New Jenday Conure.. Please HELP

[Sinbad311]

Hi,
I brought my new Jenday home today. He's really lovely.The previous owner told me he was hand-fed and tame and roughtly 9 months old.
I put him in his new cage and wasnt too impressed. After an hour or so he stopped scrambling around the cage and settled on his perch. I began feeding him through the bars and I felt we were being to bond...silly me for thinking that.

As soon as I left the room he screamed (really scared the kids).
He settled again. So after a couple of hours I decided to open the roof of the cage and let him come out in his own time which he did. And I was feeding him apples while he was outside the cage.
But for the life of me he wouldnt go back in. I tried treats, stick(which he ran away from), and by hand, which he tried to bite. I pulled away which I know I shouldnt have done, but its a reflex action. Then after about an hour he just hopped back in himself when he was ready.

So what do I do? Did I run before I could walk? Should I have left him for a day or two in the cage? And the screaming, how can I keep that to a minimum?

Please help,, as I feel getting this parrot wasnt one of my better ideas..( i'm not quitting just worried its not going to work)

Thanks in advance

Simon

[Xen]

You'll never stop a bird from screaming... he'll say what he wants and you'll either deal with it or you wont. Suns, Jendays, Nandays.... they like screaming.

I think an hour with him not wanting to go in.... you got lucky!
If you want him in quicker you'll have to start step up training.

[DarwinTheSun]

Oh dear, sounds like a situation. Jendays are incredibly loud. There is no getting around that. You can "train" them to not scream all the time, but that takes lots of patience (and lots of screaming in the meantime), but they will still scream when they are happy or mad as all healthy birds should.

I will also say that your bird does not know you yet, so that is going to make it difficult to get him to do what you want. He is more than likely very scared of you guys. Did his previous home have kids? If not, then he doesn't know about kids and they can be very leary and bite when approached.

You should probably take him into a small bedroom or bathroom (close the toilet lid) and start interacting with him, so that you can get him back in his cage easier. In betwee doing this, sit with him and read a book in a nice soft voice and pass treats through the bars, so that he starts to associate only good things with you and your kids.

[xafsmom]

I have a Jenday and he's on par with a Sun when he gets going, but he usually only screams a couple of times a day and only for a few minutes. My suggestion is leave him in his cage for a few days, without touching him. Talk to him a bit through the bars, but otherwise, leave him alone.

He will bite at first - he doesn't know you, he's in a strange place, everything is different and scary. But, after a few days of adjusting to it all, he'll settle and his natural curiosity and sociable nature will surface. You just need to be more patient and let him set the pace.

As for his screaming? I know this will sound hard... but ignore it. Pretend it's not happening. Once he gets into the routine of things and is relaxed in your home, the screaming will abate for the majority. But, this is an Aratinga conure.. it WILL make noise. It will make noise loudly. The objective is to offer it enough incentive to only do it here and there, and not all the time. lol

Again, patience will win out here. Don't get excited or loud yourself when he's screaming because as far as he knows, you're just joining him. He doesn't know it's a bad thing at all. Most of all? Don't judge his actions until he's there a week or two, because I guarantee you, this screamy, biting, fleeing bird will be an entirely different animal in 2 weeks.

[Lori~D]

Dont give him treats at all UNTIL he steps up on your hand or a stick. Dont come at him with your hand or stick. Put either away from him and get him to come TO your hand or the stick for the treat then gradually get him to step on your hand (or stick) for the treat. Progress until he is sitting there for a minute before traet. SAY "step up" every time you ask him to step on something.

[Sinbad311]

Thanks for all of your replies. He is used to kids but as you have all said he is getting used to his new home. Fingers crossed he settles in sooner rather than later, because he is really lovely and I really want him to become a part of the family.

Simon