Saturday, 12 December 2009

Sun Conure Parrots – Analyzing the Exotic Sun Conure Parrot

If you look in a book of birds it’s amazing at how many beautiful birds there are. There are small birds, ones that are great pets and ones that are just breathtaking. When you’re flipping through there and find the parrots, one that will catch your eye is the sun conure parrot. These parrots are a lot smaller than the large blue or green macaws but are just as beautiful. If you want a parrot but don’t want something too big or too expensive, a sun conure parrot might be the bird for you.


The sun conure parrots can be found all over the world in pet stores, but to find them in their natural habitat you would need to travel to Central and South America, Mexico or even into the West Indies. This is where these parrots reside in large flocks of up to twenty or more birds all year round, even during mating season. When you see a large flock of conure parrots flying overhead towards the horizon they look like a beautiful sunset themselves. Actually that is how they got their name. The bright iridescent colors of orange, red, yellow and green that cover their bodies are the same colors that you would experience when watching a beautiful sunset over the horizon. When a sun conure parrot is young there are far more green feathers that cover their bodies than anything. It isn’t until they reach approximately six to eight months of age that they begin to molt and acquire the vibrant adult colors.


One of the noticeable differences between a conure and some of other parrots is that they don’t have a very large speech capability. Their voices are far more screechy and birdlike than many of the other parrots. Now don’t think that the sun conure parrots don’t like to entertain you with sound though. They love to imitate noises such a doorbell or microwave. These parrots are able to learn some language, just not very much and the voice that they possess isn’t one that most would love to listen to. Like I said, the sun conure parrots have a very screechy voice which they love to use to let you know what they’re thinking. If your sun conure is happy, it’ll screech to let you know. Unfortunately it will also screech if it is mad, annoyed, bored or just trying to tell you good morning. For this reason a a conure might not be the best pet for someone who lives close to people that don’t like to hear birds.


A sun conure parrot would be a wonderful bird to own because they do really love to be around people. Some parrots are just as content to be alone or with another parrot but the sun conure parrots love human companionship. Their life span is about twenty-five to thirty years if taken care of properly and so could be a good pet to have for many years.

Laura Belle has been training exotic birds and parrots for over 22 years. She has developed hundreds of tips and tricks over the years and has learned from the expert parrot trainers all over the world. You too can discover the secrets of sun conure care and training by visiting her website http://www.mysunconure.com where she offers a bundle of free sun conure tips and tricks.

Red Throated Conure – 7 Best Characteristics of the Red Throated Conure

The Red Throated Conure, also called the Red Throated Parakeet or Orange Throated Conure, is a very beautiful and rare member of the parrot family. Luckily, its beauty is more than skin deep. Here are 7 of its best characteristics that make it a wonderful addition to any family.


Beautiful-They are visually striking with mostly emerald green feathering on top and a muted yellow under their flight feathers. Their name comes from their trademark vibrant orangey red throat and neck. They create a splash of color both in flight and at play.


Comical-Their sense of humor is renown, and as a result, they are sometimes labeled as the clowns of the parrot family. They love to play and should be provided with a wide variety of different types of toys such as swings, perches, foraging toys, soft cloths to snuggle under, and toys that are safe to chew. When happy and in good health, expect them to be very active and playful throughout the day.


Affectionate-In general they are very cuddly and enjoy attention from their humans. They like to be in the middle of activity in the home, and enjoy sitting on your arm or shoulder as you go about your daily activities such as reading, watching TV, or working at your desk. As such, these birds do best with owners that are home most, if not all day, or owners that can dedicate a minimum of several hours each day for interaction. Constant interaction and socialization keep your bird happy and discourage it from engaging in destructive behaviors such as excessive chewing, feather plucking, and biting.


Manageable Size-Considered large for parakeets but light weight for parrots they are the perfect size for those who want a parrot, but one that is not huge. The adults grow to between 9 and 11 inches in length, and weigh between 4 and 5 ounces at maturity.


Intelligent-They are extremely smart and this intelligence needs to be channeled in positive ways. Depending on how much time you are willing to dedicate, they can be taught some pretty advanced tricks. They have a moderate ability to speak and daily sessions can fine tune this skill as well. They are only too happy to perform what they’ve learned for you and/or your guests.


Very Trainable-Because they are so intelligent, they can learn to do a number of fairly complicated tricks. Training sessions should be daily but short and fun. Never scold your bird as this damages your relationship, erodes trust, and rarely improves their performance of the desired behavior. Instead, praise your bird and reward it for even the slightest progress. Always end on a positive note which will make your bird look forward to the next session. A very handy skill that they can be taught is to poop on command. Now that’s a fine thing for a bird to be able to do isn’t it?


