Conure randomly attacking me

[djeremyw]

Hello, new to the site, I’d sure appreciate some help.

We have a black capped conure, 3 years old. Used to be such a lovely, snuggly little guy. Hit puberty about 8 months ago and was very, very aggressive. I believe I prolonged this behaviour by continuing to cuddle and kiss him when he wasn’t attacking me, but I’ve since had a few 2 week moratoriums on cuddles and he seemed to get better. And he is better, for the most part, but I still can’t trust him to land on my shoulder and he often attacks when I just walk by. Sometimes we can go a week with no attacks, but sometimes it’s a few times a day. My neck is riddled with bites. Also, seconds later, it seems he has no aggression and behaves as though he didn’t just try to murder me.

For context, he is almost never caged. Only when we eat and when he sleeps, which is very structured at 12 hours a night. He’s got free run of the house, has so, so many toys that he either is uninterested in or afraid of, but he likes bowls and boxes and such so he has as many of those as he likes. His diet is good, as far as we can tell. Mostly vegetables, pellets, and some fruit.

Most importantly, he is very loved and gets a lot of attention. I know it’s silly but I’m so hurt that this little guy I love so much and used to get along with so well now just attacks me at random (and it’s really painful!). I just want my little boy back.

Any and all advice would be so welcome. Thank you!

 

[Shezbug]

Bump

 

[Pixiebeak]

The boxes and maybe the bowls can be triggering hormones as they are potentially nest sites to these cavity nesting parrots.

Try a clear shallow plastic box or tray with foraging fun stuff not to deep of fun stuff

While there are hormonal seasons, usually spring and lesser in fall . These little ones hit puberty at around six months to a year. But often the second year is their first full on seasonal hormone surge. But any year can vary in intensity.

Preening the face and neck is ok. Touching back under wings and lower belly more sb erogenous trigger.

While the cage is often protected as their territory , if he is mostly out he may have picked a certain spot to defend as the same as many do their cages.

Parrots can loose trust , or develop sudden fear , it can happen from known and unknown reasons. With my green cheek and my quaker I have had this happen more than once through the years . As well as negative feedback loops , or then learning to beak bully you . And they can be angry if you have pulled back and they are getting less attention, or changes in routine. I e certainly made Ta-dah so mad once in changes. Had her hold a grudge when less attention due to circumstances as well. You could have any of these or a combo going on.

The good news is , whatever is going on , I believe you can get back on track , a little tweaking a d trial and error. I e gotten there! Sometimes the change is quick , sometimes things take longer .

I'm not the first one to come up with this concept , but I have certainly used it a bunch ! Pretend you just brought this bird home , and start all over , earning trust and privileges, observations with the effort to be neutral and not with preconceived ideas or stories. Maybe re vamp your set up . Do provide a spot that is his and respect that . Id probably go back to having his cage as home base , his secure spot , locking up for sleep , when you are not home , his main feeding spot , and encourage this to be his mid day, mid afternoon nap spot. His positive place and his roost . You can have all kinds of perches and toys on the outside as well , with foraging, and where you offer your veggies. This is hime base . All your other perch and play areas , of which I have five , are fir hanging out , being a part of life and interacting. All of my birds are cage protective, it's their spot , and sweeties everywhere else. I just respect that , and if they happen to be in there when I need to do cage stuff I have them come out to an outside perch , then move them to I e if their play areas of them no fuss , no drama , no hurt feelings.

Bribes, treats sweet talking, predictable predictable phrases and actions . Earning and showing trust , paying attention to body language and permission based interaction. My birds are allowed to refuse a step up , but rarely do, if they do , I return a few minutes later and they are usually ready to go .

