more info about green cheek conures?

[datlamb]

after lots of thought and research i decided that my future pet will be a green cheek conure!
so far, these are the traits that i found are attributed to it, divided to pros and cons. however, i'd love to hear some personal experience or things you would like to add to this list that i missed. thank you!

pros:
-relatively quiet
-medium sized parrot (less prone to brushing hazard)
-cuddly and affectionate (relatively)

cons:
-big beak (can chew through computer wired. will need to be watched during cage out time )
-nippy (can be worked on)
-less independent, "velcro bird" ( can be taught to play with toys)
-can get cage territorial ( need to find ways to get out of cage without using hands)

general info:
-needs a well rounded diet ( veggies, sprouts, fruit, legumes, very little seed)
-needs a big selection of toys that will be rotated weekly
-needs a big cage. i am thinking of getting this one
-can live up to 35 years
-will need daily attention and one on one time
-house will have to be bird proofed
- will need either natural sunlight not filtered through window glass or UV light

 

[sunnysmom]

@webchirp ?

 

[Peachfaced]

-can get cage territorial ( need to find ways to get out of cage without using hands)

This is easy; As I do with any bird, open up the door and sit nearby. The bird will come out when he or she is ready. As for the hands, a T shaped perch works well. Start by teaching step up/step down from that.

 

[Me&MyPinapple]

I haven't had any issues with the cons you've listed although I've definitely heard about that with other green cheeks. I think a big part was that she was hand fed, and she had a great lady taking care of her before I bought her. I got her just after she was weaned. She plays with toys and keeps herself busy when she's in her cage, but she would definitely prefer to be with me. When I'm home and not in sight, she has a specific call she makes just to make sure I'm still there. It is the cutest thing ever. She's definitely not a good talker when it comes to speaking English. She speaks bird very well though, and her little chirps are adorable. The only time she makes her siren call is when something beeps such as the microwave or washer/dryer, so she is a relatively quiet little bird. She is extremely cuddly and affectionate, and she loves to have bath time every morning.
I think the biggest thing is to learn your birds body language. My bird makes it apparent when she needs to go poop or wants to be put back in her cage or let out of her cage. She's pretty spoiled in that she gets what she wants most of the time, but what she normally wants is to just be with me nestled in my hair. Best of luck to you and your new companion!!

 

[webchirp]

after lots of thought and research i decided that my future pet will be a green cheek conure!
so far, these are the traits that i found are attributed to it, divided to pros and cons. however, i'd love to hear some personal experience or things you would like to add to this list that i missed. thank you!

pros:
-relatively quiet
-medium sized parrot (less prone to brushing hazard)
-cuddly and affectionate (relatively)

cons:
-big beak (can chew through computer wired. will need to be watched during cage out time )
-nippy (can be worked on)
-less independent, "velcro bird" ( can be taught to play with toys)
-can get cage territorial ( need to find ways to get out of cage without using hands)

general info:
-needs a well rounded diet ( veggies, sprouts, fruit, legumes, very little seed)
-needs a big selection of toys that will be rotated weekly
-needs a big cage. i am thinking of getting this one
-can live up to 35 years
-will need daily attention and one on one time
-house will have to be bird proofed
- will need either natural sunlight not filtered through window glass or UV light

Mine are not generally quiet because there are a flock of them but it really depends on the bird. Carlton was rehomed because he was loud and neurotic. He is pretty vocal but he had high blood pressure which made him seem neurotic. I'm not sure what brushing hazard is but you have to watch them and know where they are at all times as they can get stepped on, go under things like pillows, sitting on top of doors...etc. Nippy, dependence etc can be worked with but some can be more or less of each or a combo. I love cheekies...darn hard to resist their little faces.

They are all very unique and someone recently mentioned they had a lot of personality. Very true...big personality, little bodies. They can live up to 35 years but the oldest that I know of is 28 and that is very old. They can be prone to getting themselves into trouble which shortens their life span.

