Sun conure cage aggression and biting happen when you put your hand inside the cage and the bird bites or when you come near the cage and the bird lunges. The bird is basically protecting its nest or roosting place from an intruder-you. This is a normal instinct allowed to go too far. The bird is biting to protect and show dominance. The owner is considered a predator and not a flock member. Fear of the owner has turned into cage aggression.

What can you do about cage aggression?

First of all you can begin slowly by sitting by the bird’s cage with the cage open. Wait till the bird comes out. Perch should be near the exit. Talk to the bird, read to it. Leave the cage open while you relax and watch TV. Do this every day over the course of several weeks if need be depending on how socialized, fearful, or aggressive your bird is. Never punish, never yell. When the parrot shows progress, offer lots of praise or a treat or both as a reward. If they lunge, step back and don’t react for a while. Then start again.

The parrot also needs foraging toys, plenty of sleep, full spectrum lighting, TV, music. Also change the toys and perches around too so that they don’t get bored or overly attached to one toy.

If you feel you need remove the bird from the cage forcibly to clean, etc (last resort) you can use a glove such as an oven mitt and a small towel. Try not to chase the bird as they will begin to think of you as a predator. Don’t overreact if they try to bite and gently hold the beak if necessary while you towel the bird. Take the bird to the training area and reward. I really prefer not to use a glove because if you use it too much there is a real risk of the bird losing trust.

I towel Goldie only when she has a bad temper tantrum. Conures are normally easy to towel because they love being in a cozy place and then your hands are protected by the towel and you can give them head rubs. Toweling Goldie really calms her down and it actually establishes trust because it is done calmly, and she is softly talked to and petted on the head until she calms down. She rarely has tantrums anymore.

When the parrot comes out of the cage and appears comfortable, you can start step up training. Remove the bird from the cage area to a different location. A training stand is preferable but it is possible to use your lap or the floor even in some circumstances. You can use a stick or long perch at first and then progress to just using your hand.

Work with the sun conure every day even for just a few minutes even. Stick training, getting them to move to both sides of the stand, up and down; consistently, really helps minimize aggression. I do this with Goldie on a daily basis as a game. She looks out the window, gets praise, walks up and down the stick and is placed back on the stand. Then in the end she steps up on the stand from my hand and steps down. She is taken to her cage, back from her cage and so on. Just a few minutes a day can help calm her mood and helps make a fun way to go back into the cage.

Find any opportunity to reward good parrot behavior

Always make training a good experience so that the bird is motivated to perform the behavior. Offer lots of love, treats, and praise during the whole process. If the parrot shows aggression or fear proceed slowly until more trust is apparent. Also Goldie was started with stick training when her wings were clipped. She is now flighted. It should be noted that it is more difficult to stick train a parrot that has not been socialized and one that is flighted.

When the bird is comfortable going up and down from the stick, make sure that you start working on removing the bird from the cage with the stick, gradually moving to removing the bird from the cage with your hand. Also when the bird is comfortable stepping up and down from the stick and being removed from the cage, you can have another family member remove the bird with the stick too. This is important in case the main caretaker is not home or there is an emergency.

You can practice going from arm to stick, hand to arm, lap to stick, shoulder to stick etc. Then if you need to clean the cage or change food bowls you can easily remove the parrot and get them back in the cage.

Goldie loves being told that she is a good girl and will bob her head up and down as she is going on and off a stick. She is hugged and petted aft wards also and given a treat. Working with her just a few minutes, talking to her, and praising her builds trust. Don’t get me wrong, it can take time. But if you look at this time spent as a bonding time, a time to look for changes in the bird’s mood, as a time to learn body language, act silly, and to enrich the bird’s existence, then it is time well spent. Gradually sun conure cage aggression is minimized as well too.

Goldie’s owner is not a profession bird trainer. These basic tips however work for Goldie to help minimize aggression, teach skills, bond with her owner, and establish a more grounded relationship with her owner. If your parrot has severe behavioral problems or your birds were breeders that were never socialized, these methods may only offer limited help, so it may be best to consult with a professional trainer.