Do not use hands to block , something I had forgotten again..just recently! I added a new bird , who is focused on cavity seeking, and for their safety I simply can't allow going into my chair , under my chair in the floor ( small dogs are there.) I just used my hand to block , and oh did I cause bites and hand fear ! Which did lead to mad ear bites, arm bites and anything Koda could reach . Left n feeling pretty stupid . I switched to a calm that's not allowed, continue efforts got a calm clear no , and I used a folded paper plate to block. If continue back to the cage breifly, a couple of minutes or the connection is lost and get them back and redirected. Then has to lots of hi here's a treat , of wanted to hesitate or retreat from hands I was like ok. MTbe next treats and sweet talks will get us closer . I even did a lot of coy slight head turn and flashing sweet eye at her
And making her favorite kiss noises..as this hiccup was quickly addressed and she hadn't built up frustration we were able to turn things around orert quick , fingers crossed. But I'm still taking extra time when I approach her to talk and flatter her before asking for steps up..ok a little off track but it's what I'm doing right now and I certainly caused it , plus she is new , used to bulliing to get her way with that beak and gotten hormonal I hav a little more built up trust bank with my others


Anyway, do not underestimate the power of treats and flattering!

Oh and welcome to the forum!!! Stick around join in! Share pictures of your sweetie or nit so sweet at the moment! Do an I'm new post and tell us a little about you.

 

[Pixiebeak]

Oh I forgot to add, birds reconcile after a squabble and misunderstanding . I have multiple birds and have certainly witnessed this. But it want until recently I read an article on this and started incorporating in some scenarios and it can be effective. So after lunge or neck bite or I hit a pin wrong . I shift them to a perch , and try to talk it out or calm them down . When I see their body language relax and made glint go away , if seems right I have them step up again, or I walk away and come back in a few moments. It's hard to explain this for me anyway it's a little fluid and individual.

But always trying to end things in a good note is important. If I have to grab and weigh , I always try to end calm sweet talk and treat before sending them in their way again. If we are training and doing simple tricks , and get to a frustrated point, I back it up to last successful grasping point ask for that reward and stop for the day . Or if I have to grab to treat a wound or give meds , afterwards I spend a few moments soothing them before putting back . It's a very powerful thing to end on a good note

 

[djeremyw]

The boxes and maybe the bowls can be triggering hormones as they are potentially nest sites to these cavity nesting parrots.

Try a clear shallow plastic box or tray with foraging fun stuff not to deep of fun stuff

While there are hormonal seasons, usually spring and lesser in fall . These little ones hit puberty at around six months to a year. But often the second year is their first full on seasonal hormone surge. But any year can vary in intensity.

Preening the face and neck is ok. Touching back under wings and lower belly more sb erogenous trigger.

While the cage is often protected as their territory , if he is mostly out he may have picked a certain spot to defend as the same as many do their cages.

Parrots can loose trust , or develop sudden fear , it can happen from known and unknown reasons. With my green cheek and my quaker I have had this happen more than once through the years . As well as negative feedback loops , or then learning to beak bully you . And they can be angry if you have pulled back and they are getting less attention, or changes in routine. I e certainly made Ta-dah so mad once in changes. Had her hold a grudge when less attention due to circumstances as well. You could have any of these or a combo going on.

The good news is , whatever is going on , I believe you can get back on track , a little tweaking a d trial and error. I e gotten there! Sometimes the change is quick , sometimes things take longer .

I'm not the first one to come up with this concept , but I have certainly used it a bunch ! Pretend you just brought this bird home , and start all over , earning trust and privileges, observations with the effort to be neutral and not with preconceived ideas or stories. Maybe re vamp your set up . Do provide a spot that is his and respect that . Id probably go back to having his cage as home base , his secure spot , locking up for sleep , when you are not home , his main feeding spot , and encourage this to be his mid day, mid afternoon nap spot. His positive place and his roost . You can have all kinds of perches and toys on the outside as well , with foraging, and where you offer your veggies. This is hime base . All your other perch and play areas , of which I have five , are fir hanging out , being a part of life and interacting. All of my birds are cage protective, it's their spot , and sweeties everywhere else. I just respect that , and if they happen to be in there when I need to do cage stuff I have them come out to an outside perch , then move them to I e if their play areas of them no fuss , no drama , no hurt feelings.

Bribes, treats sweet talking, predictable predictable phrases and actions . Earning and showing trust , paying attention to body language and permission based interaction. My birds are allowed to refuse a step up , but rarely do, if they do , I return a few minutes later and they are usually ready to go .

