Welcome to my Conure Page!My fine feathered friend in the picture is Louie. He is a Sunday Conure (Sun / Jenday). He is five years old and is quite a character.
I hope to provide some valuable information on these loveable birds. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be an abundance of such available, either on or off the net. But, I have found some info that may be of interest to you. Hope you Enjoy!
The Many Types
Some of the birds that fall under this genus include the Sharp-tailed Conure, the Blue-crowned Conure, the Mexican Green Conure, the Red-throated Conure, the Brown-throated Conure, the Sun Conure, the Jenday Conure, The Finsch's Conure, the Mitred Conure, the Dusky Conure and the Queen of Bavaria Conure.
Genus Nandayus nenday This species is a very close relative to the Aratinga. In fact, it is listed as Aratinga or Nandayus nenday. The Nanday Conure is native to southeastern Bolivia, northern Argentina, and Paraguay. The birds live in large flocks, often together with Monk Parakeets. Nanday conures are considered to be sociable birds, even with other species. Their coloring consists of a blue-black head, cheeks and throats.
Genus Brotogeris These green colored parakeets have narrow tails and long, pointed wings that cover the tail. Some species are imported regularly every year and make ideal aviary birds. Some of the species that fall under this genus are the Tirica Parakeet, the Canary-winged Parakeet, the Orange-chinned Parakeet, the golden-winged Parakeet and the Grey Cheeked Parakeet. A great site featuring these birds can be found at The Grey-Cheeked Parakeet Page.
Genus Enicognathus This genus includes two currently quite popular species, the Slender-billed Conure and Austral Conure. Both come from southern South America. The Austral conure is mainly green, with most of the feathers darkly edged. The forehead and eye stripe are red. These birds are native to southern Argentina and Chile. The slender- billed conure is green, with an olive-colored belly. The flight feathers are bluish. They can be found in central Chili in noisy groups of 50-300 birds. In spring they move to the mountains.
Genus Cyanoliseus The Patagonian conure and its three subspecies belong to the genus Cyanoliseus. The Lesser Patagonian conure's upper side is olive-brown with an olive green sheen. This bird ranges from southern to central Argentina, occasionally into Uruguay. These birds have become increasing popular in aviculture, although their voices are loud and piercing. The Greater Patagonian is somewhat larger than the Patagonian conure and has a more robust beak. These birds are very hardy and need a daily supply of fruit tree and willow twigs, as well as thick branches, to satisfy their desire to chew.
Genus Pyrrhura Many members of this interesting genus are not often seen on the market, which is a shame because they are very beautiful birds and it is said they are not nearly as noisy as the Aratinga species. They are also said to be minimally destructive if regularly supplied with fresh twigs to occupy their attention. This genus includes the Green-Cheeked Conure, Blue-Throated Conure, the Painted Conure, the White-Eared Conure, the Crimson-bellied Conure, the Black-Capped Conure and the Maroon-bellied Conure.
Perches: In addition, perches supplied with cages are often too thin. Make sure the perch is about 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter so that the bird's claws cannot quite reach around them. The bird will then have a better grip and their toenails are less likely to become overgrown. Concrete perches are not recommended. These are very irritating to the bird's feet which you can imagine.
Natural perches are extremely useful. A least one perch should be placed high in the cage since conures love roosting as high as possible. Be careful not to fill the cage with too many perches however. There should be plenty of space for them to move about. If using natural branches, be sure they have not been sprayed with insecticides. Elder, willow, eucalyptus, and small fruit tree branches have been recommended.
While on the subject of plants, please make note of the various plants you have in the surrounding area. Birds LOVE plants, and many plants are poisonous. I have compiled a list of the potentially poisonous ones here.
Bedding: There are several types of bedding available for birds, however, the most commonly recommended seems to be plain butcher paper or newsprint (not the glossy inserts). This allows the owners to easily monitor changes in the droppings which could indicate illness. Personally, I use plain white copy paper. I have a home based business, so this paper is readily available and is not very expensive.
The other types of bedding include: corn cob, crushed walnut shell, and pine shavings. However, all three of these can be potentially harmful to the birds. Apparently, the corn cob and walnut shell can cause crop impaction if ingested by the birds and the pine shavings can cause respiratory problems. In addition, another draw back is the fact that bacteria tends to grow quickly on these types of bedding.
In any case, the bedding should be changed daily.
