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How to stop cage biting?

Tapew0rrm

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Camille
So, we're having a bit of an issue..
No matter what I do, Aro will bite his cage non stop for hours,,
He has lots of toys, I showed him how to play with them and tried to get him interested, even the stainless steel ones he loves, But it's like.. now he's completely ignoring every toy UNLESS he can bite it through the bars of the cage. I've tried to move his toys outside the cage so he'll go over to them, but the second they're not touching the cage, he has no interest.

Evne when he's out the cage, he'll go behind it and chew on the bars. I've tried to make it so he can't access the back of the cage, but since his perches have holders there, its literally impossible, I'm considering getting covers for the back/side of the cage that he hides behind, but I don't know if that would work because he'll bite them too (he likes to bite paper) I've tried to move the toys he plays with away from behind there, but then he'll just only bite the cage or sit behind the cage for ages doing nothing. It's like, nothing I offer him is fun for him, only biting the cage or biting ss. I don't know what to do.
 

Tapew0rrm

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I just wanna note he doesn't do this when he's in the cage, only when he's out of it. He won't play with toys in his cage unless they're directly next to his favourite perch. When he's in his cage, he spends all the time just sitting on his food bowl asking to be let out his cage
 

Tapew0rrm

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I can't stop feeling like I'm doing something wrong or he's bored and I'm not able to make him happy and give him a full enriched life, like, I feel like I'm letting him down no matter how hard I try
 

Mizzely

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Some birds are just problematic :lol: Cage biting is a hard one as they obviously are getting something out of it, so it's a self rewarding behavior as long as they are able to do it. I would attach plexiglass if you wanted to restrict it completely, or cover it with seagrass, cardboard, etc. Sure, he might chew those off and you'd have to replace them, but distracting him from the bars is definitely better!
 

Wardy

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I can't stop feeling like I'm doing something wrong or he's bored and I'm not able to make him happy and give him a full enriched life, like, I feel like I'm letting him down no matter how hard I try
Can any of us give our companion birds truly enriched lives ?
Dont feel you are letting him down you are both learning how to co exist, how to understand each other.

Having doubts is fine but please stop feeling you are doing something wrong based on this.
Everyday is a school day with conures sounds like a curious conure to me and that curiosity wont ever stop.
 

Emma&pico

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I can't stop feeling like I'm doing something wrong or he's bored and I'm not able to make him happy and give him a full enriched life, like, I feel like I'm letting him down no matter how hard I try
Is he hurting his beak maybe he just likes the feeling I am not sure but please don’t feel guilty how are you doing overall you feeling a bit more confident and comfortable with him it can take months to adjust I’ve found with my lovebirds
 

Wardy

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Sorry for the second post but needed to get on the laptop to give a bit more info that may be helpfull..

I cant remember if i have seen your cage set up so sorry but here are some things i found helpfull.

Not to many toys in the cage at once
lots of perches this can help a bird that isnt confident in moving away from the cage bars move around the cage more ( i think KiKi had 14 perches in her cage at one point )
climbing all over the back of the cage is fine let Aro check it out he will soon work out its boring and there is somewhere much more interesting to go to.

If he likes the toys touching his cage then hang toys outside of his cage touching his cage.

I know you tried straws for offering treats try offering other foragging activity a take away container on top of Aro's cage cage some torn up paper in it and a good sprinkle of seed give Aro some seed first then make sure its seen and heard getting sprinkled in the box this will soon have Aro on top of his cage foraging.

High reward treats in the long run arent the best but they will serve you well in the formative days with Aro both of mine get seeds daily in foraging boxes ( but they are having to forage for the seed ) with sunfower seeds saved for extra special treats.

Not all conures have read the conure rule book that conures are likeable rogues that like a cuddle and get up to a little bit of impish mishchief some of them are absolute rogues and will take on the world others are much more reserved take things in there own time and find there ow way ( well thats my experience with my two )

I can't stop feeling like I'm doing something wrong or he's bored and I'm not able to make him happy and give him a full enriched life, like, I feel like I'm letting him down no matter how hard I try
Have you tried playing parott town tv on youtube for Aro ? my two love it on occasion we also have the radio on all day for them as back ground noise and gives them something to dance to ( Mojo dances KiKI to cool to dance )

you really are doing well
 
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