New conure!! Need some help!

How old is he?
I know conures have their own behaviors (and I don't own one) , but all of that rubbing does sound hormonal and I wouldn't allow him to do it often (I just don't know his age so it is hard to know)...you can change the subject in a nice way, but just know that it could easily be sexual...especially given the recent shift in behavior.
It doesn't change anything about you needing to go back and build trust etc though, so you still want to focus on taking it slow.
Sounds like you did a good job this morning.
 
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ok just saw response hold on lol



He turned one in January, so this was why I’m thinking it could be hormones.

Also, when I bought him they said they have a triangle hammock for him which he goes to sleep in at night.
Could that also be making things worse?


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OH MY!!! Yessss!
I am soooo glad you mentioned that.

1) those things are super dangerous for birds.
2) They are an absolute hormone trigger.
Remove it right away and let him get used to sleeping on a wooden perch.


Read this:
http://www.parrotforums.com/conures/79523-what-best-triangle-beds-conures.html



Okay I will remove that when I get back. I just assumed he was okay with it as he had it in his last home and only slept in it at night.
Thankyou


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You aren't the first---glad you mentioned it. I was trying to find a link to a thread where a woman basically saw an overnight change in behavior just by removing her conure's triangle hut. I have to go to work, but if I find it later, I will post.


In the meantime- take-aways:
Build trust
Be patient/ read signals
Don't let your bird think you might mate with him by allowing him to rub all over you
Head and neck petting only
Lots of play/toys etc (as long as your bird is comfortable with it)
No dark spaces of any kind (especially triangle huts).
 
You aren't the first---glad you mentioned it. I was trying to find a link to a thread where a woman basically saw an overnight change in behavior just by removing her conure's triangle hut. I have to go to work, but if I find it later, I will post.


In the meantime- take-aways:
Build trust
Be patient/ read signals
Don't let your bird think you might mate with him by allowing him to rub all over you
Head and neck petting only
Lots of play/toys etc (as long as your bird is comfortable with it)
No dark spaces of any kind (especially triangle huts).



Okay, thankyou very much!



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So!
I’ve bought a green cheeked conure names Bobbie! He is one years old.

The problem is, when I bought him from from this family they said he loved everyone, woman and man... he is silly tame and that he only likes going on his back for their son. He doesn’t like hands either.

I’ve brought him home and from the minute he was home is happily sits on my hand, lays on his back and absolutely loves me. He will happily sit on my sisters when they come round too... then my dad came round and he just kept flying to him to bite him and attack my dad.
Then my partner came home, and Bobbie would literally fly on him to bite and attack. Which actually drew blood this time.

What’s going on?
I watched the young boy handle him and he loved him from this family but it just seems that his bonded with me alone?

Any tips?
GCC's are known for being territorial. Your his territory and he is protecting you. I had aggression issues with my Macaw. He was aggressive to anybody that wasn't me! I had to discourage this as he is used for education for exotics. Of course, he is still my baby, he isn't just used for education and that's it. He is loved! But I discouraged it by showing him that they wouldn't hurt him. I keep him calm while people are around and he allows them to pet him as long as I am with him. Which I would never allow anyone to handle or pet him while I am not around!!! But it honestly depends on the bird. What I have done to discourage being territorial over me is not what most recommend. This is just what I have found to work. It has taken him a year to get to this point. Time is needed in anything. So just work with him and don't become discouraged!
 
I didn't ask something, stupidly, but do you know how old he actually is? I know you brought him home as a hand-raised baby, but is he at least 6 months old or older?

The reason I'm asking is because there may also be hormones at play here, in addition to the fact that you've not had him long at all...Green Cheeks usually go through puberty somewhere around a year old, but it's not unusual for them to start having hormonal behavior as early as 6 months old, it's dependent on the individual bird...And even if it's not hormones right now and it's simply the fact that he's still settling in to his new home and with his new people, he will soon be going through puberty, which is no fun for any parrot owner, trust me...So he's potentially got a lot going on right now...

And as Noodles said, yes, he's a hand-raised bird, but he wasn't hand-raised by you or anyone in your house, or hand-raised in your house...So regardless of the fact that he's not a wild bird and he has a general trust of people and likes to interact with people, he is still going to be uncomfortable with anyone he doesn't know. So I'll repeat this again, it just takes time...But I wouldn't at all start considering re-homing him, because you're going to go through the same growing-pains with any parrot you bring home, hand-raised or not...

