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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly About Nanday Conures

roxynoodle

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The attributes listed in this thread are the experiences of each individual and your experiences may differ with your individual bird.

I obtained Rowdy from a local pet store when she was 8 months old. She will be 13 in less than a month. I hadn't planned on buying a parrot that day, but had been doing research for awhile and conures were high on my list of possible birds. I happened to go into that store for their after Christmas tack sale, but was chosen by a bird instead. Now I don't necessarily recommend getting a bird spontaneously, but it all worked out. However I did have to drive her from there to another pet store that cold December evening to find her a cage :) The one I got her from had cages for large parrots (bar spacing was too large) and those tiny, cheap budgie cages. Planning for your new bird by having a cage and supplies is probably the better way to do it :D

My new parrot came into my home as if she had always lived here. Within an hour of settling her into her new cage she asked to share dinner with me. I was amazed to discover a little bird could eat half a serving of veggies :hehe: Still, life with Rowdy wasn't the easiest adjustment. She was very happy to be with me, but didn't have the foggiest idea of how to properly interact with her new human companion and would just start biting and gnawing on my hands or any part of me she could get hold of. I didn't have the internet back then for advice and the books I bought on parrot behavior were not as helpful as I had hoped they would be. It took me a long time to figure out that she wasn't biting for most of the common reasons parrots bite like fear or anger, but rather she seemed to view me the same way as a toy or perch. My hands and arms resembled tree branches apparently. It also took me awhile to figure out how to curb that behavior. The hand "wobble" she found amusing and then bit me to get her amusement park ride. Finally I figured out I needed to ignore her for it since being with me was obviously what she wanted most. So setting her down on a table top play gym and not looking at her or speaking to her for a couple of minutes was my best option. Then I would allow her back with me, but the moment she began chewing on my flesh, back on the stand to be ignored she went. After a few days she understood :)

She is my moodiest and most temperamental bird. She can change moods every 2 minutes :D She is very territorial and for a long time I had to put her into her carrier to scrub down her cage and toys and perches if I didn't want to be attacked for it. I was very grateful for outside feeding doors on the cage. She doesn't just claim her cage and play gyms; she has claimed this entire room. Any time I bring anything in she doesn't want in her she screeches bloody murder. And yes, Nandays have a very loud, obnoxious screech and can screech several times a day. She screeches when I clean, anytime someone pulls in the driveway, anytime a guest comes in, and then every time the guest even moves for the first day s/he is visiting. She screeches because I walked across the room with a screwdriver. I can't help but notice though she doesn't screech about things she actually wants though, like that new, big screen TV I bought 2 years ago :hehe:

She is very jealous of the phone. She screeches anytime it rings or I am talking to someone. Last summer I answered it while she was out of her cage and she flew at my face and latched onto my bottom lip. She hung from my lip, piercing and grinding and I nearly had to pry her beak open to get her off. She also hates the camera and has ripped that out of my hands and thrown it on the floor so many times it is now held together with packing tape.

Mostly she enjoys having other people come over, and is probably my friendliest bird with strangers. She likes most people. These days she also gets along pretty well with other birds, but that hasn't always been true. However, she will think nothing of biting Pete, who outweighs her by nearly 400g, and it's good for her that s a big baby because if he were to retaliate, it would be very, very bad.

She is bold, hyperactive,curious, easily distracted, demanding and loud. She can also be cuddly when she wants to be, but not anywhere near as much as most conures. She really likes to preen hair, but she also tries to remove my freckles and still doesn't seem to get that they don't come off. Because of her I learned I have a freckle in my right ear canal :D

She doesn't give a lot of warning that she doesn't want to do this or that. If I'm lucky she will say, "Unh!" at me to let me know that no, she doesn't want to step up.

She is an excellent eater and will eat nearly anything. She also demands whatever I'm eating every time I eat. She has learned though "Not birdie food" means she won't be getting certain things that wouldn't be good for her.

She is my most likely parrot to contact call. Years ago I taught her to say, "Hey hey" instead of screech and so she usually does do that.

Noise is probably the biggest drawback for owning a Nanday. They alarm screech, contact call, make a variety of other loud chirps and sounds (including one that sounds like "Uh oh! Uh oh!". If you or anyone in your family does not like loud, obnoxious sounds, or you live in an apartment or have close neighbors who might complain, this is not the species for you :)

She is good at entertaining herself though and loves all kinds of toys. So if you work, a conure might make a good bird as she doesn't seem to require as much interaction from me as my other birds do. Just provide a LOT of things for the bird to do.

