Any conure keepers ?

[James M]

Looking to get a green cheek conure and wanted to know if anyone had any tips and what I should be prepared for besides how loud they can get.

 

[HuduVudu]

Looking to get a green cheek conure and wanted to know if anyone had any tips and what I should be prepared for besides how loud they can get.

You need to provide something so that they can grind their beeks down. They are like toenails that can't be clipped.

They are loud, but very loving birds. When I worked in a pet store in HS I had one that someone brought back that was in very badly neglected and abused. I corrected it's physical problems and then tamed it. It took time and I still have the scars from the transition from glove to bare hands. It was very worth it. We sold him and I hope that he went to a loving home. Fortunately I had some time with him. He liked to groom my hair and twirl my ear ring as he rode on my should around the store. Just remember birds in general are very social and you should be prepared for that.

 

[TriggerFinger]

I’ve never had any type of bird but I spent a lot of time at a house that had a conure; his name was skittles. He only loved the mom in the house and was very protective of her; he bit the kids and dad and would harass their dog occasionally. Skittles used to hide on the moms shoulder under her shirt and pop out to try and bite you when you got too close. He got a lot of free time outside of his bird cage and it was like watching a toddler, he would go in the bathroom and pull tissue out of the basket on the floor. He would fly up on top of kitchen cabinets and hide in the corner when he knew it was time to go back in his cage. Very cool, intelligent bird, he was super attached to only one person though.

 

[Arthacker87]

Working in a petstore as well, I can say they give what you put in. They can be messy, loud, aggressive, and down right rude lol but they are also beautiful fun and intelligent. Its a relationship you earn with them. Like stated about they will need wings clipped every so often, good diet, stuff to grind beak down, toys to stay busy etc. One of the smaller easier birds to handle of the bigger pretty birds.

 

[X-37B]

I have kept an african grey for 5 years and a blue and gold macaw, from a baby, for 13 years.
Birds require alot of attention and are very messy.
You can not just keep one in a cage like we keep fish as they are very social animals.
They can be very loud and they live a long time.
I used to take my macaw every where I went in the 90's.
I hated it but had to give him up after my daughter was born in 01.
I still see him from time to time as a close friend still has him. He is 32 now, wow.
They never forget you either

 

[Mike from TN]

My Wife and I have been parrot parents for ever. Like mentioned above, they can be noisy (especially conures), messy and demanding.
They require interaction just like a dog or cat, even more so. Without the interaction they require, any parrot can become self destructive. Feather plucking is the most common behavior of a parrot that wants attention and is not getting enough. Screaming can also be an issue.
Do your research. Proper housing and diet are very important. Just like you wouldn’t place a tang in a 10 gallon tank and feed it poor quality food, their “house” needs to be of adequate size with proper bar spacing and room to move around. Toys and things to destroy are absolutely and a proper diet will assure a long and healthy life. Prepare to vacuum every day.
Not trying to turn you off from getting a bird, just the facts.
We have an African Grey and a Senegal parrot. They have their own room with a stereo and a TV/DVD player combo to keep them occupied when we are not in there with them. They Love Pixar movies and cartoons. When he sees the DVD cases come out, the Grey will usually ask if we “Wanna Watch Mater”? In his mind Mater is a character in ALL Pixar movies. LOL!
They are very loving and affectionate but there are days when I want to strangle them. Not really but they can make you crazy some times.
NOTE:
Just so you know. Chocolate, avocado and many other foods are deadly toxic to birds. Overheated Non Stick cookware can also kill any bird in the house no mater which room it’s in.
Read, Read, and Read more. They live a very long time and you want them (and your family) to be happy. ;)

 

[TriggerFinger]

My Wife and I have been parrot parents for ever. Like mentioned above, they can be noisy (especially conures), messy and demanding.
They require interaction just like a dog or cat, even more so. Without the interaction they require, any parrot can become self destructive. Feather plucking is the most common behavior of a parrot that wants attention and is not getting enough. Screaming can also be an issue.
Do your research. Proper housing and diet are very important. Just like you wouldn’t place a tang in a 10 gallon tank and feed it poor quality food, their “house” needs to be of adequate size with proper bar spacing and room to move around. Toys and things to destroy are absolutely and a proper diet will assure a long and healthy life. Prepare to vacuum every day.
Not trying to turn you off from getting a bird, just the facts.
We have an African Grey and a Senegal parrot. They have their own room with a stereo and a TV/DVD player combo to keep them occupied when we are not in there with them. They Love Pixar movies and cartoons. When he sees the DVD cases come out, the Grey will usually ask if we “Wanna Watch Mater”? In his mind Mater is a character in ALL Pixar movies. LOL!
They are very loving and affectionate but there are days when I want to strangle them. Not really but they can make you crazy some times.
NOTE:
Just so you know. Chocolate, avocado and many other foods are deadly toxic to birds. Overheated Non Stick cookware can also kill any bird in the house no mater which room it’s in.
Read, Read, and Read more. They live a very long time and you want them (and your family) to be happy. ;)