The Cover: I never thought this would be an issue, but one day I had a horrible scare. Apparently, during the night Louie had chewed a hole in his cover. I had just gotten up and all of a sudden I heard him SCREAMING and it was not his normal "get me up" kinda call. This was an emergency.
Somehow, he had chewed the blanket in such a way that there were several long loose threads and he had managed to get them wrapped around his neck. He was freaking, I was freaking... he bit me hard several times as I held him with one hand and broke the string with the other. Bless his heart, who would have ever thought. Anyway, the moral to this story is not to use a loosely woven cover and to inspect the cover often.
Lighting / Temperature: It is very important not place your bird's cage where there are drafts. They too, can catch colds if they get chilled. Generally, whatever temperature is comfortable for you will be fine for your bird.
Lighting is also important. The experts recommend that birds receive some indirect sun light. Just like humans, they too need sunshine to stay healthy. Some owners place full-spectrum lighting near their birds cages. If you do choose to use this type of lighting be sure to only use only those which are made especially for birds.
Household Dangers: There are several common household items which are potentially harmful and possibly fatal to your bird. Please make a note of them and do further research if any of these issues affect you.
This section is meant to be a "heads up" regarding items we use fairly frequently around the home. If you have doubts about a product, don't use it until you are sure.
Apartment vs. House: 
Some folks have written me regarding whether it would be wise to have a conure if they live in an apartment. Personally, I'd think long and hard before having any parrot in an apartment. Of course, there are quieter species but all parrots screech at one time or another. Most apartment walls are incredibly thin and it is difficult to prepare a room in such a way to keep the noise level down. Please consider how difficult it would be on both you and your bird to have to suddenly give him away because your neighbors complained about the noise.
Food
Main Course: Louie's main "dish" during the day are pellets made by Kaytee. It took me a very long time to wean Louie from seeds. I still give him a small amount of seeds as a treat now and then but I usually pick out the sunflower seeds. For the record, sunflower seeds are deficient in lysine, which is essential for plumage development. Some birds if given the chance, like Louie, would eat only the sunflower seeds and ignore everything else. If you are trying to convert your bird to pellets please don't give up. It has probably taken me longer than it should to convert Louie but I'm a softie. I have tried countless brands and the plain Kaytee pellets are the only ones he liked.
Side Dishes: Fruits and vegetables are a very important part of a bird's diet. Just about anything that is good for you is good for your bird. Just be careful not to give them foods which contain a lot of salt, fat or sugar. Their bodies do not metabolize these items like we do and can actually be very harmful to them. One word of caution, there are some foods that should NEVER be given to birds - avocado, chocolate, caffeine and of course, alcohol. These items are highly toxic to the birds.
Its difficult for me to get Louie to try new things. I really have to nag him :) He LOVES grapes, apples, green beans and carrots though and I'm constantly on the lookout for new veggies and fruits he will enjoy.
Dessert: As another treat, I give him Avi-Cakes made by Lafeber's. They are fortified with vitamins and he loves them.
Loudness / Vocal Abilities
Conures are LOUD folks! Sorry, but that's the truth ;) Their screeching can be ear piercing. In fact, my boyfriend insists upon earplugs! But their delightful personalities make up for any annoyances caused by the screeching. Besides, it is only at certain times that Louie is loud; particularly in the morning when he is ready to "get up" (have the cover removed from his cage) or when he is stressed about something.
Conures are also great "talkers". I have heard cases of just about every species of conure talking. Their "voices" certainly aren't as clear as some of the larger parrots but their owners can understand what they are saying :) Unfortunately, the only thing Louie says is "come here". But it is an adorable "come here", and melts my heart every time he says it. He also has a cute little laugh that just cracks me up.
Please note that not all parrots talk and that includes conures - some do and some don't. Of course it helps to talk to them often and clearly but there is no guarantee your bird will talk. Be prepared to love them just for the adorable creatures that they are.
Temperament
Conures are known for their sweet dispositions and playfulness and I can vouch for that. Of my two birds, Louie is definitely the most affectionate. He loves to cuddle and will even take naps with me. Well, actually, he's the only one that ever goes to sleep. I'm too afraid of falling asleep and rolling over and crushing him. I remember one day, after waking up from a nap, he slowly came out from under the covers, blinked his little eyes and yawned. Two or three little feathers on top of his head were sticking straight up! It was hilarious, reminded me of Alfalfa. :)
He is also very protective. He has bonded exclusively to me and if in "the mood" will defend me. I have even heard of a conure that successfully protected his owner from an intruder.