Family-Oriented-In the wild they are members of a flock where social interaction is constant. So they have a need to feel a part of the family, and most adapt very well in a loving home.

An excellent HEPA air purifier to remove airborne pollutants and keep your Red Throated Conure healthy is offered by PurerAir.com– the Bird Dander Purifier See it now at http://purerair.com/bird_dander_air_purifier.html

Conures – Playful, Intelligent and Born Performers

Conures originate from Central America, South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. They vary in size depending on type and can be anywhere in the range of a small to a medium sized parrot. They are very playful and intelligent and can be very affectionate if handled and trained properly in their formative age.


Jenday conures are parrots that grow to approximately 12 inches at maturity. They have dark green wings with blue on the tips of the wing and tail feathers. Their heads are orange and fronts are yellow. This makes them easy to mix up with the sun conure, but this bird do not have the dark green wings and back feathers. Jenday conures are typically found in forest clearings in northeastern Brazil in the wild but they can also be found near coconut palms and the edge of the rain forest.


This pet tend to be very sociable and playful, making them ideal pets for families with children. They are intelligent, meaning that they pick up new tricks and words fairly quickly. However, their pronunciation is not always spot on, so they are not usually very popular talking birds. Also, their vocabulary seems to be fairly limited, knowing only about six unique words at a time – teach them a new word and they will forget one of the words that they already know.


Jenday conures, like any other pet, will remain healthy and develop well only if you pay proper attention to its care and feeding. In general, conures should be fed with proper bird pellet mix perhaps with the sporadic addition of different fruits and vegetables. Seeds and nuts should not feature in their diet at all because they have a high fat content and can cause health problems for your conure. The fruits and vegetables that you add to the pellet mix should be varied to ensure that your pet gets all its proper nutrition and remains healthy.

It is always fun to know have parrots as pets. So if you are looking for some information on where to find details about pet parrots, then you will be delighted to know see a website like petparrotsweb. You can visit this extensive and informative site to know more about Green Conure and Green Cheek Conure

Sun Conure Owner’s Guide

The sun conure is a small bird from the parrot family. It is known for its remarkable color patterns and its intelligence. This bird can be a great addition to your family if you learn what it needs and how to care for it.


The sun conure is only about twelve inches long from head to tail. They have a large head and beak with very striking colors. They usually have lots of yellow, orange and green on them. Their beak is black and their feet are gray. This bird originates from the eastern parts of South America, mostly by the Amazon River. It isn’t found in as many places as it used to be found because people came and took the birds to sell them. They used to be found in Southeast Venezuela, Northeast Brazil, Northern Amazon, Guyana, Surinam and French Guiana.


One of the best things about this bird besides its beauty is how affectionate it is. They are extremely social and absolutely love to interact with their owners. They will just sit on your shoulder for hours and even like to be held! If you get this bird you will have to spend plenty of time with it. This definitely isn’t a shy bird.


Because of how smart this bird is, it is even capable of doing tricks! Some can even be potty trained. They do have the capability to talk but they use a somewhat squeaky voice. The sun conure loves to perform for people and play. They also love to take baths so you should provide a bathing dish. If you don’t put a bathing dish in their cage then they will splash around in their water bowl. You can also mist them with a water bottle because they truly enjoy this.


The minimum cage size for this bird is 20 inches long by 20 inches wide by 24 inches tall. You should put several perches in the cage of various sizes. Sun conures also love toys so make sure you get some for their cage. Try to get lots of toys so they will have something to do. They even like to play with things like toilet paper rolls!


You should feed your sun conure a base diet of pellet formula. You can also feed fortified parrot seed. These birds will need to be fed fruits and vegetables in addition to this base diet. You can’t just feed them seeds and expect them to be healthy. Also, don’t leave any fresh foods in their cage for more than a few hours though. Also make sure they have fresh water at all times. Make sure you never feed your bird avocado, cabbage, parsley and iceberg lettuce.


Sun conures do make really fun, fascinating pets, but you should be aware that they can be very noisy birds. They usually will start to scream in the mornings and evenings. It is an extremely loud scream. You have to be prepared for this. You also have to remember that they require lots of attention. If you take good care of your bird it can live to be about thirty years old.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Birds

Green Conures – How to Love Your Special Pet

Conures are playful, intelligent and affectionate birds that are very vocal. Thus, they are only good pets for those who don’t mind the occasional bout of loud whistling and squawking coming from their birdcage. They vary in size, ranging from the small (9 inches) to medium (19 inches). They also vary in appearance – some types having long tails and others having short tails; but all their tails are tapered.


Green conures are small parrots which usually grow to about 12.5 inches at maturity. In general, they make good family pets but if they have not been properly socialized they may be aggressive or otherwise antisocial. As long as they are handled properly and get regular attention, they will be affectionate and docile, making them safe to have around children as long as the children don’t mistreat them by pulling their tails or mishandling them.