***I think that when you first brought him home you were going through something called "The Honeymoon Period" with him, which simply means exactly what it sounds like...When you first brought him home he felt most-comfortable with you as opposed to the other people (men) in your home, so he was biting them and was allowoing you to be his flockmate. That could be because of anything, there's no way to know why he originally latched onto you, but you were the one he chose as the person in the home that he trusted, at least on a temporary basis, but that doesn't mean that you actually had "Earned His Trust", which takes time....And now tha "Honeymoon Period" is over, he's settled-in to his new home, and now he's figuring out the different dynamics between himself and his other new "flockmates"...And if you add-in some hormones to that equation, you've got a 13-14 year-old teenager from hell at home, lol...

This is all about patience, time, and as Laura said it's about doing things at HIS PACE and not at your pace. You can't every force anything with birds like you can with dogs and other types of pets, they are just too damn intelligent. It's like trying to force something with people, usually it doesn't go well.

****I don't know if this has been asked yet, but does he have access to any small, dark places either inside of his cage or that he can get into or underneath outside of his cage in your house? The reason I ask this is because all parrots but especially Conures have their hormones go out of control any time they are inside of a small, dark place or they have access to any type of "nesting' materials...The usual culprits inside of their cages are any types of tents, or the "Snuggle" or "Cuddle" Huts that they sell to hang inside of their cages, or any types of "Beds", like the 'Triangle Beds", or any types of boxes, whether wooden like a nest-box or just a regular cardboard box. Anything that he can get inside of or underneath...As far as "Nesting Materials", this includes ANY TYPES of bedding like wood chips, Carefresh paper bedding, shredded paper, etc. It also includes any blankets, towels, or any other pieces of cloth/fabric that he can get underneath, as sometime people mistakenly put either some type of bedding material in the bottom of their cages, or folded-up towels or blankets...The biggest In-Cage culprits are the Hut/Beds/Tents/Hammocks that they sell in pet shops for birds...

Outside of his cage this usually includes any furniture that he can get underneath or behind, like couches, chairs, entertainment centers, etc., as well as getting underneath the blankets on the couch or bed, or behind pillows on the couch or beds...All of these things can cause their hormones to go crazy and cause horrible and sudden aggression out of nowhere...I had this happen with my own Green Cheek when he was around 2 years old, he had never bitten me once since I brought him home at 12 weeks old, not once, and then one day I couldn't find him and finally found him underneath the couch. He was under there collecting little pieces of things that he found and making himself a little "stash", and when I tried to get him to come out (he's recalled-trained) he refused, until he finally "charged" me, running at me full-steam and latched onto my hand and wouldn't let go, and then did the same thing to my foot. He was absolutely out of his mind on hormones, they're like birdy-crack...I put him inside of his cage for a while and later he was fine again, but all birds respond differently to hormones, and they can really be a serious issue for people...

So just in-case he does have any type of Bed/Hut/Tent/Hammock or nesting-materials inside of his cage, you need to remove them ASAP and never put them back inside...And when he's outside of his cage you need to prevent him from going underneath or behind anything...

Otherwise, it's just going to take time for him to settle-in and gradually give his trust to you...And like I said, if he's anywhere between 6 months old to about a year and a half old, then he's also likely dealing with hormones too, so ensuring he has no access to any small, dark places, as well as making sure he's getting a full 12 hours of sleep every single night will help to calm that issue...

***I recommend that you do a forum search for "Natural Light Schedule", as this is one of the other things that can really dictate whether his hormones are out of control all the time, or whether they are kept under control...
 
So, it was time for Bobbie to stretch his wings.
I’ve stuck to the plan, open the door and let him come out when he wants too. (Didn’t even attempt to tell him to step up or touch him. Just fiddling in his cage whilst taken the tent out)

He had a little fly around and sat on top of his cage. He was out for a little while whilst I sat on the sofa just talking to him and leaving him alone.
This time, he actually sat there lifting up his foot and holding it out (he does this when he wants to step up)
Obviously I’m trying to avoid contact atm so he can build this relationship with me, but as I went to give him his wooden bead, he actually jumped onto my hand.