These little birds are characters! I really don't know how else to put it. He definitely has a mind
of his own, but then, I have spoiled him beyond belief!
Odd Behaviors or "What the HECK is he doing?"
Head Bobbing: I've read that this is mostly a baby gesture. They do this to tell show their parents that they are hungry. Apparently, they continue to do it in adulthood as an "attention getter." Louie does this while making little whispering noises. Actually, *blush* I've found myself bobbing my head back at him ;)
Backing Up: When your bird backs up to your hand or whatever and rubs her behind on you, basically... hmmm...well.... she's in love :) Its a female sexual maneuver and you should feel flattered - she "wants" you :)
Pecking: I have no idea what this means, but apparently it is a normal behavior for birds. Louie does it when he is really concentrating on something, like tearing up a paper towel.
Beak Grinding: Basically this means "I'm a happy camper." Louie grinds his beak mostly at night when he is relaxed and content. But sometimes he will do it during the day after play time or after eating a particularly pleasing meal.
UBEs: UBE stands for "Unidentified Bird Emergency" - Every now and then, birds will become startled "out of the blue" and will go into a panic. This usually consists of flying frantically or flapping their wings and screeching at the top of their lungs. There doesn't have to be a reason, they just do it. It doesn't seem to happen very often and there is usually NOTHING going on... I mean total silence. The "episode" only lasts a few seconds and then they act as if nothing ever happened :) Who knows?
Wing Flapping: When your bird gently flaps his wings close to his body, he wants to come to you. Usually this happens when I walk near or stand close to Louie's cage. Of course, I can never resist picking him up!
French Kissing: For some reason, Conures will sometimes try to 'slip you the tongue' when you kiss them. I nearly fell out of my chair when Louie did that! Beware though, the experts warn against letting them do it. Apparently, we humans have bacteria in our mouths for which birds do not have an immunity. So "safe" kissing only :)
Play Time
Toys: Toys - Gotta Have 'Em! Conures are very playful birds and can become bored quickly if they don't have anything to amuse themselves. There are countless types of toys on the market and most are very inexpensive. Louie seems to prefer the hanging types with large wooden beads and ropes at the bottom. Of course, within a few days, the wood beads are only a memory :)
I am sure each bird is different is this regard, but it shouldn't be too hard to discover their favorites. Toys with bells are also on his list, but I have to be careful to buy bells that have very strong and large ringers. Unfortunately, Louie also highly favors my keyboard. So if you see any typos - Louie did it! ;)
Their beaks are incredibly strong, and because of this the toys should be chosen carefully. Do not bother buying toys made for parakeets - not only will they be turned into a heap the next day, but they can also be dangerous. In addition, just because the toy is made for birds, do not assume it is safe. Several birds have died playing with a toy called "Cotton Candy" and a visitor recently wrote that her bird was strangled playing with a toy called "Krazy Cluster."
Fun & Games: Conures love to play games. Louie's favorite seems to be "peek-a-boo." I'll cover his head with a paper towel or tissue and then with great surprise say "peek-a-boo." He repeats it in a whispery voice and will even try to cover himself if I'm not continuing the game fast enough.
Louie also likes to "finger wrestle." He'll grab my finger in his beak (gently) and start this
weird squealing noise while holding onto my finger with both feet. I usually turn him on his back and shake my finger
back and forth as if tickling him. He gets a great kick out of it.
Bath Time
Conures love to take baths, as do most birds. Most pet shops sell small bathing tubs made
especially for birds. However, I use a glass pie plate which works quite well. I only put a little
over a quarter of an inch of lukewarm water in it and it seems to work perfectly. Louie hasn't
complained. Besides, he has more room to splash and he can REALLY spread his wings. After
his bath
I wrap him gently in a towel and hold him close to me until he is dry.
Bed Time
Conures, according to the experts, need 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
Louie seems to prefer going to bed at dark. In fact, if I am off doing
something else, he will let me know he is ready for bed by screeching.
As soon as I cover his cage he climbs to his little corner and falls fast
asleep.
Training
One of the first things a new owner should do is to train their bird the "Up" command. This command will be very helpful to you in the future.
