Just got a new sun conure

[jenseits]

Hello everyone. I brought a cute little sun conure home from the animal shelter last week. He's going to the vet for a checkup next week. I have no idea how old "he" is or what kind of life he had before he was at the shelter.

He seems fairly well adjusted but won't have anything to do with my fingers unless there's a treat in them or he's forced to climb onto my fingers to reach a treat. Once, and only once, he did some step ups after I pulled him out of a plant, but in any other case he bites my fingers when I try to get him to step up from inside his cage (tho' usually he doesn't bite very hard). That's the only physical interaction we have had so far, even though it seems pretty certain that his previous owner must have handled him.

He'll come stand in the door when it's open, but he doesn't particularly like coming out of the cage (he's only done it twice). The little guy also doesn't really seem to know how to play with toys.

He's also not convinced that that weird stuff I put into his food bowl (veggies) is actually food, but at least I got him picking through the fresh food to get at the pellets (as opposed to only eating seeds when he had a choice). I suspect he's a little pudgy.

In addition, he has a bunch of pin feathers coming in all around his head, but since he won't let me touch him, I can't help with those.

And of course, like any sun conure, he screams bloody murder.

Besides my worry that he's a bit of a chunky bird, I also think it's odd that he insists on going to bed so early. (He has a Happy Hut he loves and climbs in right at sunset... which is several hours before my bedtime.)

So, that's basically the run down on my little guy. Anything I need to think/worry about before we take our inaugural trip to the vet?

Thanks in advance!

[2horse]

Thanks for getting a birdie from the shelter. He sounds quite fine that he wants to go to bed early, it is not early for him. Birds go to bed at sundown and wake at sunrise. He will come out the cage when he realizes it is ok to do, he is a bit shy right now. You are doing the right thing to change his food slowly. Congrats on your new sunnie.

[chucky]

WOOOHOOOOOOOOOO great job on the adoption/rescue Its sounds as tho he being stuborn on the veggies cause he prolly never got much when he was young.Most birds take to veggies and fruits when young but can be shown that in fact its good and a snack aswell!!So just keep it up the fact that your given it to him and keep offering the key is to NEVER give up on trying new things.And he's prolly being a little more nippy now that he has pin feathers coming in as that obviously hurts them but if he wont let you rub them then i guess you cant help him much,the easiest thing to do is to give him baths cause we know they love those and he'll happily take one.On the pellets keep it up on adding it to his food and eventually eating only pellets along with fruits/veggies and all the other foods they love!Hope it goes great

[jenseits]

I've read that the first two weeks in a new home are critical to setting behavioral expectations. Given that he doesn't come out of his cage on his own, should I attempt to take him out and work on training. Or should I leave him alone and let him get adjusted at his own pace.

[2horse]

See if you can ask him to come out by bribing with food or stepping onto a stick. Leave his door open. He will probably come out for a dish of seed.

[CrazyforCockatiels]

Congratulations on your new guy! Did you choose a name yet?

[jenseits]

I named him Stewie. You can see a picture of him here: Picture of Stewie!

And he came out of his cage this morning, after a lot of coaxing. But he wasn't having any of that "step up" business. No way, nuh uh.

[Ginich]

He is quite adorable and you sound like you are on the right track!

[CrazyforCockatiels]

Stewie McSkittles! I LOVE it! He is gorgeous. He looks like a little charmer/character.

[marwa]

Congradulation on your new fid .. I'm happy for ya .. he's cute ...!