Vocabulary wise she is the best talker of any bird I've had. She says new, appropriate things almost every day. Sometimes she tells me paragraphs of stuff, and goes on and on. But, she is not always easy to understand. Sometimes she is quite clear and has good volume, and other times she is muttering and I can't make any sense out of what she is saying.
 
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Saemma

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Thanks Audrey. I didn't know anything about Nanday Conures before reading your thread.:)
 

Anne & Gang

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what a great read Audrey!!
 

Lovebird Lady

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Very thorough and beautifully written, Audrey. Clearly, a large amount of tolerance is required to parront a Nanday Conure :) Rowdy is very clearly lucky to have you :D
 

roxynoodle

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I did think of something I should add concerning Nanday noise and children. Children under the age of 8 or 9 have much more sensitive hearing than humans above that age due to the bones in the ear not being fully hardened. Every time young children have been here, Rowdy's screeches actually caused them physical (and I'm sure mental) pain. They cover their ears with their hands and often cry as well.

So before considering a Nanday (or other loud, persistent bird), take into account whether you have young children in your home, or think you will have children of your own in the future. Several different children have had that reaction to her so I'm pretty sure that is the reason (ear bones).

Now my cat, another animal with very sensitive hearing, is not bothered by the Nanday screeches, but was very bothered by the higher pitch ones my Blue Crown made.
 

Fotheea713

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Hello everyone, I am interested in buying a baby Nanday conure, can anyone point me to someone with babies. I live in Maryland. Thanks.
 

roxynoodle

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Hello everyone, I am interested in buying a baby Nanday conure, can anyone point me to someone with babies. I live in Maryland. Thanks.

Try birdbreeders.com

There is also an ad for a young one in the Rehome Highway area right now.
 

Jackie

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Audrey you wrote about my Louie! The first time my husband and I heard Louie...I am like do not show any emotions!!! We do not want him to think we like the noise...well...that is just a nanday being a nanday!

I too had the issues with biting but I thought it was because he was in a pet store for 2 years and people putting their fingers in his cage. It has been a very long and rocky road for Louie. He has attacked my husband putting him in a fetal position with Louie on his back...twice! To Louie's defense my husband has a pinch of a temper and did not try to get to know Louie (but he is finally getting better at it). The vet gave him hormone shots a few times and I think we are done with them.

Since I have been home (retired) I have a totally different bird! He is so gentle and we play silly games and he will say Louie good bird yes yes Louie good bird but only if you are not looking! He has learned to laugh but only if you are not looking! I never knew I gulped until Louie mocked me... :rofl: I call Louie my gentle Ben...he is scared of everything but is finally learning to be nosy!!! He also loves visitors and is more than happy to dance for them and tell them hello at his high pitched scream! His biting is very gentle and I do believe he feels bad when he bites...a little time out and he is fine.

The one thing I noticed about Max my caique and Louie is...if they get hurt (if it is their fault or mine) I will get bitten! What is up with that!

Even though we have had a rough time with Louie which I do think is over I am very glad I stuck it out with him! He has such a silly personality and loves to be cuddled as long as you do not move or breath.... :hehe:
 

roxynoodle

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Hi Jackie, you should do a write up here about Louie. We need more Nanday owners to add to it :)
 

cupoftea

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Louie is so handsome!!
 

Jackie

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[quI Lote="roxynoodle, post: 1903126, member: 6623"]Hi Jackie, you should do a write up here about Louie. We need more Nanday owners to add to it :)[

Oops I thought I did... :)

I will do that! I love talking about him and his progress!
 

roxynoodle

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What do you mean by write up? It will be my pleasure to do so!

Like what I did. Maybe with a lot of detail for others who are considering a Nanday. All the other good, bad and ugly threads except this one have a lot of owners contributing. So far this one is only about my bird, so not very helpful. If others don't add to it, maybe it shouldn't be here. So let's hear all the good, bad and ugly about Louie :)
 

Jackie

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I did a write up from Louie's perspective but thought it was stupid and asked for it to be deleted. I am not sure I can add anything that you have not included.

I tried again to do a write up but it just does not feel right...hmmmmm
 

Jally

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I didn't know this was here. :geek: Let me tell you a bit about Sisco/Sissy. I got her from another forum member about 2-3 years ago. I can't even remember how long it's been because it seems like she's always been with me. She is my heart bird. I love that little girl so much that I'd move mountains for her.

