My yellow sided conure hates me

[DinoSauWr]

Hi,

We own a conure since a little bit more than a year and 6 months ago it started to hate me. I can't take it out of it's cage, and if I try, it will bite me until I bleed. Even if I try to bribe it with food. I don't think it's afraid of me because if it's already out and I approach it with my shoulder, it will hop on me and won't attack. When I change his food and water, he will lunge at me and try to bite me through the cage. If he can see me from his cage, he'll just won't move, stare at me and screech. He loves my boyfriend though. I really don't know what to do anymore...
And sorry for my poor English, it's not my main language.

 

[quintinp]

Hi,
We own a conure since a little bit more than a year and 6 months ago it started to hate me. I can't take it out of it's cage, and if I try, it will bite me until I bleed. Even if I try to bribe it with food. I don't think it's afraid of me because if it's already out and I approach it with my shoulder, it will hop on me and won't attack. When I change his food and water, he will lunge at me and try to bite me through the cage. If he can see me from his cage, he'll just won't move, stare at me and screech. He loves my boyfriend though. I really don't know what to do anymore...
And sorry for my poor English, it's not my main language.

A bird's cage is it's territory, and as for some Parrots, their territory is not to be messed with. I learned the hard way, when my other Quaker Parrot bit me through his cage, but was sweet sweet sweet when he was outside his cage.

 

[Anatopism]

One of the best things you can do is perch/stick train your bird. Get a long, sturdy dowel or other stick that resembles a perch that the bird is already familiar with. Set it near the cage for a week where it can see it. Hold the stick in a non-threatening way and 'look it over' every so often so the bird can see you interacting with it. After a little while of the bird getting used to the stick, start by requesting that the bird "step up" onto the stick. Move the bird out of eyesight of the cage before asking it to step onto a hand. While some people will swear up and down that it is horrible to allow a parrot onto your shoulder, I am NOT of this camp, provided the bird does not have any behavioral issues, and provided being allowed on the shoulder does not create behavioral issues. My birds are allowed on my shoulders.. but my birds are also the only two parrots in existence I trust with my eyelids. That said... if this bird insists on heading straight to your shoulders, demand that it stay on your hand. This takes a lot of patience and consistent training. When she goes to your shoulder, gently remove her with your hand (if you are comfortable) or your stick, and place her somewhere that is appropriate. She is allowed on your shoulder when you offer your shoulder to her. This is not an exercise in dominance as it is with dogs, but an exercise in personal space and respect.

I've worked with several cage aggressive birds, but one the most difficult for me was a yellow naped amazon that had his entire family terrified of him - he never came out of his cage because of this. They were using a broom stick handle as a perch to get him back INTO his cage, and it was scary to him. I grabbed a pool que (queue? cue? stick?) instead... and while to us they look very similar, to a bird it makes a world of difference. He stepped up onto the stick, I was able to get him into a different rooom, and the bird transformed. He allowed head scratches and would cautiously step up onto my hands and wrists. Within eyesight of the cage.. and he rips into flesh. For a bird who has toes that reach nearly all the way around my wrist.. imagine what sort of damage his beak can do

Another thing to try is adding a sleep cage, that is seperate from her cage she stays in during the day - I have also had luck with this with particularly feisty birds. Modify a small cat kennel to add an appropriately sized perch to sleep on, cover with dark blankets at night, and bring bird out of the kennel and put into the cage during the day. Repeat nightly. The idea is that the bird is allowed to be all sorts of cranky in this sleep cage (similar to a nest), but that the cage during the day is a fun playtime area, and less of an issue with territory.

LOTS of bribery helps as well, but I can't stress enough.. train your bird to step up onto a perch... wood does not bleed, and wood does not get its' feelings hurt when bit by a bird doing what birds do

 

[DinoSauWr]

Thank you very much, I will try this out !

 

[quintinp]

Hi,
We own a conure since a little bit more than a year and 6 months ago it started to hate me. I can't take it out of it's cage, and if I try, it will bite me until I bleed. Even if I try to bribe it with food. I don't think it's afraid of me because if it's already out and I approach it with my shoulder, it will hop on me and won't attack. When I change his food and water, he will lunge at me and try to bite me through the cage. If he can see me from his cage, he'll just won't move, stare at me and screech. He loves my boyfriend though. I really don't know what to do anymore...
And sorry for my poor English, it's not my main language.

One thing I forgot of mention is that my "other" Quaker parrot (Cody) has a splayed right leg, and the perch method won't work with him. When his cage door is open, he likes to crawl outside of it. But as for taking Cody out of his cage, I HAVE to use my hands. Any other thing that is as stable as my hand, would scare Cody too much.

He's a sensitive bird, and I understand that, so I don't push him TOO much. I let him have his space. He will kiss, but I don't particularly kiss my birds (it isn't sanitary for the bird, and can affect the bird's health)

On occasion, he will let me scratch his head, but usually won't.

Cody hasn't met a baby chick yet, but I am hoping that he won't freak out and fly everywhere, but I don't want him TOO interested in the chick. (as in biting the chicks head? leg? wing? off)

 

[Anatopism]

One thing I forgot of mention is that my "other" Quaker parrot (Cody) has a splayed right leg, and the perch method won't work with him. When his cage door is open, he likes to crawl outside of it. But as for taking Cody out of his cage, I HAVE to use my hands. Any other thing that is as stable as my hand, would scare Cody too much.

