Help, Sunny is the boss in our house!

[Barbara9]

Ok, we have Sunny for alittle over a month now and he is very comfortable with all of us. My husband, me and my two kids who just spoil him.
Well he is the boss now, he begs to come out of his cage and when he does he just chews up everything....we have alot of chew toys in his cage and even have a play stand with some toys out of his cage. But our sweat jackets with the zippers seem to be his favorite chew toy..is this ok? and since he his just 4 months old is chewing just his thing right now?

Second, forget about trying to put him back into his cage, he runs up your arm and hids on your back...sneaky little devil...we used to be able to get him down with a grape and now he just looks at us and runs! He does try to bite sometimes but not hard just to get you aways..he never goes at you hard...he is very sweet.

Any suggestions? on his behavior? or are we just not teaching him well, or is he just a baby yet...
Barb

[Pepper's Pa]

First, for clarity it's now Sunny's home that he allows you to co-habitat. When he moved in you lost all claim to it.
Sunny’s behaviors sound quite normal and typical.
As for chewing on the sweat jacket that’s fine . . . as long as you don’t mind the holes. If it has metal zippers, I’m not sure what metal they are made of and wouldn’t allow him to chew on them for fear of a metal toxicity issue. For Pepper, he loves to chew on my summer-weight bathrobes. My current one has no left knee, elbow or shoulder areas left. Each area has a hole about eight inches round chewed away.
Many of our birds don’t want to be returned to their cages. They are great at finding just the spots we can’t reach them. I used to have a problem, but don’t any longer. Here are some things that may help you:
Before trying to remove him from you, safely so as not to crush Sunny, position your back against a wall so that he can’t climb onto your back.
Walk into a room where he doesn’t feel as comfortable and you may find that he is willing to stay safely perched on your hand.
Keep him unsure of what will happen. Sometimes return him to his cage, praise him for stepping off properly, and then immediately take him out again. By doing this a number of times over a few weeks, he will not know if he’s going into his cage for a short or longer time.
Make sure his cage is filled with life-enriching toys, plenty of play options and opportunities to forage for food. A fun home is a welcoming place to go.

I hope this may be of some help. Good luck.

[Oscars Mom]

I have my bird do step ups for a couple of minutes several times a week includiing on and off the gym/cage. Ive had him a long time and hes very tame but I think it keeps my spoiled bird from turning into a spoiled monster bird. You cant blame them for not wanting to go in the cage. I try to always give a treat /millet when iI put him in the cage in the morning .That is the hardest thing with my bird and it works pretty well.

[LtlWngdAngl]

The chewing isn't a stage...he'll probably be doing it the rest of his life...so get into a habit of keeping an eye out for potentially harmful things and situate him away from anything you don't want to have to replace several times over. My amazon is 25 y/o and still chew us everything he can get to...I've replaced the blinds by his cage twice....but he likes his cage there, and I want him to be comfortable, so that's the price I pay for it.

As for getting him back in his cage: try draping a hand-towel over his head, put him in the cage, and pull the towel off as you remove your hand from the cage...this usually works pretty good. They don't like the towel over their heads, so eventually, he may learn to go quietly w/o the towel.

[Kevin]

What the heck? Your still around Nina....

How the hell you been? and what ya been up too?

[Tishrei]

Originally Posted by Pepper's Pa

Many of our birds don’t want to be returned to their cages. They are great at finding just the spots we can’t reach them. I used to have a problem, but don’t any longer. Here are some things that may help you:
Before trying to remove him from you, safely so as not to crush Sunny, position your back against a wall so that he can’t climb onto your back.

That's a good idea. What I have been doing when Ducky climbs down my back to a spot where I can't reach him is I simply take off my top with him on it. Once he's off, I put my shirt back on and pick him up and place him in his cage. Obviously, I can do that only when I'm home as I can't go around taking off my top in public.

[Barbara9]

thanks for all the suggestions, I do not mind the chewing I just wanted to make sure its ok..and normal...I will keep him safe. I cannot blame him for not wanting to go back into his cage, he is spoiled rotten out of it between me and my two children..

[LtlWngdAngl]

Originally Posted by Barbara9

thanks for all the suggestions, I do not mind the chewing I just wanted to make sure its ok..and normal...I will keep him safe. I cannot blame him for not wanting to go back into his cage, he is spoiled rotten out of it between me and my two children..

Have you tried squirt-bottle training? It's working really well w/my Harlequin...think I started it too late w/my other fids, they just kinda look at me funny.

When he's chewing on things he shouldn't (molding/trim, me, etc.) he gets one squirt from a spray bottle...same if he snaps out of meanness or bites. He doesn't like it. I've started keeping the bottle in hand when I got to put him in his cage b/c he'll strike and bite whoever's holding him when we go to put him in the cage. If he knows mama is standing by with the bottle, he goes peacefully. The first few days, though, I was using the towel method...until he got me throgh the towel (macaw beaks are HUGE and hurt!!)

[gbird]

Welcome to the world of Sun Conures.

Yes it's Pitas world he just lets me live in it. Whats mine is his, what looks like mine is his, if it's in my mouth it's his, if I'm wearing it, it's his....you get the point...lol

Good luck.....

[LtlWngdAngl]

Originally Posted by gbird

Welcome to the world of Sun Conures.

Yes it's Pitas world he just lets me live in it. Whats mine is his, what looks like mine is his, if it's in my mouth it's his, if I'm wearing it, it's his....you get the point...lol

Good luck.....

lol...welcome to parronthood!!! Gotta love our fids!!