An old bird - 25 yr conure owner

[25yearconureowner]

My husband and I bought a Conure 25+ years ago, knowing nothing. The first 2 years were bliss, then things got dicier. I have read so many posts on this website, all true, depending on varying perspectives.

I know this: environment is essential to well-being. I also think I know Conures are flock-needy. I used to be Pretty Bird's flock until my husband became it. This forum has taught me that "flock" and environment are tough on birds.

Our kitchen remodel changed Pretty Bird's world as her cage moved form kitchen to bay window in another room, and she lost the usual hubbub and interaction she was used to. I think PB became isolated and distrustful.

Always a plucker, Pretty Bird began plucking with a vengeance until her wings looked motley grey not green. She also began to bite and attack magazine pages as they turned, scissors, towels, my husband shoulders as I walked by, etc. CRAZY things. Pretty Bird became fearsome and I began to have less and less contact with her/him.

Since then I have read about diet, bird hormones and molting. Not sure about that. I am a skeptic. However, I do know PB has never laid an egg in 25 years!!! This website suggests that diet can influence hormones which can influence behavior

I began to avoid him/her/it (not DNA tested), but I knew she was male since he began to based on this website that diet can be somewhat causative, but I am not convinced that is the only reason.

Other things I know, based on Pretty Bird: Conures are noisy and mouthy (mine used to caress my face all over my face and loved to cuddle, going inside my shirt ). Now he caresses me with his beak enough to draw blood.

She/he also screams

I think I know Pretty Bird needs more "Face Time". That means returning to the kitchen on a Table Top Perch. I works for me because I am home all day. Now I am on a hunt for such a thing that he/she will not be able to destroy with her beak (the perimeter of hers is now totally chewed up)

I do know she/he needs to chew. Perhaps all birds need that to keep their beaks under control, hopefully not another nervous habit like plucking brought on by environmental factors. I provided a chew stick years ago in P. Bird's cage just in case, but he/she prefers to chew the edges of a table top perch (now almost gone).

I feel so bad that Pretty Bird may have suffered so much stress due to our ignorance, and will try to rectify it in the years she/he has left. I guess her diet is OK (pet store said she was a good weight). I mix Vitabird Seed + Sunflower seeds 3 parts to 1 from Birds Plus, Los Angeles. She also gets several walnuts in the morning and a crack at our typical breakfast food (skim milk, Cheerios, fresh fruit every day).

Last thing I have to say: listen to your bird. Every circumstance is different. When a behavior changes, pay attention. Something has happened to upset them. Remember you are the flock - the only thing that keeps them safe.

I am sad to read the contentious interchange between knowledgable members of this website, and grateful for everything I have read to enlighten me.

[galeriagila]

Dear, DEAR 25-year-conure-owner,
HELLO! WELCOME! My heart goes OUT to you! And PrettyBird!
I have had my Patagonian Conure for 32 years... I was lucky to have good advice and support and my boy has had a good life... years to come. But hey... you've seen the light, and I believe in second chances, third chances... and more!
I have a great feeling about PrettyBird's future!
Please keep us informed.
I applaud your openness to learning.
PATAGONIAN HUGZSZSZSZS!

[Wolf]

To begin with, I am, like you, not pleased with the arguments that occur on the forum and am working to help these people to do better. I have visited many forums and have noted the large number of people that were banned from them, mostly for having minor disagreements about bird care. I think that in most of those cases the perpetrators would have ironed it out if they had been given the chance. I do not think that banning is very helpful in most situations, although it can be the only possible solution on occasion.

Many parrot people are opinionated and very passionate about their birds and their treatment and this is what leads to most of the arguments. For this reason, I try to let them talk things out themselves as long as they don't start with personal attacks, at which point the line must be drawn. Although I do not approve of these arguments, sometimes there is a lot of valuable information that comes out during these arguments and sometimes as those involved in them progress towards agreement they learn more about themselves. People are not all that different than parrots who will lash out if they are scared or feel crowded or don't understand what is happening to and around them. As long as they don't get too carried away, sometimes it is better to let them work it out than to interfere.

So much for that, I much prefer talking about parrots. I am glad that you posted, you have learned a lot about your bird and I would love to hear more and I am sure that your insights can help other people with their birds, welcome to the forum.

I think that your bird does need far more interaction than he is getting, some birds really like to be in the thick of whatever is going on, others prefer to hold back and watch what is going on rather than joining in the excitement and still other would prefer to not be bother by all of the hub bub.

I think that the majority of conures prefer to be right in the middle of whatever is going on, not only are they themselves excitable, they seem to enjoy all of the excitement around them. Your bird may do just as well out of the kitchen, but in a spot, hopefully near a window, where it can still see everything and still be a part of it.
I am just guessing on this, but it seems to me that your conure is clipped and this may account for a large part of the plucking that you have described in your post. One of the things that I have learned is that these birds are always much happier if they can fly at will. Flight provides them with a means of escaping from danger, as well as a means to get into trouble in a human environment, but is also makes them more confident and self assured. Most birds prefer to be on or at least very close to their chosen human or other member of their flock if their special human is not available.

I would take a closer look at your birds diet as I think that it could use some improvements. I have been known to allow my birds the odd cheerio but not more than just a couple at one time and not even once a month, cheerios are not a good food for a parrot as they are fortified with iron and this is very bad for most parrots.

I would love to hear more about your bird and to be able to share stories and such with you.

[Pajarita]

Welcome to the forum, Pretty Bird and owner! You did not tell us which species of conure you have and that makes a big difference in the diet. You also did not tell us what light schedule the bird has been under (that influences hormones and aggression as much as or more than diet).

if you give us details, we might be able to help you out with the aggression because there is one thing that anybody who knows about parrots agrees with and that is that parrots are not naturally aggressive so, whenever they bite us, they always have a reason for it - we might not realize what the reason is but it's there - the trick is to figure it out!

[galeriagila]

This place loves conures... well... all birds!

[liz]

Welcome to the forum.

The parronts in this forum care for all our kids and will put themselves out when searching for a cure for personality of the birds.
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At this point all I know about parrots is that taught to me by this forum. My birds and I have a better quality of life now.

As Wolf said, his diet is not quite right. You need to reduce the protein and increase the fresh veggies and fruit in his diet. Too high a protein can lead to liver damage.

Mine used to be free choice on seeds and nuts. Thank heaven the parronts in this forum have educated me. Birds will always go for seed and nuts first so I and most of the others feed fresh food and gloop for the first meal of the day and seed in the evening to make sure they are full when it is bed time. Seed and nuts are like candy to them. Just like restricting candy in a kids diet you need to do the same with seed and nuts. It is like "eat your fresh vegies and fruit so you can have your dessert in the evening".
Some times it is hard to convert them to a fresh diet. It might even be that the size and shape of the veggie needs to change to suit him. My Amazons love to pick up their food to eat it so I cut theirs in larger pieces than I do the Cockatiels. Other things like banana and gloop are too messy so they just eat it as it sits. Some birds are like kids when it comes to eating veggies and would rather have just seed and nuts. Keep offering the veggies in the morning and no seed so they will try it.