New owner of a green cheek

[Emma21200]

Hi... Iv got my very fist conure just over a week ago now and he has settled in well. Rio is his name!

When i got him he already newthe step up and step down which was great for getting him in and out of the cage.

he is very nippy... Has anyone got any tips on now to stop this? Its just mainly when he doesnt want to do something..like if he is out and i want to pick him up off the chair he will bite me if he sees my finger coming towards him.
Most of the time he is great at being picked up.
Iv started clicker training which he has picked up really quickly. And can turn with a target for guidance.
Another thing is he wont let me touch him without him scooting away or attemping to bite me?
I no iv only had him a week but he has settled in quickly.

Any advice would be great.

 

[thekarens]

He's a cutie! Welcome!

 

[4dugnlee]

Aww...he's so cute! My sun conure is quite nippy too. I find it helps if I have to move him before he is ready to say "step up" before I put my hand up to him...then he knows what's coming. He doesn't bite hard usually, unless he gets startled. Good luck and welcome!

 

[MrsKay]

Hi just keep working with him, he is young and can learn. It is very important how patient you are with him right now. Keep up the training and rewarding with little treats.
My baby green cheek, Larry, is learning the same thing. When he gets a little 'bossy' I give him a 'time out' from my interaction with him. About 30 seconds is all. He is learning that he is not rewarded with my attention when he 'nips'. Also, he is in his first molt (he's 17 weeks old) which makes it a bit harder right now. I realize it takes some time. Have fun

 

[OneHorseRanch]

The breeder told us that the GCC are very opinionated. Sheldon has done his fair share of nips. He's getting better. It's all about rewarding the good and I find to ignore the bad. he gets over it and we move one. Seems to work with us. I've got a clicker. I should really start using it

 

[Emma21200]

Thanks for all the great advice.
Clicker trained today and he can now turn with just a command of turn.

 

[Abigal7]

Rio is a cutie. Clicker training is a good idea. One thing you an do is sit him on the ground when he nips. When I was in high school my mom bought a green cheek conure for me. The breeder said to put him in his cage and ignore him when he bites. However, I read advice that says not to do that so the bird does no view the cage as punishment.

 

[Emma21200]

Iv been reading about all the techniques about what to do when he bites.
so when he bites i should just put him on the floor and leave him there?

 

[Dustbunny]

In my experience with our GCC PB, different situations call for different techniques. What works in one situation, doesn't necessarily work in another. It really was, and still is, trial and error for us. For example, clicker training worked wonders to stop bites from fear responses and helped a lot in the bonding and trust-forming process. Trust was a huge part of getting PB to bite less. However, clicker training is not always the answer.

I have put PB on the floor a few times, but this feels like I am walking a fine line of violating her trust, and I don't want to overdo it. I reserve this technique for serious acts of pitbull-action biting and aggression when she needs an immediate attitude adjustment.

Reinforcing positive behavior with treats works well for getting PB to do certain things without biting or attitude, such as climbing in her cage at night.

Now some days PB just wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and is not "biting" but so incredibly nippy and demanding or moody that we just don't want to handle her. She's in such a bad mood the usual training methods have little effect. Many times she'll improve if I use my REALLY, REALLY, REALLY angry voice. I don't yell. I just really mean what I say when I explain to her what is about to happen next if she doesn't stop. :54: She's learning if I raise my voice I mean business and she will not get away with anything beyond that point. If all else fails and her bad behavior continues she gets put on her playstand or in her cage until she can come out with a better attitude (usually less than an hour - usually).

I didn't see, is Rio a baby or an adult? I'd definitely do some things different with a baby than an adult. Read about different training methods and try them according to what you already know about Rio. For instance, if PB didn't trust me, raising my voice would likely only frighten her (counterproductive) - not simply act as a "final" serious warning. Mostly everything has just taken time with PB. Time to build trust. Time to train and show her consistency in what we expect from her. I can't wait to see how her behavior is a year from now....I'm sure we'll both have little angels by then. Yep. Definitely sweet angels.

 

[SilverSage]

Birds naturally have a "flight" instinct, rather than a "bite" instinct, but when you clip their wings you force them to turn from flight to fight. You have had your bird for a very short time. You said he has settled in quickly, but it doesn't sound like he has. If he is biting you when you go to pick him up, it sounds like you are not paying attention to his other cues that are telling you he doesn't want to be picked up, either because you don't know you need to, or because you don't care, but in this case it really sounds like your bird is not comfortable being picked up, and you need to respect that. By forcing him when he is still so new you break his faith in you, and do not allow him to feel safe. In addition, you get him in the HABIT of biting you when you go to pick him up, which could last even after he is no longer afraid.