Regular attention is very important as green conures are very social birds and would spend a lot of time interacting with their flock in the wild. Although they can learn how to talk, their words aren’t usually very well pronounced and thus probably aren’t the best option if you specifically want a talking bird. However, they are very intelligent and will learn to do tricks quickly.


Green cheek conures are one of the smallest of its species, growing to only 10 inches at maturity. Green cheeks are especially aggressive when they are small but with proper training and an ounce of patience on your part, they will learn not to bite. Eventually, your conure will become so affectionate that it will want to be handled and interacted with daily.


Green cheek conures will benefit from a varied diet of different fruits and vegetables. Examples of different things to feed your pet are broccoli, dandelions, carrots and kale. Keeping their diet varied and healthy will ensure that your bird lives life to its fullest.

It is always fun to know have parrots as pets. So if you are looking for some information on where to find details about pet parrots, then you will be delighted to know see a website like petparrotsweb. You can visit this extensive and informative site to know more about Conure Species and Jenday Conure

Sun Conure Care – How To Properly Care For A Conure Parrot

The Sun Conure is one of the most popular birds being sold today. They are fairly reasonably priced, making them a great starter bird. They are hardy, and easy to care for. They are playful and easy to handle, and the only real drawback is they are a loud screeching bird. They are not known to be good talkers.


In my opinion, the great attraction is their beauty. Their bright yellow and orange plumage makes them one of the prettiest birds out there!


HOUSING


Sun Conures will need to be given a fairly large cage, as they do need to exercise. When you begin adding toys and perches, it’s importing to have room left for them to extend their wings.


The cage should be at lease 24 inches. There are a number of manufactures that make this size cage, and they will have a play area on top that can be accessed by opening the roof. Sun Conures love these cases, as they can play outside of the cage whenever they wish. They do tend to stay with their case and don’t roam around the house. Keep in mind that they have a fairly long tail. They will damage their tail feathers if the cage is too small or the perches and toys are spread around the cage. They need room to exercise!


They also love to chew! Keep a supply of soft wood sticks and twigs available for them to tear up. If you use branches, be certain that the wood was not treated with sprays that could be toxic. Sun Conures love to rip the bark off these branches and shred the wood. By giving them branches, you will lesson the damage to their cage perches.


FEEDING


Sun Conures are most happy with a fruit, berry and seed diet. But this does not give a captive bird enough nutrition. It is recommended that you feed your conure a good quality pellet diet, and be sure to supply lots of fruits and veggies. They love apples and citrus fruits. If you want their feathers to really shine (that’s why you bought this bird, remember?) be sure to supplement their diet with Vitamin A and orange/dark green veggies.


BEHAVIOR


The Sun Conure has a great personality. They are an inquisitive bird, so keeping them occupied is a simple matter of giving them lots of new toys. They love attention and will play with their owners every chance they get. They will bond with the owners and are very devoted to them. They can also be somewhat protective. If they are happily resting on your shoulder, nobody had better come too close or he will immediately take on a defensive attitude.


Training Sun Conures is very easy, as they look forward to this attention. You should be able to have them finger trained within a few days, and within a short time they will allow you to pet and scratch them. They will actually look forward to this attention.

For more information on sun conure parrot, please visit http://www.TheTameParrot.com/blog/
Danny L. publishes an online parrot taming and training newsletter at TheTameParrot.com where you can find killer tips and techniques that will help you turn your naughty bird into a well-mannered and well-behaved pet.

Teaching and Training Sun Conures – 5 Tips on Training Sun Conures to Talk

If you’ve ever had the privilege of owning a sun conure parrot, then you already know the joy these beautiful little birds can bring to the household. They overwhelm us with their warm and friendly behavior while mesmerizing us with their naturally beautiful colors. What more could we ask out of these cuddly little friends?


Well, for starters, you have to remember sun conures belong to the parrot family and if you have ever wondered how difficult teaching and training sun conures could be, always remember that the same rules for training parrots apply to training sun conures.


There is a little degree of difficulty being that sun conure parrots are not as talkative as an amazon parrot, but nonetheless, teaching and training sun conures is definitely worth our time and effort. I have discovered 5 tips on teaching and training sun conures to talk that will sure make your lives easier.


First Tip:

Using a primitive microphone on your computer, record yourself repeating simple cute phrases such as; hello, pretty bird, how are you, goodbye, etc. and burn the audio track onto a CD. Leave the CD playing in your home stereo system in repeat mode during the day while you are at work so that your sun conure bird can listen to the repeated words throughout the entire day. In about a week, he will be speaking those phrases to you.


