Screeching questions

[TiaBug1120]

Ok so I brought my new sun conure home less than a week ago. She is just starting to come around to me...by that I mean that she will now hop over to m shoulder, not to big on the stepping up on to hands but we are working on that. She has done it a few times but seems scared.

So the problem that I am facing is that she screams. I realize that a bird like this is going to make noise and its not so much that the noise is a problem but when she is on my shoulder and she screeches it like blows out my ear drum.

What is normal noise for a conure? Is there something that I should be doing to manage this behavior?

Also the problem with her not stepping up is that when I want her to step off my shoulder I have to like lean in to her cage so she can hop off or else she will bite my finger...any suggestions here as well?

 

[Spiritbird]

Congratulations on a little sunnie. They are truly beautiful birds. Try to remember you have only had this bird for 1 week. It can take several weeks or months for the bird to get used to you and the new environment. First of all you should take this bird to an avain vet for a wellness or baseline exam to make sure all is ok.
Next thing I suggest is not to let the bird on your shoulder if this is where it is screeming. Conures are known for screeming. Make sure there are lots of interesting toys and pay special attention to the diet. Seeds should only be fed as a treat. Look up the diet on the web and you will find they need lots of fresh foods, vegies and fruits, nuts and grains and most importantly pellets. You bird could be hungry. Try some nice soft, warm oatmeal in the evening.

 

[Leroy_Paige]

Hi Tia, First thing to remember, you've had her less than a week. Everything you stated sounds like very normal behavior. All of her responses should change for the better over time and depending on how much time you spend with her, she can come around very quickly. My conure didn't like being removed from my shoulder with "step up" and now it's the ONLY way he leaves my shoulder. Over time your fingers shouldn't be an issue. One trick I used early on with my little screacher on my shoulder was to always whisper back after his screech. I'd turn toward his face and whisper something like, "why r u yelling in my ear". Repeated whispers and now he will only do it if he's really startled. His normal screeching is when he is not in "chill out" mode and he doesn't want me to leave the room. Hope some of this helps

 

[TiaBug1120]

Yes all of this helps! I was afraid I was going to get a response about her having some horrible habit that was unchangeable LOL

Right now I give her fresh water (obviously), a cup of her food mix which is Kaytee Fiesta Max, and a bowl with other treats in it (once in the morning with fruit and once in the afternoon with veggies although I find that she doesn't touch much except apples), she is also a big fan of walnuts so I sneak a few of those in there as well. I am going to try the hard boiled egg thing tomorrow....we will see how that goes.

I am in the process of getting her to the vet. She definitely needs her wings clipped and a check up is in order. I just have to find a reputable avian vet which is what I am currently working on.

I am going to try the whispering thing. She really only screeches when we talk to her and she gets excited. Maybe if I keep that a little calmer she might turn her volume down as well.

I see a good future with her and I am so excited! It seems like each day she gets more and more comfortable in her new home.

 

[SharonC]

Fred doesn't screech often, but when he does, I say something that he doesn't hear often. It makes him concentrate on what I'm saying. For Fred my response is usually SSShhhhhh, Oh, My Goodness or I sing "Freddie, Freddie Freddie"...Make it up as you go, it just needs to be an unfamiliar sound to the bird. This usually works with Fred...not always, but usually!

 

[Ladyeclectic]

Lol! Welcome to Sun ownership. My little Sun only just recently started in on screeching - usually when we first arrive home and for up to ten minutes afterwards. It's just happiness but we usually put her on her boing first thing and let her calm down a bit before really saying hello. It was funny, I thought I had the first quiet Sun on the planet - nope!! It's just Sun nature to be loud and boisterous; if they're happy, they certainly let you know it!

They sure are sweet little birds though, aren't they? We've had ours a month now and she steps up like a champ, but won't let us pet her with fingers (unless I trick her by grooming her at the same time she's letting our GCC preen her; then it's okay until the GCC stops lol). My little GCC is such contained excitement (like her daddy, whom she adores) while the Sun is a bouncy happy thing. Don't you just love them?!

 

[TiaBug1120]

I do!! I have found too that although she wont step up from her cage she will step onto your fingers from your shoulder which is a relief because trying to get her to step off my shoulder and back onto her cage is a little tricky! Now we just have to work on her picky eating....

P.S. So far the whispering is not working....my ears are still ringing lol

 

[Pheonix Rising]

My advice is a keep her off your shoulder until you can get a reliable step up from various locations
having her on your arm is fine but if she learns that she can bite and run away to avoid being picked up / taken off your shoulder then this will only become a life long habit

As far as the screeching goes I would remove her and but her down each time she screechs
it may just be onto the couch for 30 seconds or such like but she shoul learn that screeching means no time with you
also turning your back on your bird is a good idea especially with sunbird they hate being left out from their flock

Reward her for good behaviour also

Good luck

 

[TiaBug1120]

Well Lucy is in a bad mood this morning for sure! She has been doing this really weird screech from her cage and she nipped at me through the bars of her cage while I was opening the door which is something she has never done....I have a sneaking suspicion that this is food related because she has been pretty picky the last few days....I don't know what to do.

I had to change her food because the food given to me with her had peanuts in it which are apparently not safe...argh