New conure owner with a few questions.

[kpla51]

Amazon.com: t perch

I would avoid wearing the gloves. I would keep him clipped while you are trying to gain his trust. Your best bet is to not be hesistant and don't show that you're afraid as it will make your bird more nervous.

But it does sound like your bird is territorial towards the cage. Maybe getting a new cage might help or even letting him get off of the cage before you try interacting with him might do the trick.

Territorial sounds right. If his caged is close and i put my finger up her want to try and bite through the cage and gets a little flustered. Earlier today I spent about 30 mins with him. I had a small piece of spray millet. He came out and was sitting there with me i would hand feed him it little by little at the end he eventually let me pet his head and then I had to go back to work.

You guys say don't be afraid since it will make him nervous. Ive let him bite hard enough to make me bleed and I didn't do much but I don't want to keep letting him do this. Now I cant tell if he's trying to bite or is feeling me with his beak. He just nibbles on my wife's finger but bites mine. Ill keep updating maybe a new cage would be better.

How would I clip wings on a bird like this that doesn't want to be touched?

 

[jiannotto9492]

Pull your finger away if he's biting hard. As to clipping his wing bring him to a bird store or a vet. And the millet trick to gain trust definitely will help. But yeah seems like you might want to get another cage to put him in. One that he isn't use to so he can't claim it as his territory quite yet.

 

[kpla51]

I completely changed his cage up except for the perch he sleeps on. Hoping some change might make him less territorial. I cant afford a better cage at the moment so it will have to due for a little. The disco ball is his favorite and wherever it moves is where he will go and hang out. even when re organizing I took it out and he came right out after it.

 

[jiannotto9492]

Maybe try removing the disco ball; he might be territorial over it and not the cage.

 

[mekat]

IME when a bird shows that much interest in a toy with a reflective surface it is time to remove it. I would especially do so since your bond with the bird isn't established. I never allow mirrors until I have bonded with a bird and even then I keep an eye on them. If the bird starts to act like they are bonding to the mirror I take it away.

 

[jiannotto9492]

IME when a bird shows that much interest in a toy with a reflective surface it is time to remove it. I would especially do so since your bond with the bird isn't established. I never allow mirrors until I have bonded with a bird and even then I keep an eye on them. If the bird starts to act like they are bonding to the mirror I take it away.

Exactly! Seems like the bird became attached to that one toy.

 

[riddick07]

GCC can be big bullies. I used to recommend the don't react too but honestly that isn't really the best recommendation. When you start dealing with the bigger birds not reacting can be well a mess and impossible really. Plus, I've always reacted more to the smaller ones.

Don't let him dictate when he comes in and out of the cage. That can make his big head worse. If he isn't scared of a towel put a small one on your hand and ask him to step up that way. If he likes your wife more have her take him out of the cage for now. Pick a spot that is specifically for training and have her put him on that perch and have her leave the room. Now it is just you and him so you can do some one on one training. Work on getting him to step up onto a hand held perch. At first you might just have to get him used to having the perch closer and closer to him. You will need some small treats (that he loves and only gets during training) to hand to him every time he reacts favorable. So if he lets the perch a little closer that is a treat or if he steps up on to it that is a treat (verbal praise at the same time is good). Once he gets stepping up onto the perch outside the cage you can try to get him to do it inside the cage. Or you can start in the cage if he won't step up for the wife either one works.

When my gcc, Monkey, went through maturity she was an unholy terror. She would bite and wiggle that beak around in your finger. I used towel on my hand at first and then a perch. The perch was the real trick that worked once she was out of the cage she was better about stepping up. Sometimes I used a towel to pick her up by throwing it on her and wrapping her up in it. Then, I basically told her to knock it off then let her go. She then had to step up and if she didn't it was the towel again. Eventually all you had to do was hold the towel up and your hand...ask her which one she wanted to do and she usually just stepped right up onto the hand. I don't overly recommend this one since you are trying to build up trust. Monkey already trusted me she was just a huge butt brat around that time

 

[kpla51]

I removed the toy and when I did boy did she go nuts. I had the cage open and she climbed all the way down the side to get closer to where we keep the pet supplies. After a little she calmed down and seemed more interested in me. The door opens up flat so she came out and sat right next to me and I gave her some spray millet. She's still lunging at my finger. We have an empty room in the house we will probably use for training that way I can shut her in the room with me so cant fly away. Definitely a work in progress so far Im happy with the progress but is frustrating when all you want to do is play with your new friend.

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[jiannotto9492]

No problem, she'll get use to not having that toy and start trusting you slowly but surely.

 

[kpla51]

Good news. I made a t perch at home and it took him about 5 mins for me to coax him onto it with some spray millet. I immediately took him to our spare bedroom and shut the door so it was just me and him. Within about 5 minutes I was petting his head and he wasn't trying to bite. I offered him my finger as a perch and he bit super hard again. So we are making progress I spent only about 30 minutes with him since I've been awake for 30+ hours due to work.

He was even standing on one foot and grooming while I was petting his head/ back He's definitely territorial of his cage as soon as he got back into his cage it was back to trying to attack me if I got close.