I had a sun conure that I gave away about a year ago, and now I got her back. She is a bit different in the fact that she now bites. The lady I gave her to obviously did not handle her with her hand, so the bird now likes to climb on my shoulder and stay there all day if I let her, but will not let me offer my hand and stay 'step up' like she did from the time she was a baby (while I had her). I had her for the first 8 years of her life!
Anyhow, she is a biter now. The first thing I did was take power away from her by clipping her wings. Don't worry, I only clipped them enough so she cannot fly UP...but can still fly 10 feet to land.
Does anyone have any suggestions about the biting issue?
Well, you did not make things better by clipping her. If anything, you made them worse. Birds that feel vulnerable (and there is nothing that puts a bird more at a disadvantage than not been able to take off when danger is perceived) are not happy birds and birds that are not happy will bite or pluck or scream or whatever other dysfunctional behavior that particular bird uses to indicate its unhappiness.
Patience and lots of love is the only way to go. And for that, you need to re-establish a relationship of trust (something you damaged quite badly by giving her away and clipping her when you got her back) so I would suggest you take your time and don't try to make her change back to what she was a year ago in a couple of days. If she was bonded to you before, you essentially betrayed her (I am not judging you here, I am telling you what she feels) when you gave her away and, most likely, that's the reason why she is biting you now: she simply does not trust you any longer. Not her fault, poor thing, they are not wired for abandonment, social birds live their entire life surrounded by their family and they simply are not equiped to deal with separation from their loved ones because it doesn't happen in nature. Try to see things from her point of view and not a practical and human one. They don't understand things they way we do and it's hard for them to be passed around from one hand to another. They are not like dogs, cats or horses, these are undomesticated species and they react according to their instincts. So give her some space and give her some time and treat her as you would like to be treated and she will turn around.
when I gave her away, I did so because I was never ever home and couldn't give her attention, where the lady I gave her to could and did. She was happy with her. Problem lies with the fact that the lady I gave her to is now sick and the bird was moved a month ago to someone else's house. I rescued her from there and am keeping her now. I know it'll take time, but the bird isn't mad at anyone else in the family. She still loves my boyfriend and my daughter. I was told to clip her wings to show dominance, but more importantly, to keep her from flying away. I have children who leave the front door open. I don't have another room for her to be in either, unless she likes the den that has no windows. I hope she comes around for me. I know I have to be patient, but I would like to know what I can do to gain her trust back. There's really no purpose in looking into the past at what I could have done or should have done. I have her now, and she is loved by the entire family...so I need to now focus on what I can do now to move forward with her.
I also have an eclectus, so maybe he will help her warm up to me. She seems to get jealous when I hold him.
Like I said before, I am not judging you, I am just explaining that, for a bird, abandonment by a loved one is not something they get over right away. It's one thing to re-encounter members of the flock (your daughter, boyfriend, etc) after been separated from them but it's another altogether to forgive a mate for abandoning her and, if she was deeply bonded to you, that's how she regarded you. And, if she bonded with the other lady and now lost her, too, that would make it even worse. These birds are not meant to be passed around from one hand to another even when it's absolutely necessary from our point of view (and it's, more often than not, the case with these birds). They are just not mentally 'programmed' to understand it, that's why they should not be humans pets. We can't really fulfill their needs, physical or emotional. In time, she will forgive you but she won't forget. Parrots have long, long memories. It will just take time.
As to clipping for safety, there is no such thing. We know now this never actually worked, lots of clipped bird get lost (and die because they are clipped and cannot fly away from danger). A proper clip needs to allow a bird horizontal flight and gliding and that's all a bird needs to get out a door or window. A clip that does not allow for this is dangerous because a bird can get hurt falling to the floor like a rock. Fully flighted birds are usually found alive (and, if taught recall, they don't get really lost -two of mine got out the window after chewing through a screen and came to me when I called them even though they were up in the trees and flying around like maniacs having the time of their lives -LOL). Clipped birds are hardly ever found. They can't make it out there without flight.
Last edited by Beatriz Cazeneuve; 10-09-2008 at 08:03 PM.
Lynnru, I also have a bitey peachfronted conure-I "rescued" him from a petstore-after being there over 2 years he appeared to be losing his mind, I watched him go from a sweet engaging little youngster to a cagebar attacking tyrant that nobody, including employees, wanted anything to do with. I decided to bring him home and give a chance for a safe serene existence, even though I wasn't sure he could trust again.
I am making progress using the DVD by GoodBird, INC by Barbara Heinrich. She uses positive reinforcement, along with clicker training or you can use your voice if you like. Poco was unclipped for the first year he's been here and IMO he's just gotten worse, he flies at my other birds and attacks them he is so jealous, because of this he is the only bird that cannot be allowed out of cage with anyone else. He also flies at me, he insists on being on my shoulder and if I try to get him off he attacks my hands-I have scars.
I have clipped him now and he is MUCH better. I can keep him on a training stand. I can also let him out on one of the many magnificent playgyms I have without fear he will attack anyone.
My biggest success with Poco is offering a treat, with Poco its almonds, with my left hand and making him step on or over my right hand to get it. Barbara does a great job showing this in her DVD. It takes alot of patience because when Poco tries the least little bit to bite, I pull away and start over, then he does it correctly, use the clicker or say "GOOD BIRD" and give a treat. Little by little Poco will step on the "bad" hand.
We've still got a long way to go but I'm hopeful. I think you can do it also.
I'm sorry you were made to feel badly about rehoming your little guy. I can tell you love your little fid and want the best for him. Personally I wouldn't hesitate to rehome a bird if I felt I couldn't do the best for him and someone else could, I'm sorry it didn't turn out the best in your case.
I have 3 rehomed birds and they are FANTASTIC!!! I don't believe they have any issues with trust at all, they don't mourn their previous owners, but I'm sure they would remember them if they walked through the door. I only take in rehomes and rescues now.
Conure biting - help!
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