No bites whatsoever... no nibbles... nothing. He wanted to walk up my arm to my shoulders but I didn’t let him as of the history of what he has been doing at the moment. So I quickly gave him a couple of treats and placed him back in his cage after a few minutes.

So, question is... is everything I’m doing alright so far? [emoji23]




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I didn't ask something, stupidly, but do you know how old he actually is? I know you brought him home as a hand-raised baby, but is he at least 6 months old or older?

The reason I'm asking is because there may also be hormones at play here, in addition to the fact that you've not had him long at all...Green Cheeks usually go through puberty somewhere around a year old, but it's not unusual for them to start having hormonal behavior as early as 6 months old, it's dependent on the individual bird...And even if it's not hormones right now and it's simply the fact that he's still settling in to his new home and with his new people, he will soon be going through puberty, which is no fun for any parrot owner, trust me...So he's potentially got a lot going on right now...

And as Noodles said, yes, he's a hand-raised bird, but he wasn't hand-raised by you or anyone in your house, or hand-raised in your house...So regardless of the fact that he's not a wild bird and he has a general trust of people and likes to interact with people, he is still going to be uncomfortable with anyone he doesn't know. So I'll repeat this again, it just takes time...But I wouldn't at all start considering re-homing him, because you're going to go through the same growing-pains with any parrot you bring home, hand-raised or not...

***I think that when you first brought him home you were going through something called "The Honeymoon Period" with him, which simply means exactly what it sounds like...When you first brought him home he felt most-comfortable with you as opposed to the other people (men) in your home, so he was biting them and was allowoing you to be his flockmate. That could be because of anything, there's no way to know why he originally latched onto you, but you were the one he chose as the person in the home that he trusted, at least on a temporary basis, but that doesn't mean that you actually had "Earned His Trust", which takes time....And now tha "Honeymoon Period" is over, he's settled-in to his new home, and now he's figuring out the different dynamics between himself and his other new "flockmates"...And if you add-in some hormones to that equation, you've got a 13-14 year-old teenager from hell at home, lol...

This is all about patience, time, and as Laura said it's about doing things at HIS PACE and not at your pace. You can't every force anything with birds like you can with dogs and other types of pets, they are just too damn intelligent. It's like trying to force something with people, usually it doesn't go well.

****I don't know if this has been asked yet, but does he have access to any small, dark places either inside of his cage or that he can get into or underneath outside of his cage in your house? The reason I ask this is because all parrots but especially Conures have their hormones go out of control any time they are inside of a small, dark place or they have access to any type of "nesting' materials...The usual culprits inside of their cages are any types of tents, or the "Snuggle" or "Cuddle" Huts that they sell to hang inside of their cages, or any types of "Beds", like the 'Triangle Beds", or any types of boxes, whether wooden like a nest-box or just a regular cardboard box. Anything that he can get inside of or underneath...As far as "Nesting Materials", this includes ANY TYPES of bedding like wood chips, Carefresh paper bedding, shredded paper, etc. It also includes any blankets, towels, or any other pieces of cloth/fabric that he can get underneath, as sometime people mistakenly put either some type of bedding material in the bottom of their cages, or folded-up towels or blankets...The biggest In-Cage culprits are the Hut/Beds/Tents/Hammocks that they sell in pet shops for birds...

Outside of his cage this usually includes any furniture that he can get underneath or behind, like couches, chairs, entertainment centers, etc., as well as getting underneath the blankets on the couch or bed, or behind pillows on the couch or beds...All of these things can cause their hormones to go crazy and cause horrible and sudden aggression out of nowhere...I had this happen with my own Green Cheek when he was around 2 years old, he had never bitten me once since I brought him home at 12 weeks old, not once, and then one day I couldn't find him and finally found him underneath the couch. He was under there collecting little pieces of things that he found and making himself a little "stash", and when I tried to get him to come out (he's recalled-trained) he refused, until he finally "charged" me, running at me full-steam and latched onto my hand and wouldn't let go, and then did the same thing to my foot. He was absolutely out of his mind on hormones, they're like birdy-crack...I put him inside of his cage for a while and later he was fine again, but all birds respond differently to hormones, and they can really be a serious issue for people...

