What kind of conure is this?

[iamwhoiam]

Good that she has flown down. She knows what she wants but it's hard for her to let you know. Don't remember but didn't you say that she liked Avicakes? When she is out and if you have curtains or blinds you may want to make sure that those cover the window so she doesn't fly into the window. You can also put some removable stickers on the window. You just have to find something in addition to seed that she really really wants and that is not always the easiest thing to figure out. If something is really tempting and interesting then that is what you want to use when you work with her. Has to be something that is ultra rewarding.

Does sound as if she is looking for something. I wish I could help you figure out what that might be. What types of nuts have you given her? Have you tried cashews or almonds? My birds love those and I give them roasted and unsalted although my Pois and larger birds get almonds in the shell. You should also check out the Avian Organics baked treats (http://www.things4wings.ca or Avian Organics The Largest Selection of Organic Parrot and Bird Food Online Bird Bread, Bird Mashes, Cage Blends, Bird Treats) or other baked bird treats. Send an email to Caitec and see if they will send you some samples of their Oven Fresh Bites and Baked Birdie Munchies. Food and Treats | Shop Online at Caitec.com

BTW, my Dusky Conure is one of my pickiest eaters. Just like Mango he mainly likes his seed mix. His favorite ingredient in the mix are the corn kibbles. He also likes the papaya in there and he will eat mixed veggies. He does not like pellets.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Can you attach a ladder or platform to the outside of her cage?

 

[cab124]

Good that she has flown down. She knows what she wants but it's hard for her to let you know. Don't remember but didn't you say that she liked Avicakes? When she is out and if you have curtains or blinds you may want to make sure that those cover the window so she doesn't fly into the window. You can also put some removable stickers on the window. You just have to find something in addition to seed that she really really wants and that is not always the easiest thing to figure out. If something is really tempting and interesting then that is what you want to use when you work with her. Has to be something that is ultra rewarding.

Does sound as if she is looking for something. I wish I could help you figure out what that might be. What types of nuts have you given her? Have you tried cashews or almonds. My birds love those and I give them roasted and unsalted although my Pois and larger birds get almonds in the shell. You should also check out the Avian Organics baked treats (http://www.things4wings.ca or Avian Organics The Largest Selection of Organic Parrot and Bird Food Online Bird Bread, Bird Mashes, Cage Blends, Bird Treats) or other baked bird treats. Send an email to Caitec and see if they will send you some samples of their Oven Fresh Bites and Baked Birdie Munchies. Food and Treats | Shop Online at Caitec.com

Yes, I have tried all of those nuts and the oven fresh bites. She won't touch any of them. She only wants seed and apple. Cosmo used to love almonds in the shell, but if she couldn't get it out she would give up and drop it after a few minutes. I would have to pick it up and crack it a little bit and then cheer her on to victory. She always looked so proud when she finally got the nut out. I miss that little stinker so much!

Yes, I wish you were here to help figure out what Mango wants as well. One thing I have noticed is that she seems very content today. She is strutting around her cage right now as if to say, "Did you see how well I can fly??? I am the bomb!!"

 

[cab124]

Can you attach a ladder or platform to the outside of her cage?

Yes, I usually set up some ladders for her on the outside of her cage, and she does use them!

By the way, can you make me a list of all your birds? You seem to have so many!!!!!!

 

[cab124]

I put some soft music on for her and now she is fast asleep on top of her cage. She is all tuckered out from an afternoon of flying.

As much as she can frustrate me, it is so awesome to have her company! And it's nice to know that when she leaves the cage to take a flight, she will eventually come back!!

 

[iamwhoiam]

Yes, I usually set up some ladders for her on the outside of her cage, and she does use them!

By the way, can you make me a list of all your birds? You seem to have so many!!!!!!

I sent you a PM.

 

[Dona]

Aww I watched the videos. She is such a pretty girl. She didn't look scared to me!

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Wow, Mango is scared to death of me. I get nothing but the "go away" dance, and she stays as far away from me as possible in her cage. I have no idea what I might have done to scare her so much.

I also notice that her head and neck are full of pin feathers. She looks like a porcupine. Maybe that has something to do with it.

Just now, she just came out of her cage, went up on top and is staring down at me yelling at me (I am sitting at my desk). She is acting like she is a prisoner and I am the warden. Or, maybe there is some Halloween left over in my house!! I have no idea what is going on with her. Ugh!

A question: A friend of mine who also has a bird keeps telling me that I just need to pick her up against her will and handle her so that she learns to stop fearing me. Is there any merit to this idea?? I feel like it would just undo any progress that I have made, but he feels that it might be the only way to show her that I am not going to hurt her.

Hope everyone else, and all of the forum-fids, are doing well!!!

Do you have any halloween items where she can see them? Birds are very sensitive to anything new around their surroundings. I can't walk by any of my birds with an object they aren't familiar with, a yellow bottle of detergent, really anything yellow, small trash can, so many items actually will set off their conure alarm calls and frantic behavior or flight.