Do not use hands to block , something I had forgotten again..just recently! I added a new bird , who is focused on cavity seeking, and for their safety I simply can't allow going into my chair , under my chair in the floor ( small dogs are there.) I just used my hand to block , and oh did I cause bites and hand fear ! Which did lead to mad ear bites, arm bites and anything Koda could reach . Left n feeling pretty stupid . I switched to a calm that's not allowed, continue efforts got a calm clear no , and I used a folded paper plate to block. If continue back to the cage breifly, a couple of minutes or the connection is lost and get them back and redirected. Then has to lots of hi here's a treat , of wanted to hesitate or retreat from hands I was like ok. MTbe next treats and sweet talks will get us closer . I even did a lot of coy slight head turn and flashing sweet eye at her
And making her favorite kiss noises..as this hiccup was quickly addressed and she hadn't built up frustration we were able to turn things around orert quick , fingers crossed. But I'm still taking extra time when I approach her to talk and flatter her before asking for steps up..ok a little off track but it's what I'm doing right now and I certainly caused it , plus she is new , used to bulliing to get her way with that beak and gotten hormonal I hav a little more built up trust bank with my others


Anyway, do not underestimate the power of treats and flattering!

Oh and welcome to the forum!!! Stick around join in! Share pictures of your sweetie or nit so sweet at the moment! Do an I'm new post and tell us a little about you.

Thanks so much for your reply!

So, I tried several things, but the “start over” advice worked the best. I treated him like we just brought him home that day. Lots of treats. LOTS of treats. Any time he did something good, anything at all, lots of positive reinforcement. And so far so good! He’s only nipped at me once (but we moved house yesterday so I’m giving him a lot of legroom here…), and even the sort of head-fake bites have disappeared. He’s always straight on to the finger with no issues. I strongly feel we’re on a path to a better relationship again. Thank you so much! I’m embarrassed to admit I got lazy with the treats, I think that may have been the whole issue. He says “go potty” and either flies to his stick or we toss him at his stick and he used to get a treat every time, for years, but we slowly stopped giving him one. Don’t know why, but I won’t be making that mistake again.
Again, thank you. I didn’t even want a bird, my wife wanted one and I just thought they were kind of like goldfish. Just sit around and chirp or whatever. But now I love him so much, he’s my little boy and I just want us to get along, and it certainly seems like we are again. Means everything

 

[Pixiebeak]

Thanks so much for your reply!

So, I tried several things, but the “start over” advice worked the best. I treated him like we just brought him home that day. Lots of treats. LOTS of treats. Any time he did something good, anything at all, lots of positive reinforcement. And so far so good! He’s only nipped at me once (but we moved house yesterday so I’m giving him a lot of legroom here…), and even the sort of head-fake bites have disappeared. He’s always straight on to the finger with no issues. I strongly feel we’re on a path to a better relationship again. Thank you so much! I’m embarrassed to admit I got lazy with the treats, I think that may have been the whole issue. He says “go potty” and either flies to his stick or we toss him at his stick and he used to get a treat every time, for years, but we slowly stopped giving him one. Don’t know why, but I won’t be making that mistake again.
Again, thank you. I didn’t even want a bird, my wife wanted one and I just thought they were kind of like goldfish. Just sit around and chirp or whatever. But now I love him so much, he’s my little boy and I just want us to get along, and it certainly seems like we are again. Means everything

What a great update! I'm so happy to hear you guys are repairing your relationship and have such good progress!

Moving is a huge stress for all!! So the fact he is doing so well ,shows how far you have come already!

Would love to see a picture of your GCC they are amazing aren't they ? No other creatures we share out life with can compare to their social complexity and intelligence.

I hope you stick around and join in.

 

[YogiBird]

Mine is still biting even with the advice... Is it just because shes hormonal???? She getd lots of attention and outside cage time and she has a REALLY hard time focusing. She isnt interested in treats or positive feedback when shes in a mood. And im not sure what upsets her. I can be sitting on the couch and just sitting with her and then shell go in for the kill. My ears and skin around my neck are bleeding because of this and im desperately seeking help. I tried the redirection and i tried the telling calmly to stop and the gentle move away but she just goes back for more. Even cage time out doesnt work. Im at my wits end here.