Screaming Jenday Conure

[lynden21]

Hi: I posted this under "Ask the Experts." I totally forgot about the Conure section.


A friend gave me a Jenday Conure. I'm his 3rd home. According to my friend, there are no issues with this bird just that they have no time for him anymore. He's been in my house since Monday. Everytime I pass by him or talking to him he responds by screaming. Normally what I do is walk away until he calms down. Is this the right way to approach this or am I training him to be a screamer? What's the best way to approach this? I understand he's in a new environment. What else can I do to make him feel more comfortable? Also, he allows me to put my hand in his cage to give him a treat? Right now, I'm confused about his screaming because he allows me to get near him with the cage open but when I'm talking to him with the cage door closed he is screaming at me. Thanks in advance.

[Monica]

First, I can only suggest this link
http://www.birdboard.com/forum/thread9659.html

Truthfully, this sounds like a puzzling behavoir. If it's only when the cage door is open, it sounds as if he prefers to have it open. You might try talking to him only when the cage door is open, and try getting him out of the cage gaining his trust and talk to him then. Otherwise, what you are doing sounds right.

[lynden21]

Hi Monica:

Thanks for responding. I read the link you suggested and I started to realize that he's not such a bad screamer. Because he would only do this when he sees me walk in the room and since I ignore him he would usually stop. I don't think he's doing because he's a "bad parrort," i think it's more like he's trying to get my attention. Since he has never seen me before this is probably why he's doing this. Hopefully, with patience and time this would stop. I also left the cage open today and he didn't really come out but instead took a bath in his water container and that kept him quiet for a while. I also noticed that whenever he sees me talking to the other bird he would start screaming. So I definitely think he's trying to get my attention. Also, that link really helped a lot. Thanks again!

[Monica]

I'm glad that it helped! It does sound as if he's screaming for attention or from jealousy!

[QuakerMom43]

Originally Posted by Monica

I'm glad that it helped! It does sound as if he's screaming for attention or from jealousy!

What is the bird you have in your avatar? I ask because I have two of them, and I believe mine to be Cherry headed conures due to the fact the Red totally encircles the head. They are however quite small for Cherry's more Mitred sized, but when researched the cherry's are the only ones with that much red. So give me your take?

I have been a bird person for 30+ years and do parrot rescue. I have been doing this for years. I am a rescue that is for last home/ permentent residence only. I also do wild life management.

[Monica]

She is indeed a cherry head conure! Actually, mitreds are larger than cherry heads. Cherry heads are usually around 12-14 inches long, while mitreds are usually 15-16 inches. However, Noel is only 11 inches, and about 150 grams (where-as most would say they should be around 200... there are other cherrys just as small, and I even saw one that was probably around 130 grams! She was so petite!).

I've only been into birds since 2000, and received Noel from a stranger at the end of 2001 (actually, 3 days before Christmas). The majority of my birds were rehomed to me, and I have only had to rehome one for his own safety. I am no bird rescue, nor a sanctuary of any sorts, but I do truly love all my birds!

[QuakerMom43]

My two Cherry's, (now that you have clearified classification, which is so unclear on the web Cherry vs Mitred) names are Ricky and Lucy. I do not know sexes as I have not done DNA or surgical sexing. I believe them to be same sex, and probably male, but I wouldn't swear by it. They are semi rescues. They were living in a local pet shop, where the owners daughter brought them after the owner died "because they were loud" I find them to be the quietest of my 5 parrots. These are not my first Cherry's, but these two are special. They are both handicapped slightly due to missing toenail on Ricky and broken toe on Lucy. I am assuming they beat each other up as they do not get along well 100% of the time. However seperated they morn to the extent Ricky stops eating.

I am getting ready to add another flock member. A Jenday out of IL, named Daisy. I am very anxious to meet her and begin my work to see if she finds my home an acceptable living arrangement for her to continue out her days. I would never force a bird to live with me that didn't want to. I have never had any complaint though! Actually I have had birds I have critter sat for beg to come back, even act out for their owners. (I spoil them)

Thanks for your input in this thread and the other! Very nice to meet you!

[Monica]

I think we all will love to know more about you! Noel is much the same as Ricky and Lucy, though worse... About 9 years ago, she was attacked by a ferret, and the ferret had pulled out feathers on her stomach, and the back of her head. I don't know where else, though am guessing probably her wings, tail, and maybe even back. She was taken to the vets, but could not pay for the damage that happened to her, and so the owners left her there thinking that she might be put down. The vet, being a caring person, gave her to one of the volunteer workers there (someone that we know, but not very personally), who in turn gave Noel to a friend of hers who had a cockatiel.

Noel and the cockatiel became friends, though the house was very hectic (lots of cats and dogs). Later, the boyfriend left the house, taking the cockatiel with him, which left Noel very lonely. I'm not sure when, though Noel had begun to mutilate herself. Around Christmas time, 2001, the owner came by our house to drop some stuff off for the holidays, and noticed that we had some birds (a few budgies and a cockatiel). She asked if we wanted another bird, and we said sure! Little did we know what we were getting ourselves into! This bird was a screaming, biting, mutilating machine! After 3 years of work, and the help of my trusty cockatiel Casey, we were able to tame Noel down. Casey and Noel are now best friends, and although I'd prefer to keep them separate because of size difference, I don't want Noel going back to mutilating herself again. Noel is actually my quietest bird, except in the morning when she demands fresh food and water! In truth though, I don't know Noel's sex for sure, but could possibly get it done for free with my vet. I just haven't gotten around to taking her in so that we could do this.

It would be great to hear about your other birds, and even some about Daisy! I hope she enjoys your place!

[QuakerMom43]

I am both nervous and anxious about adding one more member. I will try to keep with this forum as it is nice to have finally found someone else who has a cherry to talk to. They are so different then all the other birds and even from each other.

[Monica]

There doesn't seem to be very much information on cherrys out there, but more and more are coming around. When I first started looking for information 4 years ago, I came up more empty handed than I thought. Thankfully though, more people have been contributing information! At first, I was trying to find as much information about all the "x-mas" birds as I could, since there wasn't much on one particular kind. There are some other cherry head owners here as well, but they don't speak up much about particular birds....

Noel is actually so different from all that I have read about cherrys, or conures in general! She enjoys scritches occasionally, loves kisses, loves chewing on soft wood (this includes branches off of trees, and yucca toys... most anything else she ignores! Then I just end up giving away the toys to an unfortunate alexandrian who in time enjoys destroying these toys instead of his feathers). Noel doesn't really play, she can't fly (so remains fully flighted, even while outside), it's literally as if she is unlike her own species (or conures in general) as she is so different!