The Good, The Bad and The Ugly about Green Cheeked Conures

[Hallie]

I LOVE my little Cheekie. She's a very attached bird, and doesn't spend lots of time in her cage playing with her toys. She always wants to be close to me. If I leave her sight when someone else is holding her, she does a constant contact call until I come back. She NEVER bites. The first day she bit me all day long, but after saying NO and putting her down for a day, she stopped right away.

She is SO picky. Pellets? My bag of Harrison's is the devil as far as she is concerned. Fresh fruits and vegetables? Psh, keep dreaming. I'm lucky if she picks the papaya out of her nutriberries. She's boycotting anything other than seed at the moment.

The bad- She is extremely moody, but mostly it's only when she's tired or hungry. A well rested, well fed GCC is delightful. And sleepy GCCs? SO CUTE.

 

[Aylakai]

What a great thread! I feel like I know all your birds personally now.

Emmi...

The Good:

Emmi is such a sweetheart. She loves to cuddle and kiss your cheek. If she wants to take a nap while out of the cage, she just gets up on your shoulder and leans into your neck or crawls into your hand and rolls on on her back. And like most birds, she loves her head scratched. Emmi LOVES to wrestle and play. She will roll on her back and bat at your fingers with her feet or surprise(!) you from behind a pillow. So far, she's not a screamer, but we've only had her a month. We are training her basic commands etc and she catches on quickly! She is a picky eater, but she loves Roudybush...can't complain there! She will try things if we are eating the same thing at the same time so that's good enough for me! Emmi also LOVES car rides. Just gets so excited! This makes things easy for long trips to the cabin etc. She is very good while we are at work and I am thankful we got her the HUGE cage and lots of toys. She seems to use them all. The neighbors say she's very quiet when we are away. We are slowly turning her contact call into "Here kitty kitty," but she's turned it into "Here SQUAWK bird." Lol I guess that will work for now!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE6ufBxDd2A&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The Bad:

Emmi is not so comfortable yet with guests in our home, but warms up to them in just a few minutes time and acts loving towards them. She will go to bite them and us at first, if we don't give her time. This is a work in progress! We now know to let her have plenty of time and have our guests try to get her to step up from a neutral area. This will not be a "bad" for long...just a learning experience for Emmi and us.

The Ugly:

Emmi wants to eat my phone and camera. I am a photographer. I go to take a picture and this happens...

:'( lol

 

[Coleman]

Molly is very affectionate and has no preference when it comes to me or my wife for cuddles. She is usually the first one up in the morning, my other two birds are very quiet until I uncover them. Molly will not poop on us as she will walk away and poop off the couch etc..if were holding her she will gently nip as a signal then go do her thing. She loves to play on us rather than her toys. Peekaboo with a blanket is her favorite. She loves to take showers and just hang out in general. She does not get along with either of my other birds. She is generally very quiet until we come home and she greets us or vice versa. She loves her snuggle hut, although I feel like she never sleeps lol. She will make this quiet whining sound after we cover her at night and my wife and I stay up and watch tv. She doesnt seem to be a picky eater and has a very good appetite for her size.

 

[gccmommy]

Molly is very affectionate and has no preference when it comes to me or my wife for cuddles. Molly will not poop on us as she will walk away and poop off the couch etc..if were holding her she will gently nip as a signal then go do her thing. She loves to play on us rather than her toys. She loves to take showers and just hang out in general. She does not get along with either of my other birds. She doesnt seem to be a picky eater and has a very good appetite for her size.

Yours sounds like ours! We've only had our GCC for a week.. How old is your molly? How did you deal with the nippy faze?

 

[briabelletee]

I wonder what it is about greenies and food, Im glad Im not the only one losing this war. The only pellets i can get mine to eat is certain colors of zupreem and certain goodies from golden feast. They won't touch their roudybush and i quit adding Harrison because of the same thing. They can be such brats. Oh and don't get me started on all the supplements my vet insisted we add to their zupreem mix, lets just say they are on a strict regiment of red and orange pellets

 

[Coleman]

Yours sounds like ours! We've only had our GCC for a week.. How old is your molly? How did you deal with the nippy faze?