So just in-case he does have any type of Bed/Hut/Tent/Hammock or nesting-materials inside of his cage, you need to remove them ASAP and never put them back inside...And when he's outside of his cage you need to prevent him from going underneath or behind anything...

Otherwise, it's just going to take time for him to settle-in and gradually give his trust to you...And like I said, if he's anywhere between 6 months old to about a year and a half old, then he's also likely dealing with hormones too, so ensuring he has no access to any small, dark places, as well as making sure he's getting a full 12 hours of sleep every single night will help to calm that issue...

***I recommend that you do a forum search for "Natural Light Schedule", as this is one of the other things that can really dictate whether his hormones are out of control all the time, or whether they are kept under control...


He's 1 year old (I asked that this morning) and his triangle hut is going to be removed :)
 
So, it was time for Bobbie to stretch his wings.
I’ve stuck to the plan, open the door and let him come out when he wants too. (Didn’t even attempt to tell him to step up or touch him. Just fiddling in his cage whilst taken the tent out)

He had a little fly around and sat on top of his cage. He was out for a little while whilst I sat on the sofa just talking to him and leaving him alone.
This time, he actually sat there lifting up his foot and holding it out (he does this when he wants to step up)
Obviously I’m trying to avoid contact atm so he can build this relationship with me, but as I went to give him his wooden bead, he actually jumped onto my hand.

No bites whatsoever... no nibbles... nothing. He wanted to walk up my arm to my shoulders but I didn’t let him as of the history of what he has been doing at the moment. So I quickly gave him a couple of treats and placed him back in his cage after a few minutes.

So, question is... is everything I’m doing alright so far? [emoji23]




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Sounds okay to me--- if he can be on your lower arm and you are able to block him from going up, you can do that too, but if you think biting is likely in that scenario, then what you did was best (at least until this calms down a bit). I bet that you will see a difference once you remove that tent and establish that you are not his mate (by avoiding any sexual contact etc).
If he shows that he wants to step up, then you can follow his lead and do that, but the risk is that he may exhibit behaviors that you are trying to avoid at the moment, so be smart about when you allow him to step up and avoid doing it at times when you think it may result in problematic behaviors etc (which end up harming the relationship).
 
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So, it was time for Bobbie to stretch his wings.
I’ve stuck to the plan, open the door and let him come out when he wants too. (Didn’t even attempt to tell him to step up or touch him. Just fiddling in his cage whilst taken the tent out)

He had a little fly around and sat on top of his cage. He was out for a little while whilst I sat on the sofa just talking to him and leaving him alone.
This time, he actually sat there lifting up his foot and holding it out (he does this when he wants to step up)
Obviously I’m trying to avoid contact atm so he can build this relationship with me, but as I went to give him his wooden bead, he actually jumped onto my hand.

No bites whatsoever... no nibbles... nothing. He wanted to walk up my arm to my shoulders but I didn’t let him as of the history of what he has been doing at the moment. So I quickly gave him a couple of treats and placed him back in his cage after a few minutes.

So, question is... is everything I’m doing alright so far? [emoji23]




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Sounds okay to me--- if he can be on your lower arm and you are able to block him from going up, you can do that too, but if you think biting is likely in that scenario, then what you did was best (at least until this calms down a bit). I bet that you will see a difference once you remove that tent and establish that you are not his mate (by avoiding any sexual contact etc).



Okay brilliant, his tent has been removed so hopefully there will be a slight change in the morning.
I just feel horrible about removing it though as he loved to sleep in it! (Don’t worry I won’t be putting it back in!)
Thankyou [emoji4]


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It may take a few days--- remember, that isn't this only issue, but if there are hormones (which I believe there are), that was certainly an amplifier. Juts know that it will take a bit of time for his body to readjust.
 
It may take a few days--- remember, that isn't this only issue, but if there are hormones (which I believe there are), that was certainly an amplifier. Juts know that it will take a bit of time for his body to readjust.



Hey again!
Just another question.

