Chicken's Godbird

[Ashley_ChickensGodmom]

Monday night, Bonnie and I set out to bring a little Sun Conure named Echo to my home. I had e-mailed and spoke with Echo's now-former owner, who just earlier that day had gotten rid of a green cheek conure before asking if I was interested in Echo. Seems she had three birds (the green cheek and two Suns) and only planned on keeping one of the Suns because having all the animals was getting too expensive to feed.

I had to ask all the important questions, like sex, age, what was being fed, flight status, the owner's ideas on temperament. The lack of the owner questioning my knowledge/experience with birds concerned me and Bonnie, so we were a little worried what kind of shape this bird would come to me in.

Much to our joy and surprise, little Echo seemed in good shape. Perfect feather, was quite vocal about all the changes going on. They brought him (I call Echo him out of habit because Chicken is male, but he has not been sexed) in a 20x20x25 cage that we folded down seats in the Blazer to put him up near our seats and the heater on the way home.

His first night with me began late Monday night, and my younger brother was there to help with putting up the cage (which I'm sure was boring because all it had was two plastic bowls, some wal-mart toys and a perch Chicken would be steady on.) He seemed nervous but also very interested in me, Bonnie and my brother.

I suppose I would just like everyone's ideas on how to spend these first few weeks with him. When my husband lets him out, he will find his way to me if he hears me. My husband and I are the only two (humans) who live in our house, but my brother does tend to visit frequently and my friend Matt is there often for breakfast or the weekend. So those are the people I would worry about him being most comfortable around. Echo will get to know Bonnie when we go to visit after his quarantine time at my house.

It's only his third day here, and he seems very fearful of stepping up onto hands so long as he has a shoulder. A Patagonian Conure I met a few weeks ago was the same way. He uses his beak to step up most of the time when he comes out of the cage. If you try to get him to step up from a shoulder he gets pretty nippy. He had lunch with me today and didn't much appreciate my hand bringing food to my mouth.

He is flighted at the moment, but that will be taken care of either at his first vet visit or by me and Bonnie teaming up on him.

Would it be bad of me to let him stay in his cage while we are just around him, instead of letting him out for long periods of time? Since yesterday he has gotten a little more familiar of my husband (Who put all the new perches and toys we got in his cage for him) and is a little nicer when perched on his shoulder than he was yesterday.

Just wanting to know everyone's ideas on what would be appropriate and not too mean while letting him settle here in our home.

[Chrissy and Flock]

Ashley I have a sun conure, don't expect the getting off the shoulder to get any easier once there they like to stay. Also Sunny always uses his beak before stepping up. I would clip the wings very soon if you can, suns can interact with many people and still prefer just one. I have found that mine is very nervous of small children. Oh and you might want to buy some ear plugs. :haha: Not only are the loud they are fairly constant. :(

[birdie]

I have 2 conures, a sun & a nanday. They're both nippy & both lead with their beak to step up. Both also prefer to sit on my shoulder, neither likes company & the sun will attack if she's left out of her cage. No need to worry about needing help, my sun LOVES to help do whatever she can and remember if you want new bath towels~ birdie help is a must! :rofl:
Leaving your new bird in it's cage for a few days to get use to his new environment isn't a bad thing. There's alot of new things for them to see and understand and their cage makes them feel safe. Sit beside Echo and read a story or read the newspaper out loud, take him out as he will allow.
OH! and congrats on the new addition.

[Ashley_ChickensGodmom]

Should I just plan on letting him stay till we're near the cage and be prepared to pick him up to put him back? That always gets me a little bite but he's actually gotten somewhat used to being grasped. What Echo doesn't know is I've been Chicken bit, and other than the fact his beak is a little too long and somewhat pointy, I'm not scared of it. But ear plugs while he's on the shoulder is a good idea...after sitting with Chicken many occasions his loudest while in the cage still seems like music...lol! But not so much if he gets excited or scared near my ear.

We are talking about trying to clip his wings later tonight or later this week, but it just depends on how he takes to us doing that. I don't know that he's ever been clipped at all. He's only a year and a half so there's a good chance this will be a learning experience for him as well.

