Conure chewing holes in screen door

by Daniel
(Edgerton, WI)

I have a sun conure who has the reign of my sunroom. Last year he took to hanging on the screen door between the rest of the house and the sunroom. He then began to chew holes, and eventually cut a very large section from the screen.

In the fall I removed the door, replaced the fiberglas screen with an aluminum one, but it didn't take him long to start dismantling that one as well, although not as speedily. What can I do to discourage him from doing this?! Could I put some natural, unpleasant tasting spice or something organic to discourage Connor from chewing the screen? Please help! Thanks in advance!

Comments for Conure chewing holes in screen door

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May 31, 2010
 Stop bird from chewing screen
by: The Avian Vet

Chew inhibitors based on taste are not effective in birds. The best solution is to keep him off of the screen, cover it with something to block access, or replace it with something that cannot be chewed. Be careful because some of those metals you are using may contain zinc or other toxic heavy metal. I recommend that you have your bird x-rayed and blood tested to be sure that none was ingested.

Dr B
May 29, 2010
 Conure chewing screen
by: Conure mom

If you find an answer let me know. My sun / jenday is always trying to chew her way out of my birdroom. We have 2 doors that we change out and replace the screens in. Best we could come up with.....
May 29, 2010
 Conure chewing holes in screen door
by: Linda

Well, first of all,you need to keep Connor in his cage unless he is constantly supervised and told that the screen is a bad thing, which it is. Aluminum is poison as is fiberglass, and your bird should not be allowed access to poison.

Take him to an Avian Vet in your area and have his Primary flight feathers clipped. These are the 6 long feathers at the ends of the wings. DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO CUT UP ANY FURTHER AS THIS CAUSES A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN AND EFFECTIVELY CRIPPLES THE BIRD. What clipping the primary feathers does is allow the bird to glide safely to the floor, but DOES NOT ALLOW ENOUGH LIFT TO fly all over the place. Flying birds in houses are in a great deal of danger of flying into walls, windows, ceiling fans or other dangerous objects. Free-flying parrots are very curious and will take a taste sample from things that are poison for them without even knowing it. They are very much like children and need some discipline and training to grow up to be good birdy citizens.

So, take your bird to an Avian vet for an all over checkup and have his wings clipped. When he is out of the cage, DO NOT ASSUME ALL IS WELL because birds get into many dangerous situations without supervision when outside cage. Their emotional/mental development is roughly that of a 4-5 year old human child, and no one would give one of them free run of the house without some supervision, rules and discipline so they may learn.

Thanks for writing,
Linda

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