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Question:

April 1, 2025

Building and taming a conure I’ve had for several years


Hello Lafeber,
I bought a green cheek conure (we assume she is female but could be male) back in April 2021 from a past owner due to the fact that he couldn’t take care of her anymore in university. From the start she was never very social with us, but the minimal training I initially did with her was enough for her to feel comfortable with being near me and tolerating me. However, she still has a tendency of being quite distant with me, and also aggressive with others in the house. She is also quite destructive and often causes damage in the house, like chewing wires or scratching/biting surfaces. I have realised now that she is a very hormonal bird, as she often regurgitates, has tried to nest in hard to reach places, screams excessively and also loves her reflection in windows. She is also a little bit stubborn when it comes to training and often loses interest, preferring to go watch her reflection. Eventually and regretfully I gave up training her and then ran out of time to start again. I feel this is very unfair to her, as she often has to stay inside her cage due to the trouble she can cause, and I only want for her to have a better relationship with me, if not the whole family. How could I slowly introduce training again, and what methods should I try? Thank you.


Answer:

Hi,

The best thing to do is consult with a parrot behaviorist. This is far more than can be covered in this type format. We did a webinar specifically on Green Cheeks, and the behaviorist who presented is available for consultations. I would recommend watching the video and contacting Pamela Clark.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda

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