[Chrissy and Flock]

Ashley I wrap my little guy in a towel and just open one wing at a time and clip, that keeps me from being bit. Also if I have to pick him up for any reason and he wont step up I always use a towel to do that too. Dont let that little beak fool you it can make you bleed quite badly too. I can attest to that Sunny bit my husbands best friend one day. Took a while to stop the bleeding.

[Patty, Linus and Co.]

"What Echo doesn't know is I've been Chicken bit, and other than the fact his beak is a little too long and somewhat pointy, I'm not scared of it."

Those little guys can deliver one heck of a bite. There's a lot more power in those little jaws than one would think. Don't take it for granted.

[Dot]

Please don't put a scared bird on your shoulder. I speak from experience.

[Ashley_ChickensGodmom]

Oh don't get me wrong, when he really tries to hurt it does. It just doesn't phase me near as much as he expects it to. My husband was fairly expectant and borrowed a good handful of band aids from work. Though nothing he's done so far has warranted one.

Bonnie suggested we let the vet clip his wings, in case it is his first time and he finds it fairly traumatizing. Rather he hate the vet than me or Bonnie.

My shoulder is the one place he feels safe out of his cage. I'm working on him setting on my leg or staying down on my arm more. From having lunch with him today, seems that if something really startles him he hovers away till whatever was scaring him is gone, then lands.

Tonight things went really well. Minimal biting, and after an adorable cuddling session on my leg, he wasn't so nippy to step up from my arm. He and Jason got a long really well, too.

I appreciate everyones comments. It's great to have a community where just about every question I have can be answered.

Oh, and Chicken was totally letting me swing him really good earlier tonight. It just makes my day when he does that. Echo did a little for me, like hanging from my hand with one foot and letting me set him on his back. Too cute.

[Chrissy and Flock]

Don't be at all surprised if he does this. :haha:

http://www.happybirdy.com/mainforum_happybirdy_com/showthread.php?t=544

[CrystalinNC]

I have a green cheek conure, and he would also nip when I tried to get him off of my shoulder...he's also learned to run around to the back, and lay really flat so that I can't get my finger under him for a step up.
As for the beak...well, if he hasn't drawn blood, then he's not trying to hurt you, but warn you. However, do NOT tolerate even that. Make sure that each time he nips you, you tell him no...I place my finger on my green cheeks beak, and say no. No pressure or anything, just lay my finger on the tip of his beak, give him a stern look and say, "No bite."
Then he gets scritches! He went from nipping everytime I handled him to almost never now.
As for him getting used to you, it sounds as if you're doing a wonderful job just having him out and hanging out with you guys. I would also say not to let him on your shoulder until you've gotten the nipping under control.
Sounds like you actually have yourself a sweet guy there, since he's not really trying to hurt you at this point... I would love to see some pictures! =)

[EasySpirit]

Small birds, such as green cheeks, I have let be on my shoulder. Green cheeks don't attack at a face like a too might. Most cases they would rather flee. Small birds find some sense of security on a shoulder. They can hide under collars, inside shirts or under hair. Their bite is not a mutilating typ bite. they can be quite nippy so handling routinely helps with their manners. got the one that hides in the middle of the back, I have a plan. I put a open front type shirt over my regular tshirt. When the bird gets into the spot you can't reach just take the shirt off with them wrapped up in it. It surprises the bird, does not hurt, you can ooh and aww and ask them what happened. They will find it far better to step up than get wrapped up.

Conures are cutties and love them (almost got a fiery shoulder from Don but got Tony instead). As I sit here writing Jane, gcc, is laying on my chest with part of my shirt folded over to cover her. She can be shy and just loves hiding under things. She can still peak out and see me. This is a sweet gcc and has never bitten anyone. I have several other birds out and this is one way for her to by out, secure, interacting with me and the other birds are role models as how nice it is to interact with me.

Just a few thoughts for the morning

Me:hihihi:

[Ashley_ChickensGodmom]

I promise, I have pictures coming soon, and even a video from Easter when I first caught Echo bathing in the water dish! Figured I'd post a quick update, and apologize for my absence. Between work, school, Rock Band and parronthood, I'm trying to find more computer time when I'm not at work, but since we were a little slow today, I had to stop by.

