New to Conures, ALL help appreciated!

[leepinleena]

Hi all, I just found your site & I'm thrilled! I would like to get some feedback please. I acquired a green cheek Conure with a little parakeet. They have been caged together for about a yr & from what I see so far, they seem to love being together. I've even seen the parakeet regurgitate & feed the Conure. The story is that there were 2 parakeets & when 1 died, the young man bought a Conure, which is now about a yr old. The Parakeet is thot to be about 3. Neither are tame but they've been able to fly freely about in this man's apt. So ideally, I'd like to tame them both but for sure the Conure. However, I need him to have his wings clipped, at least while I tame him. I had an Amazon for many yrs that I clipped myself after A Vet showed me how, so I had experience. However, I clipped the Conure the same way & it did not work. I have an appt to have a Vet look at him & clip him correctly, but I can't get in for about 2 more weeks. Becuz these 2 little birds need & are used to being out, I open the cage at least once during the day. I basically have to just wait it out for them to go back in when they feel like it, which is not my choice, but I won't chase them unless it's absolutely necessary. Anyway, I'm asking if anyone can offer suggestions on how to tame the Conure while he is still caged with the parakeet. It's not easy since the little turd flies out of the cage the second she sees an opportunity. Catching the Conure to clip him was a nightmare. I already think that he has lost trust in me bcuz of that ordeal. In fact, if anyone has ideas on a less stressful way to catch him for the day I visit the Vet, I really welcome it. And please, I'm asking for wisdom from experienced bird people to best take care of these little guys, so I don't need nasty opinions. Thank you in advance.

 

[zERo]

Welcome to the forums! Glad you found us!

Taking the conure to the vet will be stressful, though getting him in the cage to go might not have to be.
I would set the travel cage near the birds cage, and put their favorite treat inside, this works with lots of birds.
As for clipping the wings for taming, I think this is not necessary.
7 out of 9 of my parrots came to me with clipped wings.
This did not aid in the process of taming any of them.
I think the best way to start taming is with the bird in the cage, hand him a treat through the bars each time you enter the room, or if he won’t take a treat from your hand, designate a treat bowl.
Typically when someone clips a bird in order to tame it, it’s more like forcing the bird to interact with the person, only because it cannot fly away.

What do you mean by the clip didn’t work? As in he is still able to fly? Even if you choose to clip, they should still be able to glide to the ground and not fall like a rock or be extremely earth bound.

I would encourage you to try and tame him with the clip you gave him. I promise it is doable.
Can the budgie fly? And is it more tame than the conure? If so, that’s a great way to encourage the conure.

I think it’s wonderful that they are bonded, makes me nervous but if they don’t fight I don’t see a problem with it.

What are your birds names? And, on this forum, we love pictures

 

[Terry57]

Welcome to the forum!
I'm so glad you're asking so you can learn, and that you found us

It will be possible to tame them both, it just takes time and patience to gain their trust.

Here is a wonderful thread about bonding and building trust:

Tips for Bonding and Building Trust

I agree with zERo, I'd love to know their names and see pictures!

 

[clark_conure]

GCCs and budgies do get along. especially if the GCC is young when you introduce. It might be best case senerio you had the budgie first.

In my case I just turn out the lights about 12 hours before I plan on waking up and they to the cage on their own. I also reccomend brocolli and cauliflour as treats, they love eating the little florettes.

I turn out the lights and the birds all know ok it's dark, time to roost. I don't even bother to shut the cage before then. They know where the water and food is....they are smart enough to know their own roosting place.

 

[leepinleena]

Thank you for the input & your knowledge~! I have pics of them but I can't seem to get them to post, but I'll keep trying. I'm trying to do my best for the birds. The clipping I did, didn't work bcuz the Conure can still gain a lot of lift. I didn't want him to drop like a rock, but to be able to glide, just as my Amazon did after I clipped him. But what Zero said made me rethink taking him to a Vet to get clipped "correctly". I hate doing anything against their will & I regret even trying now. And if there is a way to tame him without clipping, I'd rather try that. I just didn't think it was possible, I guess. From my experience & what I've researched, I didn't see much about being able to tame without clipping.

