How to get a nipping sun conure to step up?

[i fly]

Hi im new here! well i just got a new sun conure named mango yesterday. he is 4 months old and soenst know how to step-up. the problem is, he nips and occasionally bites! if i offer my finger/hand in ANY way, he will just go on to nipping it. im getting really frustrated but will ot give up or get impaciente! he also HATES being pet or picked up. Yup! my dad has to force him to be picked up. we do it gently but we have no other option. what can we do? thnx

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Read the basic taming thread that's a sticky on this forum. I'd actually stop forcing him to be picked up, unless there is some dire safety-related reason he needs to be held. Forcing him to do stuff he doesn't want to is likely to make him distrustful -- you want him to think it is a fun/positive thing to step up and be held. So use treats to reinforce the behavior you want, and go plenty slow... your bird has a long lifespan and rome wasn't built in a day.

How was he handled before you got him? Did you get him from a breeder or a pet store? Do you know if he was hand raised?

[Jenny]

take a look at the posts from Michael in the thread below, or do a search on this forum for biting or stepping up

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3512&p=22088&hilit=stepping+up+training#p22088

[i fly]

the woman who owned him before is moving so she posted an ad and we took him. he is my first bird. he would let the woman handle him without a problem. he is hand fed and tamed

[i fly]

some people blow on there face. is this a good way or not? thnx

[Michael]

some people blow on there face. is this a good way or not? thnx

No.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

He is probably biting because he is a little afraid and has no real reason to trust you. Punishing him for biting under those circumstances would just make him that much less interested in being with you. IMO you need to woo him, not dominate him. Make him WANT to be with you because it is way more fun than being in his cage. And give him time to settle in before you expect too much.

[i fly]

would u use a glove?

[i fly]

Okay, can somebody tell me what to do exactly. lets pretend to start all over. he just arrived. its day one what should i do? he bites you if you come near him. he accepts food. what would you do? should i let him out of the cage? what exactly? thnc

[Jenny]

here is the sticky that entranced mentioned that is also one of the top 2 topics under taming & basic training. It's called "How to Teach Parrot to Step Up & to Come Out of Cage." It is addressed to someone who just got their first bird.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=227