Behavorial Problems
Several people have written me regarding behavioral problems and while I'm certainly no expert, I thought I would share with you some tactics that might help.
If that doesn't do the trick, you may have to resort to moving him to a quieter part of the house. Sometimes a new bird will become stressed easily if there is a lot of activity going on around him all the time.
As for loneliness, the best cure of course, is more time from his humans. If that is impossible, perhaps you can relieve it by giving him new toys, treats or possibly even leave the radio or tv on for him.
Biting: Let's face it guys, all birds bite at one time or another. But, biting all the time is a different story. Louie seemed to go through a "nippy" period when he was very young. One method that worked for me was to "wobble" my hand just a little bit, until he almost lost his balance, and he would let go. It didn't take but just a couple of times and he hasn't bitten me hard since.
I say hard because it seems that when Louie is molting he becomes kinda "grouchy" and will give me "warning" bites. They never hurt but you can tell he's just not in the best of moods.
Chewing on Your Clothes: Conures love to chew and chewing on your clothes is no exception. I had one visitor who wrote that her t-shirts had "more holes than material"! This is quite normal. In fact, I've totally given up on trying to discourage Louie from chewing on my shirts. I only wear my "bird shirts" around him and when they've 'had it' I throw them away.
Skittishness: Sometimes a newly acquired bird may exhibit a lack of trust and be skittish. This behavior is normal. It is quite traumatic for a bird to be moved to a new home. Birds that have had previous owners are especially affected, particularly if the bird was mistreated or neglected. The only advice I can give is to be patient, talk softly and often to the bird and offer him treats from your hand. Eventually, he will hopefully come to see you as a friend.
Training No No's: Never, ever, ever punish your bird by hitting him, spraying him with water or by screaming at him. These guys have very sensitive personalities, and you can warp him for life. They will not forgive and forget! It takes years sometimes, if ever, for abused birds to become trusting again.
Grooming
Like most pets, birds need to be groomed from time to time. There are basically two things you will need to do - trim their wings and clip their toenails. Of course, if you'd rather not do it yourself, I'm sure your Vet will be happy to do it for you.
{stepping off soapbox} Clipping the wings is not hard, but I recommend that you have someone who is experienced show you how. There are definitely issues you need to watch for and you need to know what you are doing. If you accidently cut a blood-feather, your bird could actually bleed to death if you don't have the necessary medicines available. At first, I was terrified... but thanks to Louie's patience ;) we have the process down pat. It only takes about 5 minutes every 3 or 4 months.
Trimming the Toenails: The same is true for trimming the toenails. Its not difficult, but you need to know how to do it properly. I think Louie dislikes the nail trimming worse than wing clippings, mainly because I'm so slow :) But he's a trooper and he indulges me.
Determining Sex
Sex determination on conures, for the most part, is difficult if not impossible. Actually, I haven't a clue if Louie is a male or female, but since I'm not breeding "him" it really does not make that much difference. An Avian Vet can determine sex using certain procedures such as DNA testing or surgical testing.
One visitor wrote me that breeders use a certain technique that can determine sex without such tests. You can lay your conure on its back and feel the pelvic bones. If they are close together (touching or almost touching), then its a male; if they are far apart then its a female. This is because the female requires extra room for the eggs. This makes sense but I don't know how accurate it is. If this is true, then Louie is actually Louise :)
Diseases
As with all animals, birds are susceptible to certain diseases. I will discuss a few here, but if you have any doubts what-so-ever, PLEASE take your bird to the vet as soon as possible. All of these diseases are dangerous and need immediate attention from a vet.
Colds and Sinus Inflammations These frequently affect cage and aviary birds as a result of drafts, temperature differences, vitamin A deficiency, stress and exposure to various bacteria and viruses. Symptoms include nasal discharge, runny eyes, and sneezing. Affected eyes tend to look droopy. Please see the VET IMMEDIATELY!
Diarrhea This is not a disease but a symptom. Please see the vet!
Egg Binding This is caused by oversized or soft-shelled eggs, stress, muscle weakness or disease. The hen will usually sit at the bottom of the cage with her feathers ruffled up breathing heavily. Again, Please see the VET IMMEDIATELY!
Feather Plucking This is usually the result of vitamin deficiency, listlessness, boredom or over-crowding. A Vet can certainly help with the vitamin deficiency. The boredom and listlessness can be alleviated possibly with new toys, twigs or treats. However, sometimes it is not really clear why some birds are pluckers. I would suggest seeking out other owners of birds who have experienced this and obtaining their feedback.
