Conure advice PLEASE!!

[ChrisB]

I have a Green cheek conure... 2 years old. I have had her since she was 4 months. Spent a great deal of time with her and she loved me... well I recently moved from Texas to Pennsylvania... and she isn't taking the move very well. She wont come out of her cage and if I get near her.. she lunges at me like she is a rabbid wolf or something... this has been going on for almost a month... my fingers cant take much more biting, I am afraid I will have to put her up for adoption if she doesnt change her ways. Any advice on what I can do to get her to relax? Please help!

[becca623]

Have you tried moving her cage to a spot that has some quiet time? Is against a wall or in a corner? Have you covered part of the cage with a blanket so she has more privacy? Is she in the same cage she was in before? Could there be something else in the room scaring her? Have you talked to her about the move and her new home? Have you taken her to an avian vet to make sure that there isn't anything wrong with her health? Health issues can cause changes in behavior.

[Monica]

Even though she is not, you might want to look into books and articles on the second hand parrot. Treat her as if you just got her and have no history on her background... more or less, starting "fresh" with her.

[NotEnoughTime]

Were other things changed on the move? Was her cage changed? Is there anything familiar that she used to cuddle/play with that you can bring out for her to see?

What colour are the walls - how different are they? Are there any objects on the walls that are different in shape? Are you wearing different clothes?

I've found, over the years, that parrots develop paranoias quite easily. My girl, for instance (and for some reason that I am not aware of) is totally afraid of a flying disk called a WaHu... If it is in the room and she can see it then she will *not* come out of her cage. Instead she will hide at the back of her cage and not make any effort to come to the door - heaven help someone who sticks her hand in the cage (I refuse to be bitten - so I don't put my hand in danger if a bird is likely to bite - but my wife doesn't seem to have the same sensibility).

I would attempt to change her environment so that it is back to as normal as possible (similar sized room, familiar paitings on the walls, familiar colours, maybe some old toys in visible areas, and so on). I would *not* put my hand in danger of biting - but I would leave the cage door open and allow her the choice to come in and out of the cage. Maybe with a bit of encouragement (like a favourite treat).

Two years is also the age that some people say a green cheek becomes sexually mature (I've heard anything from 8 months to two years) so you may have a combination issue of hormones plus the move.

My strongest recommendation is to be understanding and patient. She will come around - but let her have her mood swing (even if it lasts a few months).

[RockysMom]

Yeah birds can get upset about very little things that you wouldn't even think about. When you moved did you change her cage around completely? Anytime I have to move something in Rocky's cage, or I take it apart every three months for a good scrubbing I take a pic of the cage and where everything is otherswise he gets really upset! It could be that and just the stress of a move and a whole new place is making her scared. Just like NotEnoughTime said to it could be hormones so with that you kinda have to ride it out. I am dreading when my sun gets to that point I hear they can be hell on wheels! If she doesn't start to come around you might have to start from square one and retrain her, it might not be easy, but it can be done.

[Chicklette]

The move really freaked her out a lot. I would take it from day one and pretend you just got her and treat her that way. Put your hand in the cage slowly with a treat and see if that helps. I know it’s hard to take it when they bite but it does not sound like she likes the new home and is petrified. Arte the toys arranged differently? You may want to think back at how the cage was set up and try to do it the same way. Don’t give up on her, she is frightened and needs you more then ever now. Just work with her and she really does need you now. She is biting out of fear. Boomer used to bit me where I bled like crazy. My arms and hands were scared, bleeding and bruised. He was very abused so he had a reason to bite and boy did it hurt. I gently blew on him when he would bite and that stopped him in his tracks. Now he never ever bites me. I worked REALLY hard with him. You would not believe the change in him only in a month. I did a lot of research on how to deal with abused and neglected birds.