Second Tip:

If the first tip works like a charm (and it has never failed in my dedicated years of teaching and training sun conures), make sure to praise your sun conure parrot by giving him a small treat such as a pumpkin seed or piece of fruit everytime he successfully repeats a phrase.


Third Tip:

Train your conure to talk in small 5 minute sessions throughout the week. Sun conures are delicate birds and you do not want to frustrate them or stress them out. Just take 5 minutes of your day and repeat some phrases to your sun conure, each time he repeats it on cue, praise him with a treat and happy cheer.


Fourth Tip:

Never ever hit your sun conure parrot or spray him with water if he is not learning as quickly as expected. Teaching and training sun conures to talk requires patience. If your sun conure parrot does not cooperate, do not hit him or punish him. Instead, end the training session and try it again later in the day or the following day.


Fifth Tip:

Try to have them relate a certain phrase with an action. If you feed your sun conure at a certain time of the day everyday, and you happen to say the words lunch time each and everytime you are feeding them, they will associate this phrase with their hunger and will consciously speak those words when it’s time for lunch.


If you are truly dedicated to teaching and training sun conures, you will find that these 5 tips will help you get your pet sun conure parrot to speak in no time. I suggest starting out by having a short 5 minute training session with your sun conure parrot today using an easy word such as hello or its name.
Follow the rest of the tips for about 2 weeks and if practiced correctly, you will see a huge improvement in your sun conure’s speech vocabulary.


Folks did you know that 75% of sun conure parrot owners have never heard them speak a single word or phrase? Studies show that most sun conure parrot owners aren’t even aware that their conures could be trained to speak or perform tricks. Find out how you can do both!
Learn the secrets to teaching and training sun conures here.

Laura Belle has been training exotic birds and parrots for over 22 years. Click here to visit her sun conure parrot website: http://www.mysunconure.com

A Sun Conure Parrot Named Sunny

A Sun Conure parrot named Sunny. Who could resist such a cute parrot? There he sits on the end of a branch; his head turned nearly 180 degrees toward his back; his dark shiny eye peering at you with a knowing look.


A bright Sun Conure parrot named Sunny. If you have ever seen a Sun Conure parrot, you know exactly what I mean. If you have not, let me describe one.


Description of a Sun Conure Parrot


Sunny, the Sun Conure parrot, is a stunning bird, dressed in a shimmering, hooded shirt of gold with a sun-kissed, orange face. His wings and tail are shades of green and blue, mixed with a hint of gold. The Sun Conure parrot is only 12″ long, including a long tail. Its beak and feet both are black. The eyes are dark brown in a white circle.


Personality of a Sun Conure Parrot


A Sun Conure parrot is a playful, inquisitive bird. Owners can’t seem to find enough words to describe these little bundles of sunshine, but they try. A few of their favorites are:


* Active


* Comical


* Cuddly


* Curious


* Cute


* Energetic


* Entertaining


* Feisty


* Fun


* Loving


* Spunky


Playtime for a Sun Conure Parrot


A Sun Conure parrot’s playtime is comical, to say the least. It loves its owners, and it loves to entertain them. Given a multitude of toys and a swing or two, the Sun Conure parrot will swing, jump, climb, and call out to you as he shows everything he can do. Even without toys, the Sun Conure parrot will develop its own tricks, just to play. It has a very high energy level, and sometimes appears to be a bundle of golden perpetual motion.


Appropriate Toys for a Sun Conure Parrot


Sun Conure parrots enjoy chewing aggressively, and will need several wooden toys to destroy. They will destroy them, too, reducing a medium-sized wooden toy to bits and pieces in a few hours. They are not as eager to play with puzzle toys, probably because they have so much energy to harness. Provide toys that call for activity and “letting off steam” and they will be happy.


Sun Conure parrots enjoy chains, ropes, and other things from which to swing. They love loud bells, but be sure you do, since a Sun Conure parrot will ring it incessantly at times. Rotate the toys every couple of weeks so that your bird will not become bored.


Appropriate Cage for a Sun Conure Parrot


Sun Conure parrots need room to fly around and use up their surplus energy. A website that recommends bird cages according to the size of the parrot, such as Bird Cages, will help you get a large enough cage. Generally, a 20″ x 20″ cage, about 3 feet high is good for a Sun Conure parrot. The bar spacing should be between 0.75 inches and 1″ so that your parrot cannot get its head stuck between the bars. To give your bird proper exercise for its feet, install 3 different perches in the cage, each made of a different substance.


The Sun Conure Parrot’s Talking Ability


Generally speaking, most parrots can be taught to talk if the owner follows a proven, consistent course of training. The Sun Conure parrot is not the best talker, however. With patience, you will be able to teach your bird a few words. With care, you will also be able to teach it not to screech for attention. It is common for Sun Conure parrots to screech to greet the day, and to end the day. In between, your bird should learn to be less vocal. Some have found that their Sun Conure parrots like to imitate beeping tones.


