New Conure mom

[Ducatimom]

Hello everybody! I just got my Sun conure yesterday for my birthday, and I would love some advice. I have never owned a bird before but I instantly fel in love with the conures after I saw one at Petsmart and started doing my research on them. The woman I got my Ducati from said he was slightly hand tame, but she didn't have enough time to really train him.

I planned on just leaving him alone for at least a day to let him get acclimated to his new surroundings but he started screaming and fluttering his wings. So I put the two dogs outside and locked the cat up so we could let him out for a little bit before his bedtime (she said he goes to bed between 8 and 10).

He instantly bonded with my husband. Ducati loves to get on his head and right now my husband is the only one that he'll let take him out of his cage (he does know how to step up). Everytime I get close to him he starts rubber-necking towards my finger with his mouth open so I think he's going to bite me. I don't want to stress him out too much so I back off.

I've been able to give him his favorite seeds by hand. I had read that is a good place to start building trust between you. He won't quite come really close to my hand to get treat but he stretches his neck out as far as he can to reach it.

Should I keep doing this for a little while longer or move on to target training? Or should I be trying something else since he already knows how to step up? My thinking was even if he does know how to I thought it would at least help build our relationship. His cage is right next to our couch where I usually sit and I talk to him constantly so he gets used to my voice.

Thank you!!

 

[Ducatimom]

So I just answered my own question. Decided to just go for it and if he bites he bites, then we'll know where we stand. No biting, dumb 'ol mom just kept putting her finger too far away :30:.

Now a little bit about us: as I mentioned above my husband and I have no experience with birds. Before Ducati we have two dogs (a puggle/american eskimo mix and a rottie), a cat, and two beardies (one male, one female, interesting story how we found that out). I was at Petsmart a few weeks ago getting a supply of crickets for the beardies and I kept passing by the birds. This one Green Cheek would stop what he was doing everytime and just start bopping around at the front. I instantly fell in love. The only reason I didn't buy him on the spot was because I had to go to Walmart still. Good thing I didn't because I started doing research and found the sun conures (gorgeous looking birds!)

Ducati is six years old. The lady who i got him from had him a year. She got him from a breeder. The breeder thought she was getting two females but found out they were both males when she got them sexed. He has such a personality. He's kind of a little conceited. Loves to stare at himself in the mirror and flutter his wings like he's telling himself how handsome he is. I was told he likes to dance, but I haven't had any music on to see this myself. He has two mirrors in one corner and he likes to play hide-n-seek with himself.

That's about it for us. I can't wait to spend time working with him. Makes going to work that much more unbearable.

 

[4dugnlee]

Happy Birthday! and congrats on your new sun conure. I just got a sun conure a few weeks ago...Chico. I've always wanted a sun, but I came across a blue front amazon that needed a new home so I took her in...Sassy. Then a couple weeks later I found Chico and he is sweet and a beautiful little bird, so I bought him too. He does get nippy if he doesn't want to do what you want him to, but it doesn't hurt..well, usually doesn't. He's never broke the skin if that helps any..lol. He's my first conure so I don't know if they are usually as gentle as he is or if I just got lucky. Good luck and post pics...love to see him!

 

[4dugnlee]

By the way, I used to raise beardies...AWESOME experience! Actually, I only let my beardie lay one clutch of eggs, but it was incredible! I don't want to do it again but I'm glad I got to experience it!

 

[Ducatimom]

Thanks! His previous mother has been helping me out alot. I think I was at her place for at least three hours while she was showing me a bunch of stuff and she's supposed to be stopping by on Saturday as well. So grateful she's doing that!

We love our beardies! Our female actually laid three eggs it'll have been a year ago around August. That's pretty much how we knew for sure what their genders were. Sadly none of the eggs made it . They had been in the same tank for 3-4 years and never knew till one daay I put Ed (the female, we didn't change her name afterwards lol) in the bath to help what I thought was constipation. Well she was constipated all right just not the kind I was expecting. We do want to try again at least once. I'd like to give the family that gave them to us the first pick of the clutch. I don't think I could do it more than once but like you said it would be a nice experience to raise all those little guys.

 

[Ducatimom]

Here's my boy!

 

[birdietrainer]

Congradulations on your new conure. Im
sure he will be a great companion. Last year i had the priviledge of helping design and conduct a parrot parenting programme in australia with my star pupil being my jenday conure 'dudie'.
Sounds like your doing a great job as a new mum. It will take a little time for him to settle in to new surroundings but bonding and building his trust is great. I have found rewarding something you want him to repeat with a favourite food treat or toy kept just for this purpose works really well. Happy to help with any questions.

 

[Agapornis]

He's beautiful! Congratulations, and Happy Birthday! what a great B-Day present. It looks like he has a great cage with lots of toys.

I would love to have a Sun some day, as well as a Blue Crown Conure. I guess I'm a conure person, I just love them! In the meantime, my 2 little monster GCCs are enough for me.

Keep us posted on your progress with him, and post lots of pics!

 

[Ducatimom]

I'm a conure person as well lol. It was the GCC that got me interested in them in the first place . Right now he's pretty comfortable with all of us. He hasn't started flying to us from his cage yet, but I suspect that will happen soon. The dogs are a little more used to him now so his cage can stay open when we're home. Yay progress!!! We're slowly working on hand taming. He lets me scratch his beak a couple times before he gets nippy. I'll be posting pictures soon!

 

[BridalWreath]

You love Conures and then, you will see other parrots and be all: o.o I WANT!! Trust me.

Have you tried clicker training with him? It might help out a bit, especially if he has a bit of fear.

 

[Ducatimom]

We tried clicker training for a little bit. I just started with clicking then giving him a treat so he'd associate the two together. It didn't seem like it was being very effective. He's slowly responding to me getting my finger as close as possible, then taking it away when he settles down or lets me scratch his beak a couple of times. He gets a treat after that, and LOTS of praises.

 

[BridalWreath]

It might be a continuous effort on your part however, the more you do it, the more comfortable he will feel around your hands.

 

[Ducatimom]

That's what I was thinking. He's slowly starting to get a little more comfortable. For only having him for almost two weeks I feel like we've made huge progress already.

 

[RavensGryf]

Welcome Ducatimom! In case I didn't say it before ...and to all new members I missed!
Lots of new sign ups this month especially I guess since typically babies are born in the spring and ready to go by June!

 

[Ducatimom]

Thank you!! I'm excited to be a part of a great group of people. I keep saying I'll only have the one bird, but with the way our little zoo is growing who knows!