need some help with my Green Cheek Conure

[iguanabytes]

my sweet-natured Conure has turned into a demon the last couple of days- rushing and biting hard- he's just under a year, wondering if this is some kind of adolescence/control thing- any advice would be great, as I am nursing multiple wounds and blood-blisters on my hands right now. I just want to handle him without being nailed

[hooligan]

I've heard a lot of GCC owners say that their little guys went through a "terrible twos" phase, but they do become sexually mature around the 1 year mark, so that could be it. It could be a lot of things though. What's his diet like? Has he been getting enough sleep?

If this is about him becoming hormonal and an adolescent, you just need to make sure that you stick to the training and behaviors you've established so far. Michael's guide on getting a bird to step up could be really helpful. You just need to make sure never to react to him when he gets you (because any kind of reaction could potentially encourage it) and not to immediately leave after he tries to bite. If you leave him be after he's bitten/lunged, you just taught him that it's an good way to get some privacy. In Michael's guide it talks about not leaving him be until he's calm

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[iguanabytes]

Diet should be good- we feed a high protien wet food mainly made of steamed quinoa in the morning, and a little seed in evenings, and he eats really well. sleep, they get put to bed about 930 and get woken about 830-930 for breakfast, but he's in the same room as me, and may be reacting to noises I make sleeping- that is not a terribly new factor though. I have been trying not to react as he tears through my flesh like a pack of rabid weasels, and trying not to put him away until he is calm

[Eurycerus]

...he tears through my flesh like a pack of rabid weasels....

Haha yep that about sums it up. Good luck!

[marie83]

I have been trying not to react as he tears through my flesh like a pack of rabid weasels, and trying not to put him away until he is calm

Seriously? I know they can break the skin if they are really determined and catch you right (I have one that also went through the psycho stage) but he is hardly going to sever your finger. Your description did make me lol though, I reckon my boyfriens would love your description but then he is scared of bites and Ollie knows it. This phase will pass provided you pretend nothing is happening no matter how much it hurts. Keep him off your shoulder and cover up more sensitive areas. These conures are determined creatures so have lots of patience, seriously I really regretted getting Ollie at one point because he was relentless, although I would never have go rid of him in a million years, nowadays I wonder how the hell I could have regretted choosing him, he is brilliant unless I'm not paying attention to his warnings.

[iguanabytes]

swapped out his cage and he is much much better- he was in a long flight cage, and not one with a swinging door like the other birds- could be a jealousy issue. all I know is I'm happy he's gone back to a little bitey, rather than psycho bird

as to the breaking the skin when determined- he may have a mutation, such as an adamantium beak. looking into that now(actually, he glommed onto my finger and worked his beak back and forth until he raised blood blisters and tore skin- meanwhile I'm trying to remove him without hurting him, giving him...more opportunities to shred me)

[marie83]

If he is really that bad grab his upper beak firmly and gently whilst he is latched on, as soon as he loosens grip remove him from whatever he has hold of by gently turning his head. You need to be really careful, quick and gentle doing this though and ignore ignore ignore immedietly afterwards otherwise it may be taken that you are playing with him.