He's a sensitive bird, and I understand that, so I don't push him TOO much. I let him have his space. He will kiss, but I don't particularly kiss my birds (it isn't sanitary for the bird, and can affect the bird's health)

On occasion, he will let me scratch his head, but usually won't.

Cody hasn't met a baby chick yet, but I am hoping that he won't freak out and fly everywhere, but I don't want him TOO interested in the chick. (as in biting the chicks head? leg? wing? off)

It sounds like your quakers are in good hands

Also, good luck with introducing to the chicks. Our new eclectus girl didn't even acknowledge that the chicks exist... and my senegal when he met the first batch of chicks, just danced, squeaked, and clicked at them, before walking over and climbing onto me. He got bored quickly. Of course, my senegal doesn't care about other parrots either. They certainly have a powerful weapon on their faces though, so I'd much rather take a parrot that is uninterested, than one that wants to attack another bird

 

[quintinp]

It sounds like your quakers are in good hands

Also, good luck with introducing to the chicks. Our new eclectus girl didn't even acknowledge that the chicks exist... and my senegal when he met the first batch of chicks, just danced, squeaked, and clicked at them, before walking over and climbing onto me. He got bored quickly. Of course, my senegal doesn't care about other parrots either. They certainly have a powerful weapon on their faces though, so I'd much rather take a parrot that is uninterested, than one that wants to attack another bird

Thank you!

I have never met any one with an eclectus before. I have seen the Senegals, and they sure are mean looking. Those yellow, orange eyes don't look to welcoming.

As for personality, I have never been around either, so I can't say anything bad about the birds themselves.

 

[Anatopism]

Thank you!

I have never met any one with an eclectus before. I have seen the Senegals, and they sure are mean looking. Those yellow, orange eyes don't look to welcoming. 

As for personality, I have never been around either, so I can't say anything bad about the birds themselves.

Our eclectus girl is incredibly sweet, but she is still very new to us. They can learn to say quite a few words, rivaling a grey, but tend to be more shy and quiet about it. Their voices sound like Elmo. They need a very specific diet, different from other parrots, due to their longer digestive tracts. They also have a habit of freezing up and observing a scary situation rather than panicking and screaming or flailing, and a lot of people mistake this for confidence, which can result in a very stressed out bird. Our girl is almost completely bald from a history of boredom and poor nutrition before coming to us.

I really don't know many other Senegals in person but mine is perfect. Very selfish... LOVES head scratches but will NOT preen in return. Jlhe asks cats, rats, people, and dogs for head scratches.... if a situation or animal is unknown, his response is to offer the back of his head... just in case he might get some free love. He is extremely polite... will nope if annoyed but is very careful about beaker pressure... he is very good at using just enough to get his point across, without causing any pain. I have had him. Few years now and he is my baby definitely excellent "starter" parrots. Tend to be a little more independent than some birds, but can adapt to a range of families and situations.

 

[silkiechicken]

LOL

Speaking of chicks and house birds.

My tiel is a little weanie and will usually display and hiss at chicks. Once fully realizing chicks are not out to get her, will sheepishly steal treats if possible... such as during the chick's 2 week old photoshoot.

The 30 gram female budgie though is an absolute TERROR! She's broken INTO chick brooders just to chase chicks around and bit at their feet, tails, heads. She has no mortal fears and will outright go and attack chicks or even 4 week old chicks significantly larger than her if she is given the chance. Such a fearless meanie....

But for biting and such, I find the birds are very smart and if they get away with something once to get what they want, they'll keep doing it. Could be hormones too. My tiel loves me and wants to be in sight all day. However, she loves my SO in a totally different way despite getting no attention from him. She only wants one kind of spring hormal attention and all it takes is my SO walking into sight. Target training as stated earlier is probably a good place to start.

 

[Tinychicks]

I love the photo of the tiel with the chickies! SO cute!

I would not let your parrot on your shoulder if you are having any "aggression" problems at all. I agree with Anatopism that you've got to insist that it stays on your hand.
How old is your bird? Is it possible that it is going through puberty? Their behavior will often change for a year or two while this happens. If the conure is attaching itself if your boyfriend, is it possible it sees him as a mate? If so, yes, you would be seen as threatening that relationship. Your boyfriend can take steps to make sure that the relationship is that of human and bird in the bird's eyes, including not petting it on the back. Anatopism, do you know of any other ways to redefine the bond?

Does your bird know "step up"? I make sure to actually talk to my conure when I go to visit her. I say hello to her, tell her what I am doing and ask if she wants to come out and step up on my hand. I find that she responds really well to this, especially if I am super enthusiastic about it! Sometimes she puts her foot out to step up and sometimes she holds onto the side of the cage, I know when she does this she doesn't really want to come out. I try to respect that, unless by chance I have to get her out.

It's easiest to deal with birds in the morning. At night, they can tend to be grumpy.

Overall, the best advice I can think of is to go slow. You will have over 50 years with your bird, you have time to train it right and create the most positive relationship possible. Spend time in the same room with the bird, maybe with the cage door open. Talk to it. place your hands slowly around the cage. Go slow when cleaning and changing out food.

I hope these little tips help. I know I am new here, and new to chickens, but I have kept parrots for several years, and I study behavior and training all the time. I'm no pro but I'd like to think I learn as much as I can and put it to use.