respond to it sometimes), started getting a bit more nippy last night and this morning. I was taking it as he's becoming more comfortable interacting, because before he wouldn't go near my hand.

I've been feeding him some seeds, a bit of papaya and few peanuts. He also seems to like dried banana chips. I was wondering if that was his way of saying he needs more variety of food. I just haven't gotten around to running to the grocery store yet.

Over all he's fairly well behaved, is quiet at night and only has a screeching thon a couple times a day, I hope that doesn't change to much. He's no longer so much as running away from my hand and nibbling at it with a few nips.

Although he isn't interested so much in interacting as having company near by.

 

[PhoeStar]

Oh and about the spare cage, I was going to have it as his travel cage as well. Since I enjoy spending time outside, I wanted Phoenix to enjoy it with me once he and I bonded a little more. His wings aren't clipped actually, so if he wanted too he could fly around the house. I was dabbling with the idea of leaving them as they were.

 

[PhoeStar]

Now, he's actually managed to bite through one of my nails. I am kind of confused actually. He'll take food from my hand with out biting me in the process but then any other time he seems to be getting a bit nippier.

I was thinking maybe he was territorial about his cage, but when I put my hand in his cage he doesn't automatically run up and bite me. It's more like when I try to interact with him and his toys. Then he seems to get a bit bitey.

 

[Shoegoo]

Well he had a previous owner so he should be use to people. Just not use to you.

 

[PhoeStar]

Well I actually figured out part of the problem, He's molting. I know he's starting to bond to me because every time I am in sight but not near him he tries to fly to me. So my guess is his moulting is causing his behaviour of nippiness and skittishness to be touched.

 

[greytness]

Out of all my parrots, my conures are the nippiest. They pinch more than they actually bite. I know their triggers, so I simply avoid any activities which I know will set them off.

Even if they do nip me, I've become so immune to the nips that it's no big deal to me. It's just part of parrot ownership, and is their way of communicating what they don't like.

 

[PhoeStar]

I understand that he has his likes and dislikes actually. I'm trying a few training tips, but so far he doesn't seem to respond at all other than to nip at me. I guess I have to just find what works for him.

I can understand if he's not one that likes to be handled, but I cannot go by his schedule of when and where he wants to interact. I have online school, so for a couple hours a day I have to be on my computer to work on school work. I can't be tied to his cage, I wanted him to get comfortable enough with my touch so that he could join me on my shoulder or at least another perch upstairs.