NocturnalNester

I could have written this post a year ago. Same situation, same frustration. Here's what I wish someone had told me: target training first, then building up to step-up. Would have saved me weeks of stress.

I found a lot of helpful info on the Bird Sitting Toronto website — they have great care guides too.

My vet in Leslieville suggested rearranging the cage every couple weeks to prevent boredom and I noticed a change within the first week. Highly recommend.

Welcome to the club! My African Grey trained ME in the first week. They're way smarter than they let on.

I've had birds for 15 years and I've seen this many times. In my experience it usually comes down to insufficient UV light exposure, especially in Canadian winters.

I've done a ton of research on this because my canary had the same issue. Here's what I learned: the most common cause is a subtle environmental change you might not even notice. What worked for us was removing mirrors from the cage — can cause hormonal or aggressive behavior. I also started joining an online support group for African Grey owners and noticed improvement within a week. It's a process but it gets better.

How long have you had them? Sometimes it takes a while for birds to settle into a new home.

My Captain went through a phase like this around 4 years. I was terrified but it passed. Birds are weird sometimes lol.

This happened to us last winter. I think the shorter days and dry heated air were the cause for my bird.

So I had this exact problem about a year ago. Let me share what I learned. The key thing is putting the food bowl higher up — birds feel safer eating at height. A lot of people also recommend adding more variety in perch textures and sizes. My avian vet in the Danforth also suggested checking for stress from loud noises like construction which can sometimes be an underlying factor. Good luck — feel free to DM me if you have questions!

I'd suggest trying getting a kitchen scale and weighing them weekly to track health. My avian vet recommended it and it made a huge difference.

The longer days have triggered full hormonal mode in my canary. Blu is being territorial, regurgitating on everything, and screaming more than usual. I know it passes but MAN it's exhausting. What are your strategies for managing hormonal season?

Okay but counterpoint — what about birds that are the complete opposite? My Quaker parrot breaks every rule lol.

Totally normal, don't stress! Birds go through phases just like any other pet.

Hey everyone! I'm from Scarborough and I just brought home my first bird ever — a parrotlet named Zazu. I'm equal parts excited and terrified. Been reading everything I can find online but there's so much conflicting info. Any beginner tips from experienced owners would be amazing! Looking forward to being part of this community.

Did this start suddenly or was it gradual? When my African Grey did this it turned out to be being moved to a new cage or new room.

LOVE this post! More of this energy please. The bird community needs more positive threads like this.

Nice to meet you! Always great to connect with fellow bird owners. You're going to fit right in here!

Monday: my earring (while I was wearing it). Tuesday: a piece of pasta off my plate. Wednesday: my phone charger cable. Thursday: a $20 bill off the counter. Friday: my will to live. What has YOUR bird stolen recently? I need to know I'm not alone.

Don't worry, this is super common with green cheek conure. You're doing great!