Basic examples of parrot stick training

Related article

• What works for Goldie the sun conure to prevent biting

Let’s face it sun conures do bite and when they bite they bite hard and it really hurts. I can’t tell you how many times over the years that Goldie has bit me so hard that I had to pull her off of me. She has been known to draw blood, poke in the face, and nip sensitive earlobes even. There were times that there would not be a day that went by where she would not bite me at least a few times. She has even been known to fly over some distance in order to attack and place an angry bite.

Now at almost 9 years old, Goldie bites much more infrequently. Occasionally she does bite, mostly during hormonal episodes, but it is noticeably less than ever. Biting is promptly dealt with, which is the reason that Goldie is more gentle and positive in her communication of what she wants now.

What works for Goldie the sun conure to prevent biting. 

• Lots of sleep-12 hours a night
• Foraging toys to prevent boredom
• A strong diet that includes fresh foods, pellets, nuts, and minimal seed
• Full spectrum lighting
• Lots of interaction, exercise, toys
• Music to entertain her

The most important thing to understand in order to prevent biting is to uncover the cause. Common causes of biting include fear, cage aggression, hormones, lack of socialization, boredom, overexcitement, anxiety, and just being tired. Certain things that the owner is doing may trigger a bite, such as talking on the phone, or in Goldie’s case just using a pair of scissors-she hates them. Ask yourself what triggered the bite? Was it an object? Lack of sleep? Hormones? Noise? There is usually something behind a sun conure bite.

Sun conures are very smart. They respond well to positive feedback and to behavioral methods of training. Do not punish the bird as they will not understand. Instead remove or change the cause of the biting. When the sun conure shows progress, reward with lavish praise and a treat, in a similar way every time. Keep doing this consistently.

What do you do when they are in the midst of a full blown temper tantrum? What has worked for Goldie when she has had a tantrum or especially when she has been so angry that she has flown after someone because they dared to pick up some scissors or some other object that she doesn’t like, is to gently and firmly from behind wrap her up in a small red, soft blanket that was made especially for her. Upon being grabbed Goldie usually makes a little noise, but once she is wrapped up with just her head peeking out, she is firmly talked to and the top of her head stroked for a moment.

She is then placed back in her cage until she has calmed down. Going to the cage should not be viewed as a punishment however, but merely as a time-out. You don’t want the parrot to view the cage as a negative place. You can give praise when you place the bird back in the cage, but do give them space to calm down.

It is important to treat biting calmly and firmly because yelling “ouch” or “no” can have the opposite outcome that you are expecting. In Goldie’s case she thinks it’s funny to get someone to carry on so much and yell. Reacting firmly without overreacting teaches them they will not get what they want by biting.

Working on preventing biting consistently and dealing with tantrums calmly gradually will cut down on biting problems. Sun conures will still bite; Goldie still bites sometimes. However I have found that by using positive behavioral modification methods that she now seems to communicate her needs more in ways other than biting. She still pokes now and then, but it’s not hard.

Biting is such an issue for so many sun conure owners, so Goldie’s owner will discuss at a latter time important specific areas that deal with cage aggression, hormones, and fear related biting. It’s something that any sun conure owner will have to deal with but with love, patience, and continued work can be minimized so it doesn’t have to hurt so much.

Related articles

• What can you do when your parrot won’t stop screaming?

Goldie my sun conure had another name when she was for sale at the pet store at the tender age of 3 months. Some pet stores give the animals for sale names-it makes them seem more enticing to potential buyers. I can’t remember that name unfortunately. It was my mother that choose the name that my sun conure has now. We brainstormed for a long time before Goldie’s name was chosen. It was a really difficult task naming my sun conure.

Some people might think its silly wondering about a name for a parrot, but you have to remember that parrots can live a long time and that their name will be with them a long time as a result. Some parrots actually say their name too. Having and choosing a name helps them seem more like part of the family too. It’s part of the bonding process.

Many popular sun conure names are associated with the sun such as Sonny and Sunshine. Tropical fruit names are also common such as Mango and Kiwi. Then there are the people like names such as Jack, Frank, and Mindy even.

Goldie’s owner has been asked if it is better to name a parrot with an asexual name if you don’t know the sex of the bird. To have a gender neutral name may be better just in case you do find out the parrot is a boy when you thought it was a girl for instance, which is a common occurrence by the way.