No one knows how old Sisco is, but I am her 8th home. I am her final home. She was abused and neglected in one of her former homes so she came to me with a plucking issue. One that will never go away. When I got her, she had a bubble collar on and I immediately took it off. It just looked so uncomfortable, however as soon as it came off, so did the feathers. She is totally naked on her belly and chest and mostly naked on her back. But, it is habit and not due to anything else. She is warm with her ponchos, happy, healthy, has lots of toys, lots of attention from me, and lots of good food to eat. She's just naked and I've accepted that. It is strange to me to see fully feathered Nandays. :wideyed:

Conures are known for their screams and like other conures Sisco has a very loud scream. She has a different scream for different things. During the day, she will let out a few screams, but they usually mean, "Hey, where are you going? Come back! I will MISS you!!!!!" even if I am only going down the hall... She lets me know if the mail lady is here or the UPS truck is out front. She also talks to the birds at the feeders and grumbles quite a bit at the dogs. When the phone rings she says hello, but then she starts screaming. However, she loves playing with my phone and loves pushing buttons to make things pop up. She especially loves the camera and loves seeing herself. My FB photos are full of selfies of her! LOL

It's a totally different story when my husband is here. She absolutely hates my husband and will scream as soon as she hears his truck pull in after work. She won't stop unless I pick her up. Evenings are very hectic as it is, so her screaming makes it 10 times worse. My husband does the night time water refills and the handing out of the bed time snacks, but he is not allowed anywhere near Sisco's cage or she will charge him or scream bloody murder while beating up her toys in the process. Even if she is in the kitchen hanging out on her swing, she still knows he is in her cage and will scream to let him know she isn't at all happy!!

Sisco loves to go bye byes, loves playing in a basket of beads and blocks, loves her cozy hut, and loves to ride around on my shoulder all day no matter what we are doing. Unless I plan on taking a shower and then she is outta here! She hates showers, but doesn't mind splashing around in her water bowel while I am vacuuming. :rolleyes: She also loves to snuggle with me and take naps with me (I don't nap, she does...). She is very loving and sweet and gentle and nothing like a typical conure! LOL

She is a diva, true and true. She doesn't like anything new going on and will complain loudly while I am rearranging her cage or even the furniture in the living room.

They say that a bird should have another bird as a companion, however Sisco is a 1 bird bird. She doesn't like other birds, but sometimes tolerates them. I truly believe she thinks she is a little person with annoying feathers that must be banished!

So, that's Sisco, my Nanday. :heart: The love of my life.
 

Jackie

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Jally, I would love to see her picture! I had a parakeet that was a picker and I did the same thing and just accepted him that way...I use to tell him no matter how many feathers you take out I will still love you!

I find it interesting that Louie hates my husband also! When we first got Louie he liked Mark but he kept taking off his glasses and wanted to preen him and Mark hated it so he broke off the friendship and he has a pinch of a temper.

Not to long ago Mark and I were kissing hello and I had Max and he tried to bite Mark and I told him you need to love him more or you will have another Louie on your hands...so he has been loving Max a little. He has also been paying more attention to Louie...but I think it might be to late. I mean he has his beak open and his wings spread and ready to attack...if I am around or not.

Louie screams all the time when Mark is around...when it is just me and the boys Max is the lonely one but he is also the baby. Louie has cute noises in the morning...a pinch of screaming in the morning just to say morning this is what I dreamed! Then he kind of screams when we sit in front of the morning to tell the world good morning. Then before he goes to bed. During the day he makes funny cute noises and at night oh my we talk up a storm!!!

Louie is such a gentle baby! He loves to cuddle and chew and chew and chew and then chew some more!

Jally and Audry do your babies love to chew like Louie?
Do they do the head bobbing on your face?
Do they like to dance?
Are they morning and evening babies?
If they hurt themselves do they bite you?

Nosy aren't I... :hehepink:

Louie's favorite toys
Louie's sleeping cage...his headless ladybug...
Louie's set up...he gets in moods to play in his tent.

DSCN0550_edited-1.jpg DSCN0552.jpg DSCN0558.jpg
 

Jackie

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Omg he is sooooo precious!!! Gotta love our babies!
 

Jackie

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I was so proud of my Louie...he is laughing during the day and even talking a pinch! This morning I got off the phone with Mark (on speaker phone) and Louie attacked me....I put him up while he was still attacking me... He was begging me to pick him up (this is like seconds later)....I picked him up (hoping he would not bite me) he was back to my soft kissy Louie. I have little nip marks on my chin and neck and it still hurts from this morning...

 
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