New rescue Sun Conure. Help please..

[Whimsicallyminded]

Hi everyone,
So I met a woman who had a sun conure about 4 years old. A few years earlier she found it at someone's house in a small cage on top of a giant snake cage. The owners would flick its beak and such things. She brought Mango (conure) home. She did the best she could with her and she came a long way but her daughter could no longer take care of mango because she definitely takes patience. I just got her several days ago and she definitely has great potential. She comes down to her open door when I come over and takes snacks from me. Im slowly letting her watch my hands and she is becoming more trusting. They used to get her out with a glove and she will come out on it after biting it a few times and she will hang for a moment butt hen flies back to her cage. I dont want to use the glove. I want to train her to want to come out. I see the potential there. My question is I do work long days somedays. I have a giant at home cage for her that is also open and I got a smaller but still giant barely able to travel with big to bring her to work with me someday as I do have an office. Am I better to leave her at home this first week then try and get her out and bring her to work with me? I'm just worried because I know its a long time to leave her. But would it be better atkeast these first few days while she is still adjusting? Then you for any input!

 

[kme3388]

When I adopted my ekkie I started interacting with him immidiately. I brought him to our livingroom, and put him on his new stand. I fed him, and let him get comfortable in the center of my house. He has his nighttime/sleep cage that is in a office/spare bedroom in my house. I only put him in there at night. I held him right of the bat, and talked to him. He loves people saying Nico his name to him, and he'll repeat it back to you. I started giving him showers right away as well. He was very scared of water, and really didn't like it. He now begs for his showers right away in the morning as that has became his routine before he eats. Nico loves being apart of all activities, and being in the center of my home. As for the biting, and wearing a glove. I'm very used to parrot bites as I did volunteer at a shelter, and unfortunately parrots do bite at times. I don't think anything of it. I would suggest letting Mango come out on Mango's terms. Never force Mango to come out of her cage, or you will 100% for sure get bit. Once Mango is out of her cage ask her to step up. If she does reward her with a treat. If not I would start with clicker training, and rewards. It will help bond you 2, and trust will be built.

 

[wrench13]

Welcome. Yeah, ditch the glove. I think I'd start to bring Mango with you right away, if you can transfer him with out issues. If not, let him stay home for awhile.

 

[Laurasea]

Hello and welcome. Thanks for taking on a re home.

Here is a video from Bird Tricks showing a guy how to ditch the gloves. And work on trust snd target training. Hopefully you will find it helpful.

 

[Whimsicallyminded]

Hello and welcome. Thanks for taking on a re home.

Here is a video from Bird Tricks showing a guy how to ditch the gloves. And work on trust snd target training. Hopefully you will find it helpful.

Thank you!! I tried a bit of targeting but she doesn't like sticks or objects too much but today I was able to get her to come down and step up on my arm several time for a peanut. She even lightly felt around my arm and bracelet and didn't bite!!

 

[Laurasea]

Aww nice to hear of progress.
In the video the behavior guy talks about taking time to teach "the trick" of touching the stick before moving to more.

Its really an example of shaping behavior and postive reinforcement. If afraid of sticks the same idea would work if you held a small ball or other object( but use the same thing every time), It's just trying to use something other than a hand as many fear hands.

I only have teached simple stuff. So here us an example of shaping. So I wanted my green cheek to learn to pick up little hoops and put them in a basket. Safflower seeds are what she will work for. I set out the hoops near the basket on a table and put her on the table . At first she was scared of the new stuff, so if she looked at it I gave her a treat. Then if she would take a step towards the hoops I gave her a treat, then if she touched I gave a treat. Then if she moved the hoops even a little when she touched I gave her a treat. Then when she would pick them up she git a treat. That part took a little bit as I wasn't giving treat just fir touching anymore, so she git mad and flung it but she git a treat and made the connection. So then she had to hold the hoop fir a second before treat. Then hold it and walk a step towards basket. Till finally she completed the trick.

So that's why they call it shaping, you are breaking everything down to little steps until you have sve have shaped the behavior you want.

They can pick up this idea for doing stuff for treats pretty quickly ! And you can use shaping for all kinds of stuff, teaching them to forage, or return to cage. Having a target just helps them understand you are doing something special , and especially helpful too if they are fearful/aggressive/new don't trust hands. And they understand better that a behavior is wanted before treat, while luring they just focus on the treat and some get mad at the delay in getting it and don't realize as well that the behavior or trick is what earns the treat.....if that makes sense?

Noodles a member thst hasnt been active lately is really great at explaining behavior modification ABC . Its really great tool/concept to use when working with critters.

