Post by Jeska001 on Oct 3, 2018 12:32:01 GMT -5
I'm new to having a quaker, but not new to birds in general, but I'm having troubles with this guy. He's changed homes a few times. He originally came from a "crazy bird lady" who apparently would just grab him and actually sold him as a "rare" blue mutation of a conure. The folks I bought him from tried to re-home him, but he was aggressive with their female green cheek conure, trying to mate with her and pulling out her feathers. They told me he's less than a year old, but I can't really be sure. He is still kind of small though, so I do believe he's young. I've had him about a month now, and I plan to be his final home.
But, as expected, he's pretty aggressive... I talk to him several times a day and let him out for extended times to get exercise. But I can't put him back in, so I have to wait or try to persuade him back into his cage when I have to leave for work. But I think it's important to let him out, and I thought he'd be less aggressive outside his cage but that's not really working.
Sometimes he seems like there is a sweet bird underneath, when I offer him a food he's never had before (I'm trying to introduce him to veggies) he'll timidly and gently take it from my hand. But if it's like a regular treat like a seed, he'll grab it quick and angry like, " GIMME THAT SEED!!"
I want him to be less aggressive towards my hands. I have pretty good pain tolerance. He's given my hands a few nasty bites. I don't shout or overreact when he bites me. I tell him "no" firmly but not loud to frighten him, but that's where I'm having troubles. See, I'm not sure how to proceed now. Does removing my hand mean he's "won" because he doesn't want my hand near him? Or should I continue, showing him that his bites won't make me go away so he should stop? Or something else? I've tried using a perch instead of my hand to teach him to step up, but for some reason he's terrified of it.
I understand someone like him will need extra patience, and I don't mind that, especially considering he'll be with me a long time. I don't mind if it's Rocky beginnings. But I'm just wondering if anyone has some tricks or suggestions for a guy like mine?
But, as expected, he's pretty aggressive... I talk to him several times a day and let him out for extended times to get exercise. But I can't put him back in, so I have to wait or try to persuade him back into his cage when I have to leave for work. But I think it's important to let him out, and I thought he'd be less aggressive outside his cage but that's not really working.
Sometimes he seems like there is a sweet bird underneath, when I offer him a food he's never had before (I'm trying to introduce him to veggies) he'll timidly and gently take it from my hand. But if it's like a regular treat like a seed, he'll grab it quick and angry like, " GIMME THAT SEED!!"
I want him to be less aggressive towards my hands. I have pretty good pain tolerance. He's given my hands a few nasty bites. I don't shout or overreact when he bites me. I tell him "no" firmly but not loud to frighten him, but that's where I'm having troubles. See, I'm not sure how to proceed now. Does removing my hand mean he's "won" because he doesn't want my hand near him? Or should I continue, showing him that his bites won't make me go away so he should stop? Or something else? I've tried using a perch instead of my hand to teach him to step up, but for some reason he's terrified of it.
I understand someone like him will need extra patience, and I don't mind that, especially considering he'll be with me a long time. I don't mind if it's Rocky beginnings. But I'm just wondering if anyone has some tricks or suggestions for a guy like mine?