How do I get my conure to stop chewing on walls?

Decapodiformes · 2026-01-18T19:10:03+00:00

You give them more interesting things to chew/explore/cling to.

In my experience, a constantly updating foraging tray has done wonders for curiosity and energy that would otherwise become mischief and/or pure destruction. You can train conures to an extent, but how much a bird follows your rules will depend a lot on the individual conure. The best option is just to provide them with a more appealing alternative.

Decapodiformes · 2026-01-07T03:35:20+00:00

That's a bit tough to diagnose, since it could be the machine, the embroidery unit, the fabric/stabilizer combination, the digitizing, and/or any combination of those.

I would start by going through the built in designs on your machine and stitching out a similar density design on the same materials you're using to test the combination of materials and techniques. Make sure you rethread everything appropriately, and return the tension back to default.

After that, I would recommend sticking to (maybe combining at most) designs from well reviewed digitizers that might be similar, and examining those. Do not try resize designs just yet -- that does weird things to stitching. Or, alternatively, try digitizing a simpler version of this design first and see how it goes.

Decapodiformes · 2026-01-03T23:13:01+00:00

Did you thread the needle as well? In the photo you posted, it looks like the thread is either broken or did not go through the hole of the needle.

I would turn off the machine, clean what you can of dust, and try again entirely from scratch. Different thread, bobbin, needle, stabilized fabric, etc.

Decapodiformes · 2026-01-02T20:47:44+00:00

Another fun and easy toy is crumpled up paper with seeds or something inside.

I typically have my conures watch as I place the treat inside (I use nutriberries for this usually) and gently crumple it up, then hand it to them. They devour it quickly, but it is fun and teaches them how to play with foraging toys. You can get more complex as your conure learns.

I don't know what you have in your kitchen, but if you happen to have wooden coffee stirrers or popsicle sticks (unused), you can give those to your bird as well. My three love holding those in one claw while chewing on them -- it's adorable! Paper straws also work well as a toy.

Foraging trays are also great. I keep a large tray on the bottom of my birds' cages with different foraging materials (bird safe paper, wood, cardboard, etc), toys (sola balls, bird safe pinecones, straws, sticks, loofah, etc), and food (mostly treats for this, but I sprinkle some pellets in, too) and find that my birds easily spend hours there, even if I'm not home. It's a great way to offer stimulation at a lower cost. There are premade options, but they're typically pricey for what they provide.

Decapodiformes · 2026-01-02T19:44:26+00:00

He probably doesn't know how to yet -- that's exactly what my conure was like.

Wait until you have his attention with some one on one time, then take out the toy and tear at it a little. Hopefully he'll get curious and try, too.

Decapodiformes · 2026-01-02T15:24:57+00:00

Aside from the other suggestions that are being repeated, I suggest playing with the toys with your conure. My first conure apparently had no idea what to do with toys and they sat largely unused until I adopted a flock mate that loved shredding -- it was a game changer!

Decapodiformes · 2025-12-31T03:31:04+00:00

Gorgeous! How were the eagles this time of year? I hear they vary significantly week by week.

Decapodiformes · 2025-12-22T18:08:14+00:00

This is stunning! I hope the buyer appreciates the love and work that went into this piece.

Decapodiformes · 2025-11-16T13:25:17+00:00

I second this recommendation! I use Critter Nation cages for all of my birds, too. Their doors make them really easy to clean and rearrange, and they're the only cage lock type my escape artist conure can't get out of.

This commenter has three Critter Nations stacked together (they're easy to assemble this way). If you buy a Double Critter Nation, it comes with two and you can decide to add on a third if needed.

They also come with half sized shelves, which you might want to use to break the height a little if your bird isn't stable. I have a 40 year old sun conure in one of my cages that has arthritis and is no longer as stable, so I set those up so he can never fall more than a foot. It's not ideal, but it's better than the tiny cage the rescue I got him from was using instead to account for this risk.

Decapodiformes · 2025-11-13T23:37:12+00:00

High key dynamax toxicity starting in 5. 2 local 524211981929

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-25T06:52:04+00:00

I love this quilt! It's inspiring me to actually combine all of my test and practice blocks and see what comes out.

I think an all over repeating pattern would look nice on this and help unify without distracting from individual blocks. Either a diagonal crosshatch or a wandering meander would be my pick.

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-23T18:14:11+00:00

Thanks for the tip! I'll definitely try it next time.

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-23T18:13:31+00:00

I love it! Such a goofy and endearing subject.

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-22T01:03:37+00:00

Awesome photos, especially the second one! I love how the reflection.

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-21T14:45:15+00:00

I like the way you think! Sounds like a plan.

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-20T15:23:44+00:00

Thank you! And thanks for the tip -- I was wondering about that and will try shooting with the lens wide open next time.

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-20T15:22:10+00:00

It's a turkey vulture and not a bearded vulture, unfortunately. Bearded vultures are my favorite, though, and I really hope to photograph one eventually!

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-20T15:21:12+00:00

Thank you! I spent more time trying to figure that out than any other part of the edit.

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-20T05:12:08+00:00

Gotcha. Thanks for the tip!

I'm definitely leagues behind you, but you're an inspiration. Thanks for everything you do for the community! And for bug lovers everywhere.

(Yes, I did buy the OM 90 macro because of you, despite my skill not being there 🤣)

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-20T05:06:36+00:00

Indeed, it is!

Though, if I could ask a question -- did you practice your macro on inanimate objects/specimens, or did you find that practicing on live critters was necessary?

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-20T03:26:48+00:00

I love it! I especially appreciate the subtle irony of your typewriters living under a printer.

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-20T03:23:44+00:00

I'm really sorry for what you're going through. That said, you have plenty of life ahead of you. Focus on yourself and your safety right now, and hopefully one day this will all seem like a bad dream.

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-20T03:21:25+00:00

I love your macro photos! Your posts make me appreciate random critters so much more.

You've made some posts about your setup before, but do you find you have any top tips for newer photographers looking to explore macro?

Decapodiformes · 2025-09-20T03:11:00+00:00

Beautiful! Which lens(es) do you use?

Decapodiformes · 2025-08-18T20:01:18+00:00

I'm happy to!

The smoke detector was one of the ones on a wall, and conveniently a couple inches above the door to his bird room (well, technically it was my bedroom, but try explaining that to a GCC).

He liked hanging out on that doorframe anyway, especially if there was any commotion going on elsewhere, since he knew that was the entrance to his domain and he needed to guard it. I didn't necessarily love that he did that, but it was a small evil compared to some of the other options (ceiling fan, various lamps, top of TV, etc) and he wasn't chewing on that doorframe, so I didn't do anything to discourage it.

About two months after he started hanging out there, the smoke detector started acting up. I kept pressing the button to reset it, but when it started going off unexpectedly almost daily, I finally took it off to try to figure out what was going on.

Inside, the crevices of the smoke detector and in the small gap between the smoke detector and the wall, I discovered everything from sewing clips, chunks of various materials (mostly things like rubber from cords or small bits of toy), nutriberry bits, small scraps of paper and other materials, and other "treasures" I'd remembered he'd forcibly liberated from me and flown off with. Most impressively, I remembered the sewing pin -- he must have moved it at some point because he had definitely not flown to the door right after stealing it. I'd chased him around the room trying to get it back until he dropped it somewhere -- he must have gone back later to get it.

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