Incredibly Aggressive Conure. Help? (Sad update post # 102)

[EgoLobster]

Hello;
my name is Kenzie. I’m a minor and I’m posting this thread on behalf of my younger sister who has pet birds. I know absolutely nothing about birds nor do I own one myself, but it saddens me to see the state my sister‘s relationship with her conure is in.
My sister bought a Conure from a very respected pet place, and their conures are well raised and they’re home to many birds, including a scarlet macaw that resides there. I have no doubt the conure was treated well, but he’s always been this way.
Sassafras, nicknamed Sassy, was named as he was because he’s a monster. And that’s me putting it in kind terms. Ever since he was a baby, he attacked everyone except for my sister. My sister explained that Conures are kinda one person birds and I let it go. Every now and then I would attempt to hold him under her supervision and come away bleeding, sometimes with scars.
He’s very well loved and my sister knows more about the handling and care of birds than anyone I know, and breeds parakeets. However; this has not stopped Sassy from taking things another step too far.
He is now attacking my sister the same way he attacks us. My sister has used target training and all sorts of other kinds of suggested methods to try and outtrain this behavior, but Sassy won’t stop biting and shrieking. It’s gotten to the point he’s let out of his cage once every two days now, and only for a few minutes.
he smashes his head against the bars of his cage all the time, bites, screams, and nothing we do stops him. He’s been this way since he was a baby but I think my sister has given up trying to fix this untamable bird. Is there anything I can do for the bird’s sake at this point? I don’t want him to be not allowed out of his cage ever again, and frankly, I hate seeing my sister stuck with a bird she raised and loved, only for it to vehemently despise everything and everyone.

He is a green-cheek. We got him at a discount because it’s possible hes part black-capped and was a breeding mistake.

 

[EgoLobster]

I dont think it’s hormonal as he’s an adult conure now and since he was a baby he’s been this aggressive and exhibiting very territorial behavior. I’d get it if he was just being a teenage bird but he’s been a complete mess since we first met him.

 

[MR. Mango]

Bump

 

[Tazlima]

Oh dear. There could be a lot of reasons he's acting this way. Based on your description, all we know for sure is that he sounds stressed out and profoundly unhappy. The good news is that these things can be turned around with time and patience.

First off, has he been vet-checked? If he's lashing out because he hurting or ill, all the training in the world won't help, and birds are insanely good at hiding that they don't feel well.

You've described his behavior well, but behavior doesn't happen in a vacuum. As far as his environment, what does his routine look like? How much sleep/quiet/darkness does he get at night? Is he flighted or clipped? Does he have places to hang out away from his cage? Is the behavior better/worse/the same when he's away from his cage? What kind/quantity of toys does he have, and does he actually play with them? How often are the toys rearranged or changed? Does he get regular baths/showers in some form? Does he enjoy bathing or does he try to escape?

It would also help to get an idea of the behavior of the humans around him, your sister in particular, but others as well. Before he started biting her, how did your sister interact with him? Did she force him to do things he was uncomfortable with? (This can be subtle, such as making him step up by pressing on his belly, rather than giving him the option to refuse - young birds will tolerate things they don't necessarily enjoy, but when they mature, they'll say "no" more forecefully). Did she cuddle him a lot? Has her routine had any major changes recently? Is the house generally loud or peaceful? Are the humans under stress and sniping at each other? (Birds are incredibly sensitive to the emotional state of the home). How do the other people in the house interact with him. Do they fear him? Ignore him? Does anybody, even one person, find it funny to tease him or frighten him?

Sorry for the million questions, but a better picture of the situation will help narrow down possible causes and solutions.

 

[BirbBrain]

Oh no! I'm sorry, I love Green-Cheeks. They are so cute! I read an article recently and it said that it might be due to traumatic experiences. But, obviously, you wouldn't do anything bad to your bird so I don't know what else. Here, I will list the reasons

Fear often develops in pet birds that were not hand-fed when they were young.

A lack of proper socialization may lead a bird to be afraid of humans, other birds, or new experiences.

Some birds become jealous when their owner interacts with other people. This plays on the natural "pair-bonding" instinct many bird species have and, in captivity, you may be seen as your bird's partner.

Some birds become aggressive during their adolescence due to hormone changes. This will typically pass once the bird gets through this stage.

Protecting their claimed territory, such as the birdcage or feeder, can lead to aggression.

Birds that are stressed or lack mental stimulation may also act out.

I don't know if this helps.
But here are some ways to fix it:

If possible, move your bird's cage to a neutral location during training sessions. Removing a bird from its "territory" can sometimes make it more willing to cooperate with its owner and prevent any territorial aggression.


If your bird lunges at your fingers when you place your hand near it, try not to jerk away suddenly out of fear. Your swift movements will likely make your bird even more nervous and apprehensive.

