How to train a 7 month old green cheek conure?

[Harry Muscle]

Hi, my wife and I brought home a 7 month old green cheek conure last week, however, he needs lots of training and we've never had birds before, so there's been quite a bit of nerviousness on both sides.

First off I should say that at the store were we got him he was pretty calm and relaxed. My wife got to pet him for a good 15 minutes on two different occasions. He didn't really know the step up command, but would do it on occasion. He did take a couple of nibbles out of me at the store but I think that time it was more of an exploring thing.

We brought him home Saturday. On Sunday we though we'd see if he'd like to come out ... boy was that a disastorious day for everyone. I got bitten really good (he hanged on, and on, and on). He also fluttered down under the table, which made both of us panic and go chasing him ... all in all, he freaked us out, and we freaked him out. By the end of the day we realized we were pushing things along way to quickly.

So we gave him a couple more days to settle in, giving him treats thru the bars that he enjoys. He seems to like our company cause whenever we're close to the cage he flies (sort of a strong jump with some wing action happening) to the side of the cage that's closest to us.

Yesterday we though we'd give it another try. I opened one of the cage doors (it's a flip down door so he can stand on the door). He climbed out and got as close to us as possible, started preening himself and just looked happy.

However, as soon as my hand get's close for a step up, he tries to bite it. I don't know how hard cause I didn't give him a chance. He eventually got brave and fluttered down to the floor. From there, he steps up no problem. Once he was on my hand I petted him a little and I thought I should start teaching him step up. But of course, he bites, and he bites hard. So after three bites and one or two successful step ups I took him close to the cage and he jumped right back onto the door he was on before. Btw, when he bites I do that earthquake thing which works for a moment, but he still bit me three times.

I also tried to get him to step up onto a perch from the cage, but he runs away from anything resembling a stick/perch coming close to the cage.

So I'm sort of at a loss. What should I be doing. If I continue trying to get him out of the cage, he's going to continue trying to bite me, which means he'll get an earthquake, which means he'll probably associated coming out with earthquakes and not want to come out even more.

Thanks,
Harry

[Monica]

It might be easier to let him come out. When he comes out, offer your hand and a treat behind your hand. He would have to get on your hand to get the treat.

If and when he bites, either ignore it, and tell him "No bite" firmly, or when he bites try putting him on the floor and walking away. If you can get him in another room away from the cage this would be better and you'd be able to work with him without him wanting to get back to his cage.

Try to take things slow and easy, let him settle down and try and do things on his terms.

[svolk]

Welcome Harry! I'm still fairly new to birds myself so sometimes I feel unqualified to give advice, but someone will correct me if I mis-speak.

It sounds like you did try to rush things a bit at first, and it is good that you gave him some time to settle in over the past few days. He is still probably settling in and getting used to you and your routine.

About the biting, you should try your hardest to not show a reaction when he bites - sometimes it may hurt like hell, but try not to pull your hand away or yell or anything. If you don't react, you will be teaching your bird that biting will not get him what he wants.

Are his wings clipped? This may be helpful during this training period if he is out of the cage and gets to where you can't get to him.

Spend time letting him get used to you - read to him, sing to him, keep giving treats, let him know that you = fun to be around.

Good luck, we'd like to see pictures if you have any!

[Harry Muscle]

Originally Posted by Monica

It might be easier to let him come out. When he comes out, offer your hand and a treat behind your hand. He would have to get on your hand to get the treat.

If and when he bites, either ignore it, and tell him "No bite" firmly, or when he bites try putting him on the floor and walking away. If you can get him in another room away from the cage this would be better and you'd be able to work with him without him wanting to get back to his cage.

Try to take things slow and easy, let him settle down and try and do things on his terms.

I tried the food thing, however, as soon as the treat is out of reach he decides to ignore it and go for my fingers.

I'm gonna try covering my hand with a towel (to ease the pain), cause I read apparently those don't scare them unlike gloves. I guess I'll find out soon.

Thanks,
Harry

[Monica]

It depends on the birds... some birds are fine with gloves but hate bare hands, while others are the opposite! Anything new to them can scare them, so if you'd like to, go a head and try out a glove! Just don't get ones for the garden or for construction... look for ones you can easily move your fingers in, and they are not too thick nor too thin.

[Glenn]

Hi Harry.
Welcome on board. 2 things I fould helped with my Ringneck (I have a 4 month old GCC, but no biting problems there yet) whan he went through his nippy stage were -
1. I covered my hand with a small towel. Othello has had a thing were he didn't like stepping onto skin. I'f I was wearing a long sleeve shirt that's fine and he'd step straight onto the sleeve, but if I was wearing a tee-shirt or tank top then he used to try to stretch out as far as he possibly could to get onto the clothing for a ste-up, preferring that rather than stepping onto bare skin. (He's over it now & steps onto skin without a problem).
2. When/if you do get a bite, I always found that if works if you push your finger "into" the bite. That means that when he grabs your finger or your hand then you push it towards his beak, that makes the bird unbalance backwards, it's harder for him to "hang on" so he lets go... and it hurts a lot more if you're trying to pull "away" from a bite (that's when you start losing chunks of skin), also if you're pushing into the beak then they can't close their mouth properly.
I did this during Othello's nippy stage & he stopped trying to bite straight away. I'll be doing it again when/if Horatio starts his nippy stage too...

Hope it helps for you.