Molly just turned 2 yrs old. Well she loves to be out of her cage and being a part of the family. Watching tv and just hanging out on us. When she was younger and nippy and she started to become a brat we just put her back in her cage and told her thats what happens when you bite mommy and daddy. Ofc she squawked at us and got upset but after awhile she finally phased out of it for the most part. She still can get nippy when shes excited or when new people come over and she doesnt know them as well as a loud noise that startles her. Thats just a defense to let us know we could be in danger. Shes very protective of us.

 

[Dee223]

I 've had Mr. Green Cheeks(Cheeks) for 5 years and he is wonderful. He enjoys being out with us when we watch tv or piddle around the house. He loves to take a bath in our kitchen sink. He also enjoys playing with his toys in his cage. He is much quieter than my lovebird or budgies. The unusual thing about him is that he has never bitten anyone. WHen he is annoyed he will make a ferocious squealing noise and beak my fingers but he doesn't actually bite.
He is a picky eater. He eats his pellets and he will eat pizza or yogurt if I am having some but he won't touch fresh fruits and veggies other than apple. He also became fast friends with my budgie, Skye. I had Skye for almost two years when we got Cheeks. She was only semi tame but when she saw Cheeks riding around on my shoulder, she came right to me and was tame from then on. They had separate cages but she was always hanging out in his cage and he loved her. I know he misses her.
He is rather timid. He doesn't like new things. If I push him too hard to be a bit adventurous, he will not "speak" to me for several days.
All in all, I would say he is pretty perfect.

 

[shel]

BEAKER

The good: curious, funny, often very loving, thinks he is 9 feet tall and bullet proof. So-so on eating fresh foods but we are working on that. He will try almost anything he sees me eating which makes it easier to get him to try new things. Smart as h3ll! Loves to say his name and uses it as a contact call. Has spoken a few other words but not regularly, hoping this will come with time. Loves to sit on my shoulder and preen my hair, especially when my hair is wet. Not frightened or aggressive to new people. Has effectively obtained dominance over a 90 pound dog and 2 cats. For now he and the third cat (Persian, and also thinks he is 9 feet tall and bullet proof) seemed to have called it a draw.

The bad: thinks he is 9 feet tall and bullet proof. While this can be good because he easily adapts to new people, places, and things, it is bad because he could easily get himself into dangerous situations. Escape artist- I've had to modify his cage several times because he is so smart and determined. Would really prefer a diet of seeds only.

The ugly: BITES ME A LOT. He is only about 6 months old so I hope this will improve as he matures. Could care less where
Where he poops.

 

[Cyreen]

It does explain why Hana seems to think I'm trying to poison her when I give her fresh food. I've only had baby Hana for one week and I'm reading this thread to further my education, but I'm not giving up on the veggies, I can out stubborn anyone!

I am quoting myself. 5 months down the road, I can state emphatically that persistence pays off. Hana is a little veggie piglet.

 

[heirofslytherin123]

Someone has to give some more BAD and UGLY examplesI still want one! (not any time soon) but i've been bitten by the Greenie Bug Jokes on me for working in big chain stores with the sweetest little dancers, head bobers, wavers, and all around cutie patooties. The store personell are even letting me play with them to help socialize NOT COOL cause now im like baby greenies!

 

[CheekyBeaks]

From my experience of owning and breeding greenies.....

THE GOOD
they are funny, playful little acrobats with huge personalities, can be very loving and cuddly when they want to be and are reasonably quiet birds, they are probably the quietest birds I keep.
mine are great eaters and LOVE their fresh foods, happily eat pellets and also have a small amount of seed, nuts and dried fruit, there are no picky greenies here. I think for the most part it comes down to how they were raised.

THE BAD
Because of their big spunky personalities they do need consistent training to reduce/stop nippyness, some do have a Napoleon complex

THE UGLY
they really know how to bite, some will be very gentle and sweet but many are very prone to nipping or out right biting where hey will latch on to your skin and not let go until you gently pry their beaks open! Of course with training this can be worked on but it something a potential owner should be prepared to deal with

In summary if a potential owner is happy to work on training and can take some nipping they make fantastic little companions

 