Short active names fit sun conures too. Names such as Skippy, Sparky, and Cuddles are cute and fun. Food related names are appealing too; such as Peanut, Fruit Loop, Pumpkin, Pepper, Cookie, and Cheerio.

It is also not uncommon for people that have two birds to have related names for them such as my own Mickie and Minnie, the parrotlets. Celebrity type names like; Elvis, Paulie, Lucy, and Rocky are well-liked too.

It’s interesting the different ways that people choose names for their birds. Some people pick their own, some ask friends and relatives, and some even ask others on Facebook or Twitter.. There are even websites such as Birdbytes.com that have databases of different names that you can give your parrot.

What ever your bird’s name is, it is important to use it often so that they learn it. Goldie cannot say her name, but she does know it and responds to it easily. We knew fortunately when Goldie was purchased that she was a girl, and since she had so much yellow in her when she was little, the name Goldie seemed to fit her well.

Popular names for sun conures

1. Mango

2. Sonny or Sunny

3. Sunshine

4. Kiwi

6. Boo- Boo

Since having Goldie and her housemates the parrotlets and finches, more and more of my life revolves around natural type products. Natural products are both good for me and will not harm my birds either.

I used to use furniture polish, disinfectant spray, all kinds of bathroom cleaners, and hair spray. Over time I realized that these things really were not good for my birds or for me for that matter.

Follows are some of the products that I use and a few that I don’t use anymore:

I use pure skin care oils instead of expensive skin creams. Example of oils that I use includes argon oil, maracuja oil, coconut oil, and almond oil. Just a little bit of oil patted on dry areas works wonders and you can even put a little bit on the dry areas of your hair.

I use mineral based cosmetics. I prefer to use fragrance free and paraben free makeup too. Mineral based cosmetics are easy on the skin and look great too.

I use natural soaps with no synthetic chemicals. I had noticed in the past that if I used a stronger fragrance in my soap that Goldie sneezed a little, so I stopped using those types of soaps.

I don’t use perfume or nail polish or hair spray even. I find that some of the oils that I use smell naturally pretty and that I can grow my nails long and natural.

Vinegar and baking soda are household cleaning staples that I use for cleaning all over the house. I really love to use vinegar and find that just a dab of lemon juice keeps it from smelling funny.

I don’t use any non-stick cookware. Non stick cookware can produce fumes that are deadly to birds. I don’t use furniture polish or air fresheners which could be potentially harmful to my bird’s delicate respiratory systems. I clean the oven with basic baking soda and a little elbow grease.

I use a steam mop that steams away germs and lifts away dirt naturally. It works great and leaves a slight shine on the floor too.

I eat more organic fruits and vegetables and I also eat more whole grains. Many fruits and vegetables are better to use when they are organic; in particular grapes, apples, and strawberries. Pesticides are used on these types of fruits and washing doesn’t always wash off the pesticides.

I have to admit prior to owning a bird I was not a big vegetable eater. I have Goldie to thank for helping me to eat better. I have to have vegetables for my sun conure and having them around I am just more inclined to eat them too.

If you had asked me about these natural type things 10 years ago, I would have thought “Yuk” no way that’s crazy; I am not one of those people. Now however I feel better, look better, and these more natural products help keep my birds safe too. Just another way that birds have changed my life for the better.

Related articles

• Homemade Furniture Cleaning Products
• What can you do when your parrot won’t stop screaming?

As Goldie the sun conure heads into 2012, her owner reflects on subtle changes that have occurred throughout the prior year. Goldie is happier, better behaved, and so affectionate at the years end, but it has taken effort and insight.

Over the course of the year Goldie has become somewhat quieter. She does yell when her owner comes home still and at various times in the day, but the screaming is shorter in duration and is overall less frequent that in previous years.

There is also less biting than in previous years too. This is partly because preventative actions are taken all the time to prevent bites from happening in the first place. Actions and items that provoke Goldie to bite are all known for the most part and either Goldie is removed from the situation beforehand or we wait until Goldie is not around.

When Goldie does bite, it seems to be less angry as well. This could be partly attributed to overall improved disposition and good lifestyle habits such as plenty of sleep and a good diet.

Goldie’s overall good behavior has made hormonal behavior more noticeable however. Time seasonal changes and egg laying periods have become distinctly more obvious in her behavior. This does make it easier to take action that may be needed and understand what is going on.

