sun conure with an attitude!

[diadins]

My little lady is currently 14 months old and has just recently developed something of an attitude. She has ripped diamond earrings out of my ear, snapped rings and begun piercing clothing. All of these things I can handle but now she is also started pinching! Im talking constantly! The second I stop scratching her head or try to continue with what I am doing she goes in. My hands and wrists are riddled with beak marks. She never does it hard enough to draw blood but holy moly does it smart. I have tried putting her away when she does it and ignoring her but then she just gives me this sad crying squawk. She acts sorry and then starts right back up. Does anyone have experience with their stinkers doing this or have any advice for stopping it?

Thanks!

 

[Phlox]

Sounds like normal conure puberty to me. The best advice I have is to keep her busy. Try training -- even just step-up/ladder exercises and flying around will work. Rearrange her space, shake stuff up. Anything that keeps her little brain occupied will help. Eventually, she'll get through this stage.

 

[EnglishMuffin]

Plox is right, sounds like you've reached the conure equivalent of the 'terrible twos'. They do go through this phase, and they grow out of it eventually. Until then structure and firm but kind parenting will be needed! I also would revoke shoulder privileges if she's ripping your earrings out- for your safety and hers!

 

[MrsKay]

Egads! Is this what I have to look forward to with Larry my green cheek?
diadins, I don't think I have ever seen a more beautiful little lady bird! Gorgeous colors!

 

[Phlox]

It's something all conure parronts deal with eventually. At least for a while. I've had 5. 2 young ones did it. The other two were past it when I got them but still had some and I'm expecting it with Phlox, though we're doing lots of training to help manage it.

 

[BoomBoom]

Wow, your sun conure looks soooo much like mine. My sun is a guy though, but they look so alike (granted most suns do lol!)

As others mentioned, sun conures can develop a bit of an attitude. I keep hearing about terrible twos and I think there is truth to this. Mine is 2.5 years old and some days he can really test my patience. But that's a sun conure for you. Patience, huge doses of it, is much needed. A lot of people say they grow out of the terrible twos (when I don't know) so let's hope for that haha!

Until then, teach her boundaries. She won't always remember it but its there to keep her from getting too out of hand. Enjoy the moments when she's calm. Keep yourself calm too, it helps you and her more than you think. Good luck and cherish your feisty, little feathered love bug!

 

[a_osborne]

My green cheek is 4 years old and went through a major attitude phase when she was younger. She began biting very bad which was crazy to me because even when I first got her she had never been much of a biter. Anyway, the way I got through it was just changing how I handled her and trying to distract when I held her. She didn't get to be on my shoulder much but still got to sit on my hand. She'd bite unless I distracted her with sunflower seeds but that almost always worked. Eventually she grew out of it and now she's a cuddly and sweet little bird again!

 

[Ashleigh86]

My sun (Indy) is 11 months old now, so she hasn't gone through the terrible twos yet(not excited for that...). Although she does get an attitude with me here and there where she tries to tell me what to do by bitting and making angry noises. She's sliced my finger open once and I took her firmly but not roughly in my hand upside down and gave her my "angry voice"(she sure paid attention!), not yelling, just letting her know I was mad and then put her on the couch beside me. She kept trying to get back onto me but I blocked her with a towel and made her stay off for a minute or two. After that, she was the sweetest bird you will ever see! lol You have to make sure you don't shy away when they bite or they know that bitting gets them a reaction or what they want. I know all birds are different, so technique for discipline is different for everyone, but that works for me. Hope this helps!