Food for a Sun Conure Parrot


The Sun Conure parrot does well on a basic diet of organic pellets. Organic pellets give your Sun Conure parrot a balanced diet in every bite. Avoid seed-based foods, as the parrot will pick out the seeds and leave the rest. The result will be a malnourished parrot.


In addition to organic pellets, give your parrot the variety it craves by providing fresh fruits and vegetables. Sun Conure parrots usually enjoy apples, grapes, melons, and oranges. Among vegetables, they will eat things such as broccoli, carrots, corn, lettuce, and peas. Keep seeds and nuts as a special treat.

©2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart, a career educator and writer, spent 3 years in New Zealand, near the home of the Eclectus parrots. She has researched Eclectus parrot prices carefully for you. Anna invites you to read more of her articles about parrots of the world at http://www.parrots-of-the-world.com. If you would like information on preparing for a baby Sun Conure parrot, you won’t want to miss Anna’s insights on the subject.

Sun Conure Tricks – Teach Your Sun Conure to Talk

For those of you who own a sun conure or have recently purchased a baby parrot, I’m sure you will agree that they are lovely birds to have as pets. Although a sun conure can become quite feisty and loud at times, they are still beautiful parrots to keep in the house and uplift your day. A sun conure always looks like it is smiling at you. There is magic in their eyes and expressions and they give you a sense of warmth and love. They are cute, cuddly and lovable plus they will be open to your touch and warm embrace most of the time. And with some hard work and dedication you can actually teach a sun conure to talk and perform tricks. Below I will cover some of the basic strategies for teaching your bird to perform sun conure tricks and how to train conures to talk.


Praise your Conure:

The first thing you have to learn about teaching sun conure tricks is that parrots will only associate progress with praise. Your bird may perform a really cool trick or do something cute and funny that you will want it to repeat on cue, but it will never know that it was appreciated unless you show it praise. A common form of praise is to smile and speak the words; ‘good bird’ or ‘good boy /girl’ with an uptone sound in your voice. Follow the praise with a treat. Sun conures love treats especially if they are only fed to them sparingly. Your parrot will associate the act they just did followed by the praise and reward they got and they will remember this for next time.


Do Not Over Train:

The second thing you have to understand about teaching sun conure tricks is that you cannot over work your bird. Forcing your parrot to repeat words or perform tricks can make him or her frustrated and exhausted. A solid 10 to 15 minutes of training a day is all that is required for your parrot to slowly learn how to perform sun conure tricks. Some days they may not respond well to the training and you have to be aware of this. In that case, limit the training to 5 minutes and do not harass them again until the next day. Do not forget to show praise and give them treats.


Never Scream at your Parrot:

Finally, when teaching sun conures to talk, you want to make sure to never scream at the bird. Never raise your voice to the point where you sound angry. This will only cause your conure to associate anger with your command and it will be afraid of performing for you for fear that you will become upset. Be patient and kind with your conure and gently repeat simple words that they could learn to speak such as; ‘hello’, ‘goodbye’, ‘i love you’, etc. Keep the words or phrases to a minimum and use an uptone or singing tone to them. Birds associate tones with phrases and will remember them better than if you were to repeat them sounding flat, monotone or dull.


Training sun conures to talk is a well sought out skill and can be quite challenging at first. Many parrot owners give up trying to teach them tricks because they lack the patience or experience to deal with this type of parrot. However, it is not impossible to teach a sun conure to talk and you too can learn the skills necessary to turn your pet into a show bird. Click here to discover the secret coveted skills of teaching sun conure tricks!

Laura Belle has been training exotic birds and parrots for over 22 years. Click here to visit her sun conure parrot website: http://www.mysunconure.com

Sun Conure Birds – The Beautiful Exotic Sun Conure Bird

I have always believed that everybody needs a pet in life. Be it a dog, a cat or even a bird, a pet of some sort or another can be a wonderful stress relief. Just sitting and relaxing with your pet can be a nice way to end a really hectic day. A lot of people don’t have the space for a dog or a cat and for them a bird would be a wonderful choice. But to pick just one type of bird is a hard choice. Some are too loud and others too large while others are just too darn messy. A bird that I think isn’t too large or messy is the sun conure birds. Sun conure birds are just the right size to be at home in an apartment or a house without leaving the owner feeling cramped.


Sun conure birds can be found in different parts of the world such as Mexico, South and Central America and even into the West Indies. In these regions the sun conure birds roam freely in large groups that can range from twenty birds on up. The sun conure birds like to live in groups all year long, even during the mating season, and can be found that way in the wild. Sun Conure birds were actually given their name because of their bright colors.


