Confusing sun conure, new to this.

[Helenambm10]

I recently adopted a 2 year old sun conure named mango. The first day I got her I put her in a new cage and let her be. She screamed a bunch so I eventually introduced myself. Her previous owner gave her up because she would attack the dogs, her owner also always kept her on her shoulder. Mango is super confusing because she HATES hands, but she’ll gladly eat from them. She’s fine if you feed her a sunflower seed but god forbid you’re hand tries to clean the side of her cage. I let her out a bunch and she usually just sits on the door, or she flys to my shoulder. I was fine with it because she would casually chill while I went about my day. But recently shes gotten worse. Yesterday she pecked maybe face pretty bad ( and I promise I wasn’t doing anything) then today she pecked my mom’s face and now my mom wants to get rid of her. Mango is a sweetheart and I know she’s not mean. I just want to know how I can get her to get used to hands and not try to peck my eyes out any chance she gets.

 

[Birdbabe]

Bump!

 

[Rain Bow]

I'm tagging someone who may be able to help!

@Farlie

 

[TikkiTembo]

I just read a book about parrot behavior and it actually said to not let them on your shoulders for this reason. Let me go find it and share what the book says!

 

[Mizzely]

I would not let her on your shoulder until you can trust her.

Also hands is tricky. One of my most bonded birds to me I was unable to pet, step up, etc, but she was super loving. I used a rope perch to carry her places.

 

[TikkiTembo]

"If the bird has a dependable step up response, shoulders are occasionally acceptable in a crowded public place... Shoulder can contribute to dominance related behaviors..."

"It is virtually impossible to achieve ey contact and require a step up response from your shoulder.."

"A parrot on the shoulder may think it is in charge of the branch (your body). Someday that bird might decide it wants that other bird (your head) off the branch."

Granted, I carry my cockatiel on my shoulder and head all day long, but he is incredibly well behaved and has never nipped.

 

[BeanieofJustice]

Welcome to you and Mango!
First thing, have you tried giving her her favorite treats with your hands? And do you have a perch that she could step up on? Is she as afraid of your arms? Some birds are just afraid of the hands. If she won't step up on your hands, I would use the perch if I were you. Don't let her up on your shoulder anymore, you can offer her your arm but I wouldn't let her on the shoulder if she's nipping you.

 

[Farlie]

Good advice here.
They are loud very loud and a SCREAM while on your shoulder could cause ear damage.
TIME! It takes TIME and lots of patience. Being new to your home please let the bird get used to everything for a while. Don't push the issues.
Farlie was deathly afraid of my hands but my arms were fine and my shoulders were OK too. TIME! Many months and lots of patience and Farlie will let me touch him for a few seconds and hands are OK now but he would rather not deal with them. 8 to 9 months and we are still working on it, BTW. Using a 'stick' or an extra perch is a very good idea for stepping up and transferring her around and I also agree, don't let her on shoulders for a while to come yet.
Lashing out usually means she is not all that comfortable with everything yet. Let her be for a while TIME!

 

[Yoshi&Raphi]

I’m a bit worried that your mum wants to get rid of her after one bite, will she be ok with sun conure screaming?

 

[annoellyn]

What worked for me getting Jupiter used to hands was carrying to the kitchen on a big stick and giving her food. So would get really excited about the stick, knowing we were going to get some fruit. And honestly just the longer you to are together not necessarily doing anything will really get her to to enjoy your company. Like I napped near her, read near her, etc. Talking to her occassionally. She started calling for me when she I would come home. Then I would grab her stick, hold it out and leave the room and she started to fly to it. Now I don't use the stick at all she just flies to me whenever I leave a room.
I know it can seem like no progress is being made, I was the same way, and got really discouraged that she was taking a while and biting when I tried to pet her. Now we're good friends and she annoys me when I'm trying to sleep and she keeps flying on my head.

 

[Monica]

"If the bird has a dependable step up response, shoulders are occasionally acceptable in a crowded public place... Shoulder can contribute to dominance related behaviors..."

"It is virtually impossible to achieve ey contact and require a step up response from your shoulder.."

"A parrot on the shoulder may think it is in charge of the branch (your body). Someday that bird might decide it wants that other bird (your head) off the branch."

I hate to say it, but it doesn't sound like that is the type of book I would recommend.... being on the shoulder has nothing to do about dominance and everything to do with being a place up high, being close to a human and being a favorite spot.

Imagine taking a kid to a park and the kid enjoys the park so much that the kid doesn't want to leave the park. The kid thus throws a tantrum because they don't want to leave. That child is not trying to dominate their parent because they don't want to leave... they are simply saying, loudly and clearly, that they don't want to go!

Now imagine that child can't speak... if the child can't tell you they don't want to go, and they don't use sign language, how could that child say they don't want to leave? They could... shake their head... stand their ground.... sit/lay down... back off... run away... attack you....

Imagine again, you have a parrot on your shoulder that doesn't want to come down.... think about it.


@Helenambm10 my best advice would be to start training your bird. Target training and station training are two great behaviors that you can start training while your bird is in their cage! Please check out the links in the following thread for more information on training!

Free Training Resources | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[Mizzely]

I hate to say it, but it doesn't sound like that is the type of book I would recommend.... being on the shoulder has nothing to do about dominance and everything to do with being a place up high, being close to a human and being a favorite spot.

Imagine taking a kid to a park and the kid enjoys the park so much that the kid doesn't want to leave the park. The kid thus throws a tantrum because they don't want to leave. That child is not trying to dominate their parent because they don't want to leave... they are simply saying, loudly and clearly, that they don't want to go!

Now imagine that child can't speak... if the child can't tell you they don't want to go, and they don't use sign language, how could that child say they don't want to leave? They could... shake their head... stand their ground.... sit/lay down... back off... run away... attack you....

Imagine again, you have a parrot on your shoulder that doesn't want to come down.... think about it.

I really love your analogy with the child!! It's so spot on.

 

[TikkiTembo]

Thank you, guys! It's so hard to know what's good info or advice and what's not. I appreciate the analogy, it really makes sense!

 

[Monica]

If it were possible, I would remove the word "dominance" from everyone's vocabulary... including dog owners! It's been parroted around *so much* that it often results in poor training decisions which may result in a bird that shuts down, gets what's known as "learned helplessness" or becomes aggressive. People believe that the animal "must obey"... no, the animal doesn't. The animal should be given a choice, but taught that if they do as we ask, they'll get a reward. If they don't do as we ask, then they don't get a reward, or the reward simply isn't of a high enough value.

 

[Rain Bow]

If it were possible, I would remove the word "dominance" from everyone's vocabulary... including dog owners! It's been parroted around *so much* that it often results in poor training decisions which may result in a bird that shuts down, gets what's known as "learned helplessness" or becomes aggressive. People believe that the animal "must obey"... no, the animal doesn't. The animal should be given a choice, but taught that if they do as we ask, they'll get a reward. If they don't do as we ask, then they don't get a reward, or the reward simply isn't of a high enough value.

I like the value statement you said @ the end.

or the reward simply isn't of a high enough value.

I've seen some resistance occasionally w/ Buddy. He loves his egg noodle a day tho. We're learning how to NOT scream when I leave the room. He normally get s a few seeds, but I decided to break the noodle into pieces for this event. Seems to be working pretty well.

Although, I may need to place the noodle pieces somewhere else & use seeds to master the screaming. Time will tell!