Conure Beaking Me

[MrsKahle6868]

Hey guys,

After months of research my family and I decided to adopt a GCC and yesterday we brought a 2 year old male named Sam into our home. His old owner fed him a seed mix and had him in a small cage with only dowl perches and a happy hut and didn’t take him out very often. He is currently in a large flight cage without the happy hut and I’m transitioning his food over to a higher quality seed mix without peanuts/sunflowers seeds and have some Rowdybush pellets coming (they were back ordered and the shipment was delayed). He is very friendly and doesn’t mind being handled but I’ve noticed he likes to beak my hand and fingers and I’m not sure if this behavior is something I can curb or just normal. He will preen my fingers and hands and then wrap his beak around my fingers and clamp down. It isn’t painful but is uncomfortable and so far I haven’t been reacting because I don’t want to scare him and cause him to bite. Am I taking things too fast? Should I let him settle in for a few days before handling him? I’ve read mixed suggestions about how to properly bring a new bird home. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thank you❤️

[Dragonlady2]

Congrats on your GCC. Conures can be a bit beaky anyway. The fact that Sam has transitioned to your hand so quickly is a good sign. Find a small foot toy that you can hold in the same hand that Sam is on and see if you can redirect him with putting the toy in his beak instead of your finger. Distraction is your best plan right now. Could be a toy, putting him on a play station or getting him focused on something else. Great job not reacting as this may encourage him to bite more or harder.

[MrsKahle6868]

Congrats on your GCC. Conures can be a bit beaky anyway. The fact that Sam has transitioned to your hand so quickly is a good sign. Find a small foot toy that you can hold in the same hand that Sam is on and see if you can redirect him with putting the toy in his beak instead of your finger. Distraction is your best plan right now. Could be a toy, putting him on a play station or getting him focused on something else. Great job not reacting as this may encourage him to bite more or harder.

I’ve been trying to slowly move my hand and say no calmly to direct his attention but I will try a foot toy. Another thing I’m having an issue with is getting him to step down or off of me onto anything else. If I let him play on his playtop he will fly to me and then refuse to step off. I’ve been rewarding him when he does step off but it seems I have to put my arm in the cage and try a bunch of times before we will step off. I’m not sure how to encourage him to step off without forcing him into the cage?

[Dragonlady2]

It sounds like Sam doesn’t know how to entertain himself? I have baskets and bowls filled with coloured baking cups, spoons, pieces of wood, shredding materials, etc. Try placing him where you want with a bowl or basket of toys and a treat or two and see if he will spend time exploring. It may take a few tries to see what he likes. Maybe have four or five different bowls or baskets to provide variety.

[MrsKahle6868]

It sounds like Sam doesn’t know how to entertain himself? I have baskets and bowls filled with coloured baking cups, spoons, pieces of wood, shredding materials, etc. Try placing him where you want with a bowl or basket of toys and a treat or two and see if he will spend time exploring. It may take a few tries to see what he likes. Maybe have four or five different bowls or baskets to provide variety.

That is a great idea! I have tons of different toys and perches in his cage but his old cage had a sleeping hut that he loved. I removed it because I found horror stories online of birds dying from them so I removed it. I did cover the back and the sides of his cage with a light blanket and he has come out of his shell a little more. He is playing with a ball on the floor of his cage and took a bath in a shallow bowl I put on the floor of his cage. I also think I have been handling him too much too soon. I’m going to let him settle in for a few days while talking to him through the cage and then try to handle him again to see if he is more willing to return once he is more comfortable. Thank you for your help.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Casper has pieces of fleece material tied by his sleep perches for him to cozy up to. They are against the bars of the cage and he sort of leans on them.