A sun conure possesses a variety of colors ranging from bright shades of green, golden yellow, blue, and orange. Generally a younger bird will have more green feathers than an older bird who has feathers that are bright, iridescent reddish-orange and yellow. A baby sun conure will start off with the feathers that are greener although at about six to eight months of age they begin to molt into the vibrant adult colors. That is a great way to tell if the bird you’re looking at is young or aged a little bit.


Unlike some of the bigger birds, sun conure birds don’t have a wide range of speaking ability. They can speak some words although do better at imitating noises such as a doorbell or a microwave oven. Their voices are more of a screech and very birdlike when compared to some of the other breeds of birds. But they do let you know that they’re happy with the screeching voice of theirs. They aren’t exactly a quiet bird as they screech when they’re happy, when they’re mad or when they’re bored or really excited. Sun conure birds are just a more vocal member of the parrot family.


Sun conure birds would be a great pet as they have a friendly nature that just likes to be around people. And if treated right and well taken care of they can live for about twenty-five to thirty years. That would make the sun conure birds a great lifelong companion.

Laura Belle has been training exotic birds and parrots for over 22 years. She has developed hundreds of tips and tricks over the years and has learned from the expert parrot trainers all over the world. You too can discover the secrets of sun conure care and training by visiting her website http://www.mysunconure.com where she offers a bundle of free sun conure tips and tricks.

The Red Throated Conure – A Guide For Care and Health

If you have a Red Throated Parrot, you have a very rare and beautiful pet bird. To raise and enjoy your bird, you must be willing to be patient, work hard, and dedicate a lot of your time. But you will be rewarded with the affection of an incredibly colorful and personable companion. Here is a guide for its care and health that will help you enjoy a long and wonderful life together.


Provide a Healthy Diet–The Red Throated Conure will thrive on fresh organic fruits and vegetables. Supplement this with a high quality pellet mix. Table food is also good including eggs, pasta, bread, crackers. Nuts make an excellent treat when given occasionally. Don’t forget to vary their diets to keep their interest high. And try to make their food as visually appealing as possible by mixing different colors and textures.


One of the most nutritious food sources is sprouted seeds. They are low in fat as they sprout and offer a different set of nutrients daily as they continue to grow. They are truly a food that keeps on giving. You can buy seeds that are already sprouted, or you can opt to do it yourself. But they are a wonderful investment in the health of your Conure.


Avoid avocado, peanuts, caffeine, chocolate, rhubarb and foods that are high in sugar and salt. These can prove to be fatal.


Provide Spacious Living Quarters–The bigger the cage, the happier your Red Throated beauty will be. The cage should be large enough for your bird to spread its wings fully in any direction that it faces. A variety of horizontal perches at different levels will allow for climbing, but they must not cramp your Conure’s ability to spread its wings inside the cage. They also need to spend several hours a day outside the cage.


Providing your bird with play areas and perches outside the cage in an area that is bird safe is an excellent way to keep your bird fit, engaged, socialized, and healthy.


Be Generous with Human Interaction–Making a happy home for this parrot means dedicating several hours of your day each day to interact with your bird. This can include talking, petting, training, or just hanging out together as you read, pay bills, watch TV, or work at your laptop. Scheduling this time every day will increase the level of trust between bird and owner, and will help your bird remain tame and relaxed around you and other family members.


Because they are members of a flock in the wild, they need and expect this social interaction. By spending this time with your bird, you are more likely to avoid behavioral issues such as aggression, feather plucking, and screaming. If you are unable to dedicate at least this amount of time with your Conure, choose another bird as its companion, or rethink your choice of bird.


Be Proactive with Disease Prevention-Red Throated Conures are subject to a number of diseases. And even though there is no guarantee, there are many things that you can do to lessen the chance that disease and infection will cut your Red Throated Conure’s life short.


Keep Wellness Appointments–Schedule an appointment at least every 6 months with an avian vet. Remove fresh food from the cage after an hour to reduce the chance of your bird ingesting mold and mildew that has grown on the food. Clean the cage daily to eliminate small pieces of dried droppings from becoming airborne and potentially spreading disease.


Keep the Air Clean–Filter your bird’s air to keep its air passages clear by removing the large number of airborne pollutants that are present with a bird in captivity. Filtering the air continuously will help your Red Throated Conure avoid respiratory infections that can be so deadly.

An excellent HEPA air purifier to remove airborne pollutants from your Red Throated Conure’s air is offered by PurerAir.com– the Bird Dander Purifier See it now at http://purerair.com/bird_dander_air_purifier.html

Advantages and Disadvantages of Conure Parrots As Pets

In general, conure parrots are group of small to large-sized parrots. They are natives of the Central and South America and sometimes they are called parakeets although they are really two different entities. However, the term Conure has already existed far long before parakeet did. The term really meant cone-tailed. Among all the parrots, they are the ones that adapts to changes in the weather and diet the most.