The names they came with = Conure is 'Booger' & the Parakeet is 'Snow'. I don't necessarily like the names, but Booger knows his so I'm not changing either of them. I don't think the young man that had them tried any other type of food, other than seed. But I've been giving them fruit & veggies & they both go crazy for that! It's comical watching them try new food. I'm just very blessed that they try everything I've introduced bcuz I'm familiar with how daunting it can be to get them to eat what is good for them if they're not used to it.

As far as letting them out of the cage, it works best at night bcuz they eventually do go back to the cage. Except for 1 night, it was past midnight when they finally went in. But even after turning out the lights, they still took forever to go in. Having 2 is a little tougher.

I'm a little concerned about Booger being a bully sometimes to Snow bcuz she's tiny. I'm sure he could possibly hurt her? And what about when/if he gets hormonal & nasty. I don't have a clue if that's even a thing with a Conure!? I could get another cage & separate them but then how will that go since they are so use to & even cuddle with each other? Ugh...I know, I worry too much. But my experience is with an Amazon, which I had for 12 yrs, & is much much different than a Conure. I just don't know enough about him yet. Again, thank you for your help! I sure can use it!

 

[zERo]

I’m glad you’ve reconsidered!

It sounds like you love your birds a lot! I’m sure they’re grateful to be in your care

So how tame is Booger? Can you stand near him when he’s out of the cage? Or how tame is Snow?

The awesome that they’re open to eating vegetables and fruit already! Lots of people tend to have a tough time with diet transition.

It’s possible that Booger could hurt Snow, in weight, green cheeks are double the size or so of budgies.
Concerning the hormones, all parrots may become hormonal, even little ones.
In fact, your budgie is more likely to be hormonal than your green cheek.
To minimize hormones heres some things you can do:
Don’t have any places they can access that mimics a nest, so no drawers/under covers/closets etc.
Try to make sure they get 12 hours of peaceful sleep.
Don’t over feed sugar/carbs/protein. So if feeding fruits, feed blueberries/apple/strawberry rather than banana.
Provide them with plenty of toys to destroy to get there energy out too.

While we cannot eliminate hormones we can sure reduce them!

 

[Terry57]

Thank you for the input & your knowledge~! I have pics of them but I can't seem to get them to post, but I'll keep trying. I'm trying to do my best for the birds. The clipping I did, didn't work bcuz the Conure can still gain a lot of lift. I didn't want him to drop like a rock, but to be able to glide, just as my Amazon did after I clipped him. But what Zero said made me rethink taking him to a Vet to get clipped "correctly". I hate doing anything against their will & I regret even trying now. And if there is a way to tame him without clipping, I'd rather try that. I just didn't think it was possible, I guess. From my experience & what I've researched, I didn't see much about being able to tame without clipping.

The names they came with = Conure is 'Booger' & the Parakeet is 'Snow'. I don't necessarily like the names, but Booger knows his so I'm not changing either of them. I don't think the young man that had them tried any other type of food, other than seed. But I've been giving them fruit & veggies & they both go crazy for that! It's comical watching them try new food. I'm just very blessed that they try everything I've introduced bcuz I'm familiar with how daunting it can be to get them to eat what is good for them if they're not used to it.

As far as letting them out of the cage, it works best at night bcuz they eventually do go back to the cage. Except for 1 night, it was past midnight when they finally went in. But even after turning out the lights, they still took forever to go in. Having 2 is a little tougher.