Taking it slow and easy is the better method; don't try to force contact. Try to leave it up to the bird to decide when it's comfortable enough to step up or accept a treat.

Training a bird to step up on a stick or a perch is referred to as "stick training." It's the recommended alternative to training a bird that's not able to be handled at first. It's a less invasive approach and easier for a bird that is fearful or was traumatized in the past to accept this way of moving without force.

Raising your voice in anger (or pain) will not make your bird understand that it has done something wrong. In fact, it's more likely to reinforce your bird's bad behavior as it will love getting such a big reaction out of you. Whatever happens, avoid the temptation to yell at or punish your bird.

Offer your bird treats and speak in a soothing voice when you're trying to handle it. Using treats and praise will help your pet be more willing to interact with you and it's much more effective than discipline. If every interaction with your bird results in a positive experience, it will likely become more comfortable and open to a closer relationship with you.

Most people will try to force interaction with their birds in hope to gain trust eventually. This is referred to as "flooding" and it's not recommended as a training technique.

With birds, repetition and consistency are keys to training. Make time to work with your bird at least once a day to ensure success. Keep in mind that it sometimes takes a while to build up trust with a bird, so don't give up!

Initially, keep training sessions at a 15-minute maximum. Birds are intelligent and sensitive creatures, and they need to have some fun in order to maintain their mental health and keep from becoming stressed.

If your bird becomes jealous of your interactions with other people, you will need to enlist the help of family members and visitors. The goal is to better socialize your bird and show it that these people are not a threat to the relationship it has with you.

Try various confidence-building exercises with other people and stay nearby to show your approval. You might, for instance, have visitors offer your bird a treat whenever they enter the house. To reinforce good behavior, they should also praise the bird in a happy, upbeat voice while making eye contact.

Another exercise is to lay out your bird's food on a towel in front of the bird and have your family pick at it with their fingers, just like a bird does with its beak. If you do this regularly, your bird may want to join in the fun. They can also help you clean the cage or give your bird food or water so it is comfortable with your family's presence.

Birds need mental stimulation and many enjoy a routine, so regular time for food, play, and other interactions each day is a good idea. However, some birds may react negatively if a routine is too rigid and gets disrupted.

For example, if you get home from work at a certain time each day and immediately let your bird out for playtime, being late one day could lead the bird to act out. Try to employ some flexibility in your daily routines that involve your bird. It will help the bird better tolerate change and understand that things won't always happen in a particular order or at a certain time, but it will happen.

If you put in the necessary effort, chances are you will be able to train your pet in a reasonable amount of time. If your bird is so aggressive that you cannot attempt training exercises, the first thing you should do is visit your avian veterinarian to rule out any health concerns. When no physical reasons can explain your pet's undesirable behavior, contact a certified parrot behavior consultant for an expert opinion on your situation.

Hope this helps!

 

[MR. Mango]

Can we see a picture of him and his setup pls?

 

[EgoLobster]

@Tazlima

Vet says he’s healthy ): his quiet spot is his cage. I dont know if he’s clipped but he is able to fly up to windows that are at eye-level for us and look outside. We have a towel we drape over his cage at 9 every night and then take it off in the morning. He stays in his cage mostly. I’ll try to ask my sister for a picture later of his cage but that’s his safe spot. No matter where he is he’s aggressive. If he’s in his cage, he shrieks and bangs his head against the cage. if he’s out, he used to be a lot calmer around my sister but is now biting everyone and won’t stop.

When Sassy was little she used to let him figure things out on his own, just letting him explore and enjoy his freedom. He liked being on her bed a lot with her, and looking at her phone. They cuddled a lot, and I do remember her being taught to do step up training by pushing on his belly at first but learned it wasn’t a great option and instead let him choose when to hop onto her.

Nobody annoyed or frightened Sassy. We were very careful with him.

@BirbOwner

Thank you for all the tips! We’ve tried training in more neutral territories and my sister would instruct us not to react when bitten. As a matter of fact, Sassy began to mimic whenever we’d cry out in pain, then bite us again before that.

My sister will sometimes open his cage door and let him do whatever he felt like, and the first thing he’d do is fly out and start attacking us. He never used to be this way. He was always somewhat unhappy when I was there but never flew at me and started attacking me or her before.

She did used to hand-feed sassy various fruits and veggies, but he’s stopped accepting those from our hands and will just attack instead.

I‘ll rely all this to her in the hopes that maybe we can try something again for a better result!

@MR. Mango

Me and my sister don’t particularly have a fantastic relationship so i only have an older video of Sassy as she doesn’t like pictures being taken of him anymore. It’s on IFunny but it’s got a pretty clear view of the top of his cage and I’m whistling to him and he’s bobbing his head with the tune. He used to do this with me a lot.
It’s a lot larger than what it appears in the video, you could probably fit a scarlet macaw and a half in there (size reference. Not sure the actual size of the cage in standard terms.)