I have a vent (he can’t get in it) above my frontroom door, which Bobbie instantly lands on and this is where most bites occur when I was trying to get him down before (now I use a perch as obviously with the training)

He constantly bites at it and talk through it, do I need to get this covered as it seems like his protective over it? His always on it


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I don't own a conure, but I have heard that they can be quite territorial. In his case, he obviously likes this area, so a touch of that could be going on. Is it above your head? because he may know that it is going to be difficult for you to get to him if he sits on it ---- it is going to be a lot harder for you to get him there (kind of like a little kid climbing up into a tree house to avoid their parents). It could also just be that he feels safe there because he can see everything that is going on. How long has he lived with you?
I think my response will depend partly on that last question.
If you know bites are happening there, then it is smart to prevent that by potentially covering the area, but if he hasn't been with you for very long, then you may still be rushing things, and it may be that he feels vulnerable (and hence, bites).
Is the protective cover one of those plastic things that sticks off like a ledge (can he put his head into the cover when standing under it?)

does he seem attracted to the height/perch, or the cover itself?
 
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I don't own a conure, but I have heard that they can be quite territorial. In his case, he obviously likes this area, so a touch of that could be going on. Is it above your head? because he may know that it is going to be difficult for you to get to him if he sits on it ---- it is going to be a lot harder for you to get him there (kind of like a little kid climbing up into a tree house to avoid their parents). It could also just be that he feels safe there because he can see everything that is going on. How long has he lived with you?
I think my response will depend partly on that last question.
If you know bites are happening there, then it is smart to prevent that by potentially covering the area, but if he hasn't been with you for very long, then you may still be rushing things, and it may be that he feels vulnerable (and hence, bites).
Is the protective cover one of those plastic things that sticks off like a ledge (can he put his head into the cover when standing under it?)

does he seem attracted to the height/perch, or the cover itself?



So it’s just a metal covering, he can’t get in it or put his head in.
But yes it’s high up.
Seems to be the cover himself that he likes and gets protective of it.
Erm his been with me for a week and a half now so I know he can still be scared etc


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Yea---that's no time at all. When I said slow down before, I honestly thought you had had him for a month or so and I meant it then.

When you let him out, you might consider hanging a sheet or closing off the areas he can access so that he doesn't have as many places to go (if you can do so safely and without scaring him), but he is likely biting because he doesn't know you well etc and because he feels safe up there and enjoys being out of the cage (can't say for sure, but that is my guess). He may need a bit more structure early on---I imagine he is overwhelmed.

He could also be hormonal (obviously, given his age, the tent and the rubbing you mentioned) BUT, I think that until you guys have a better relationship, you will likely get bitten when you try to get him to do things or when you initiate contact that he doesn't want. Since you are having to force him off of there, I would block it just so that you aren't giving him more biting practice.

Again, try to let him just kind of go in and out of his cage on his own without forcing physical interaction (if you can do so safely). If he initiates, then follow his lead, but if you know he is going to climb onto your shoulders and that blocking him will result in bites, then you probably should consider that and opt for some other activity. Don't put yourself in positions where you know a bite is likely to ensue and try to keep things positive for both of you. You don't want to be associated with stress and power struggles. You will want to kind of just take it nice and easy (without training etc) so that he can adjust. Don't let him do things that will lead to conflict or chase situations. You can minimize these situations with careful planning (so if the ledge is an issue, you can cover it) but you don't want to end up having to force him into compliance or wave sticks at him.

I would let him out when you know he is hungry. Put a treat in the cage (something you know he likes) and then walk away and see if he will go get it. Don't shut him in when he does---let him eat it and allow him to come back out---prove to him that the cage doesn't always mean jail and that it can be positive too (after doing this a few times, you can shut it, but you don't want him to assume going back means getting locked up). If you do that enough, he will be more willing to go in on his own and you won't have to catch him and scare him.
 
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I agree with Noodles, I would not let him up at that "vent" for a number of reasons...Conures ARE very territorial, not typically as bad as Quakers are, but they are definitely territorial, and this all ties together with their hormones, the fact that he's in a new home, etc. to cause his behavioral changes...So I agree that you need to cover-up that "vent" and keep him from it when he's outside of his cage.

Question for you...First of all, you're very wise to just open up his cage door and let him come out on his own and never reach your hands into his cage to get him out, because that's crossing into "his territory" and even 10 years from now when he's closely bonded to you and is cuddly and loves you and flies to you when you call him, etc., he will likely STILL bite at you when you stick your hands inside of his cage. That's just how they are, it's their "territory" and their "safe space", and no matter who you are, they don't want your hands inside it...And this also sometimes applies also to when they are simply standing on top of their cages too, they will typically step-up for you when they are standing on top of their cages, but they don't want to be handled or forced to do so, and they don't want you trying to interact with them when they are even standing on their "territory"...

