Conure Questions

[taxidermynerd]

So some of yall might have seen my other thread, but to cut a long story short, at some point in the not-too-distant future, I plan on getting a gcc.

I have so many questions, and I'm so scared I won't do it right!

So I guess first off, I should assume that most of my knowledge from budgies will translate to conures? It seems like there is a certain amount of knowledge that holds true for all birds. Is this correct?

Next, diet. I've heard that conures need less seed than budgies. So from what I've gathered, it seems like mostly pellets with a small amount of seeds/treats and as much veg as they want. Is that about right? What do you use as treats? I've heard they like sunflower seeds as treats, where do you get those? Also, is there a high quality seed mix I could feed? Fruits, what kinds of fruits do they like?

Caging and toys- I have a cage already (Chirp's old cage), it's about 30 inches wide by 20 inches deep by 54 inches high, with half-inch bar spacing. Will this be okay?

Is there any conure specific stuff I need to know? I already know what they sound like, and I am fine with the noise they produce.

Also, anyone have a good place to do DNA sexing through for this future baby? Should I go through my vet? The place I will get the bird through offers it but it's an extra 49$, which seems a bit pricy, as I've heard some places do it for 15$ or 20$. I don't care if the baby is male or female, I'd just like to know if I have to worry about egg stuff in the future.

 

[taxidermynerd]

I should also ask, what do I do when I finally bring this bird home? Do babies need any special kind of caging? I've heard they can be clumsy. How do I know when to let them out?

Also, how do I make sure they associate me with good things? Once I put down the first half of my deposit I will be able to visit as much as I want (then once the bird is weaned and ready to go home you pay the other half and take them home) , so at these visits is there anything specific I should do? I've never dealt with a baby bird before!

This is all so new and amazing to me. Although this won't be happening until the end of April at earliest, so I'm way ahead of myself here lol.

 

[Peachfaced]

Cage is fine, yep!

I got sexing done though iQBirdTesting – Avian DNA Bird Analysis – $11.99 DNA Sexing for birds It was fast and very low cost. I asked the vet to drop a bit of blood on the printout after taking the regular blood for their own testing.

What you said about the diet is spot on. Sprouts, pellets, veggies, and a little bit of fruit and some seeds*. You can get really good sprouting mixes from sproutpeople.org

*My birds really only get seeds in the form of training treats and bedtime snacks.

Sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, and millet can be found here:
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petco...th-gray-striped-sunflower-seed-for-wild-birds https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/drs-foster-and-smith-safflower-seed-for-birds https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petco...d-smith-golden-sunburst-millet-wild-bird-seed


Training treats: safflower seeds (Rupert only likes these sprouted), striped sunflower seeds (some will eat unhulled - Rupert won't), millet. I have also used watered-down berry juice in a syringe as a training reward.

Some conures like pine nuts, but they are TOUGH to open. Some also like pistachios or almonds. Rupert isn't a fan of these in particular.

Favorite fruits: APPLES!!! Rupert will kill for apples. He also likes grape, banana, blueberry, blackberry, mulberry.
Veggies he likes: Sweet peppers, corn, carrot, pumpkin, butternut squash, peas, sweet potato, zucchini, squash.
Other things: Avicakes are mighty delicious. He likes the original and fruit flavor.


Toys really depend on the individual, but Rupert loves jingly balls, foot toys (especially if they make a nice sound when thrown!), thin cardboard, yucca, balsa, pine, basswood, chunky willow, mahogany pods, and cork. He likes things strung on poly rope, paper cord, plastic chain, or hemp. He enjoys fraying the ends of the cording for whatever reason.

Usually their body language will tell you when they want out. They tend to cling to the cage bars and try to hypnotize you in to letting them loose. Rupert will try to squish his head in to the bars and flex forward, as if he's trying to materialize through them. He'll also cause a ruckus to get your attention.

As with any bird, become the treat person. From what I've seen, conures all seem to LOVE food, so use that to your advantage.

I can't answer about the clumsy baby part. Rupert was already an adult when I adopted him. @d_msparkles might be able to answer that.