I'm a little concerned about Booger being a bully sometimes to Snow bcuz she's tiny. I'm sure he could possibly hurt her? And what about when/if he gets hormonal & nasty. I don't have a clue if that's even a thing with a Conure!? I could get another cage & separate them but then how will that go since they are so use to & even cuddle with each other? Ugh...I know, I worry too much. But my experience is with an Amazon, which I had for 12 yrs, & is much much different than a Conure. I just don't know enough about him yet. Again, thank you for your help! I sure can use it!

I'm glad you rethought a heavier clip. I think that the bond created when the parrot has free will is a much stronger bond, even though it does take longer.

It's obvious how much you love them, and they feel it, too. That takes you a long way in bonding

I wouldn't separate them unless they stop getting along. I hate to see friends separated, though sometimes for their safety is has to be done.

Here's a link that may help you post pics

How To Post Pictures

 

[leepinleena]

Wow, what a great source of information you guys are! Thank you!! I can feed millet to Booger thru the cage & sometimes with my hand inside the cage. But no closer. Booger will actually land on our heads, well at least he did at first. I may have ruined that since he hasn't done that since I clipped him. I feel horrible about that. Today was the first time that I was able to feed millet to Snow thru the cage. That's huge bcuz she won't come by us. However they both will walk across the back of the sofa behind us. Before I clipped him, Booger would walk down from the back of the sofa to my arm & kind of pinch bite me...lol. Just enuf to get a rise out of me. I'm hoping/literally praying I didn't totally destroy his trust & that will begin to happen again.

They came with something that looks like a teepee, hanging in 1 corner of their cage. It's made of a soft flannel like cloth. The young man that had them said Booger would sleep in that at night. However he's only done it once since he's been here. But they never had their cage covered at night, which I do. I haven't seen Booger inside of it since. He does hide behind it periodically tho. Also, I've seen both of them hang on the side of it &...excuse my ignorance here...but it looks like they are humping it. lol. *I can almost hear y'all laughing!* Anyway, the teepee is something that I'm a bit concerned about bcuz I don't like anything cloth or with ropes around birds...afraid of accidents/injuries from loose threads. But if Booger is using it to hide behind....do I take that security away?? It's a toss up. What do you all think?

 

[leepinleena]

Btw, in case anyone is wondering why it says I joined in Feb, but stated that I just found the site: my niece had apparently signed me up for this acct a few months ago when she came to visit. She told me about it but I completely forgot. Great place to learn tho!

 

[zERo]

Wow, what a great source of information you guys are! Thank you!! I can feed millet to Booger thru the cage & sometimes with my hand inside the cage. But no closer. Booger will actually land on our heads, well at least he did at first. I may have ruined that since he hasn't done that since I clipped him. I feel horrible about that. Today was the first time that I was able to feed millet to Snow thru the cage. That's huge bcuz she won't come by us. However they both will walk across the back of the sofa behind us. Before I clipped him, Booger would walk down from the back of the sofa to my arm & kind of pinch bite me...lol. Just enuf to get a rise out of me. I'm hoping/literally praying I didn't totally destroy his trust & that will begin to happen again.

They came with something that looks like a teepee, hanging in 1 corner of their cage. It's made of a soft flannel like cloth. The young man that had them said Booger would sleep in that at night. However he's only done it once since he's been here. But they never had their cage covered at night, which I do. I haven't seen Booger inside of it since. He does hide behind it periodically tho. Also, I've seen both of them hang on the side of it &...excuse my ignorance here...but it looks like they are humping it. lol. *I can almost hear y'all laughing!* Anyway, the teepee is something that I'm a bit concerned about bcuz I don't like anything cloth or with ropes around birds...afraid of accidents/injuries from loose threads. But if Booger is using it to hide behind....do I take that security away?? It's a toss up. What do you all think?

It’s sounds like you’re already making great progress with them!
I would continue to try and feed them treats, especially since they are already this receptive.

Concerning the teepee, I would personally have removed it too.
Perhaps you could look into one of these? A much safer alternative to a cloth hut. This site sells a Tiki Hut, I couldn’t link the product directly but it’s the last item on the perch category.