Pacheco's Disease This is a massive problem in the US. It is caused by a specific virus and is primarily seen in areas where many birds are kept, such as pet shops, zoos, or quarantine stations. The symptoms include stress, diarrhea, depression and appetite loss. Please see the Vet IMMEDIATELY!
Psittacosis This disease is caused by an intracellular parasite. Affected birds do not want to eat, fluff up the feathers, gasp for air while moisture drips from the nostrils. Their droppings are a gray-green in color. The final stage of this disease is marked by nervous disorders. Affected birds die quickly. Please SEE YOUR VET IMMEDIATELY! Humans can get this disease too!!
Proventricular Dilitation Disease (PDD) This is an infectious and deadly disease for which there is currently no cure. Symptoms include: depression, weight loss, regurgitation, and/or passage of undigested food in the feces. Please see the Vet IMMEDIATELY!
Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease (PBFD) This is another infectious and deadly disease for which there is no known cure. The virus is spread by inhalation or ingestion of virus particles. Feather dust is known to contain vast amounts of the virus. All newly purchased birds should be tested for this virus before being introduced to an existing flock. Symptoms include: loss of feathers or abnormal feather development, depression, weight loss, and diarrhea. Please see the Vet IMMEDIATELY!
Giardia This is a microscopic parasite which is transmitted through the injestion of contaminated food, water or fecal material. Symptoms include weight loss, soft lime green stools, dry flaky skin and sometimes feather plucking. Please see the Vet IMMEDIATELY!
Mites Although uncommon in Conures, these external parasites burrow into the skin around the beak, eyelids, legs, and feet and are responsible for scaly face and leg disease. Apply benzylbenzoate or Eurax cream while your vet treats the bird with an injectable medication.
Worms There are two types of worms that can infect birds: roundworms and threadworms. These are also uncommon in Conures, but please see your vet for the proper medication if you suspect their presence.
I can not stress enough how important it is to take your bird to the vet if your bird shows any of these or other disturbing symptoms. Birds will very often try to hide their symptoms in order to appear healthy because of survival instincts. In fact, they are so good at this that by the time we notice the symptoms it is often too late.
Conures kept under optimum conditions and given a balanced diet are remarkably resistant to
disease and you should rarely have any problems. It is my belief the best prevention for these and
other diseases is cleanliness and regular checkups from your vet. For the most part, these birds
are very hardy.
Lifespan
According to a recent article in Bird Talk Magazine, the lifespan of Conures
was shown to be a maximum of 25 years and the average lifespan was
quoted as being 10 years. I have even heard of conures living as long as 35 years.
It is not uncommon for exotic bird owners to include a clause in their wills
providing for the care of their birds in the event the birds outlive the owners.
Acquisition
There are several sources for purchasing birds. The experts most frequently recommend purchasing
weaned babies from reputable breeders. Be sure to check the breeder's references,
as there are scam artists even in the bird world. The bird should appear healthy -
shiny feathers, no discharges from eyes or nose and be active. It is a good idea
to take the bird to an avian vet for a well-bird checkup as soon as possible. Some
breeders will have already taken the bird to the vet and will provide a certificate of health.
Commitment & Research
As you might surmise, it is not quite as easy caring for an exotic bird as it is a dog or cat. If you are new to birds, please do your homework before bringing home your new baby. Birds require lots of attention EVERYDAY. They have very special personalities and requirements. If they are ignored they can actually go crazy.
Your extra effort for these little angels will not go unrewarded however. You will have many years with a very special companion. I don't think of
Louie as a pet, he's my friend.
Thanks so much for visiting my Conure Page. I hope some
of this information
has been helpful. Conures are GREAT birds!! I feel very fortunate to have Louie in my life.
A lot of information on this page came from "Conures, A Complete Pet Owner's Manual" by
Matthew M. Vriends, PhD.
This little booklet is very helpful and is highly recommended.
I have also learned a great deal from being on the Conures List at Yahoo Groups.
There are some very knowledgeable bird owners there who are more than happy to help
with questions.
Please be sure to sign my guestbook and leave any comments
or suggestions. I do not pretend to be an expert on
conures by any means. I am just owned by one.
Linda
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Created: February 9, 1997 Last Updated: February 8, 2002 |
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