Meet little Annie Fannie

[KellyBelly]

In October I brought Annie home, I was told her hatch date was Aug 9.
So she's just about six months old, and while she can be fun(ny) and silly and just great, I have a couple obstacles from time to time. First of all, she loves being on her cage. I have a small wooden play gym, empty box(es), foot toys, I'll put a dish so she can have a bath up there. There is quite a bit of space up there since I have her Zebra Finch brother right near her during the winter, and away from the windows because it gets too cold here this time of year.

Anyways, She really loves being up there and playing, I'm starting to learn that she is the independent type. She often scampers away from me when I try to get her to step up. The cages are as tall as I am, so it fairly easy enough for her to get out of my reach. I'll use a dowel perch to reach her, sometimes she'll step up on it, sometimes she runs away. I think she thinks I am just going to put her back in the cage, which I try to not do directly after having her step up. Sometimes, to me, its like she runs away like she is afraid of me. I've never given her any reason to be afraid of me, so I really hope I haven't scared her without knowing. What can I do?

I also had the thought that it might be my current emotional status that she is picking up on. We lost our 18 year old dog last Monday, and I am still pretty messed up about the whole thing. Could that be it?

 

[Newbie GCC]

Conures are pretty stubborn sometimes. Have you tried target training or clicker training?

 

[SandraK]

To quote Prince:

"you got the look (you've got the hook)
you sho'nuf do be cookin in my book"

A gcc is not someone who'll fold to you - be prepared to be told when, how and (maybe) if - but they are so very beautiful, mischievous and can be totally devoted to you that you'll forgive the little no-nos they pull. From a gcc flock mom.

 

[JosienBB]

 

[Monica]

What's her favorite treat?

And will she walk towards you for it?

 

[KellyBelly]

To quote Prince:

"you got the look (you've got the hook)
you sho'nuf do be cookin in my book"

A gcc is not someone who'll fold to you - be prepared to be told when, how and (maybe) if - but they are so very beautiful, mischievous and can be totally devoted to you that you'll forgive the little no-nos they pull. From a gcc flock mom.

Fun times ahead....

What's her favorite treat?

And will she walk towards you for it?

So far I haven't found that thing she goes crazy for. She's pretty picky. But I guess it's time to put more effort into finding it.

 

[Piccha]

Most go bonkers for sunflower seeds. Mine will do ANYTHING for one. But she can also be stubborn at times.

Also if you are feeling very emotional (so sorry for your loss) they do pick up on it. Mine actually has attacked me when I was very emotionally upset once.

 

[KellyBelly]

Most go bonkers for sunflower seeds. Mine will do ANYTHING for one. But she can also be stubborn at times.

Also if you are feeling very emotional (so sorry for your loss) they do pick up on it. Mine actually has attacked me when I was very emotionally upset once.

I'll have to get some while I am out today... I assume you can get them unsalted? Hopefully that will do the trick.
I am quite a mess from losing our sweet Gracie, she was 18, and had been with us for about 7 years. She was a
big part of our lives. There is a lot of grief and sadness in our home right now. We have a 15 year old dog that is
also having a hard time, so I bet Annie is picking up all of our sadness. Luckily she hasn't attacked me... she only
runs away from me, which doesn't really help my emotions.


ETA-- I plan on letting her flight feathers come in (she was clipped when she came to us), I do not want to keep
her clipped. How can I go about this stubbornness about stepping up with a flighted bird?

 

[sunnysmom]

She is adorable.

 

[Newbie GCC]

i brought Roma home in April, he didnt step up from cage until end of December. Would occasionally do it with a dowel rod, but not often. And he prefers to step up on flat hand, palm down, offering the large area between thumb and forefinger. Not sure why, but this is what he prefers. And it is not 100% of the time. There are times when he just wants scritched without being held and i just let him be.

 

[Piccha]

It really sounds like your emotional state is a contributing factor to her running away from you.

I know how hard it is to lose a beloved pet, they are a member of your family and there's an emptiness that remains that can't be filled. It took me two years to be at peace with the loss of my cat who was my companion for 20 years. We all grieve in our own way and in our own time. Your little one could very well be picking up on your emotions. If you can try clearing your mind (or meditating) and then get yourself into a good positive emotional state and try placing a few sunflower seeds in a bowl on top of her cage. Once you see she likes them next get her to come to you for them. Eventually she should get comfortable and when she does you can try getting her to step up for the seed.

