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Black capped conure bonding and taking

Harley

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Harley
Hello everyone so I recently bought a black capped conure and he is not tame at all I’ve managed to get him to come over and take food from my hand in the couple days I’ve had him but not sure where to go from here he is quite nervous of my hands and just looking for tips to bond and tame so I can eventually get him out of the cage and stepping up
 

tka

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Welcome to AA!

A couple of days is nothing in bird time. Your conure is actually pretty confident if he's already approaching you. It's normal for them to be nervous of strange humans but taking food from your hands is a big step!

Keep offering food from your hands and showing that your hands are nothing to be scared of. Don't try to grab your bird, chase him or push him to step up before he's ready. You may be offering food from your hands for a while - days, weeks, even months if he's very nervous. Just take it at his pace and let him guide you in how you interact. He may ask you for headscratches by bowing his head, or hop up on your hand to better get some food. It all depends on him. It may take time but birds are long-lived - you have time, and it's worth going slowly and gently while you build up a friendship with him.

You can hang out by his cage to get him used to your presence. You can read out loud to him, or just talk softly to him or sing to him. Again, keep things hands-off until he initiates contact with you.

It's very important to lay a good foundation of respect and trust at this stage, and you do so by being patient, gentle and consistent. Show him that you are someone to be trusted, and will be a good member of his flock.
 

Mockinbirdiva

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My black capped wasn't all that tame either when I bought him years ago. Follow @tka advice and take your time, lower your expectations of a speedy friendship and don't rush the process. Of all my conures he's the least noisy in volume... he has a chucking vocal, an excited squeeeeee, and talks. Bob is very playful with his toys, loves to sleep under his paper and is a great eater. Wonderful small companion birds!
 

Harley

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Harley
Welcome to AA!

A couple of days is nothing in bird time. Your conure is actually pretty confident if he's already approaching you. It's normal for them to be nervous of strange humans but taking food from your hands is a big step!

Keep offering food from your hands and showing that your hands are nothing to be scared of. Don't try to grab your bird, chase him or push him to step up before he's ready. You may be offering food from your hands for a while - days, weeks, even months if he's very nervous. Just take it at his pace and let him guide you in how you interact. He may ask you for headscratches by bowing his head, or hop up on your hand to better get some food. It all depends on him. It may take time but birds are long-lived - you have time, and it's worth going slowly and gently while you build up a friendship with him.

You can hang out by his cage to get him used to your presence. You can read out loud to him, or just talk softly to him or sing to him. Again, keep things hands-off until he initiates contact with you.

It's very important to lay a good foundation of respect and trust at this stage, and you do so by being patient, gentle and consistent. Show him that you are someone to be trusted, and will be a good member of his flock.
Thanks for the advice sorry for the very late reply I really appreciate every bit of advice I can get from someone with experience and I will follow it :) one other question is he likes to nibble my fingers should I try and avoid this or?
 

Harley

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Harley
My black capped wasn't all that tame either when I bought him years ago. Follow @tka advice and take your time, lower your expectations of a speedy friendship and don't rush the process. Of all my conures he's the least noisy in volume... he has a chucking vocal, an excited squeeeeee, and talks. Bob is very playful with his toys, loves to sleep under his paper and is a great eater. Wonderful small companion birds!
Mine has quite a shout on him but doesn’t do it too often haha what was the rough time scales for your black cap to tame? We are in no rush we spend all day with him at the moment just getting him used to us
 

Mockinbirdiva

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Mine has quite a shout on him but doesn’t do it too often haha what was the rough time scales for your black cap to tame? We are in no rush we spend all day with him at the moment just getting him used to us
I think Bob was around 5-6 months old when I brought him home. He came from an all bird pet store ( no other animals sold there). They also had their own breeding aviary and had other local breeders they bought from as well. He was ok with stepping up but really didn't want to be touched. He's still that way pretty much, he might let me scratch his head a couple of times and enjoy it but then he objects so I stop. The one thing he loves is to be held close to the body so he can lean against us or he'll hang on to our fingers and lay on his back in the crook of our elbows or chest. He likes to chew on our shirts while he's lounging too. Overall.. I think the Black cap is a great companion bird even if they don't care for being touched much.
 

Mockinbirdiva

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Thanks for the advice sorry for the very late reply I really appreciate every bit of advice I can get from someone with experience and I will follow it :) one other question is he likes to nibble my fingers should I try and avoid this or?
Yes, you should not allow him to chew on your fingers... keep a small toy handy or something for him to chew or play with... redirect his attention from your fingers.
 
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