New Bird Owner

[GhostieGirlxx]

Hello!
I just adopted my very first bird ever, Birdie! He just turned 1 at the end of October

I haven’t only had Birdie for a few hours now and as soon as we got home he flew in to my head and he’s been refusing to get off my head and shoulders for the most part, he’s super sweet and likes dancing and doing chirping sounds (are those good??)

How do I get him into his cage?! Every time I try he flies to the back of my head or on to my back and I have no idea how to get him into the cage lol

He’s a high red pineapple conure!

 

[Jexnell]

Welcome to the feathered family!

 

[GaleriaGila]

I'll leave the training advice to our more competent members. You'll find their advice helpful and supportive. Also, the search engine here is really good for looking for specific concerns, e.g., "bird on head", "won't get down", "hand training", phrases like that.

Or... you can be like me, and just allow your bird to do whatever it wants, whenever, wherever. Maybe you can look forward to decades of domestic psittacine abuse, like me!

In any event, I'm glad you're here! That little parrot is adorrrrrrrrrrrrrable.

 

[GhostieGirlxx]

I'll leave the training advice to our more competent members. You'll find their advice helpful and supportive. Also, the search engine here is really good for looking for specific concerns, e.g., "bird on head", "won't get down", "hand training", phrases like that.

Or... you can be like me, and just allow your bird to do whatever it wants, whenever, wherever. Maybe you can look forward to decades of domestic psittacine abuse, like me!

In any event, I'm glad you're here! That little parrot is adorrrrrrrrrrrrrable.

Thank you!
I’ve having trouble browsing other threads, I keep getting an error code when I try to look through? I’m not sure what’s going on, maybe it’s my browser or something lol

 

[wrench13]

Keep in mind parrots are all about trust. Everything must be measured by that - does this build or break trust. Chasing your bird around trying to get him back in the cage - trust buster.

 

[GhostieGirlxx]

Keep in mind parrots are all about trust. Everything must be measured by that - does this build or break trust. Chasing your bird around trying to get him back in the cage - trust buster.

I haven’t chased him or forced any interactions.. but he does need to go into his cage at night to sleep, and I have three kids at home too that need to sleep lol.

How would you suggest getting him into his cage at night? Right now I turn the lights off and he comes to me, I have to wait until he walks down to my hand before I can put him in though and sometimes that can take over an hour

 

[Beepers]

Hello!
I just adopted my very first bird ever, Birdie! He just turned 1 at the end of October

I haven’t only had Birdie for a few hours now and as soon as we got home he flew in to my head and he’s been refusing to get off my head and shoulders for the most part, he’s super sweet and likes dancing and doing chirping sounds (are those good??)

How do I get him into his cage?! Every time I try he flies to the back of my head or on to my back and I have no idea how to get him into the cage lol

He’s a high red pineapple conure!

 

[Beepers]

Aaaw! Birdie is adorable! Research clicker training, that will be helpful. In the meantime, walk over to the cage and lean your head into the bars on top, so Birdie is close enough to jump off. This is a little awkward if he’s on the back of your head, but same rules still apply. Put the back of your head up against the bar so he’s close enough to get off. Birds like a high position, so he will likely get off without too much effort. Use your finger, an extra perch or chopstick to transfer him into the cage. Say “step up” as he is stepping on. Use millet as a reward. If Birdie refuses, you might have to pick him up very gently and put him inside the cage. You might want to put a favorite snack in the cage as a reward: favorite fruit, sunflower seed, or millet as an incentive. Birdie will associate the snack with going back inside. When I got my bird, there were days when I literally stuck my head in the cage, which also works. Make sure you have plenty of toys and perches in the cage so he has something to play with. Birdie sounds happy and healthy. Seems like he loves you very much, and loves spending time with you.

 

[GhostieGirlxx]

Aaaw! Birdie is adorable! Research clicker training, that will be helpful. In the meantime, walk over to the cage and lean your head into the bars on top, so Birdie is close enough to jump off. This is a little awkward if he’s on the back of your head, but same rules still apply. Put the back of your head up against the bar so he’s close enough to get off. Birds like a high position, so he will likely get off without too much effort. Use your finger, an extra perch or chopstick to transfer him into the cage. Say “step up” as he is stepping on. Use millet as a reward. If Birdie refuses, you might have to pick him up very gently and put him inside the cage. You might want to put a favorite snack in the cage as a reward: favorite fruit, sunflower seed, or millet as an incentive. Birdie will associate the snack with going back inside. When I got my bird, there were days when I literally stuck my head in the cage, which also works. Make sure you have plenty of toys and perches in the cage so he has something to play with. Birdie sounds happy and healthy. Seems like he loves you very much, and loves spending time with you.

Thank you!! I have tried putting my whole head in haha but he just runs to my back every time, I have to turn the lights down low and convince him to go on my finger and from there I kind of cup him and put him on a perch in his cage and sing to him a bit haha

 

[Beepers]

Thank you!! I have tried putting my whole head in haha but he just runs to my back every time, I have to turn the lights down low and convince him to go on my finger and from there I kind of cup him and put him on a perch in his cage and sing to him a bit haha

Oh my gosh, that’s so cute that you sing to him. He’s living the good life, I wouldn’t want to go back to the cage either. LOL! What a sweet bond.

 

[LizardSith]

Hello!
I just adopted my very first bird ever, Birdie! He just turned 1 at the end of October

I haven’t only had Birdie for a few hours now and as soon as we got home he flew in to my head and he’s been refusing to get off my head and shoulders for the most part, he’s super sweet and likes dancing and doing chirping sounds (are those good??)

How do I get him into his cage?! Every time I try he flies to the back of my head or on to my back and I have no idea how to get him into the cage lol

He’s a high red pineapple conure!

Ah conures. So fickle. I'd say don't force it. Treats are your salvation here. Give a treat, then slowly get the treat to the cage then in it. Don't grab and stash the conure if you ever want his trust. Sounds like the bird really likes you. They are cute, silly, very energetic and very loving birds. My Neptune is my bestie. Always happy to see me and sometimes bites. I could have a bad and he's always chirping whenever I get home.

Conures are great. Sounds like you are already bonding.

 

[GhostieGirlxx]

Oh my gosh, that’s so cute that you sing to him. He’s living the good life, I wouldn’t want to go back to the cage either. LOL! What a sweet bond.

I mostly sing him the paw patrol theme song and just replace “paw” with “bird” LOL he loves “bird patrol” song