Lots of information here but no pictures of your current birds?!

 

[Mike from TN]

This is Mr Man! He’s 30 years old. I hand fed him as a baby. He likes my Wife better than me though.

 

[Mike from TN]

This is Dewey, the Senegal. He is 27ish years old. He like to put on the “tough guy” pose for the camera.

 

[Mike from TN]

Better picture

 

[James M]

Thank you everyone for your help ! I really appreciate it

 

[James M]

My Wife and I have been parrot parents for ever. Like mentioned above, they can be noisy (especially conures), messy and demanding.
They require interaction just like a dog or cat, even more so. Without the interaction they require, any parrot can become self destructive. Feather plucking is the most common behavior of a parrot that wants attention and is not getting enough. Screaming can also be an issue.
Do your research. Proper housing and diet are very important. Just like you wouldn’t place a tang in a 10 gallon tank and feed it poor quality food, their “house” needs to be of adequate size with proper bar spacing and room to move around. Toys and things to destroy are absolutely and a proper diet will assure a long and healthy life. Prepare to vacuum every day.
Not trying to turn you off from getting a bird, just the facts.
We have an African Grey and a Senegal parrot. They have their own room with a stereo and a TV/DVD player combo to keep them occupied when we are not in there with them. They Love Pixar movies and cartoons. When he sees the DVD cases come out, the Grey will usually ask if we “Wanna Watch Mater”? In his mind Mater is a character in ALL Pixar movies. LOL!
They are very loving and affectionate but there are days when I want to strangle them. Not really but they can make you crazy some times.
NOTE:
Just so you know. Chocolate, avocado and many other foods are deadly toxic to birds. Overheated Non Stick cookware can also kill any bird in the house no mater which room it’s in.
Read, Read, and Read more. They live a very long time and you want them (and your family) to be happy. ;)

Wow I didn’t not know about the pan thing. what diet worked best for you ? There are many different diet plans to choose from

 

[Mike from TN]

Another better picture.

Mr Man in his old house. Fill that puzzle toy with treats and he has it empty in minutes. Smart cookie!

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

My boss’s Green Cheek. His name is Fuzzy. Cool little dude. Doesn’t talk much unless he is mad and even then he is pretty chill. (Sorry about the side of my head haha)

 

[Mike from TN]

Wow I didn’t not know about the pan thing. what diet worked best for you ? There are many different diet plans to choose from

The pan thing is bad news! I’m sure they have changed over the years but in the 80’s, I killed two of my birds by overheating a Teflon pan. PTFE poisoning! I was devastated!
As far as diet goes, try to stay away from seed diets. If the bird you get is already on a seed diet, you’ll have to gradually wean him/her off of it. Pelleted diets are way healthier. Some brands to considerare Lafebers ( cheaper from Chewy than the big box stores) or Harrison’s. Harrison’s is the best but it’s top dollar and is hard to find.
Fresh fruits and vegi’s are a must but read up on toxic foods. Unsalted peanuts, shelled walnuts and almonds are good treats. No salt though.
For treats, we give our guys one animal cracker and a couple of Goldfish crackers each day. They love apple but the seeds are toxic.

 

[Mike from TN]

Sorry! WEAN him or her off!
I’m on my phone and my fat fingers cause typo’s!

 

[vetteguy53081]

I owned a full line pet store,
Best is hand tamed-hand fed. Give it lots of handling. It will bite less and less with handling. In the house, i recommend wings clipped.
Focus on a proper diet, Not just seed. Fruits, veggies, greens, nuts, pasta (tyes) and no drafts in the room.

 

[Mike from TN]

The “guy’s” room.

 

[Mike from TN]

 

[Mike from TN]