Does she ever take baths in her water cup? Mine do.. it does get messy! You might try misting her with a water bottle and see how she tolerates that. It will help those pin feathers. My Astro has a bunch of pins on her head and neck but she has never let me preen them. I wish she and Rocket would preen each other for all the time he spends on and in her cage every evening but neither one has an interest in touching each other. Pins can be irritating. Since she does come out of her cage maybe place a shallow bowl on the table for her to explore and take a bath. Running water in a sink can get them motivated to bathe. Mine seem to like taking baths when they hear me doing dishes.

Ignore your friends advice. Picking her up against her will is not going to keep any trust she has in you at this point. It's not your decision but hers. Even in the wild the males must woo the females until one chooses a mate. We always have to remember to treat them kindly and in return they will treat us back as they would another bird they like to be with.

For what it's worth, this may be encouraging or discouraging but... it's my experience with one of my birds. Not a conure, but an Amazon... My Lola. I bought her from a breeder when she was four months old and on one feed of formula a day. I did notice at the breeders house one day when she fed her and I put her back in her container that she "threw up" or regurgitated some formula. I told her about it and she said she probably gave too much formula. In my home she continued to do that after feeding. I collected some of that in a culture vial and took it to the vet ( she had seen the vet but didn't do this there). She had a pseudomonas bacteria that HAD to be treated. Which involved giving her oral meds and she hated it. I literally couldn't pet her for EIGHT years. She allows me to pet her now and does ask for it. I have the greatest patience of all when it comes to my birds. Just understand that Mango will eventually come out of her shell and decide she wants to be friends with you. Conures are very social creatures. Keep trying Craig, don't think of yourself as a warden or her as a prisoner. Always positive thoughts...

Since I wrote this or while I was writing you have other responses that are similar and questions I asked as well.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

I watched your videos... do you know what I see? A green cheek conure... acting like a green cheek conure. Take the blanket off. Only use it at night. Put a rope perch up where she likes to perch at night ( in place of that wood perch) with a snuggle buddy or toy next to the cage where the perch attaches so she has something to lean against and place a platform perch on the back wall of her cage near the level of the rope perch to give her a choice of sitting on the rope perch or the platform.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Craig... I had these "sleep" boxes made for my birds in hopes that the ones who like to sleep under their paper would choose to sleep inside the box. Only one sleeps inside the box... Rocket. If I had a do-over I would make the dimensions smaller. I think they are 8"x8" by 9 or 10" long. The hole is for a peep hole or exit and both ends are open. I designed it this way so they wouldn't encourage nesting in the females. In the wild they sleep in their nests inside tree trunks so it made sense to me. I may someday have smaller ones made more rounded. I took these photos today of the box inside Miss Scarlette's cage. She is perched on a small perch just next to the exit of the box.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Have you ever had Mango watch her movies?

 

[cab124]

Aww I watched the videos. She is such a pretty girl. She didn't look scared to me!

No, she was definitely not scared in those videos. But when she is in her cage and I approach the cage, she now moves to the opposite side of the cage.

Yes, I agree that she is a pretty girl!!!

 

[cab124]

Do you have any halloween items where she can see them? Birds are very sensitive to anything new around their surroundings. I can't walk by any of my birds with an object they aren't familiar with, a yellow bottle of detergent, really anything yellow, small trash can, so many items actually will set off their conure alarm calls and frantic behavior or flight.

No Halloween items. Yes, I have a blue dustpan and brush that I use to clean up seeds around Mango's cage and any time she sees that she tries to hide just as you describe. Cosmo was the same way. But I can't see anything that might be causing the fearful behavior that I am seeing right now.

Does she ever take baths in her water cup?

Yes, anytime that she hears the shower, as in the video I posted.

Ignore your friends advice.

I completely agree with your thinking. That is my intuition as well. Thanks for helping me to think that through. At times, I was second-guessing myself.

For what it's worth, this may be encouraging or discouraging but... it's my experience with one of my birds. Not a conure, but an Amazon... My Lola. I bought her from a breeder when she was four months old and on one feed of formula a day. I did notice at the breeders house one day when she fed her and I put her back in her container that she "threw up" or regurgitated some formula. I told her about it and she said she probably gave too much formula. In my home she continued to do that after feeding. I collected some of that in a culture vial and took it to the vet ( she had seen the vet but didn't do this there). She had a pseudomonas bacteria that HAD to be treated. Which involved giving her oral meds and she hated it. I literally couldn't pet her for EIGHT years. She allows me to pet her now and does ask for it. I have the greatest patience of all when it comes to my birds. Just understand that Mango will eventually come out of her shell and decide she wants to be friends with you. Conures are very social creatures. Keep trying Craig, don't think of yourself as a warden or her as a prisoner. Always positive thoughts...

I feel so bad for you that you had to medicate Lola and it cost you 8 years of no touching. That is awful. Yes, so many people have agreed with you that Mango will eventually come out of her shell so I tend to trust that your collective opinion is probably spot on. I really look forward to that day.

Thank you so much!

