Why Does My Conure Hiss?

Conures are a species of small parrot that are known for their colorful plumage and loveable natures. Being a proud member of the parrot family, conures are also highly intelligent birds who love to make their voices heard for long periods.

If you have recently brought a new conure into your home and it is regularly talking to you – then this means your bird is happy and content with your care. However, a vocal conure does not always equal a positive and happy conure – especially if you find that your conure is hissing in your presence.

But why do conures hiss at their owners? And how can you stop your conure from hissing at you and your loved ones?

All the answers you are searching for can be found in the article below, where we have compiled together all the information you need regarding conures and their hissing habits.

By following this informative guide, you will learn to detect the various reasons why your conure might be hissing at you. And how you can help to make your conure feel more comfortable and accepted in their new home.

Like any parrot species, conures are very vocal birds. This can be a wonderful thing if you enjoy sitting back and having a long conversation with your feathered friends.

However, sometimes this vocality may take the form of a growl or hiss, which can be scary and upsetting when delivered by your beloved conure.

But don’t assume that this means you are the reason for your bird’s upset, as there can be various reasons why your colorful pet has decided to take an aggressive stance against you.

That is why it is important to understand why your conure is hissing before you take any sort of immediate action.

Down below we have highlighted some of the key reasons why your conure might be hissing at your and your family. By evaluating these reasons, we hope you will be able to discern why your conure is upset so that you can locate the problem and remove it from your bird’s surroundings.

By doing this you will be able to relieve your bird’s stress, and hopefully, reduce its hissing habits in the future.

Reasons Why Your Conure Is Hissing

Your Conure Feels Frightened: If you have brought home a new conure and it has started hissing at you – then chances are it is still adapting to its new surroundings. In the wild conures will hiss when they are feeling scared or threatened, and the same principle applies to a domesticated bird being introduced to a new home.

This means you will have to build your relationship with your bird, to ensure that it feels safe in your home. If you have had your conure for a long time and it has started to hiss at friends or loved ones, then this could be because it sees these people as strangers. The more your bird interacts with them the more comfortable it will become.

Your Conure Is Hungry: Conures and parrots can be fussy eaters, which can make feeding your feathery pet a very stressful experience. If your conure hisses at the food you are giving it, then this could mean the bird does not enjoy the food you are supplying.

If your conure’s hissing is also partnered with a lack of eating in general, then we would recommend experimenting with different food brands until your conure is happy. A hungry conure is an emotional conure and this could result in more severe behaviour such as biting.

Your Conure Doesn’t Want Attention: Like most animals, conures will have different preferences and limits when it comes to physical contact and attention. Sometimes a conure will not want to be cuddled for hours on end and the bird will demonstrate this by hissing when its limit has been reached.

If this is the case with your conure, then we recommend listening to your bird. If you try to force more physical contact, then the bird could react in a more aggressive way, which could make you the victim of a nasty bite.

Your Conure Is Unhappy: Birds are more similar to humans than you might think. Not only do conures have emotions, but these emotions can change greatly depending on the bird’s mood.

Sometimes your conure will hiss because it isn’t happy and it wants to let you know that it is not in the mood to play or cuddle. If your conure rarely hisses, then being in a bad mood could be the main reason why it is hissing at all.

Your Conure Is Unsatisfied With Its Cage: Conures can be very picky when it comes to their surroundings. So if your bird has started hissing, it could be the result of something new you have placed in its cage.

If this is the case, then your only option is to remove the object so that your bird can feel safe and comfortable in its environment.

Your Conure Is Antisocial: If your conure is prone to hissing during any form of contact or affection – then this could mean you have purchased an antisocial bird. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean that your bird will probably never be like the fun and cuddly conures you have seen on the internet.

Sometimes a conure will prefer its own company and you should learn to respect that. Conures can still be wonderful observational pets, even if they prefer not to be handled or coddled.

How To Stop Your Conure Hissing?

If your conure is a new pet, then oftentimes it will hiss because it doesn’t trust you. We understand that this news can be a little discouraging, but it doesn’t mean you can never gain your bird’s trust and love.

Like any pet, you have to build a relationship with your conure, and this process can be slow and painful. But if you want to ensure that your bird will love you, then this is the only approach you can do.

To help you in this process, we have outlined some methods that can be used to establish a bond with your bird. These methods are simple yet effective, and they will ensure that your new conure grows comfortable in its new home.

So take a look down below and make your bird feel like part of your family.

Methods To Build Your Conure’s Trust

Talk To Your Conure: This is one of the most effective ways to build a relationship with your conure. By simply talking to your bird slowly and gently, you will be able to gain its trust and love, However, you should never raise your voice as this could intimate the conure and further damage your relationship.

Introduce Yourself To Its Cage: Your new conure may not want to be handled right away, so you should always approach contact in a calm and controlled manner. You can do this by placing your hand inside the bird’s cage, to see if it is at all interested in physical contact. If the bird does not leap into your hand, then remove it and keep trying until the bird feels comfortable. Don’t put your hand too close to the bird, let it come to you.

Spend Time With Your Bird: You can build trust with your conure by spending time with it for long periods during the day. This will help your bird to grow accustomed to your presence, which will help it to define you as its new carer. This process does not need to involve physical contact, and you can leave your bird in its cage as long as it can see you.

Play With Your Conure: Once you have built more trust with your conure, you can start playing with it as well. Conures love stimulation, so you should invest in toys and equipment for them to play with. Anything that will get your bird excited is great for building trust and communication.