 

[SamandWilley]

I would go with a sturdier cage. From what I have read, those side doors are not very secure on that cage, and would be easy for a conure to undo. Even lovebirds can open those doors. I would lean more toward a cage like this: Amazon.com : HQ Wrought Iron Flight Cage : Birdcages : Pet Supplies HQ Flight Cage. A&E has a similar cage. They are more sturdy for those rough and tumble kinds of birds! I have one for my lovebirds, and am getting one for the budgies. I like the separate doors in the front, but if you like one big door, the A&E has one door.

 

[Mizzely]

Mine was NOT quiet lol.

She also was pretty independent.

UV light really isn't that effective until its a foot or less from the bird, and at that range it can damage their eyes.

Here are some reviews on that cage from users here:

Info about the Prevue Hendryx Large Flight Cage | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum
Please review this cage: Prevue Fight | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum
Good quality cage brands? | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[datlamb]

Mine are not generally quiet because there are a flock of them but it really depends on the bird. Carlton was rehomed because he was loud and neurotic. He is pretty vocal but he had high blood pressure which made him seem neurotic. I'm not sure what brushing hazard is but you have to watch them and know where they are at all times as they can get stepped on, go under things like pillows, sitting on top of doors...etc. Nippy, dependence etc can be worked with but some can be more or less of each or a combo. I love cheekies...darn hard to resist their little faces.

They are all very unique and someone recently mentioned they had a lot of personality. Very true...big personality, little bodies. They can live up to 35 years but the oldest that I know of is 28 and that is very old. They can be prone to getting themselves into trouble which shortens their life span.

whoops! *crushing hazard. haha

I would go with a sturdier cage. From what I have read, those side doors are not very secure on that cage, and would be easy for a conure to undo. Even lovebirds can open those doors. I would lean more toward a cage like this: Amazon.com : HQ Wrought Iron Flight Cage : Birdcages : Pet Supplies HQ Flight Cage. A&E has a similar cage. They are more sturdy for those rough and tumble kinds of birds! I have one for my lovebirds, and am getting one for the budgies. I like the separate doors in the front, but if you like one big door, the A&E has one door.

unfortunately that cage does not ship to my country the one i linked was the biggest one i could find that i can actually purchase. cages for sale in my country are either much smaller or have the wrong bar diameter for a GCC

will closing them with a clothespin solve this problem?


thanks everyone else so much for answering!!! your experiences are very helpful would love to hear more!

for example, were there things you expected, from reading research and such and when you got your birdie things were completely different?

 

[Lwalker]

Mine can be LOUD!!! Maybe not in comparison to some others, but loud just the same.

 

[webchirp]

whoops! *crushing hazard. haha



unfortunately that cage does not ship to my country the one i linked was the biggest one i could find that i can actually purchase. cages for sale in my country are either much smaller or have the wrong bar diameter for a GCC

will closing them with a clothespin solve this problem?


thanks everyone else so much for answering!!! your experiences are very helpful would love to hear more!

for example, were there things you expected, from reading research and such and when you got your birdie things were completely different?

A pair of foster cheeks has that same cage. Zip ties. Don't use anything metal around them unless you are certain it is stainless steel. There have been so many metal toxicity birdies seeing Dr. O lately.

 

[karen256]

It sounds like you are doing a good job with the research and have a good idea of the pros and cons. I will say that they are not the most independent birds, although it does depend on how they are raised and if you have one or two. Mine is OK at not bugging me for constant attention, and will play with toys on her own sometimes, but mostly prefers to be near me as much as she can, and adores any attention she does get.

UV lights are not that important imo. Their requirements for light are similar to humans'. When weather allows, 15 minutes or more time out in the sun will let them produce the D3 they need; otherwise a balanced diet with pellets or a vitamin supplement that includes D3 will be fine. My vet has warned that it's more common for birds to overdose on vitamin D3 than to not get enough (overdosing really only possible if you are providing a D3 supplement or adding a lot more vitamin supplement than directed, however). They do see UV light, unlike people, but I don't notice any difference in my birds' behavior or ability to see objects whether their light is coming from a screened window, glass window, or entirely from artificial non-UV lights.

