GCC Behavior Issues

[dimos]

Hi everyone. It is great to find a board dedicated to birds. I am here because I am concerned about my baby GCC. I got him/her about 7 days(I know its kinda early for him in the new home), but I am trying to understand a sudden shift in moods/behavior.

First day at home he didn't much and was obviously very afraid. Second day he started eating normally drinking water but was biting when I tried to reach in the cage. Third, he would happily come out and cuddle give me kisses, hardly ever bit. Same on 4th day. I should say now, that its my only bird and I live alone. I work 8-5 so as soon as I got home i tried to spend as much time with him. Give him kisses, peting him, talking to him like a baby. he was responding. I couldn't get him off my shoulder. He used to tuck in under my shirt and sleep right there. I used to take him out with me when i went places and was always friendly with everyone. He wouldn't even poop on me. He would make a scene whiel on my shoulder, i would tell him to ste up to my finger and as soon as he got on would let one go.

On the 5th day, i had to go somewhere and was raining so i left him at home. When i came back i couldn't even reach in the cage. if i tricked him with a seed he come out without biting. Then he would go straight for my shoulder. If i tried to grab him (softly) he would bite hard. I left him on my desk, i would give him a treat and he would be fine and then bite hard again. I thought i better leave him and he will calm. The next day it was worse. When he is on my shoulder he was fine. Today he won't even get near, still if i get him on shoulder he behaves but immediately wants to get away from me. Bites really hard, then he plays a little and then bite hard again.

Am I doing something wrong? I tried putting him back to the cage when he bites but it gets even worse. He grabs the cage with the legs and flaps the wings really hard to get attention when i got to let him out he bites me. He was just playing nice on my desk, i left for a minute to go to the restroom he strarted screaming. When i got back was biting again. I tried everything. I am afraid for his well being. Sometimes he drags he face constrantly against the cage. His pupils are kinda dialated, didn't see anyy liquids from the nose or mouth. Could he be constipated? When i took him out today he let a very very very big one go. He started eating as soon as i got back. Is he not eating much when im here, waits for me but dislikes me at the same time?

Im lost. I have to say im new to conures but always had birds. Is he feeling too lonely, should i get another bird? Am I doing something wrong? Did I permantely damage my relationship with him, is it just a nippy phase that will go away or he will always be like that against me because he is mad. Any tips for birds that stay alone for a few hours.

He is such a good bird, please give me some advise. Should I take him to a vet. Could it be fleas, i got the bird protections. Is there something else I can do?

Thanks in advance,
Dimos

[brdfvr]

He is probably getting more used to you and trying to see what he can get away with. How old is he? If he is biting when you try to get him off of your shoulder, he probably should not be allowed on your shoulder. Shoulder time should be a privilege not a right. Only allow him on your shoulder when he can step up without biting. Just because he hadn't bitten before doesn't mean he won't. And it doesn't mean he hates you either. Just testing.

If my birds bite in a mean way, they get a 'table timeout' for a couple minutes, then if they continue, they get put back in their cage. Learn to read your bird. If he is fluffing and has his eyes pinned on you, don't touch him! Let him calm down. Don't let him think that you will pick him up even when he is being naughty cuz then he will continue to do it. And no treats when they are on time out and being naughty, only treats when they do something good (step up without biting, come when called, tricks, etc.) Also try to do some ladders step up on different hands over and over again. Hope this helps

EDIT: Also, make sure he's getting at least 10 hours of sleep. A tired bird is a naughty bird.

[NotEnoughTime]

Please read: The Rational Parrot

The entire site. It doesn't take long and will give a good deal of insight into your Green Cheek's behaviour.

I doubt you have done any permanent damage. He or she is learning to express him/herself although inappropriately. You just need to teach the appropriate methods of communication.

Good luck!! Please post pictures and updates...

[dimos]

