sun conure biting and not behaving

[nick12]

hi my name is nick and i am new to this whole forum thing but i have a few questions and would love some answers
i have a sun conure named rio he is about a year and a half old and has been nothing but a pleasure due to a few issues i have not been able to give him as much attention over the past few weeks but now as I'm starting to get him back into the swing of things he has been a bit nippy and not been listening as well as he used to. he also makes it very difficult to get him off of my shoulder and this is where the biting occurs the most. and also the longer i have him out the crazier he tends to get and it seems like he is paying more attention to being the boss rather than being docile as he is usually is if anyone has any answer or tips i would appreciate it i wanna nips this in the butt now before it gets any worse
thank you for all your help

 

[Dinosrawr]

If you have problems getting him off your shoulder, then don't let him up there until he knows how to step up/down on command without hassle. Alternatively, find a way to make getting him off your shoulder easier - such as training him to step up onto his cage as you lean over, or having him step up onto a perch off your shoulder.

And based on his age, there is also a possibility of late hormones surging through him that make him more nippy, less cuddly/docile. That, or he could simply be upset with the fact that you didn't give him the attention he's used to having

 

[Flboy]

My new baby, JoJo, when he is on my shoulder, if I reach up with one hand, he squaks and is a little nippy. If I reach up with both hands on both sides of my head, he is fully happy and steps up. I really think we are both learning each other's ways!

 

[bettietheripper]

I went crazy mood swings from my sunny for months before it eased up. Now she's going through her 1-year molting and she's not as bad, but her attitude shows. Training hem takes lots of time, so if he gets nippy because you want him off your shoulder, don't let him up there. Maybe try to give him treats only when he doesn't fuss about being taken off.

 

[nick12]

thanks for all the help guys/girls but he's never gave me any trouble before. but do you think the fact that i haven't given him the desired attention in the last few weeks a realistic cause of the issues I'm dealing with and how long does the hormones usually last for

 

[djdancer]

Everyone keeps saying not to let him on your shoulder but what do you do when he gets on you and runs right up onto your shoulder? I have 2 birds that do this. Have a very hard time getting one back in the cage at the end of the night. He attacks us.

 

[Birdman666]

These are shrunken macaws.

Set boundaries! And get this bird on a "patterned" schedule. This is conure "I don't wanna!" behavior, which is a precursor to conure spoiled bird syndrome.

And you put your hand between the bird and where he is trying to go, and physically block his path if you don't want him up there.

 

[OneHorseRanch]

I know Sheldon goes through "brat" stages. He sure can get to biting really hard when the week earlier he was all cuddly. When he gets to biting when I'm putting him bad in his pen I just use a stick to catch him up and then he hides on my back which makes it that much more difficult..I just have to laugh sometimes.
I got to give him credit for being persistent.

Patience is the word here. It sounds like your bird is upset with the lack of attention from earlier and hes letting you know. He'll snap out of it. I bribe with cracker treats but now Sheldon has got that figured out to. I have to keep him guessing.

 

[SilverSage]

Everyone keeps saying not to let him on your shoulder but what do you do when he gets on you and runs right up onto your shoulder? I have 2 birds that do this. Have a very hard time getting one back in the cage at the end of the night. He attacks us.

You immediately take them down. IMMEDIATELY. and block the next run. If you know he is going to run up your shoulder, block him with your hand. Most likely he will then try to stem up and then over your hand, but you lift your hand while he is on it, and just like that he is back where he started - on a hand. Do this every time the tries to climb to your shoulder. My birds are not allowed to climb to my shoulder, they are allowed there only when I put them there because most of them came to me with nipping or all out chomping issues. Remember, you are the human, and you get to say "no." That said, it is your job to keep from letting him into places/situations where you know bites will come.