Seriously Nutz Bird Toys -Parrot Toys & Monthly Subscription

Seriously Nutz Bird Toys ~ Fun & Creative Bird Toys For Every Parrot. Custom Perches, Monthly Subscriptions. Foraging Toys!

www.seriouslynutz.com

Then there’s this on Amazon:
Super Bird Creations SB881 Seagrass Tent, Small/Medium Bird Size, 8” x 7” x 8” https://a.co/d/3I4bMTK

Or you could hang several toys around that area to make a safe spot he can “hide”
Regarding the humping, I would certainly removing think that elicit that kind of behavior as it will only cause hormones to rage further.

Btw, in case anyone is wondering why it says I joined in Feb, but stated that I just found the site: my niece had apparently signed me up for this acct a few months ago when she came to visit. She told me about it but I completely forgot. Great place to learn tho!

We understand!

 

[leepinleena]

I finally got the picture to send from my phone. Now let's see if I can get it posted here.
I like that sea grass hut much better~! I'm going to order that today. Thank you~ I actually bought a type of toy/swing similar to that, which also is made of sea grass. But when I put it in their cage it was totally avoided. That was soon after I got them but I took it out becuz I I thot maybe I was changing too much too soon. But, today I put it back in. I'll leave it for the day & see how they do. I'm attaching a link of a pic of that as well. I don't see Booger playing with toys much tho. He wanders around the cage a lot & does a lot of jabbering or picking thru his food dishes. I did see him take a bath today! Loved that, even tho it was done in his water dish! lol.

I'm seeing a lot of bickering between the 2 birds these last few days & it's concerning me. So I'm on the hunt for another cage....just in case. Again, thanks so much for all the help!

Seagrass Parrot Toy Swingperfect for Small to Medium Sized Birds That Love to Climb, Chew and Swing - Etsy

This Bird Toys item by ONeillsNestBirdToys has 392 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Bordentown, NJ. Listed on Jul 22, 2024

www.etsy.com

 

[leepinleena]

Picture didn't post. Trying again...

 

[zERo]

I finally got the picture to send from my phone. Now let's see if I can get it posted here.
I like that sea grass hut much better~! I'm going to order that today. Thank you~ I actually bought a type of toy/swing similar to that, which also is made of sea grass. But when I put it in their cage it was totally avoided. That was soon after I got them but I took it out becuz I I thot maybe I was changing too much too soon. But, today I put it back in. I'll leave it for the day & see how they do. I'm attaching a link of a pic of that as well. I don't see Booger playing with toys much tho. He wanders around the cage a lot & does a lot of jabbering or picking thru his food dishes. I did see him take a bath today! Loved that, even tho it was done in his water dish! lol.

I'm seeing a lot of bickering between the 2 birds these last few days & it's concerning me. So I'm on the hunt for another cage....just in case. Again, thanks so much for all the help!

Seagrass Parrot Toy Swingperfect for Small to Medium Sized Birds That Love to Climb, Chew and Swing - Etsy

This Bird Toys item by ONeillsNestBirdToys has 392 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Bordentown, NJ. Listed on Jul 22, 2024

www.etsy.com

This toy looks good. The shapes on top of the coin wrapper look to be made of foam however, this is not a concern for all parrots.
Just make sure they aren’t eating any of it!
The toy looks really fun otherwise.

Sometimes birds can take a few days to get used to something new. I’ve found they’re more willing to play with or go near something new if it’s outside the cage and they can go up to it.
It also helps to hide a favorite treat in it, that’s no so hidden so they’ll be tempted.

I would definitely look for another cage if they’re fighting often. In case they need to live separately.
That’s awesome that he took a bath! My green cheek bathed in his water bowl too. It helps to provide them with a big stainless steel 20oz. So they can get sufficiently soaked!

A nice pic! It’s so cute