Help me, please, with my feather plucker, self mutilator, scared, and aggressive CH Conure

[sunnysmom]

That is so wonderful!

 

[Elysian]

How are you going about training him for allowing touch? I need details!

 

[Greylady1966]

I need new pictures

 

[Kassiani]

Here he is while we were helping family recently. He had just given himself a bath!

He gave himself a pretty good soak!

He and the budgie boys loved that sunroom.

 

[Kassiani]

@Elysian It takes a lot of patience and persistence with him. I say ‘touch beak’, and then reach out to lightly stroke his beak. If he accepts it without trying to draw blood, I tell him “Good Boy!!!” and he gets a treat.

I started pushing it a bit and tried to gently stroke just the top of his head. I say ‘touch head’, and reach out with one finger to stroke the top of his head. Typically he twists around to try to bite me and pulls away. If that’s the case, I’ll move on to another trick or some targeting so we end on a positive. Yesterday and today, he actually let me stroke his head gently two or three times without complaint. He gets a big, excited “good boy!!!” and a treat or two. I hope this helps!

 

[Elysian]

@Elysian It takes a lot of patience and persistence with him. I say ‘touch beak’, and then reach out to lightly stroke his beak. If he accepts it without trying to draw blood, I tell him “Good Boy!!!” and he gets a treat.

I started pushing it a bit and tried to gently stroke just the top of his head. I say ‘touch head’, and reach out with one finger to stroke the top of his head. Typically he twists around to try to bite me and pulls away. If that’s the case, I’ll move on to another trick or some targeting so we end on a positive. Yesterday and today, he actually let me stroke his head gently two or three times without complaint. He gets a big, excited “good boy!!!” and a treat or two. I hope this helps!

Nice! I can touch my Opies beak but if I try to stretch for the head he shifts just out of reach.
I don't know why I never thought to add a cue word my attempts. Starting on this tomorrow!

 

[Greylady1966]

He is adorable. He's very lucky to have you.

 

[Kassiani]

Nice! I can touch my Opies beak but if I try to stretch for the head he shifts just out of reach.
I don't know why I never thought to add a cue word my attempts. Starting on this tomorrow!

This may sound silly, but when I say Touch Beak, I’m touching my own nose before touching his. When I say touch head, I stroke the top of my own head first. My Opie will never be cuddly, but I do want his vet trips to be less stressful for all involved.

 

[Kassiani]

He is adorable. He's very lucky to have you.

Thank you so much! What a kind thing to say

 

[SumitaSinh]

@Elysian It takes a lot of patience and persistence with him. I say ‘touch beak’, and then reach out to lightly stroke his beak. If he accepts it without trying to draw blood, I tell him “Good Boy!!!” and he gets a treat.

I started pushing it a bit and tried to gently stroke just the top of his head. I say ‘touch head’, and reach out with one finger to stroke the top of his head. Typically he twists around to try to bite me and pulls away. If that’s the case, I’ll move on to another trick or some targeting so we end on a positive. Yesterday and today, he actually let me stroke his head gently two or three times without complaint. He gets a big, excited “good boy!!!” and a treat or two. I hope this helps!

I did same thing with Inca, my cue was kissing sounds. After two or three session, he became a scritch bug.

 

[SumitaSinh]

I don't know why I never thought to add a cue word my attempts.

Now Inca has invented his own cue sounds for scritchy, hahaha

 

[SumitaSinh]

@Kassiani , see you're getting your rewards ...i am really really happy for you.

 

[Wardy]

Its nice to see a recent pic of your gorgous boy and great to see there is some progress.

 

[Kassiani]

Opie was a maniac this afternoon, and I cannot figure out the reason. He bit me, and I just missed his signals some how. He was alarm calling for 5 minutes straight, and I was never able to figure out a reason. He was more vocal than usual today.

I was not wearing clothes he hadn't seen before or the 'wrong' glasses. I put the new portable ramp down, but he could only see a small portion of it from his cage. I did not roll either of them down it, but I did walk up and down it myself a bit so they could all get used to the sound.

No changes in food, no other new sites or sounds or smells that I can determine. I am finding this just heartbreaking for some reason, too! I thought he had come to trust me to a certain extent by now, but today was awful!

 

[April]

Opie was a maniac this afternoon, and I cannot figure out the reason. He bit me, and I just missed his signals some how. He was alarm calling for 5 minutes straight, and I was never able to figure out a reason. He was more vocal than usual today.

I was not wearing clothes he hadn't seen before or the 'wrong' glasses. I put the new portable ramp down, but he could only see a small portion of it from his cage. I did not roll either of them down it, but I did walk up and down it myself a bit so they could all get used to the sound.

No changes in food, no other new sites or sounds or smells that I can determine. I am finding this just heartbreaking for some reason, too! I thought he had come to trust me to a certain extent by now, but today was awful!

Aw no I'm so sorry to hear this. It's always upsetting when they have off days like this. hopefully tomorrow he will be back to normal.

 

[sunnysmom]

I know it's tough when you get bit. He really could have just been having a bad day. The weather. Getting ready to molt. Etc. Hopefully tomorrow is a better day.

 

[scrape]

Sometimes they just have bad moods. I have noticed how they will have cuddly moodswings especially.

 

[Kassiani]

Next month, knock on wood, it will be 1.5 years since Opie has needed his collar!!

To celebrate, I'm sharing a video I don't think I've posted here before. Opie was in his collar, and having a fit about it. But it's sooooo cute!! Especially the pitiful little final squeak as he rests his head against the cage bars

 

[SumitaSinh]

Touch wood

 

[Greylady1966]

That's wonderful! Way to go Opie