New Sun Conure

[Calico]

I've had lots of experience training lovebirds (and have worked with some budgies and a caique) but I have some questions about my new sun conure. Ambrose is four months old, male, and I got him from his breeder nine days ago.

The lovebirds I've had haven't been all that difficult to train, even though they were rescues and parent-fed. But I'm a little concerned at how much Ambrose dislikes step-up practice. He doesn't really like to be touched (unless I'm feeding him apple at the time) and it took a huge fruit bribe to get him to cautiously climb onto a perch. I took him into the hallway and began a painful process...

Ambrose was desperate to avoid getting on my hand and flapped and somersaulted wildly to avoid me. He also bit me over and over, to which I responded to with a stern "no", the evil eye, and pushing into him, which seemed to surprise him. After about an hour, he finally stepped up, and was rewarded with apple and praise. He was fine actually on my hand, and sat there happily. But when I carried him back to his cage he gave a disgruntled squawk and turned his back on me. Today he won't face me or talk to me, though he did reach out for a piece of corn I gave him.

Anyway, I just wanted to get some input. I may be overreacting, but I've never had a training problem in all my years of birdkeeping, and my conure books say things like "The juvenile bird should enjoy stepping up from its first days at its new home." Well, he isn't enjoying it! Thoughts?

[jenseits]

Well, finally... someone else with a sun conure who's not a perfect little cuddlebug! J/K

It's not that uncommon to hear of sun conures just being stubborn. My Stewie understands perfectly well what "step up" means, but even if I'm attempting to bribe him with a treat he'll often just throw out all sorts of other behaviors instead. ("Hm, I don't want to step up, but what if I try to give her a kiss? She's such a softie, I bet I'll get the treat anyway")

Not sure if I can help much with your particular situation, but I would suggest that you consider teaching him other tricks first, if he's really resistant. Clicker training will teach him that training is fun (and so are you!) and that he can trust you. Maybe once you've earned that trust, he'll step up more willingly.

Clicker training is great because you can start off keeping your distance so he doesn't feel threatened.

Or... it could be that he was just in a bad mood today and that it doesn't mean anything.

Just don't teach him to bite. When you ignore his biting, he learns that he has to bite harder to get his point across. You want him to *want* to work with you, not feel that he has no control over anything.

Post some photos please!

[Calico]

When I tried practicing today it was kind of discouraging. I held apple behind the perch and tried to coax him on, but he just would not cooperate. He saw the apple and really, really wanted it but was so opposed to the perch that he kept circling the cage in a frustrated manner, staring at the apple. I'm starting to get more anxious now, as none of my other birds have been this way with simple training and contact.

((I wish I could post pics, but I'm afraid I have no idea how to get photos from the HP program online.))

[Mark1217]

Hmm got a smart but stubborn conure huh? I love my Sun Conure Hero ive had him for about a month now and i dont know but for some reason he does anything with me and i can put him in any position and he trusts me. I never really went through the awkwardtraining stage... but the whole step up thing usually comes with the bird wanting to come out or to come to see you because he enjoys his time with you. I just recently got a Green Cheek and he was totally afraid of people he didnt want to come out and wasnt step up trained at all but i showed him with my Sun conure how much fun we had and he wanted to come out and play and now he eagerly steps up and is getting allot better at training. Lol idunno if this helped you but you gotta make time fun for the bird so he will want to come out so even if its training they will want to enjoy to learn.

[Markus]

A couple days ago I asked the same question about my sun conure. He's 4 years old.

He's more stubborn than the umbrella cockato or bronze wing pionus I've had in the past. I've had more success in the past couple days. He just doesn't seem to like being on my hand. It's not "his" idea. He'll do the finger ladder about 3 times before running up my arm and sitting on my shoulder.

Yesterday I was sitting back in the recliner with him on me. We played around a bit and I preened atleast a dozen pin feathers. He seems to be going through a mini molt as of the last week or two.

As far as getting him onto my hand, it is usually for some purpose. He dislikes it without a purpose. I'll use the "hand behind" method to get him going. Then once he's on I have to do something with him, or else he'll be on my shoulder fast.

We've also been playing some "gotchyour beak" games when he's in a comfortable setting. This is ususally when he's on his cage. I won't invade his cage to mess with him like that. That way I get used to him grabbing ahold of me, and he gets used to NOT biting me cuz I'm playing with him. So far he's never drawn blood.

They're just like little kids.. if they're frustrated to get something and cant without doing something they dont want to.. then they wont do it and lose interest. So the fun part is finding that breaking point.. and getting them just under the "i dont wanna do it!" attitude. Usually if I push something too hard, I'll get bit.

[xafsmom]

My jenday was like that when I got him home. It took him about a week to really relax, and now at the start of week 3, he's eager to step up and be a part of the fun. Give your sun time to adjust, is all I can say. With Xaf, it was literally night and day with his behaviour in a 24 hour period! Also, make sure he gets a full, uninterrupted sleep at night, I know this was the key for Xaf.

[PowerBBS]

Isn't it just a rush of excitement when you get your fid out, get a training area all setup and even get those treats in hand (that you paid grossly too much for, but where sure your fids would love) and settle down with your fella and gently put your finger by your little fid and say "Step Up!" and they look at you like your some sort of dilutional medication or freak out as if you were going to crush their tiny bones? j/k

First off the flight away from your hand. Sounds like you may want to start to develop some trust between you and your fid before moving onto "step up" training. I've seen and even myself been guilty of rushing into training the fids before they truely trust me. It's let to many of time of me scampering down the hallway or ontop of a curtain to capture my young one again.

Having gone thru that, I learned quickly that I need to "slow down" and let my fid set the pace and not me. I need to be sure that I could successfully approach my fids without them freaking out, before attempting to train them for anything. I learned that if my fid is comming to me on his/her own free will to be with me, it would be much easier to train them to do tricks (ie: Step Up and Step Down). This resulted into me expanding my training schedule to months rather than weeks. I also learning that a treat used as a reward for a trick should never be used as anything else, this way your fid has something unique to look forward to and will perform more predictably.

Time and patience. If you have a bird that flies away from your fingers (flailing) then you should make sure your training area is at "low altitude" so your fid doesn't go crashing to the ground to hard. (If they're running away from you, it's not yet time to start training, as trust is still the problem and should be resolved first.)

In terms of helpful hints on step up training.

• First, try to have your fid at shoulder height for this training session. It's hard for a bird to trust a huge monster standing/towering over him.
• Second, do not approach your fid from the sides or from higher than his own head to step up. Bring your finger to the front of him, about feet hight and then gently raise it to his belly and gently push up saying "step up". If your fid steps away, don't push your attempts too hard on your fid. Repeat your attempts, slowly.
• Third, talk to your bird in a normal voice. Try not to raise or lower the tone. Give them a treat just for trying - make sure your treats are small and can be consume quickly, as a fid will not perform anything until he's finished it. (I use rice crispies)
• Finally, don't expect it to work, or your fid to just remember it all the next day. Expect to have to do it many, many times. Persistance is the key.
• Also don't make your training sessions last much longer than 15 to 20 minutes per session.

You can also try to substitute a wooden perch for your finger, just to get him/her used to being asked to Step Up and Step Down at your will.

Also your fid may become bored with the action and loose interest. They always want to try new things, but it's up to you to teach them in stages. Just be patient.

Good luck... It'll happen just takes time.