My green cheek conure is aggressive and bites. How can I train her?

Thanks for reaching out about Coco and including photos. First, don't let him to your shoulder as the dominant bird is often highest in the tree. Allow to come out of the cage with the use of a perch or stick. Keep the distal end higher than your hand to prevent climbing up the stick to you. This all revolves around proper training and a good book might help. Try "A Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot". Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Sky. Despite what many people may think, birds are not supposed to bite readily. They come to learn to bite when the other forms of their body language are not seen/listened to by others, including owners (and veterinarians!). I would recommend looking at Sky's body language and your actions in situations - both before she tries to bite and when she is trying to bite. You may see that Sky tries to move away, or leans away, prior to trying to bite. It may be that Sky has not had any good or non-frightening experiences with humans yet so she doesn't know how friendly you are trying to be. I would recommend moving very slowly, and using food items that Sky likes to eat to help start to form a bond with her. When you start to move towards Sky, and there are no signs of avoidance (see above), then she gets a treat that she really likes. If she shows any signs of avoidance, then you just move away - you leaving may be her reward, and that is okay because you haven't pushed her so much that she feels like she needs to be desperate enough to bite. For training, you may want to start by asking her to step up using a stick or wooden dowel instead of your finger. This will be more safe for you, and may be more comfortable for Sky initially as well. There are videos online that give training tips as well - I would recommend searching for positive reinforcement videos as these tend to be very successful for birds. I hope this gives you a place to start, and good luck with Sky!

Thanks for reaching out and including photos. Training birds can be difficult, especially as they reach sexual maturity. Continue with the training process and establish a dominance hierarchy with you primary. A book titled "A Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot" is a good start. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Rico. Establishing dominance and enforcing that Rico has a low position on the family hierarchy, is the challenge. Positive reinforcement for good behavior, and time outs, for inappropriate behavior. A book titled "A Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot" is a good start. Good luck.

Biting can happen if Bright is feeling stressed or scared, or just isn't tame enough yet to be handled. If she lives with other birds, it could be she is more bonded to them so may not bond with you as closely. A good start is to offer her favorite treat every time you approach the cage, by tossing it inside. Once she is more used to you coming by, you can then start to offer it from your hand, and then continue working on taming her from there. If at any time she becomes stressed out or bites, taking a break to let her relax and trying again later can help. It can take time for a bird to get used to their owner, so patience is key. Making sure Bright isn't too stressed out from her cagemates, and that she has plenty of fresh food, water, and toys to play with can help as well.

Hi and thank you for your question, It sounds like a case of cage aggression possibly with some other behavioral issues. In general you could try taking Miku out of the cage using a glove or a stick and only once he's out to have him step up on your hand. Try to avoid any reaction when he bites as this will only make him continue doing so. Offer treats for stepping up nicely. You could also consider working with a professional trainer to solve some of theses issues. The change in the color of the eye is normal and reflects voluntary control of their pupils.

It will take patience and consistency (and maybe some Band-Aids), but it is possible to train even an aggressive parrot. The key is to work with her for short periods of time, multiple times a day. You'll need to start from scratch and get her acclimated to having you around. Begin by simply sitting near her cage for ever increasing periods of time. Move slowly and speak softly. End each session with a small treat. Make no attempt to touch or pet her during this period of acclimation. Once she is accepting of you near the cage, place your hand in the cage for ever increasing periods of time. She may flutter, squawk and move to the far side of the cage at first. She may also bluff and feign attack. Again, make no attempt to touch or pet her. Reward her as she progresses. Eventually, you may be able to get her to allow you to pet her. Always approach with your hand from below eye level, not above her head which can be threatening. Offer treats from an open palm. Once she is taking food regularly, try the perch command, place two fingers out and gently press against her chest while saying "step up" or "perch". Reward her when she complies. Be patient and consistent.