new member.. green cheeked questions

[jbsbunny]

hello, i am new to this site. i just bought a 2 month old baby green cheeked conure. and i have some questions if anyone can help me
how long should i wait to start training? i tried to lay him on his back and he didnt like it. he is very lovable and likes to snuggle in my hair i do not know if it is a boy or a girl and i dont know if i will have it tested. i just find myself calling it a "him". he had two vaccines but does he need more and do i need to take him to the vet like i would any other pet? also, is there a "bed" i can put in the cage? he seems to be hanging all night and not perching. i would think that has to be stressful for him. any help would be great. this is my first conure, not my first bird. please help me...................... thank you

 

[jbsbunny]

this is why i dont like forums. you cant get any help

 

[suebee]

please give ppl time to reply, as i have a sene my advice might not be the best and i have no experiance with younger birds

1st take bird to a vet for its check up and proper advice on health needs

as for training what kind are you thinking of?/ step up step down??

if your bird don't like being on its back, try not to keep doing it! my sene dont mind being craddled, but it not something i do with her, unless she's managed to get herself stuck

if it wants to hang up side down when it sleeps let it, just dont have its sleeping perch to high

also what are you feeding your bird??
how much out of cage time does she have
is she flighted
etc

 

[Banks01]

I have a 10 week old green cheek to, first time bird owner, we are in the same boat, i did alot of research, but once you get the bird home its kind of different. Banks is a nice bird as well, we are haveing problems with nipping!

 

[jbsbunny]

He is getting better with the step up. But he seems
To get cranky and nip if I try to take him off my shoulder.
I have had him 3 days and it seems like every other
Day is grouchy. I got him a happy hut but he still hangs
from the top part of the cage. The perches are low and med
part of the cage. Not high at all. I guess I just am
expecting a happy friendly bird. But I guess they get
cranky too.

 

[suebee]

you only had him 3 days! its taken near 4 months for my bnut to allow my son to give her quick head rubs!

when you get him to step off your shoulder tempt him off with a treat

take things slow and learn to read his body language, and his still a baby so still learning

 

[Adz]

I've had my Conure for 4 months now and I'm a first time bird owner so I can probably give you a few tips based on what I've learnt.

Conures have a lot of personality, they have different moods just like us humans. I'm sure each bird has it's own unique personality traits too and will or will not like things other birds do. Some days they are quite happy and content and others they are super grouchy. If your bird is a bit grouchy give it some space then try again later.

My bird does NOT like to get off my shoulder. My tip, other that teaching them "step up" is to back up against a wall, that way they are forced onto your shoulder. They are much easier to get from there.

The first month or two will be testing, your bird needs to adapt to it's new environment and you, it's a big shift moving from place to place and it will take some time for birdie to adapt just like it would you. With regards to new toys, happy huts etc, give them time. It takes a while for them to get comfortable with new items and use them. It took Loco about a week, sometimes two to play with new toys etc.

Think of baby birds like baby people or puppies, they are still learning and finding their feet. Maybe just work on gaining your birds confidence and bonding for a month or two then start training. Your bird is going to live a long time so there is no rush. I've only recently started training and have had no issues now Loco is comfortable at home.

Conures are renowned to be "beaky" or "nippy" birds. Even when Loco is happy and content at home, he is still munching on my fingers, ear, remote control, in fact anything he can. The only time he'll bite hard is if he's angry, hurt or unhappy. You'll need to look for the signs of this eg. certain noises, tail feathers fanning, lunging at you etc. If this happens they are saying "backup and leave me alone". If they bite just for the sake of it (which some birds may, but most have a reason) then a firm "NO" is a good idea and you can also try placing the bird on the ground or away from you so they get the idea. Being away from you is punishment enough as they are very social birds and you are their "flock".

As I said, I'm still learning too and new to birds but I'm having great sucsess with my GCC Loco so I hope this helps you.

Oh and once again, be patient Good luck!

 

[Adz]

Oh just one more thing too, my GCC doesn't like being on it's back either. He's slowly getting used to it when I groom and help with pin feathers etc but yeah, not a big fan.

 

[Gandolf]

He is getting better with the step up. But he seems
To get cranky and nip if I try to take him off my shoulder.
I have had him 3 days and it seems like every other
Day is grouchy. I got him a happy hut but he still hangs
from the top part of the cage. The perches are low and med
part of the cage. Not high at all. I guess I just am
expecting a happy friendly bird. But I guess they get
cranky too.

Do yourself a favor and DO NOT allow the bird to be on your shoulder. We made this mistake at 1st and it caused so serious issues l8tr and some of them U have already seen. They become very territorial when they are allowed on the shoulder.

 

[Adz]

I'm no pro here but I've not had any drama's with Loco on my shoulder.

What sort of issues did you have?

 

[Gandolf]

What we found out is that when it comes to MOST birds that allowing them to be on your shoulder is a bad idea. When they are allowed to be on your shoulder it allows for dominance and they can be come very territorial over time. Also it can lead to them not wanting to come off of the shoulder and bites especially with Conures.