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Can breeding conures be loving pets to me?

westvan gal

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West Vancouver, BC
I am a fan of conures and I am wondering if it is possible to have a breeding pair of conures as PETS? I would love to have a pair of conures as cuddly, affectionate housemates but also give them a chance at a complete life because I know parrots, in general, become disgruntled when they reach their maturity and there are no nests or mates around. Does anyone have any experience with this>I would really like to know the answer. Thanks
 

Monica

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Generally speaking, you have either breeders or pets... not both. If you are lucky, you'll have pets during the off-breeding season. It's rare to have a breeding pair that's also pets while breeding and raising a family.

If you are serious about breeding, then I would recommend finding a breeder that can mentor you prior to delving into it to see if it's something you are serious about, and so that you have the skills and knowledge to intervene should you either need to, or want to. Breeding is not for the faint of heart and a lot of things can go wrong. First time parents also don't always make good parents! Also make sure to have an avian vet on hand for emergencies.
 

westvan gal

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West Vancouver, BC
Generally speaking, you have either breeders or pets... not both. If you are lucky, you'll have pets during the off-breeding season. It's rare to have a breeding pair that's also pets while breeding and raising a family.

If you are serious about breeding, then I would recommend finding a breeder that can mentor you prior to delving into it to see if it's something you are serious about, and so that you have the skills and knowledge to intervene should you either need to, or want to. Breeding is not for the faint of heart and a lot of things can go wrong. First time parents also don't always make good parents! Also make sure to have an avian vet on hand for emergencies.
 

westvan gal

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West Vancouver, BC
Yes, I suspected it would be one or the other, but I am not interested in breeding right now. It is simply a desire to have a pet that is somehow more fulfilled as a creature on earth. Seeing what is happening to them in the wild is wonderful and disheartening because I know the habitats are being lost for them.
 

tka

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Breeding is not something to take lightly because so much can go wrong. Parents can attack or abandon their chicks, chicks can fail to thrive, chicks can get injured in the nest, chicks can get crop infections... If you are serious about breeding, then you need to know about emergency care for a sick, injured or abandoned chick, need to have an appropriate brooder to keep them warm, need to be a skilled handfeeder (and therefore know about temperatures, preparing food, how much to feed, how to get foodinto a chick and how to wean) and you need space for all the babies as they grow. You will also need an avian vet on hand for both emergencies and for routine care. I'll tag @Zara @PoukieBear and @finchly in as experienced hand feeders - they'll be able to tell you a lot more about the trials of raising young birds and what can go wrong despite your best efforts.

It's also essential to have committed permanent homes lined up for your chicks. Too many birds languish in shelters because their human families realised too late how much work it takes to keep a bird happy and healthy. If there are a lot of birds in shelters around you or you cannot do your utmost to get your babies into good homes, then it's irresponsible to bring more birds into the world.

What you should do now is learn about enrichment strategies - everything from foraging for food to new toys to new textures to interact with - and see what you can do to make your future birds' lives interesting.
 

Nobirby

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When they breed they are not cuddly? Then no breeding box here. I treasure our cuddles.
 

lexalayne

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I have two macaws living together. My male loves me as he always has and my newer female has become territorial over him. She liked me at first but now she sees me as a threat to her affections.
 

westvan gal

Meeting neighbors
Joined
10/3/19
Messages
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Location
West Vancouver, BC
Breeding is not something to take lightly because so much can go wrong. Parents can attack or abandon their chicks, chicks can fail to thrive, chicks can get injured in the nest, chicks can get crop infections... If you are serious about breeding, then you need to know about emergency care for a sick, injured or abandoned chick, need to have an appropriate brooder to keep them warm, need to be a skilled handfeeder (and therefore know about temperatures, preparing food, how much to feed, how to get foodinto a chick and how to wean) and you need space for all the babies as they grow. You will also need an avian vet on hand for both emergencies and for routine care. I'll tag @Zara @PoukieBear and @finchly in as experienced hand feeders - they'll be able to tell you a lot more about the trials of raising young birds and what can go wrong despite your best efforts.

It's also essential to have committed permanent homes lined up for your chicks. Too many birds languish in shelters because their human families realised too late how much work it takes to keep a bird happy and healthy. If there are a lot of birds in shelters around you or you cannot do your utmost to get your babies into good homes, then it's irresponsible to bring more birds into the world.

What you should do now is learn about enrichment strategies - everything from foraging for food to new toys to new textures to interact with - and see what you can do to make your future birds' lives interesting.
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I do think about what would happen to the babes, and I do support two parrot rescue organizations here in Canada, Greyhaven and Parrot Partners, both re-home with care. I donate money and things like treats and air filters for all the rooms. There are no avian vets here in West Vancouver, where I live so that is another issue. I studied ornithology at SFU and organized and ran my own wild seabird rescue group and we helped save many seabirds. I don't want to overthink this but like most animals that are considered to be pets, it is up to us to make their lives as full as we can or we should not have them to begin with.
 

westvan gal

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West Vancouver, BC
I have two macaws living together. My male loves me as he always has and my newer female has become territorial over him. She liked me at first but now she sees me as a threat to her affections.
Yes, this is something most of the bird behavior books that I have do mention. Birds are very emotional beings! I wish I could pass on some advice to help her get over her jealousy. Perhaps reading some parrot behavior books would help?
 

lexalayne

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Yes, this is something most of the bird behavior books that I have do mention. Birds are very emotional beings! I wish I could pass on some advice to help her get over her jealousy. Perhaps reading some parrot behavior books would help?
Oh she’s ready to mate, to the point where she goes under him but he doesn’t know what to do. This is common in hand raised male hyacinths. Any attention I give Baloo does not go over well. She was rehomed to me because she wanted a mate and the male they had wouldn’t accept her at all. Now I feel like she’s experiencing something of the same. Although he loves to cuddle next to her and they sleep together. And that’s more than she had at her other home. I think time will mellow her out towards me.
 
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