 

[taxidermynerd]

Thanks @Peachfaced I feel more prepared just reading your post! I have some toys stashed but I may need more. My dad was slightly worried when I told him a conure would probably destroy more toys than Chirp, but he seemed to relax when I told him about how we can use untreated pine, cardboard, paper, etc. We have some tools so we could cut and drill our own stuff if we had to.

I think he misses having a bird too, even if he doesn't want to admit it.

It sounds like we'll have to take a big trip to whole foods once we have a deposit on a bird!

One of the things I'm most looking forward to is the idea of having a bird that likes to hang out with me- Chirp wasn't a big fan of people, so he'd do his thing and I'd do mine. I'd love if this future baby liked scritches and hanfing out with me.

 

[Shezbug]

Be careful what you wish for Bee You do not want to end up with a velcro bird
Make sure to wish for times of independent play too.... nothing worse than a bird being all up in your business when you need some bird free arms for a minute!

I really am a little over excited for this journey to begin and for you to let us all tag along for the ride

Can you guys not get pine nuts ready to eat? I have never seen them any other way than ready to eat but I buy Burt his pine nuts from the local supermarket

 

[Peachfaced]

I would just throw a variety of toys and parts at them. I had a stash of things that Sherbie wasn't interested in... like pine shapes leftover from otherwise demolished T4W toys, and Rupert just loved them. So that was nice, being able to look through all the old bits in my "crap box" and be able to give them a purpose.

Absolutely! Rupert likes 1/8" - 1" thick slices. Even better if it's against the grain so that it chips when you chew it.

I bet he does, too. Conures are pretty playful and are pretty good at wrapping people around their talons.

I know not all birds are alike... but tons of them enjoy squishing themselves against their buddies. Seems to be in their nature. Rupert is definitely more hands on than even my previously clingy bird. They just want to be part of anything and everything.

 

[Peachfaced]

Be careful what you wish for Bee You do not want to end up with a velcro bird
Make sure to wish for times of independent play too.... nothing worse than a bird being all up in your business when you need some bird free arms for a minute!

I really am a little over excited for this journey to begin and for you to let us all tag along for the ride

Can you guys not get pine nuts ready to eat? I have never seen them any other way than ready to eat but I buy Burt his pine nuts from the local supermarket

Ummm... yes, but it's incredibly expensive and you only get a tiny amount. But I believe nuts.com sells them shelled. Rupert just isn't a fan of the flavor itself.

What's wrong with having a velcro bird?

 

[taxidermynerd]

Be careful what you wish for Bee You do not want to end up with a velcro bird
Make sure to wish for times of independent play too.... nothing worse than a bird being all up in your business when you need some bird free arms for a minute!

I really am a little over excited for this journey to begin and for you to let us all tag along for the ride

Can you guys not get pine nuts ready to eat? I have never seen them any other way than ready to eat but I buy Burt his pine nuts from the local supermarket

I don't want a velcro bird, but a buddy who wants to hang out and play with me would be cool. I think I would just about die if this future bird fell asleep on me!

I know the local bird store sells pine nuts, but they're so expensive!

 

[Shezbug]

Ummm... yes, but it's incredibly expensive and you only get a tiny amount. But I believe nuts.com sells them shelled. Rupert just isn't a fan of the flavor itself.

What's wrong with having a velcro bird?

Nothing wrong with having a velcro bird unless it is the size of mine really ..... rather uncomfortable and inconvenient having a bird that heavy hang off your head while you are running to the loo in a hurry..... the tail can get in the way too (not that I personally know )

I don't want a velcro bird, but a buddy who wants to hang out and play with me would be cool. I think I would just about die if this future bird fell asleep on me!

I know the local bird store sells pine nuts, but they're so expensive!

I really did not think you would want a velcro bird Bee... just stirring you You are right about it being cool having a bird who really wants you to hang out and play games with it- I had a budgie that was like that once and he was a laugh a minute- it is not so cute when Burt tries to shove himself in my handbag, it was really cute with a budgie for some reason lol.
I think you are looking at the right sort and size of bird to fit in just perfect with your wants
I think the reason I started getting the pine nuts from the supermarket is so I could just chuck them in with the weekly shop and turn a blind eye to the price for the bag of them- I must look next time I go to the shops as I have not even looked at how much the 180g bag costs me since the first time I remember nearly having a fit in the isle when I looked at the price of them

 

[Yoshi&Raphi]

I think you will love your conure! Make sure to post TONS of pics when you get them.