All I can say is things are going really good. Not that I know a lot of birds, but Chicken is the most well behaved bird I know, and I'm working on moving Echo towards that. He's become very affectionate with me, and we both look forward to the scritches where he makes the most adorable little noises for me. He's doing really good with moving between members of my family but if given the chance he will come back to his momma.

About a week after getting him, I took him to the vet for his well-birdy check. The vet also clipped his wings, like Bonnie showed me with chicken, where there are 4 flights left on the tip. I suppose it's part of having a lighter bird, but even with just the 4 feathers, he can get a pretty good lift indoors and move himself if he wants too. So those of you with clipped Suns, how exactly do you do it? Do they still get around if they really want? Should I do something different?

I've been offering a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, but he's been fairly reluctant to try. Last night though, I got him to chew on a piece of cantaloupe for a while. I've ready many posts and like everyone else, I'll just keep offering and trying to tell him what a tasty food it is. After class tonight, I'll try to get links to those pics up and that video. Everyone take care!

[Chrissy and Flock]

Ashley my suns wings are clipped and doesn't even try to fly ... why should he momma will take him where ever he wants to go... keep trying with fruits and veggies... my guy will at least try them ... he may not eat much but I have found if he thinks its my food not his then he wants it....

[EasySpirit]

Ashley my suns wings are clipped and doesn't even try to fly ... why should he momma will take him where ever he wants to go... keep trying with fruits and veggies... my guy will at least try them ... he may not eat much but I have found if he thinks its my food not his then he wants it....


Boy Chrissy, you hit on a couple of good topics.

Food. You mentioned your birds want it if you eat it. Since birds are not with their parents or raised with a flock we become their role model. In the wild birds will learn what is and is not good for them. They learn different foods throughout the seasons. They live with us so they also learn from us. And like Chrissy said, if she eats it they want it as she has just shown them it is safe to eat. Now this is not 100% and they will have preferences but over time they can learn to eat other food.

Regarding transportation...that is what we become...the taxi cab for our birds. If their wings are clipped they like us to transport them. Now I also need to remind everyone that birds with clipped wings can fly and it occurs when we least expect it and they might get out and lost. There are a number of people that I know that have lost birds this way. I get emails from a 911 site for lost birds. Clipped wings also grow out. Make sure your clip is up to date. Next, besides step up teach a bird to step down from a high place. should they get out they take to the hi road as that is the safer place for them. Birds who are not familiar frequently don't know how to come down. Gd training is to teach them to come down from a variety of places.

Thanks for bringing up the different subjects Chrissy

[Evelyn]

What a great idea!

I have on that does that. I'm going to try it.

Evelyn

[Chrissy and Flock]

AngelBaby can fly across a 24' room and her wings are clipped of course she takes flight off of her play gym.... the others dont try ... they can however glide to the floor if they have to for any reason...

[Ashley_ChickensGodmom]

That's what Chicken does pretty much...falls gracefully to the floor if he wants down! That's what I wanted for Echo. For example, I was just printing a picture of him to draw at class tonight. He didn't like the printer sounds, so he flew to his cage, only about 5 feet away. Printer stopped, mom didn't come get him, so he came back on his own!

I got him to try the cantaloupe by eating several pieces in front of him, and talking up about how good it was. When I offered him a piece to taste near my mouth, he licked it over really good, then I finished that piece for him. Offered his own little piece, and he wanted it. He's turned his beak at everything else so far, but we're working on it. He almost likes string cheese, but not quite!

I'm way excited about his cage. I just ordered it today, so I have to wait a bit, but still. Looking forward to all that room for him and his toys!

[Chrissy and Flock]

Does he have a happy hut... Sunny loves his thats where he sleeps every night ....and he plays peek a boo from it now ... we just started that one...

[Ashley_ChickensGodmom]

I did order him a happy hut with the first round of stuffs from Kings, and he really enjoyed sitting ON TOP of it...lol. He's a little afraid to go inside. Sadly, it's too big for his current cage but his big one shipped today! :yeah: So I'm looking forward to getting that little tent in there.

[Chrissy and Flock]

Ashley when I first got Sunny I made him a hammock to sleep in till I could find a happy hut (I ended up making him one) he really seemed to like that also... all I did was get a washcloth and make holes in the corner put toy hanging thingys (the name escapes me right now duh) any way he slept in it for a couple of weeks...