[solo]

from my experience
THE GOOD
*they love attention so they will do all sorts of silly stunts to catch you eye
*they are fun to watch and lovely to interact with.
*mine loves cuddles and to hangout with me.
*they are defiantly big birds in small little bodies and have no fear.
*my baby boy absolutely loves fruit and veg and goes bananas over berries of any kind.
*my boy is quiet compared to all my other fids and has the most adorable little cartoon voice that makes me melt
THE BAD
* he is pretty dang bossy he will boss whoever he can bully into obeying him
* he can get nippy when we play and he gets over excited
* he has an attention span of about 30 seconds so all training attempts over the last 2 years have failed
*while he loves his food he is not motivated by it so bribery does not work here

THE UGLY
* there really is no ugly to my baby boy

 

[Christina B]

The Good

Green Cheeks can be very affectionate, cuddly birds. They tend to be goofy, comical, and generally enjoy being silly and playful. Many consider them a good apartment bird because compared to larger species, they tend to be quieter, both in frequency of screaming, but also in volume/pitch. They are intelligent, and can be taught to talk, do tricks, and wear a harness. Many seem to enjoy tents or huts to sleep with in their cage, and toys that are rotated frequently. Some green cheeks are velcro birds, never wanting to leave their human's side, while others tend to be more independent and happy to do their own thing. They also seem to really enjoy taking baths in fresh, cool water!

The Bad

If you plan to clip your bird, please note that many green cheeks can still fly with a proper clip. To ground them completely means taking a dangerous amount of feathers out of the equation, which can lead them to hurt themselves by falling. Green cheeks are also prone to being nippy, and will need to be worked with to ensure that this behavior is curbed. They can be stubborn and get an attitude, which can be frustrating for new owners especially.

Because they are very high energy, they do need larger cages relative to their size than you might imagine. A flight cage (usually with dimensions of 32x21) is a good size for these little guys. They also may consume more food than other birds of their size. (Note: While some people report their green cheek is picky, I have not found this to be the case with Koopa; she will happily eat anything I put in front of her).

The Ugly

Green cheeks can be bird aggressive, particularly to other, larger species, meaning that if beak sizes are mixed, they can get themselves into serious trouble. If they decide they do not like a particular bird, you may have to permanently separate the two to prevent injuries to both.

While Pyrrhura conures in general are considered "quiet", this does not mean that they are always quiet, nor unable to make extremely loud/high pitched noises. They can and will go into screaming fests, alarm calls, etc, and they can be quite loud while doing it. Here is a sound clip of Koopa; she can and will do this for an hour if she feels like it:

Hello I see you know a lot about the green cheek conure I'm new here and I'm about to buy a pair that are 6 months old and would love some advice

 

[Vader]

Someone has to give some more BAD and UGLY examplesI still want one! (not any time soon) but i've been bitten by the Greenie Bug Jokes on me for working in big chain stores with the sweetest little dancers, head bobers, wavers, and all around cutie patooties. The store personell are even letting me play with them to help socialize NOT COOL cause now im like baby greenies!

::The Ugly:: Vader can be mean at times when i want him to get off of mommy. he will get tough and start bitting my finger because he wants to stay with mommy. it's pretty funny how he acts tough. i just usually knock him on his beak to make him cut it out, he takes that as a challenge. lol

 

[artgeek09]

The Good:
Oh, so much goodness in such a little bird. My Donnie is the biggest cuddler in the bunch. He's so so sweet. He's open to new things and will step up for just about anyone. He is very clever (sometimes to his detriment). He can speak in his gravely conure voice and sometimes uses very small things in context (he whispers "hey" in my ear when he first lands on my shoulder). Donnie is so trusting of his humans too and loves to go into play mode where he'll finger wrestle with me and lay on his back in my hand. He is rarely loud, and even when he is loud it is short lived and usually feuled by the other birds having an outburst. He is easily trained, and instead of the typical greenie contact call we use kissy noises.
The Bad:
Donnie can be too trusting. As soon as someone walks in the room, he'll fly over to greet said person - whether they were expecting him to fly over or not. He can be nippy sometimes as well so while he loves children, he may get too excited and give a nip that is too strong for little ones. Because he is so little we do have to be especially vigilent about his environment so he doesnt get into trouble.
The Ugly:
Ireally cant think of anything "ugly" about donnie. Sometimes he can be hard headed and he's so nimble he can "get away" with a lot of things. But really, nothing "ugly"

 

[VictoriaVague]

The good:
Titus can be a real cutie when he wants to be. He loves scritches and dancing, he blows kisses and tells me he loves me. He's a great flyer and a real acrobat and loves a game of football. He's curious and active and loves being around us. He enjoys a bath in his water dish, especially when I'm hoovering - go figure?!
He likes his Harrison's pellets and a reasonable amount of fresh veggies and fruit. Red chillies and strawberries are his favourites. He's definitely more of a fan of the reds and oranges than the greens, although he does enjoy peas.
He's very chatty and sits wittering away to himself all the time. He knows a handful of human words but his own little language is super cute. He quacks like a duck and likes to practice his words at bed time.