****So all of that being said, Do you have a play-stand, T-stand, or some other type of portable perch that he can be on when he's outside of his cage and that he can recognize as being "his place" to be when he's out of his cage? This is the absolute best way to keep them from sitting on places you don't want them to be, like furniture, on top of the TV, on top of picture frames, up high on bookshelves, or up high anywhere else, like this "vent" that you have in your wall up high. Instead of him taking ownership of a place or object like that vent or some other place that you don't want him to be, you want to give him a place that he is supposed to go whenever he's out of his cage that is his and only his, and more importantly where he can't get hurt, and also where he's not way up high looking overtop of the room and you...

If you don't already have some type of Play-Stand or T-Stand for him, then I suggest that you either buy one or you build one for him ASAP. You want one that is easily portable and can be carried from room to room, so no matter where you are in your home, he can come with you and he'll recognize that no matter where he's at he is supposed to be on his stand. It should also have some toys hanging from it for him to chew on (wooden toy), shred apart (paper/cardboard toys), etc. The easiest and cheapest type of stand to build for him is one made out of PVC piping and fittings, and you don't have to be very handy to build one, and you can buy the PVC piping/fittings at Lowes for a T-Stand that is around 5' high and easily portable for under $10, and then a PVC hand-tool for cutting the pipes only costs like $8 at Lowes as well...I have several T-Stands and Playstands all over my house, along with a massive Play-Gym that takes up half a room, so they always know where they are supposed to be playing no matter what room we're in...But you can build a basic 4-5' tall PVC T-Stand in about an hour for under $10 and then drill some holes in it and put in some Eyelets to hang S-Hooks on, so you can then hang some toys from the stand too. I have a few that are basic and only have a toy or two, and then I have a few that have toys and a food and a water dish on top as well...You can also build or buy Tabletop stands/perches that you can easily move from room to room. You can't really use them for hanging toys or for them to be sitting on for long periods of time, they are really best for training exercises, but they're great for when you're in the kitchen doing something. You just set them on the counter or the table and then they happily stay there while you're cooking or doing the dishes, etc.

Once your Conure understands that his Play-Stand or T-Stand is "his territory", then he'll just automatically fly to it and he'll forget about going anywhere else in the room where he shouldn't be...My birds NEVER go anywhere else other than their stands or their gym whenever we enter a room, they just follow me into the room and go right to their stands or their gym (it's in my master bedroom, so they have their own little amusement park to play on, eat on, sleep on whenever I'm on the computer, watching TV, reading in bed, or taking a nap, they just automatically fly to the gym and I have all the time in the world to do what I need to do and I know that they're safe on the gym, instead of worrying about them getting into something that could hurt them, or destroying something, or getting underneath something and becoming hormonal, etc.

If you need any help with making a stand for them just PM me, I've built hundreds of PVC bird stands and gyms, all types, all sizes, from very basic to crazy...And there is also a DIY formum here where you'll find a ton of ideas and actual step-by-step instructions on how to build them and what you'll need to do so...And if you do a simple Google search for "PVC parrot stands" and then go to images, you'll see everything from simple tabletop perches to massive play-gyms that take up an entire room...All you need is a designated place that is his, that he knows is his, and that will keep him both occupied and safe regardless of what room you're in...And it allows him to always be wherever you are in your home, even though you're not directly interacting with him, he's still able to be in the same room with you, or "with his flock", which will also help tremendously with earning his trust and bonding with him....
 
I agree with Noodles, I would not let him up at that "vent" for a number of reasons...Conures ARE very territorial, not typically as bad as Quakers are, but they are definitely territorial, and this all ties together with their hormones, the fact that he's in a new home, etc. to cause his behavioral changes...So I agree that you need to cover-up that "vent" and keep him from it when he's outside of his cage.