Early in the year too it was noticed that Goldie would sometimes forget to say she has to poop and then she would have a poop accident. When she forgets, it may be that she is distracted or her owner is distracted. Goldie’s owner has generally helped prevent this problem by asking Goldie if she has to poop every once in a while, thereby cutting down accidents significantly. Additionally sometimes Goldie does fly to her poop place on her own as well.

Furthermore Goldie has become calmer, but still does becomes alarmed when she sees strange people or trucks. She likes to sit on her owner’s shoulder for long periods of time and loves to look out the window. Goldie also sits calmly while she listens to music, unless she is tapping or clicking to the rhythm of the music; and Goldie becomes completely engrossed in watching cartoons on Saturday morning.

Finally Goldie too has become more responsive to questions, nodding her head when asked if she wants more or answering when asked if she has to poop. Goldie’s body language is very predictable as well, making it easy to tell when she is tired, bored, hungry, or cranky.

As Goldie nears 9 years of age and begins a new year, her owner really wants to make an effort to provide even more fresh food and sprouts. Legumes, whole grains, vegetables, and fruit provided frequently for the whole family is a goal not just for the birds but for the owner as well. It is difficult with a busy schedule, but by preparing in advance and freezing small quantities, that goal can be achieved.

Goldie and her owner wish love and understanding for all birds and their owners. Here is to more happiness for 2012 and for an even healthier new year for everyone.

Related articles

• A trip to the avian veterinarian
• Keeping your sun conure busy
• Parrots were a mystery to me

Maybe you yell “shut up” or maybe you get upset and come running to the bird, taking it out of the cage to quiet it down. Perhaps you have even tried covering the bird cage to get the bird to shut up, but none of these things seem to really help and the screaming is getting on your nerves and even worse you are worried that the neighbors will start to complain.

Screaming is the most common problem that sun conure owners have and it’s the most frequent reason that sun conures are rehomed. It’s also the most frequent question that Goldie’s owner is asked on a regular basis. Follows is what works for Goldie the sun conure and her owner.

First of all stop and be calm. Parrots love attention-even negative attention. While parrots and especially sun conures will always make some amount of noise, constant screaming and squawking is not normal. So what can you do to reduce the ear splitting screeching? Ask yourself the following questions and see if the screaming problem gradually improves.

Ask yourself is the bird getting enough quality sleep every night. Parrots just like people need regular rest and good nights sleep in order to feel their best. Most parrots need 10-12 hours of quality sleep. So if your bird is not getting proper rest, screaming can be the result.

Is the parrot getting a quality diet? Pellets, fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and a only a small amount of nuts and seeds used only for foraging skills and treats will contribute to the overall well-being of the bird and help balance out any cranky moods that are leading to excess yelling.

Is your pet bird getting plenty of exercise, and playtime with toys? Parrots are active, intelligent creatures. Provide your parrot plenty of chew toys such as untreated wood blocks, and shredable toys made out of palm leaves. Rotate toys frequently to help prevent boredom also.

Does your parrot get a regular bath or misting? Parrots love to have a regular bath and love to preen and shake out their feathers afterward-it makes them feel good.

Are you interacting with your bird on a regular basis? By interaction we don’t just mean allowing the parrot to sit on your shoulder while you are on the computer. Instead talk to the parrot and play together. For example; toss a ball back and forth, sing, play peek a boo, teach your parrot basic tricks, and of course give plenty of gentle head rubs.

Is the parrot getting regular sunshine? Window glass blocks the UVA spectrum rays that many parrots need for superior feather health and overall vitality. A daily dose of full spectrum light from a lamp can help some parrots to calm down. Depending on the size and needs of your bird, just two hours of light a day can brighten up a moody parrot over time.

Have you had a yearly avian veterinarian checkup? Birds hide illness well; oftentimes you don’t realize they are sick until it’s too late. A regular checkup will help detect early signs of illness and is a great opportunity to ask the vet plenty of questions and get species specific advice.

After you have asked yourself these questions, then make sure to start using consistent, basic positive reinforcement to reduce screaming and screeching. .