Before going to the advantages and disadvantages of Conure Parrots as pets, lets look at some useful facts first.


1 – Size


These birds size is determined by measuring the length from the tips of the beak and tail. Usually, their average size is about 11.8 inches (30 cm). On the average, their weight is about 2.2 lbs or equivalent to 1 kg. When you measure their tails’ length, they are usually as long as their bodies.


They are active birds and so they will usually need larger cage so that they will be able to exercise even when inside. The necessary spacing for the cages should be 1/2 to 7/8 for them to be able to climb with no worries of escape or caught in between.


2 – Life Span


They usually have a life span of around 35 years or more. This depends on how well you take care of them.


Advantages as Pets


One of the advantages of these birds as pets is their majestically colorful plumage, which is really pleasing to the eye. They are full of affection and can really accommodate just about anyone in the family. They breed well and can produce great offspring. They are easy to handle because of their uncomplicated nature especially their diet, which consists mainly of organic pellets, fruits and vegetables and seeds.


They are highly intelligent and are capable of learning tricks.


Disadvantages as Pets


Since they are highly social birds, attention and regular social interaction are needed. They are considered best only for people who have time to spend at home for their supervision, training and exercise. The latter two are essential so that you can keep your bird from boredom otherwise, the birds will develop bad habits. They need a lot of activities but to counter this, you can give them toys as well as let them out of the cage every once in a while.


As long as you have the patience and persistence to put up with them, they could make excellent pets for you.

For the most part conures share similar personalities and it’s more the color and size of the different species that is the deciding factor on which parrot to buy. See pictures and learn more about the unique characteristics of these conures.
Green Conure
Green Cheek Conure
Jenday Conure

Sun Conure Parrot As Companion – 5 Tips on Care of Your Pet Conure

So you’ve decided on a Sun Conure Parrot as a companion. Congratulations! They are sunshiny birds in terms of color and personality. They begin their lives as a muted green colored bird, and upon maturity blossom into stunningly beautiful birds with feathers the color of the rainbow-brilliant oranges, reds, yellows, greens, and blues– that are a joy to watch. Here are 5 things to provide in their care that will keep them happy and healthy for all the years of their lives.


Spacious Housing– The general rule is the bigger the cage the better. Since most Conures are approximately 12 inches long from beak to tail, the cage should be not less than 20 by 20 by 24. This will give them room to exercise by flapping their wings inside the cage, and will allow a choice of various perches placed at different heights. Make sure to avoid cages that use brass, lead, zinc and other toxic metals. And if the cage is painted make sure the paint contains no lead. Clean the cage daily to avoid disease and infection.


Healthy Diet-Feed a well balanced diet of sprouted seeds, pellets, as well as fresh fruits and leafy vegetables. (Sounds like a great diet for the owner too.) Most of their diet should be seeds and pellets, followed by a large percentage of fresh, leafy green vegetables with fruit and nuts comprising less than 10 percent of the total diet. Remove food before it has a chance to spoil, and provide fresh, clean water as often as necessary. Be sure to rotate a variety of foods to avoid boredom, and avoid foods that are toxic to birds including chocolate, caffeine, and avocado, iceberg lettuce, parsley, and cabbage. Consult your vet for other foods that may be harmful.


Daily Activity-You have chosen a very active and energetic bird, so plan to allow it to spend at least an hour outside the cage in a safe environment daily. Make sure you are always there to supervise this free time. Stop ceiling fans, cover mirrors and windows, put the top down on toilets, and close off rooms that contain other pets that could possibly harm your bird. Consider creating a corner of perches and toys in the room where it can go to play. This will help prevent your bird from using furniture or other inappropriate objects for play.


Consistent Training-These little birds train easily and can be taught to speak a few words. Their voices are squeaky and but they will not develop the extensive vocabulary of other Parrots. They more than make up for this with their ability to imitate sounds and learn tricks. They are little clowns and love to “play dead” by lying on their backs with their feet up, sometimes even when they sleep. Not to worry, most of the time they jump up just in time to prevent their human’s heart failure. Teaching them tricks should be fun for both you and your bird, and a little time spent daily will produce better results than long sessions done infrequently


Safe Toys-Because they love to chew, make sure you supply fresh twigs, and use perches made of wood. They also enjoy shiny toys, and toys that make sounds. Short tightly woven ropes are a good choice. With rope it’s important to make sure their head or feet cannot get caught and that it is short enough to eliminate possible hanging. Monitor toys regularly to make sure they remain safe, and rotate toys to keep their interest high.