Question for you...First of all, you're very wise to just open up his cage door and let him come out on his own and never reach your hands into his cage to get him out, because that's crossing into "his territory" and even 10 years from now when he's closely bonded to you and is cuddly and loves you and flies to you when you call him, etc., he will likely STILL bite at you when you stick your hands inside of his cage. That's just how they are, it's their "territory" and their "safe space", and no matter who you are, they don't want your hands inside it...And this also sometimes applies also to when they are simply standing on top of their cages too, they will typically step-up for you when they are standing on top of their cages, but they don't want to be handled or forced to do so, and they don't want you trying to interact with them when they are even standing on their "territory"...

****So all of that being said, Do you have a play-stand, T-stand, or some other type of portable perch that he can be on when he's outside of his cage and that he can recognize as being "his place" to be when he's out of his cage? This is the absolute best way to keep them from sitting on places you don't want them to be, like furniture, on top of the TV, on top of picture frames, up high on bookshelves, or up high anywhere else, like this "vent" that you have in your wall up high. Instead of him taking ownership of a place or object like that vent or some other place that you don't want him to be, you want to give him a place that he is supposed to go whenever he's out of his cage that is his and only his, and more importantly where he can't get hurt, and also where he's not way up high looking overtop of the room and you...

If you don't already have some type of Play-Stand or T-Stand for him, then I suggest that you either buy one or you build one for him ASAP. You want one that is easily portable and can be carried from room to room, so no matter where you are in your home, he can come with you and he'll recognize that no matter where he's at he is supposed to be on his stand. It should also have some toys hanging from it for him to chew on (wooden toy), shred apart (paper/cardboard toys), etc. The easiest and cheapest type of stand to build for him is one made out of PVC piping and fittings, and you don't have to be very handy to build one, and you can buy the PVC piping/fittings at Lowes for a T-Stand that is around 5' high and easily portable for under $10, and then a PVC hand-tool for cutting the pipes only costs like $8 at Lowes as well...I have several T-Stands and Playstands all over my house, along with a massive Play-Gym that takes up half a room, so they always know where they are supposed to be playing no matter what room we're in...But you can build a basic 4-5' tall PVC T-Stand in about an hour for under $10 and then drill some holes in it and put in some Eyelets to hang S-Hooks on, so you can then hang some toys from the stand too. I have a few that are basic and only have a toy or two, and then I have a few that have toys and a food and a water dish on top as well...You can also build or buy Tabletop stands/perches that you can easily move from room to room. You can't really use them for hanging toys or for them to be sitting on for long periods of time, they are really best for training exercises, but they're great for when you're in the kitchen doing something. You just set them on the counter or the table and then they happily stay there while you're cooking or doing the dishes, etc.

Once your Conure understands that his Play-Stand or T-Stand is "his territory", then he'll just automatically fly to it and he'll forget about going anywhere else in the room where he shouldn't be...My birds NEVER go anywhere else other than their stands or their gym whenever we enter a room, they just follow me into the room and go right to their stands or their gym (it's in my master bedroom, so they have their own little amusement park to play on, eat on, sleep on whenever I'm on the computer, watching TV, reading in bed, or taking a nap, they just automatically fly to the gym and I have all the time in the world to do what I need to do and I know that they're safe on the gym, instead of worrying about them getting into something that could hurt them, or destroying something, or getting underneath something and becoming hormonal, etc.

If you need any help with making a stand for them just PM me, I've built hundreds of PVC bird stands and gyms, all types, all sizes, from very basic to crazy...And there is also a DIY formum here where you'll find a ton of ideas and actual step-by-step instructions on how to build them and what you'll need to do so...And if you do a simple Google search for "PVC parrot stands" and then go to images, you'll see everything from simple tabletop perches to massive play-gyms that take up an entire room...All you need is a designated place that is his, that he knows is his, and that will keep him both occupied and safe regardless of what room you're in...And it allows him to always be wherever you are in your home, even though you're not directly interacting with him, he's still able to be in the same room with you, or "with his flock", which will also help tremendously with earning his trust and bonding with him....



Yes he has two perched above his cage which has toys dangling from it and a place for a water or food dish.
He just prefers sitting just above his door on top of the cage.

But I’ll get that vent covered up straight away!

But thankyou, I might make him something new which would make him get curious about it and want to play.


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I have two conures. One is a Jenday and one is a Sun/Jenday. The Sun/Jenday loves me and my wife and is cool with hands. The Jenday will give me kisses to me but hates everyone else and does not like hands at all, even mine.
 

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