Most importantly praise the bird when it is quiet and behaving well, give it a treat when it is quiet and playing independently, and interact with the parrot when it is quiet. This is actually hard for some people as we are wired to expect good and only react to bad behavior. Instead watch your parrot, observe body language, and you will learn what can triggers outbursts.

When your parrot starts to scream say to the bird softy, calmly “Quiet” and slowly walk away and wait. Wait for the parrot to calm down and then and only then offer praise and reward.

Continue positive reinforcement every day. Spend quality time with your parrot every day, praising, talking, playing, and interacting. Gradually screaming problems should ease as they did with Goldie and the rewards of a growing bond between parrot and owner should strengthen as a result.

Related articles

• Bonding with your sun conure
• Parrots were a mystery to me
• Keeping your sun conure busy
• Home sound proofing tips for parrot owners

• Parrots were a mystery to me
• Sleeping with your parrot: Why I don’t recommend it

If you have a sun conure or any other kind of parrot you may notice that the sounds they make carry. In the wild sun conures and other species of parrots call to each other over vast distances so it’s no wonder the sound carries. As a pet in a home though, the calling sounds and squawking can become ear piercing, annoying neighbors and other family members. Besides training what can be done to manage noise problems in the household? Well, there are some steps you can take to soften the noise around the house.

Furniture and Carpet

You will notice that sound carries more in an empty room. Once a room is filled with furniture it absorbs the sounds. Carpeting stops the sound waves from traveling as well. Goldie’s house has wood floors though, which actually enhances the echo. We like wood floors because it’s easier to clean dust, feather dander, and tossed food.

Rugs

Rugs are great especially if you have a hard floor surfaces like Goldie’s home. A few rugs strategically placed in the living areas where you want to manage noise can help soften the echoes. Rugs are great because they are easy to clean and cheaper to replace than carpet. Rugs or tapestries can also be hung on the wall to help absorb sound waves. Besides, there are many contemporary and traditional type rugs that look great on wall.

Drapes

Floor to ceiling drapes help soften noise, but unfortunately they are not always easy to keep clean. An extra layer of drywall is a thought too. Additionally a few non toxic plants can also soften noise waves and help promote a homey atmosphere for your flock. Plants that are bird friendly are known to help reduce noise and improve indoor air quality as well.

Sound proofing materials

Actual sound proofing materials include blankets that you can hang on the wall to help block and soak up sound. In addition, acoustical tiles on ceilings and acoustical panels can also help control noise. With both products it’s important however to check the material for possible off gassing, adhesive toxicity, and flame resistance. Recycled glass products are a consideration, as are cork tiles, wool, among others.

Doors and Windows

Perhaps too if you have hollow core doors in your house like Goldie does, you will notice how the sun conure calls echo to the other side of the house. Sold core doors and gap stoppers installed around the door space can help dampen that noise quite a bit. Alternatively double pane windows and weather-stripping help prevent noise from carrying the noise outside.

Safety is important for you and your parrot

Remember when adding rugs, carpet, curtains, and sound proofing materials to check for the material the items were made from so consultant a licensed contractor and specialist in sound proofing. Toxic materials as well as flammable materials should not be used at all. Proper placement away from electrical components is important as well as making sure that curious beaks do not have access to harmful items. As always have a smoke dector and a carbon monoxide monitor to protect your household and your precious flock as well.

You really cannot stop all the sound your sun conure makes in the house with soundproofing measures, but you can reduce it or mask it with appropriate measures. So whether you have a bird room or keep your parrot in your living room, it is possible to weaken the noise so everyone is a bit more comfortable.

Related articles

• Are female sun conures quieter than male sun conures?
• Bonding with your sun conure
• Keeping your sun conure busy

This parrot owner used to get the Los Angeles Times four days a week delivered. The newspaper is good reading and it happens to be a good bird cage liner too. However with a busy schedule, this parrot owner found that there often wasn’t enough time to read the newspaper, but still the paper was needed to line bird cages.

Recently though the newspaper increased its price to $1 a day and $2 for the Sunday paper. That seemed like pretty expensive paper just to line the bird’s cages. While this parrot owner thinks reading a newspaper is worthy of expense, lack of time and the extra price increase made it a luxury worth cutting out.

So what can you line the bird cages with? 