Sassy the Green-Cheek/Black-Cap hybrid Conure! - )

Sassy the Green-Cheek/Black-Cap hybrid Conure!

ifunny.co

Video link to me interacting with Sassy. He has lots of toys, a few perches, and a sleeping hut in his cage as well as his food dish and water tube.

 

[MR. Mango]

Get rid of the sleeping those can be very dangerous and also cause hormonal problems that can lead to aggressive behavior

 

[EgoLobster]

If I’ve interacted poorly with Sassy in the video let me know. Again I know absolutely squat about birds.

I work with rescue animals at my job but those are cats and dogs. He didn’t seem scared or upset to me.

This video is from July 1st, 2019. Not much has changed since then except new toys and replacing old ones, and that he’s slightly bigger.

 

[EgoLobster]

@MR. Mango I had absolutely no idea. Thank you for telling me, I’ll let her know to remove it.

 

[EgoLobster]

Update: spoke with her, she said the aviary we got him from gave us the sleeping hut when we adopted him.

It’s Denny’s Pet World in Kirkland, WA

 

[EgoLobster]

Update. Snuck a few photos while she was out of the house. Here’s a full view of Sassy’s cage. Sleeping hut is at the bottom and is green.
Excuse the mess, she cleans it once a week.

 

[EgoLobster]

Bump

sister says sleeping hut is fine and sighed when I brought it up to her, saying the pet store she got Sassy from said he was very attached to it since he was a baby and it’s alright. I have a feeling im not getting anywhere with her. Any ideas?

 

[sootling]

Update. Snuck a few photos while she was out of the house. Here’s a full view of Sassy’s cage. Sleeping hut is at the bottom and is green.
Excuse the mess, she cleans it once a week.

She should be cleaning it every day Or mold and bad bacteria could grow. If the bird is in the cage 24/7 it will be aggressive and unhappy. Based on how the cage looks, it has almost nothing to do. She should start out with target training in the cage, and progress from there. Also the hut is NOT a good idea. That setup is quite literally the crappiest cage ive ever seen.

 

[sootling]

How to get to her: simply tell her/ your parents she is quite literally severely neglecting her bird. GCCs NEED constant playtime and fun. What diet is he on?

 

[MR. Mango]

I have quite a bit of experience dealing with 15 yr olds and I understand that they can be very stubborn at times, if it isn't enough to convince her to take the cage out due to behavioral issues tell her that birds can and HAVE DIED directly due to those tents through CROP IMPACTIONS, STRANGULATION, GETTING BODY PARTS TANGLED IN THEM AND CHEWING THEM OFF (FEET), and many more, additionally i recommend getting rid of the water bottle and just giving him a water bowl its much more hygenic and easier for the bird to use, plus remove the dowel perches and add more natural and textured perches (no more than one dowel in the cage), additionally the cage size is a bit on the smaller size def if he's spending almpst all of his time in that cage, does she take him out for socialization? and how much? Plus remove the blanket thing completely from the cage during day time and only use it at night (i'm assuming she uses it to cover the cage). A fe more questions; what diet is the gcc on? is this completely her responsibility and what are your parents view on the issue?

 

[sootling]

I mean honestly I’m a minor and i am jus tryna help people with birds, as i have had a lot of experienc. But the diet should be veggie chop as a main diet, then a healthy DIY seed mix with pellet. You can also make perches from bird safe wood if you cant spend a lot of money on perches. But honestly, the GCC should be mostly your parents responsibility based on how poorly shes taking care of it. Or at least they should make her listen.

 

[MR. Mango]

yup I agree I have a sun conure so WELCOME TO THE EXTENDED CONURE FAM, I feed my sun conure a homemade veg and grain chop and harrison's pellets (they're the best on the market) with some TOP's pellets for variety and then seed and other treats as a reward

 

[MR. Mango]

Here are some pics of my current setup and some bonus ones of Mango , I’m gonna get some toys in tmrw so I’ll probably change some stuff up, but that reminds me of another point, gccs need lots of enrichment and foraging which you can provide through bird toys, correct me if I’m wrong but I didn’t see any in ur sister’s cage so I wouldtell her to add them

 

[sootling]

Here are some pics of my current setup and some bonus ones of Mango , I’m gonna get some toys in tmrw so I’ll probably change some stuff up, but that reminds me of another point, gccs need lots of enrichment and foraging which you can provide through bird toys, correct me if I’m wrong but I didn’t see any in ur sister’s cage so I wouldtell her to add them View attachment 381803 View attachment 381804 View attachment 381805 View attachment 381806 View attachment 381807 View attachment 381808 View attachment 381809

That setup is amazing! I’m waiting for a similar setup for my budgies to finish shipping