The bad:
He can be a bit moody and bull headed and bites a fair bit when in these moods. He's a real clingy little critter, so when we're around he refuses to play with his toys. He's pretty vocal about how he's feeling, which if he's grumpy, can be pretty loud and shrill.
He definitely thinks he's a giant and is so curious and hyper - again, this can be cute but also means that he is good a seeking out trouble. You have to keep an eye on him at all times, otherwise he'd find away to get to the cats, which would end badly one way or the other (they are kept separate from each other). He's also a world class destroyer of laptops and other expensive items, so don't become attached to them!

The ugly:
Titus is going through a very bitey stage at the moment. He is 1 yr and 4 months, so I hope it is just a phase he is passing through. He favours men and can be really aggressive to females, including myself when the mood takes him.

 

[dockmdavid]

The Good

Green Cheeks can be very affectionate, cuddly birds. They tend to be goofy, comical, and generally enjoy being silly and playful. Many consider them a good apartment bird because compared to larger species, they tend to be quieter, both in frequency of screaming, but also in volume/pitch. They are intelligent, and can be taught to talk, do tricks, and wear a harness. Many seem to enjoy tents or huts to sleep with in their cage, and toys that are rotated frequently. Some green cheeks are velcro birds, never wanting to leave their human's side, while others tend to be more independent and happy to do their own thing. They also seem to really enjoy taking baths in fresh, cool water!

The Bad

If you plan to clip your bird, please note that many green cheeks can still fly with a proper clip. To ground them completely means taking a dangerous amount of feathers out of the equation, which can lead them to hurt themselves by falling. Green cheeks are also prone to being nippy, and will need to be worked with to ensure that this behavior is curbed. They can be stubborn and get an attitude, which can be frustrating for new owners especially.

Because they are very high energy, they do need larger cages relative to their size than you might imagine. A flight cage (usually with dimensions of 32x21) is a good size for these little guys. They also may consume more food than other birds of their size. (Note: While some people report their green cheek is picky, I have not found this to be the case with Koopa; she will happily eat anything I put in front of her).

The Ugly

Green cheeks can be bird aggressive, particularly to other, larger species, meaning that if beak sizes are mixed, they can get themselves into serious trouble. If they decide they do not like a particular bird, you may have to permanently separate the two to prevent injuries to both.

While Pyrrhura conures in general are considered "quiet", this does not mean that they are always quiet, nor unable to make extremely loud/high pitched noises. They can and will go into screaming fests, alarm calls, etc, and they can be quite loud while doing it. Here is a sound clip of Koopa; she can and will do this for an hour if she feels like it:

 

[dockmdavid]

I just listened to "Koopa's" I'm Dying Noise and my 9 month old GCC happened to hear it. She got all excited, flew over to my lap top and started dancing all over the key board before climbing to the top of the screen' Where she sat bobbing her head. She liked it so much that she made me play it again. I luv my little baby and wouldn't trade her for anything.

 

[dockmdavid]

I am quoting myself. 5 months down the road, I can state emphatically that persistence pays off. Hana is a little veggie piglet.

I am new here,and I have a 9month old Yellow-sided Green Cheek; "Cattleya". One of the first things that I decided to do with her was change her diet from seeds to pellets. Maybe I got lucky, but in 3-4 days time I had her eating her pellets [ Rudybush ] as though it was a natural food. Of course I had to let her see me eat a pellet[or at least think I had] first before she would. And that's one of the ways I get her to try strange types of food. As for being a picky eater, she is far from that. More like a bottomless pit. She is becoming my best friend and constant companion .

 

[Cyreen]

Hana had no problems with pellet, she also eats Roudybush. I do find with multiple birds that they serve as each others taste testers. Introduce something new and all it takes around here is for one to like it (and someone always does) and the others will dig in.