Hi. Thank you so much for your advise so far. I was told that my baby GCC is about 10 weeks old. Right now he stands quitely on my shoulder after behaving. I dont know...right now he is being nice. Most of the bites are weak as in he has no power. I try to have him sleep about 12 hr(put him in the back alone lights off and usually cover the cage with a t-shirt - but he found the trick now flaps his wings until the t-shirt drops). Usually when he bites hard i put him back in the cage and turn my back to him. Then he either starts screaming or flaps his wings madly. After I made the post, I opened the cage and put my hand in. He bit hard but came out. Had him on me for about 10 minutes until he bit hard. I put him back. Immediately he started looking for attention but i didn't turn. After the timeout, I opened the cage and he stepped up with no bites. He was kinda playful, was still running away from me. I asked him to step up a few times and when he did it, I rewarded him. The for the last half hour or so he was behaving. Stepping up from finger to finger, giving me kisses, playing with my beard without trying to run away. He seems to like it when i kiss him on the chest. Right now he is preening, 4 time in the last half hour, and making cute noises. It might be just me but he seems weird, as in losing his balance often, im worried if its a health issue. He is trying to bite everything, soemthing it even looks like he is trying to hurt himself. Do you think he is depressesed and maybe trying to? More than often now he is trying to fly away from me and couple of times he went quiet a distance even though he is clipped. he really suprises me now he is sitting on my thumb while i type and softly nibbles on my fingers. he can be very sweet. i was also worried that i got him mad at me for leaving him alone for a long time. Any advise on that? Thanks for all the input so far. Greatly appreciated.

Dimos

[brdfvr]

Losing his balance has to do with him being a baby. Mine is about that age, and he falls off things all the time. He's getting better every day though. If he starts squawking and flapping during the time out, maybe you should walk away. I don't think it's a problem for them to be alone during the day, if you feel badly about it, perhaps you should try leaving a radio on for him. Perhaps schedule a vet appointment if you are worried about his health. About him biting everything, he is exploring, they use their beak as another hand, so biting everything is normal too. Just give him some time.

EDIT: Draco's hatch date is 5-14-09 What's yours?

[dimos]

He seems less alert than before(thats maybe why he loses the balance). He was better when i got him. So far tonight he is behaving the thing is that im afraid to leave him alone for even 1 minute. he will get grumpy again. is it maybe his diet. i give him vitamins with the water, sunflower seeds, mix of seeds and fresh fruits, sometimes lettuce. he hates actual fruit is i have a peach and cut a piece he won't touch it. I hope it is just a temporary thing. im thinking of setting up my web cam so i can monitor him when im at work i am concerned even if he is eating when im away. i see food on the bottom of the cage but it looks like he just spilled it. He loves chewing on napkins by the way lol.

[brdfvr]

Try to limit the amount of sunflower seeds that you feed him they are very fatty. Offer more veggies than fruits. My conures get a mix of cucumbers, zucchini, corn, a little apple and some birdie bread, etc. Beak Appetite might be good to start him on soft foods, I buy it from PetSmart. my baby is not eating much soft foods right now either, but I haven't even had him for a week yet. Just take it slow, he'll start trying new food. And keep offering the same food over and over again. Once he starts trying new stuff, it will get easier and easier to add new goodies to the mix. Until they will eat all of the soft food that you give them.

My babe (still weaning him off of the seeds the breeder started him on) gets zupreem pellets, 3 different kinds mixed together, some seed mix from the breeder, and some apple and cucumber on top. If on a varied diet, he should not need any vitamins. Might be alright when he's molting, but other wise cut out the vitamins, he could get a vitamin toxicity. If you can get your conure on pellets, then that would give him the vitamins he needs without them added to the diet. If I do add anything vitamin, like, it's a product called egg food and only about once a month to their dry food. It adds some protein to their diet to encourage healthy feather growth.

I am also going to try sprouting for my birds. My kit has not come in the mail just yet hopefully I will get it by the weekend.

What brand of seed mix do you give your bird?

[hollyhawkz]

Originally Posted by dimos

On the 5th day, i had to go somewhere and was raining so i left him at home. When i came back i couldn't even reach in the cage. if i tricked him with a seed he come out without biting. Then he would go straight for my shoulder. If i tried to grab him (softly) he would bite hard. I left him on my desk, i would give him a treat and he would be fine and then bite hard again. I thought i better leave him and he will calm. The next day it was worse. When he is on my shoulder he was fine. Today he won't even get near, still if i get him on shoulder he behaves but immediately wants to get away from me. Bites really hard, then he plays a little and then bite hard again.

He is such a good bird, please give me some advise. Should I take him to a vet. Could it be fleas, i got the bird protections. Is there something else I can do?

Thanks in advance,
Dimos

He was probably mad that you left him alone. (they get that way)

He was probably afraid you were going to take him off your shoulder and put him back in his cage.

The bite and play and bite and play is usually how they play in general. If you were to see clutch mates play you would understand what I mean. They are very nippy anyway as a characteristic.


Most important since you mentioned he is wobbly and weak....
Birds don't get fleas. The mite protection discs really can get them very sick and even kill them.


I am concerned that he is only 10 weeks old and just fully weaned. Is he eating ok?