The cage you are considering will be a good cage, with some modifications. A GCC will figure out how to slide open the doors, so any that you don't plan to use for food dishes should be fastened shut with sturdy cable ties (also called cord ties, zip ties, ect). And you should check them now and then in case your bird decides to chew on them. Doors you plan to use for food dishes and access can just be clipped shut - usually an extra quick link or clip from a toy will do.

 

[gptb2020]

Good research, but just like @Lwalker said, they can still be super loud. Sometimes I imitate my bird's noises, which they get excited about, so they do it more and more. Sometimes, they're just sitting on a quiet afternoon with only me home, at like 3, and they'll just go into a random 5 minute screeching contest.

 

[CMiller89]

We just got our GCC, so although I'm still learning, I can give you some insight.
We got our baby from a small breeder here in Jax. Her whole living area is full of different birds. She has children(although I think older) and dogs. Because the birds were kept in the living area, my bird has acclimated well to our living space as we have his cage in our family room. He is not easily startled by our dog nor our young daughter. He was handfed and we picked him up right after he was weaned. He was the only normal GCC and I'm certain she saved him for me since I told her we had been researching for years. He wants to be with us, even though he has only been home for 2 days. Very cuddly and sweet. He does not know step up, so we are working with him on that. He is also in what I think some people call the "teething" stage, so we are also working with him on that and he catches on pretty quick.
I think every bird has their own personality, so although we can give you an idea of what to expect, your experience may be vastly different depending on the bird.

As far as the cage, I can tell you I actually found my cage on Craigslist here. It was a good deal and I cleaned it well with the suggested disinfectant from the Exotic Bird Hospital here. Dried in the Florida sun for extra disinfecting action. The cage came with a lot of those lift doors all around it. I think maybe 9 in total(it is a nice size cage). I decided to spend the extra money and went and bought stainless steel and nickel plated latches for the doors. The stainless steel latches are a lot more expensive, but at my Lowe's, they were labeled well and easy to find. There was a tiny bit of rust on the cage where two vertical bars had broken off from the horizontal one. I easily removed all of it using aluminum foil with water. I then attached a perch with giant washers where this was and it is super sturdy and the bird is unable to get to where the bars had come done from the horizontal piece. The cage is (and this is off the top of my head) 46" by 31" and 20" deep. Perfect size for my GCC. I sent photos to the breeder and told her he has a birdie penthouse.

 

[alshgs]

I've had Diego (yellow sided green cheek) for almost a year. She's a 10 year old female. She can be LOUD. Her flock calls can be heard across the street from my house. It's not all the time, but man it's more often than not. She does it when she wants out, or to be on me.
https://www.petsupplies.com/item/a-and-e-medium-elegant-bird-cage/533765/
This is the cage I have for her and I love it so far. She is not a big chewer, but prefers to eat over anything. My advice is not nearly experienced as @webchirp but I can help if need be. She's helped me a lot with mine!

 

[Peachfaced]

We just got our GCC, so although I'm still learning, I can give you some insight.
We got our baby from a small breeder here in Jax. Her whole living area is full of different birds. She has children(although I think older) and dogs. Because the birds were kept in the living area, my bird has acclimated well to our living space as we have his cage in our family room. He is not easily startled by our dog nor our young daughter. He was handfed and we picked him up right after he was weaned. He was the only normal GCC and I'm certain she saved him for me since I told her we had been researching for years. He wants to be with us, even though he has only been home for 2 days. Very cuddly and sweet. He does not know step up, so we are working with him on that. He is also in what I think some people call the "teething" stage, so we are also working with him on that and he catches on pretty quick.
I think every bird has their own personality, so although we can give you an idea of what to expect, your experience may be vastly different depending on the bird.