Paper towels are a thought, but really only make sense for a very small travel cage because of cost and small size. I have also heard that some people use the press and seal plastic over newspaper or paper towels. While that may be a useful idea for small cages and travel cages, it doesn’t really work for the larger cages.

Bird Cage liners 

Bird cage liners come in rolls or are pre cut into sizes for your particular bird cage. What’s good about these is that you can place a whole weeks worth of liners in the cage and remove one each day. This way you can do your daily wipe down and remove the liner, thus saving time during the busy work week.

I prefer the rolls because I have several different bird cages and you can cut them down to fit the size of the bird cage.

There is also the option of bedding fibers or bird cage liter that you change at least once a week. To me I prefer to change more often and fibers seem messier for indoor use, but that may be individual preference. I also have concerns about my birds picking things up with their beak and I don’t want them ingesting any bedding material. My birds are just too plain curious to consider lining the cage with bird liter or fibers.

Another option is getting just the plain paper that the newspaper is printed on. That way you don’t get all those adds that you can’t use to line the cage with anyway because the glossy print ink can contain harmful chemicals.

Whatever you line the bird cage with, cleaning and changing the cage liner frequently is important to the overall health of birds. When you change the liner you can check the bird droppings for unusual changes and also check to see what food has been tossed and not eaten. So whether you use newspaper or liners it is important to clean often. This small flock household now doesn’t have a stack of unread newspaper in the corner though.

I knew nothing about parrots when my sun conure Goldie first came into my life. Parrots were a complete mystery to me. The pet store where I bought her didn’t tell me anything either-they just gave me one piece of paper-a care sheet. It seemed in retrospect that they were happy to get rid of her.

The care sheet really didn’t help me much either. I thought that I could manage anyway. How hard could it be to take care of a little bird? Right? That was until she started screaming, until she bit me the first time and drew blood. What was going on? How could I get her to behave? What did she want?

I realized I didn’t really know anything. I was feeding her wrong-a seed mix, I jumped every time she screamed, and I plain just didn’t understand her. So I set about trying to learn more about this little bundle of feathers. So how did I learn what I know about sun conures?

Conure books

First off I read some books about conures. These books helped me pick up a few tips, but much of the information was somewhat generic and didn’t help me with many day to day concerns. I learned about different species of conures, basic diet information, and health basics, but it didn’t help with the screaming problems.

Avian vet check up

The vet checked her out and said she was basically healthy but that her diet needed improving. She was to be given a more varied diet and only 20% seed in her diet at the most. So I set about giving her more fruits, vegetables, and pellets. Overtime this change helped her. She probably felt better, which ultimately helped improve her behavior.

Played it by ear

I made a lot of mistakes, got frustrated, and tried again. Patience helps the most when you don’t know what you are doing. Lots of love, interaction, playtime, cuddle time, and silly talk strengthen the bond that me and my sun conure have. She is very forgiving of any of my mistakes as a result.

Read Bird Talk Magazine

I admit that reading the magazine over time helped me learn some things that I didn’t know. I picked up information that I didn’t learn in books. I read about other parrot owners and realized that I wasn’t alone in my feelings sometimes.

Read bird forums

There are many bird forums out there that offer support and where you can ask questions from the general to the specific. Answers come from regular parrot owners that have day to day practical advice and experience.

Bird Clubs

Seeing and meeting breeders and parrot owners at bird clubs has given me a deeper understanding of parrots and parrot ownership in general. Attending bird club meetings offers information speakers and a chance to learn about different species of parrots. I have learned about the negative and positive side of breeding parrots as well. Belonging to a bird club has strengthened my desire to support bird rescues and advocate responsible parrot breeding.

Most of all, I find that after 8 years of having Goldie in my life that I am still learning things about her. I notice little things about her more. I see her getting frustrated when she wants something and doesn’t know how to ask and I give it to her. I catch negative behavior before it starts to escalate. I relish the quiet time we have together cuddling, and the laughs over silly playtime. After all having a companion parrot like Goldie is a journey over hopefully 30 plus years of life, where everyday is different. I treasure Goldie because she is so smart, loving, and full of personality, and I never stop learning and loving her.

Related articles

• Sun conure beauty in the wild: One of nature’s miracles
• A trip to the avian veterinarian
• Sleeping with your parrot: Why I don’t recommend it