 

[cab124]

Craig... I had these "sleep" boxes made for my birds in hopes that the ones who like to sleep under their paper would choose to sleep inside the box. Only one sleeps inside the box... Rocket. If I had a do-over I would make the dimensions smaller. I think they are 8"x8" by 9 or 10" long. The hole is for a peep hole or exit and both ends are open. I designed it this way so they wouldn't encourage nesting in the females. In the wild they sleep in their nests inside tree trunks so it made sense to me. I may someday have smaller ones made more rounded. I took these photos today of the box inside Miss Scarlette's cage. She is perched on a small perch just next to the exit of the box.

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Very interesting! The first thing that I thought was that these would definitely encourage nesting behavior, then I saw that you left the sides open. Very smart!! By the way, Miss Scarlette has BEAUTIFUL colors. Wow!!!!!!

I purchased a birdy bed from TC Feathers Aviary for Mango, which I keep sitting on the counter next to her cage so that she can get used to it. I hope she likes it when I eventually put it in her cage.

 

[cab124]

Hmmmmmm.......a little while ago, I saw Mango rubbing her vent on one of her perches while fluttering her wings and making mating sounds. OOOOOOH NOOOOOOO. Not another hormonal female. After years of intense female nesting behavior with Cosmo, including surgery for egg-binding, I hoped that I would never have to go through that again. It almost drove me insane!!!!

Do males exhibit that type of behavior as well, or only the females???

 

[cab124]

Have you ever had Mango watch her movies?

Heehehehehe, funny you ask!!! Playing one of those movies today is what prompted her to freak out and fly back to her cage!!! When she heard the sounds, she started calling and immediately flew around a few laps and then landed on her cage.

 

[cab124]

I watched your videos... do you know what I see? A green cheek conure... acting like a green cheek conure. Take the blanket off. Only use it at night. Put a rope perch up where she likes to perch at night ( in place of that wood perch) with a snuggle buddy or toy next to the cage where the perch attaches so she has something to lean against and place a platform perch on the back wall of her cage near the level of the rope perch to give her a choice of sitting on the rope perch or the platform.

Yes, I know I should leave her blanket off. I had it off for a while but she scolded me loudly so I put it back on for her!!

Do you mean that I should remove the natural wood perch that she sleeps on? OK, I will get a rope perch. Also, I did buy her a birdy bed but have not put it in her cage yet. I did buy her a platform perch and she LOVES it!!!! She uses it all the time and I love that I can leave a treat on it before I go to work!

 

[iamwhoiam]

Don't see the reason to remove the natural wood perch but that's JMHO. Platform perches are great. Most of my birds have one.
If you get a rope perch you need to make sure she doesn't start pulling it apart and if you ever see strings hanging off of it then be sure to trim them or toss it.
BTW, is there any odor coming off of the Birdie Bed? Just wondering if maybe the person who was making them finally stopped using scented detergent. They told me she was no longer using fabric softener so the odor has to be from detergent or something else in that person's location.

 

[cab124]

BTW, is there any odor coming off of the Birdie Bed?

No, there doesn't seem to be. Very happy about that!

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

I feel so bad for you that you had to medicate Lola and it cost you 8 years of no touching. That is awful. Yes, so many people have agreed with you that Mango will eventually come out of her shell so I tend to trust that your collective opinion is probably spot on. I really look forward to that day.

Thank you so much![/QUOTE]


Thanks Craig. I know we all desire a companion bird that will be fond of us and tolerate handling and eventually form a bond in where we and the bird both enjoy companionship. It's truly special to have a bird that enjoys the human touch and for those I share my home with I am in awe of how much they enjoy our interactions. I had to learn to accept my role with Lola and hope that some day there would be a turn around but never expected it. I've lived with her temperamental ways and lunging at me to bite. I'm grateful for every moment she allows me to scratch her head now. But, she will still lunge at me even after I scratch her head. Go figure. She's a bird, always will be, I'll love her anyway. For years I've told her "Lola, if you ever die, I'm going to pet the crap out of you!" I'm so glad I have those moments now... heart warming!

I did call the breeder and let her know about that issue with Lola having the bacteria. She needed to know for the rest of her flock. My suspicions for how she got that was from when I visited and saw her washing fresh shrimp in her sink. It was the same area she used for preparing formula to feed Lola and one other amazon baby.. which I had also bought for someone else. Both birds had to be treated with antibiotics. It's especially important to keep the areas clean where you do any food or water preparation for your birds to avoid any contamination. I don't fault her terribly. I didn't point that day out to her so as not to put her on the defense. I have worked as a surgical assistant so I was pretty observant at her house though she was clean every where else. She normally would not sell to the public or invite anyone to her aviary as most don't. I met her after having met her sister in a store I worked in and we got around to talking about birds because I took birds to work with me. Her sister explained to me it would be a while before I could talk to her about any babies because she had suffered three brain aneurysms and was on the mend. It was two months later before I met this breeder and she had plenty of difficulties in thinking and would tire easily while talking. I think her judgement in cleanliness was compromised from her health issue. She did offer to take her back to treat her but I opted to do it myself and know that it was done properly.

I just wanted to share that it took this long for me to build some trust with her to show you there can be a silver lining in friendship with a bird.