As far as the cage, I can tell you I actually found my cage on Craigslist here. It was a good deal and I cleaned it well with the suggested disinfectant from the Exotic Bird Hospital here. Dried in the Florida sun for extra disinfecting action. The cage came with a lot of those lift doors all around it. I think maybe 9 in total(it is a nice size cage). I decided to spend the extra money and went and bought stainless steel and nickel plated latches for the doors. The stainless steel latches are a lot more expensive, but at my Lowe's, they were labeled well and easy to find. There was a tiny bit of rust on the cage where two vertical bars had broken off from the horizontal one. I easily removed all of it using aluminum foil with water. I then attached a perch with giant washers where this was and it is super sturdy and the bird is unable to get to where the bars had come done from the horizontal piece. The cage is (and this is off the top of my head) 46" by 31" and 20" deep. Perfect size for my GCC. I sent photos to the breeder and told her he has a birdie penthouse.

I go to EBH as well! Though for me it's an hour+ drive. Congrats on your baby!

 

[Lesley Yeung]

My green cheek could never be called quiet. Sometimes he is. Especially if I am sitting watching t.v in the same room. But should I leave the room, do any housekeeping, Bird will often scream non-stop for hours on end.

Bird is very talkative and independant. He is content to play and preen aslong as I'm near him and chat to him.

Today he is being an angel. He is just getting himself looking good. Then he will show me his wings while saying "wow-chick-wow" over and over until i acknowledge his perfection.

 

[datlamb]

thank you all very much for you replies! after posting this thread i started researching cockatiels, as from what i heard on youtube videos, their screeches and screams are less loud than a GCC.
i know that they both can be very loud when they want to, haha. my main concern is my boyfriend, i don't want them to bother him too much. hopefully soon i'll be able to go to a 'bird farm', a place with lots of different birds you can play and interact with. i hope that after interacting and hearing some of them in person i will make up my mind as to which bird i truly want. i also hope my bf will give his opinion on their noise levels, as youtube is not the best indicator ( lousy recording devices and such ).
honestly, when at home, most of the time we are with quality gaming headsets on, so even if the bird does decide to make some noise, i don't think it'll be too bothersome. but better safe than sorry!

i also found out i can purchase this cage ! KARUMBA BOW | Savic and as one very smart user ( @karen256 ) suggested, i am asking the company whether the dimensions listed on the site include the seed guard or not. still, it's a pretty big cage! i am very glad i found it.

another thing i am contemplating is whether i'll be able to get my future pet as soon as i'd like to.
another reason i started researching cockatiels was that i saw people say it's a very nice parrot to have while studying in college ( i'll be living in my own apartment, so no need to worry if the bird can enter the dorms, haha!) from what they said, they are pretty chill, and don't mind sitting on/next to you while you study, and they can mostly occupy themselves.

even though i am very excited to get a parrot once i move to a new apartment i know that the best decision will be to wait until i start studying ( next year ) and see how i handle it, then re-think if i can truly be able to take care of a parrot while studying. it's so frustrating!! i'm so excited about having a parrot, i'm researching as much as i can about them!! but i know that the best decision for both me and the bird will be to wait.

has anyone had such an experience? of both studying and having a parrot? ( i know that handling it is very individual, of both the owner and the parrot, but i'm very curious to know!)

 

[Peachfaced]

I had birds during college. They were always next to me when I was home. I didn't want to overdo it with classes so I took what I felt was workable and spread it out during the week. Since I had multiple birds they kept eachother entertained when I wasn't there. They did just fine; it's not much different with me working now. The other half checks in on them while I'm not there and when I'm home, Rupert is attached to me.

 

[janicedyh]

Sorry, laughing here...."quiet".

 

[Lesley Yeung]

I can't speak to school&bird owning. But i'd say a lot depends on your social life. When I was in university, a pet would have been unthinkable. It would have starved for lack of food, water and affection. School comes with a lot more demands than classes and studying. Maybe not for everyone. The way I envisioned university when I was in highschool and living with my parents turned out to be much much different.

I was a bit on the wild side, true. But also I juggled a part time job, 2 hours a day commuting, as well as newly discovered freedom, social activities, new and interesting people.

Maybe if I had a pet to come home to I would have ignored all else and spent my time home studying. But I doubt it very much. And it isn't fair to put that on a pet. Its would be like having a kid to help you settle down.

I'm speaking of my own experience and mostly thinking out loud. I don't mean that you will party so hard you forget your pet. I don't think that at all. I just hope you consider the possibilities.