This concept also works well to make friends with a new bird, or rebuild a relationship if trust was broken. Only you are the trick! So when working with fosters. I had treat dish. At first if they would not move away when I came to the cage ( they could be anywhere in the Cage, when I came up just as long as they didn't move farther away) I'd put a treat in the dish and walk off. Then if they looked st me they got a treat in the dish, then if they took one step towards me , then more steps, until they meet me a treat dish, then if I could hand it to them. Then if they would follow me, come towards me then I walk to other side of cage snd have them follow me to get.

I don't like clickers just personally ( sound grates on me) so I say good birdie as the bridge instead of clicking.

Lol a long read, but I find it fascinating and so very helpful in many different situations! Hopefully helps you or other readers

 

[Whimsicallyminded]

Aww nice to hear of progress.
In the video the behavior guy talks about taking time to teach "the trick" of touching the stick before moving to more.

Its really an example of shaping behavior and postive reinforcement. If afraid of sticks the same idea would work if you held a small ball or other object( but use the same thing every time), It's just trying to use something other than a hand as many fear hands.

I only have teached simple stuff. So here us an example of shaping. So I wanted my green cheek to learn to pick up little hoops and put them in a basket. Safflower seeds are what she will work for. I set out the hoops near the basket on a table and put her on the table . At first she was scared of the new stuff, so if she looked at it I gave her a treat. Then if she would take a step towards the hoops I gave her a treat, then if she touched I gave a treat. Then if she moved the hoops even a little when she touched I gave her a treat. Then when she would pick them up she git a treat. That part took a little bit as I wasn't giving treat just fir touching anymore, so she git mad and flung it but she git a treat and made the connection. So then she had to hold the hoop fir a second before treat. Then hold it and walk a step towards basket. Till finally she completed the trick.

So that's why they call it shaping, you are breaking everything down to little steps until you have sve have shaped the behavior you want.

They can pick up this idea for doing stuff for treats pretty quickly ! And you can use shaping for all kinds of stuff, teaching them to forage, or return to cage. Having a target just helps them understand you are doing something special , and especially helpful too if they are fearful/aggressive/new don't trust hands. And they understand better that a behavior is wanted before treat, while luring they just focus on the treat and some get mad at the delay in getting it and don't realize as well that the behavior or trick is what earns the treat.....if that makes sense?

Noodles a member thst hasnt been active lately is really great at explaining behavior modification ABC . Its really great tool/concept to use when working with critters.

This concept also works well to make friends with a new bird, or rebuild a relationship if trust was broken. Only you are the trick! So when working with fosters. I had treat dish. At first if they would not move away when I came to the cage ( they could be anywhere in the Cage, when I came up just as long as they didn't move farther away) I'd put a treat in the dish and walk off. Then if they looked st me they got a treat in the dish, then if they took one step towards me , then more steps, until they meet me a treat dish, then if I could hand it to them. Then if they would follow me, come towards me then I walk to other side of cage snd have them follow me to get.

I don't like clickers just personally ( sound grates on me) so I say good birdie as the bridge instead of clicking.

Lol a long read, but I find it fascinating and so very helpful in many different situations! Hopefully helps you or other readers

Thank you soo much!! Seems likes behavior mod is what I've been doing and didn't even know. I would give her treats just for sowing down. Then she started coming to the door and I would give her one the slowly she's started coming out on her own. Im just so worried because I work long hours. Once she is tame enough I can bring her with me. But will I keep losing progress while I'm working? I just need her okay enough to come with me then I can work with her all throughout the day in my office. Hopefully one day I can teach her a hoop trick too! Thats is awesome!

 

[Laurasea]

no she won't forget and will continue to bond with you.

Just be sure to set aside a little time before work . Morning are important to birds to reinforce bonds and make sure the flock made it through the night. Have a chat share breakfast together. Then spend time when get home.

Its wonderful to hear of a new relationship and tge excitement of getting to know each other!

Yes we do many shaping without knowing that's what we are doing. For some people that comes naturally and some need to think about the process and learn to reward the little steps

Pictures!

 

[Whimsicallyminded]

no she won't forget and will continue to bond with you.

Just be sure to set aside a little time before work . Morning are important to birds to reinforce bonds and make sure the flock made it through the night. Have a chat share breakfast together. Then spend time when get home.

Its wonderful to hear of a new relationship and tge excitement of getting to know each other!

Yes we do many shaping without knowing that's what we are doing. For some people that comes naturally and some need to think about the process and learn to reward the little steps

Pictures!

Thank you for all your help
Im sure ill be back soon with more questions!!