Having said all of that it could just be that she needs more time to build trust and a bond with you. Either way patience and gentle persistence will help. Don't worry about the flights, as you get to know your bird and she gets to know you, you will learn how to handle her and at times get her to do what you need her to even if she is flighted.

 

[KellyBelly]

It really sounds like your emotional state is a contributing factor to her running away from you.

I know how hard it is to lose a beloved pet, they are a member of your family and there's an emptiness that remains that can't be filled. It took me two years to be at peace with the loss of my cat who was my companion for 20 years. We all grieve in our own way and in our own time. Your little one could very well be picking up on your emotions. If you can try clearing your mind (or meditating) and then get yourself into a good positive emotional state and try placing a few sunflower seeds in a bowl on top of her cage. Once you see she likes them next get her to come to you for them. Eventually she should get comfortable and when she does you can try getting her to step up for the seed.

Having said all of that it could just be that she needs more time to build trust and a bond with you. Either way patience and gentle persistence will help. Don't worry about the flights, as you get to know your bird and she gets to know you, you will learn how to handle her and at times get her to do what you need her to even if she is flighted.

That is great info thanks..... We've had her since mid-October, and this is just now starting up.
I feel like we have bonded pretty well so far. I I know she trusts me, and I don't push her past
what makes her comfortable. The more I think about it the more I realize that my emotions play
a big part of the stepping up/running away from me.

 

[Monica]

Don't chase a bird. Don't push into their stomach or chest to force them to step up. If you do anything negative, then they will learn avoidance behaviors and become more difficult. It's not about being stubborn so much as they find it an unpleasant experience that they would prefer to avoid.

You want to make doing what you want them to do a valuable thing! You can also try millet as a reward.


If you are having difficulties working with her, then try training first thing in the morning before she has had a chance to eat! Try switching her over to a pellet based diet and using any kind of seed she likes as a reward! Does she like physical and verbal attention, too? More potential rewards!

 

[Inky]

Monica has some very key points. The best way I've heard it put, is to treat your bird like a bank account, lol...meaning you want positive deposits, not negative withdrawals.

When she does step up to you, you need to be doing one of two things...taking her somewhere she really enjoys (like a window perch, to hang out on your shoulder, shower-time, etc) or placing her right back on her cage and giving her a reward. Finding her food weakness is essential for this kind of training...I get Doodle off his cage to shower, visit a window perch, to visit his outdoor cage, do dishes with me or just sit on my shoulder...but 80% of the time I ask Doodle to step up, its to be placed right back on his cage. Sometimes this will also be followed by a treat, but in the beginning he got a treat every single time. In his mind, I'm most likely not putting him away, I am most likely about to take him somewhere he will enjoy or giving him a treat. He is put up about 5% of the time...which is not really enough to make him try and scurry away. Odds are coming to me is going to be worth it.

It also helps if their current cage is exciting and as entertaining inside as it is outside. I swap out the toys in/out of Doodle's cage every couple days. I change perches around 1x week. I have bowls all over his cage he 'forages' to and from every morning for breakfast, which is served IN his cage while the doors are open so that he can enjoy going in and out.

 

[KellyBelly]

Don't chase a bird. Don't push into their stomach or chest to force them to step up. If you do anything negative, then they will learn avoidance behaviors and become more difficult. It's not about being stubborn so much as they find it an unpleasant experience that they would prefer to avoid.

You want to make doing what you want them to do a valuable thing! You can also try millet as a reward.


If you are having difficulties working with her, then try training first thing in the morning before she has had a chance to eat! Try switching her over to a pellet based diet and using any kind of seed she likes as a reward! Does she like physical and verbal attention, too? More potential rewards!

Who said I was chasing her, and I would never push into her body to get her to step up!
Today things were 100% different with her, but I wasn't all sad about the loss of our dog today.
I'm convinced it is my emotions over losing my 18 years olddog that were putting her off from
hanging out with me.

She's already on a pellet diet, and she is not sure of new foods, I'm working on that, and I'm sure
I'll find that magical food at some point, but it will take some time to find it.

It also helps if their current cage is exciting and as entertaining inside as it is outside. I swap out the toys in/out of Doodle's cage every couple days. I change perches around 1x week. I have bowls all over his cage he 'forages' to and from every morning for breakfast, which is served IN his cage while the doors are open so that he can enjoy going in and out.

She has a number of toys/perches that I rotate for her very frequently. She keeps herself busy in
and on her cage. She really likes her foot toys I have up top, and watching her Finch brothers next
door to her.