My new sun conure.

[Nathan]

This is my second day with my new 10 month old sun conure "Starbuck"(Rehome). about 10pm this morning I tryed to take Starbuck out of his the cage. I aproached the cage and tryed to get Starbuck to step up.like I presumed would happen the first time...But after a while Starbuck came out by his self. I fed him sun flower seeds and quickly gained his trust. After a while I tryed to get him to step up, he hestiate with placing his feet on my hand at first, then finally he caught on. so took a hour or two break from him.
When I came back he was still sitting on top of his cage. decided to to try to target train him In about 10 minutes he had it down very well. He was targeting all over the top of the cage. after the short training session I place him on my shoulder and he was letting me pet him and everything I was amazed, Then I put him in his cage .
I came back a long while later and he wouldn't step up. Everytime I put my hand by him to get him to step up he goes to the back of the cage and clamps on. But he will let me feed him and target train him in the cage ..just not step up on my hand? I don't know what to do...Any suggestions?

[ptuga72]

A new home can be hard on a bird. But it sounds like he is a sweet bird and is starting to adjust. It sounds like maybe he was just done for the day, I only do hard core training in 10-20 min spurts. After that my birds sometimes just don't want to do anything I ask them to (not that they ever do ). It sounds like your training and time with him has been really successful, but maybe after all that he just needed to chill. You can definitely interact with your bird without having them on you or doing training or asking him to step up. I know it's frustrating when your bird wont step up for you, but I believe in not forcing the issue. If Jake decides to not step up for me (which is rare) I either get a treat to show him (lets him know what he gets out of it) and try again, or I walk away and respect his space. Keep up the good work, give it some time. I'm sure he'll come around soon.

[Nathan]

Yes, I assumed he might have be done with me for the day, but I had the same problem today. I got him out of the cage by useing the target training method. by the looks of it seems like he just doesn't like to be picked up in his cage. Hopefully after a while he will trust me enough to pick him up from his cage.

[skeetersunconure]

aww i have a sun they are so sweet and cudly when they adjust whenever im in my room moving around he always follows me <3

[YungAndintrigued]

Haha, My sun wanted to be with me all day. He tryed to follow me every where. I placed him on his perch in the family room and he kept trying to fly to me. Thats really not a good idea on his part though sence his flight wings haven't grown all the way back yet.
~This is my new account now I forgot my old password on the account "Nathan" Oh well.

[skeetersunconure]

mine too! he has a fiesty side and a swedet side and never wants to be put away.

[Rue]

Trust comes over time...and birds can be slow going I find.

I have a cockatiel that was an aviary bird. We got her when she was 8 months old. She's quite friendly, will come running over to see me when I talk to her in her cage, will sit on my head when she's out of the cage...but is totally hand shy.

We manage. When it's time to go back in the cage, I kind of 'herd' her into it...she knows what she's supposed to do, and goes in without a big fuss...

My point is...even if you never get your bird to step-up, you can still manage very well ...

[YungAndintrigued]

Not stepping-up all together though, Just stepping-up when hes in the cage. Thats why I thought it was really wierd that he wasn't stepping-up in his cage. I mean When hes out hes a litte ham and always wants to be on my hand and shoulder.

[ptuga72]

there is gcc in the rescue I volunteer with that will not step up, and is very bitey while in his cage, but once he is out, he is sweet as pie. He just prefers to move out of his cage on his own. Jake was occasionally like this too when we got him. Since you've only had him a few days, he may feel more secure being in his cage and be a little nervous when a hand invades it. But it sounds like you two are already building rapport, so it just may be a matter of time.

Rue- our ekkie, Scarlet, does not step up at all and will be ferocious to any hand within reach. But, like you, we manage. We open her door and let her come and go as she pleases. Normally a walnut will get her back inside if she hasn't decided to turn in by bedtime. She actually is a very sweet and smart bird, but with her past, I doubt she'll ever be "hand-friendly".

[Rue]

Cool! It's funny how they get used to their routines.

My daughter used to let her finches out in her room for 'free flight'...and they would head back to their cage too when she began the round-up. They much preferred that to being caught...

Didn't take long for them to catch on to that routine either...