 

[Diesel13]

While I don't have a green cheek, I do have their slightly larger (and much louder!) cousin, a nanday conure! I've always loved green cheeks, especially the turquoise color mutations I was planning on a green cheek being my first bird, until Diesel came into my life. Would still definitely consider one as a 2nd bird down the road. They are so cute and spunky!

I agree with everyone's comments above on diet. Diesel LOVES her sprouts and fresh veggies. I also make bird bread from Avian Organics mixes and offer seeds and nuts in the form of training or foraging only.

Definitely try and implement daily training sessions. It doesn't always have to be super intensive, even short and sweet sessions I have found keep Diesel engaged mentally and help me redirect her hormonal behavior around this time of year. My go to training treats for her are safflower seeds and small pieces of slivered almonds.

 

[taxidermynerd]

Question, are the black sunflower seeds for outdoor birds okay for indoor birds? Like the bags they have at petco etc?

 

[taxidermynerd]

Another thing, who are the conure folks on the forum? I'm only familiar with the budgie side of things!

 

[Shezbug]

@Lodah @webchirp @Mockinbirdiva @d_msparkles @Yoshi&Raphi here are some conure owners for a start Bee

 

[Peachfaced]

Question, are the black sunflower seeds for outdoor birds okay for indoor birds? Like the bags they have at petco etc?

Black oil sunflower seeds are more fattening, but in a pinch I've bought them before. I generally prefer the grey striped variety, though.

 

[taxidermynerd]

Black oil sunflower seeds are more fattening, but in a pinch I've bought them before. I generally prefer the grey striped variety, though.

Ah OK! I'm so new to all this so sorry if I ask any dumb questions!

 

[Peachfaced]

Oh no, don't worry about it. Ask away! I wouldn't have known prior to having Rupert.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Another thing, who are the conure folks on the forum? I'm only familiar with the budgie side of things!

Me for one... I have four crimson bellied conures ( two female- sisters, two males) One female green cheek from my 2008 clutch and Bob.. a black capped conure. Bob is by far the most active playing conure. Loves to sleep under his paper ( I change it late so it's clean) and I swear he can't wait for me to wake up so he can climb to the top of his cage and bat his toys around!

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Question, are the black sunflower seeds for outdoor birds okay for indoor birds? Like the bags they have at petco etc?

Some brands put the black or striped sunflower seeds in their mixes. I buy Volkman Parrolet seed mix for mine and give them this at night time so they're all very happy for lock up at night. Mine really favor the safflower seeds and I believe Volkman puts hulled sunflower in their mix. What I don't like about this mix are the ground corn bits, those yellow balls... what ever they are...and there are other types of seed in it they simply don't eat. I hate fillers that are non essential and don't get eaten but it's a limited amount. All of my conures get a mix of roudybush, zupreem natural and recently I've been adding Harrisons too and they all like it ( hurray!) They really love the dried papaya... unsulphured is best. You can cut one of the pieces up into little bits and use those as a reward or treat for training. If you wanted to offer sunflower as a treat or training reward I'd go with hulled sunflower.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Nothing wrong with having a velcro bird unless it is the size of mine really ..... rather uncomfortable and inconvenient having a bird that heavy hang off your head while you are running to the loo in a hurry..... the tail can get in the way too (not that I personally know )


I really did not think you would want a velcro bird Bee... just stirring you You are right about it being cool having a bird who really wants you to hang out and play games with it- I had a budgie that was like that once and he was a laugh a minute- it is not so cute when Burt tries to shove himself in my handbag, it was really cute with a budgie for some reason lol.
I think you are looking at the right sort and size of bird to fit in just perfect with your wants
I think the reason I started getting the pine nuts from the supermarket is so I could just chuck them in with the weekly shop and turn a blind eye to the price for the bag of them- I must look next time I go to the shops as I have not even looked at how much the 180g bag costs me since the first time I remember nearly having a fit in the isle when I looked at the price of them

Walmart sells a small bag of pine nuts shelled. I can't remember the cost but the small bag is perfect and wasn't expensive.... I like them too, they're kind of peppery tasting.