ScottCampbell
Checking out the neighborhood
- Joined
- 11/29/17
- Messages
- 1
- Real Name
- Scott Campbell
I feel the weight of responsibility to any animal we take from the wild. Even bred animals are being denied there true freedom. So in light of that I am struggling with a 3 year old conure. I got a deal on craigslist. The bird at that time 8 months old was biting the teenage children and drawing blood. No doubt they were teasing it. This was my second conure the first decided it wanted to bond to my then time girlfriend and so it was only right that she keep the bird. The first bird was a delight. Always wanting to be held and never aggressive. A little bossy maybe.
So this currant bird was a bit of a challenge. After giving it a week without handling to get used to the new surrounding I got my first serious bite. Like a pitbull she will not let go.She always punctures the skin in two places. It took about a week of wrapping her up gently in a towel to dissuade her from biting. She just got tired of being a bird burrito. After that she was great. You couldn't get her off my shoulder. Shortly after that I had her wings clipped and gradually she started going everywhere with me. She loved the park. In the nest 8 months she never seriously bit me again. Some firm warning bites rarely. But never anything that broke the skin.
Circumstances in my life forced me to have to leave her with my mom for 8 months. I don't know if it is relevant but during that time she flew into a window and was knocked out and wobbly for a couple hours. I found this out later. Also my mom was scared of her and let her run amuk.
I got her back a year ago. I promise you I have tried every non violent trick in the book since then. Watched every you tube video, and visited 3 different vets. She will not stop biting hands especially. I have to use a towel to handle her. I have tried the ignore the bites technique enough times that she has literally pierced both my eyebrows and my upper lip. Dozens of bites to the neck. I won'y even get into my hands. Always delivered in a calm calculated way. It isn't like she is getting upset. She just sees an opportunity and goes for it. Still though, after her 12 hours of sleep in a quiet dark place she has her door opened and she is free to roam thew studio all daY. she hates going back to the cage. We eat together. She loves me to dry her off after bathing each day. She spends at least two hours a day on my shoulder grooming my hair and snuggling up for a nap. She is very feisty and talkative. Good appetite. Very healthy. Active and curious about everything.
Some time saving facts. I do not know her actual gender. I live alone, no relationships at present. I have tried different cage placements. I have tried isolation, time out, yelling, not saying anything, pinching the beak, just letting her bite, earthquake methode, reward method, and most others. I am not ready to give her up. We do enjoy time together. There have been weeks between biting at times. The most common way I get bit is if I leave her out and take a nap. That's how she gets my face. I am disabled and rarely leave her alone. Maybe once a day for a couple hours. At present if she bites she gets a firm no biting and a 2 hour time out in the cage. She hates the cage and will screech until she tires of it wanting to get back out. She has a large cage 4 by 3 foot on a stand with wheels. Full of toys and fuzzy tent she sleeps in. She gets `12 hours sleep a day. Interrupt that and expect to be severely scolded. She is bold and rarely fearful of anything. If she is startled or scared she flies straight to me for safety. I love this bird dearly and would do anything for her including giving her up if that is the right thing to do. Certainly not for me to avoid being bitten.
Thank you in advance for any advice given.
So this currant bird was a bit of a challenge. After giving it a week without handling to get used to the new surrounding I got my first serious bite. Like a pitbull she will not let go.She always punctures the skin in two places. It took about a week of wrapping her up gently in a towel to dissuade her from biting. She just got tired of being a bird burrito. After that she was great. You couldn't get her off my shoulder. Shortly after that I had her wings clipped and gradually she started going everywhere with me. She loved the park. In the nest 8 months she never seriously bit me again. Some firm warning bites rarely. But never anything that broke the skin.
Circumstances in my life forced me to have to leave her with my mom for 8 months. I don't know if it is relevant but during that time she flew into a window and was knocked out and wobbly for a couple hours. I found this out later. Also my mom was scared of her and let her run amuk.
I got her back a year ago. I promise you I have tried every non violent trick in the book since then. Watched every you tube video, and visited 3 different vets. She will not stop biting hands especially. I have to use a towel to handle her. I have tried the ignore the bites technique enough times that she has literally pierced both my eyebrows and my upper lip. Dozens of bites to the neck. I won'y even get into my hands. Always delivered in a calm calculated way. It isn't like she is getting upset. She just sees an opportunity and goes for it. Still though, after her 12 hours of sleep in a quiet dark place she has her door opened and she is free to roam thew studio all daY. she hates going back to the cage. We eat together. She loves me to dry her off after bathing each day. She spends at least two hours a day on my shoulder grooming my hair and snuggling up for a nap. She is very feisty and talkative. Good appetite. Very healthy. Active and curious about everything.
Some time saving facts. I do not know her actual gender. I live alone, no relationships at present. I have tried different cage placements. I have tried isolation, time out, yelling, not saying anything, pinching the beak, just letting her bite, earthquake methode, reward method, and most others. I am not ready to give her up. We do enjoy time together. There have been weeks between biting at times. The most common way I get bit is if I leave her out and take a nap. That's how she gets my face. I am disabled and rarely leave her alone. Maybe once a day for a couple hours. At present if she bites she gets a firm no biting and a 2 hour time out in the cage. She hates the cage and will screech until she tires of it wanting to get back out. She has a large cage 4 by 3 foot on a stand with wheels. Full of toys and fuzzy tent she sleeps in. She gets `12 hours sleep a day. Interrupt that and expect to be severely scolded. She is bold and rarely fearful of anything. If she is startled or scared she flies straight to me for safety. I love this bird dearly and would do anything for her including giving her up if that is the right thing to do. Certainly not for me to avoid being bitten.
Thank you in advance for any advice given.
