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FAQ - Behavior

Our FAQ pages provide a list of questions that are frequently posted on our message board. The answer is a summary of the best advice given in response to the question by our members.

It is recommended that you consult a variety of experts and resources in order to make an informed decision regarding the care of your conure.

My new conure is shy. How can I get him to like me?

Give him the time and space to adjust to his new home and be patient with him.

Place his cage in a part of your house where he can be part of the daily activities of your home, yet still have some privacy. Drape a small towel over a corner of cage to create a private space to where he can retreat if he's nervous. Let him watch you for a few days and don't push if he doesn't want to engage with you.

Win his trust by talking sweetly and calmly to him. Approach his cage slowly and keep your eyes down - staring at a parrot can be perceived as a threat by the bird.

Sit next to him and read or watch TV. Find out what his favorite foods are and reward him with healthy treats when he's friendly.

When he's been in your home for awhile and is comfortable coming out of his cage (the length of time is less important than his comfort level), you can start engaging him more directly. Training him to step up on your hand or on a stick is the first skill you'll want to train.

The important thing is not to rush him. Consider him a new "child" in your home...he's in a new, unfamiliar home and is a bit scared and unsure of the surroundings. Keep your interactions short and positive for now and give him some time to adjust.

My conure jerks his head up and down repeatedly. Is this normal behavior or is he having a seizure?

If he's doing this when he's interacting with you or a toy or a mirror, it could simply be that he's regurgitating as a sign of affection. Most parrots do this and they start it quite young. It can be quite an active and violent-looking activity.

But if he's not doing much of anything and he suddenly starts shaking it could be a symptom of illness. In that case, it would be advisable to call your avian vet and ask about any new behavior.

How can I train my conure to step up?

Most handfed birds obtained from good breeders know the step up command but some do not. It's possible that your new bird does not understand what you're asking him to do. You should ascertain first if this is the case.

If your bird does not know the step up command, you can train him quite easily to step up. First off, he must not be afraid of your hands. If he is afraid of your hands, you will need to get him to accept having your hand near him first.

You should use positive reinforcement (rewards) when training your bird. Figure out what his most favorite treat is and use that exclusively when you are training. When the bird does something that you want him to do, give him the treat, or a small bit of the treat.

The following link gives good basic instruction on how to train the step up command: Teaching a Pet Parrot to Step Up

My conure has started to bite and attack my kids. He has just learned to fly. What can I do?

If the kids are hollering "ouch" or screaming when he bites, this may be rewarding his behavior and encouraging him to bite. They like the noise and excitement it creates. If he bites, give him a stern look and tell him no bite and then put him back on his play gym or floor if it is safe or his cage and ignore him for a few minutes. Then go back to him and praise him for good behavior and reprimand him for bad behavior. If he is on your hand and tries to bite, wobble your hand slightly to unbalance him (he should release the bite) and tell him sternly "no bite". If he continues, give him a time out. They are very smart birds and will associate the time out for bad behavior and the encouragement and praise for good behavior.

Encourage the kids to sit by his cage and talk to him gently or perhaps sing to him, etc. so that maybe he will get used to them. Take it slowly but if he is biting do not allow him on their shoulders.

You may want to consider a light wing trim to slow him down. Don't trim his wings drastically, but just enough that he can't gain speed and altitude as quickly.

Keep in mind that a young bird may just be going through his "beaking stage" and what you interpret as a bite may just be his way of learning about his world - by reaching out with his beak and grasping and biting down on new objects.

With a little patience you should be able to work through this period.