With proper care, diet and exercise you can expect your bird to live 20 to 30 years. Conures are generally healthy birds and pretty resistant to disease. The best way to safe guard their health is to get to know your bird’s habits when it is healthy. Any deviation from these patterns should be cause for concern. Symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite, discharge from nose or eyes, or diarrhea are serious symptoms and your bird needs immediate professional attention from an avian veterinarian. Early detection and treatment is the key to your bird’s longevity.


Using an air purifier to filter their air will keep air passages clear lessening the chance of respiratory infection and disease. This will also help increase their life span.

An excellent resource for an air purifier to filter your Sun Conure’s air is offered by PurerAir.com– the Bird Dander Purifier at http://purerair.com/bird_dander_air_purifier.html

The Sun Conure Parrot – 5 Things to Know About Conures As Pets

If you are considering a Sun Conure Parrot as a pet you need to really understand the bird and its needs so that once you commit, it can be for a lifetime. Here are 5 things to know about this wonderful bird before you bring it home. And hopefully, knowing all about the bird before you bring it home will lead to a permanent match for you both.


Physical Traits-It’s considered a little bird in the Parrot species-only about 12 inches and weighing in between 4 and 5 ounces, and they have life spans up to 30 years. The muted green color that they are born with serves them well in the wild as camouflage until about age 1. Upon maturity the feathers turn brilliant with vivid oranges, reds, blues, greens, and yellows. Their beaks are black and feet are grey. They have a white ring around their beautiful dark brown eyes. If you are looking for a bird that is visually striking, this bird is for you.


Sounds-The Conure is a screamer. Screaming can indicate that it is not receiving enough human attention, or that it is in some way unhappy. The Conure is not a good choice if you live in an apartment or house that is connected to another where these screams can become an issue for your neighbors. On the positive side, proper and consistent training can eliminate a lot of the screaming. And if not, they make wonderful burglar alarms when strangers approach. Before you commit, try being around one for a while to get an idea of how loud they really are, and decide whether the noise will be tolerable for you and your family. Better to decide before rather than after you’ve brought it home.


Personality-Inquisitive, and intelligent, it is definitely a very outgoing bird. It loves to clown, and can be taught to speak a few words, and do a variety of tricks. It can also imitate household sounds such as microwave buzzers, ringing phones, and alarms of every kind. Loves human contact, both physical and emotional, and needs a home where it can interact constantly by being housed in an area where there is lots of activity. If you and your family are away from home a lot, this is not a good choice for you or the bird. It can be nippy, but regular socialization and training can nip this in the bud and make it safe for you and children in the family.


Nutritional Needs-A diet of sprouted seeds and pellets, leafy green vegetables, fruits and nuts augmented with a mineral block will go far towards keeping your bird healthy. Remember to use a variety of foods, and rotate them to stimulate interest. An unlimited supply of fresh water is a must.


Maintenance-These are pretty easy birds to keep. They appreciate a spray of warm water or placing of a shallow bowl of water in their cage for a bath once a week. They will also benefit from having their air filtered of dust, dander, and feathers that will collect in much greater density in you home than they ever would in the wild. Using a high efficiency particle (HEPA) air purifier will insure that its air passages remain clear, and cut down on the risk of infection and disease.

An excellent resource for a HEPA air purifier to keep your Sun Conure’s air clean is offered by PurerAir.com– the Bird Dander Purifier at http://purerair.com/bird_dander_air_purifier.html

Rainforest Birds – Green-Cheeked Conure

Bird Name:

Green-cheeked Conure


Latin Name:

Pyrrhura molinae


Status:

Least Concern


Scientific Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Psittaciformes

Family: Psittacidae

Genus: Pyrrhura

Species: P. molinae


General Information:

Another common name for the Green-cheeked Conure is the Green-cheeked Parakeet. This small parrot is common in captivity, where it’s known for being playful and intelligent. In the wild, this social species occurs in central South America where it often forms large flocks in the tree tops. There are five subspecies.


Physical Description:

The Green-cheeked Conure is usually between 9 – 10 inches in length and weighs close to 70 g. Its coloration is primarily green. It has a reddish brown forehead and its nape is brownish green. The cheeks are a bright green and there are dull green patches on the sides of the neck, throat and upper breast. The tail is maroon, wing feathers have a bluish tinge and the breast is grayish. There is purple on the belly and the beak and ear covers are brown. Sexes are similar, and it is difficult to determine males from females. The juveniles have duller plumage with darker irises. They also exhibit less of the maroon coloration on the abdomen.


Diet:

A Green-cheeked Conure feeds on a diet of fruits, such as bananas and raisins, and seeds, such as sunflower and hemp seeds.


Habitat:

This parrot ranges from west central and south Mato Grosso, Brazil, through portions of northern and eastern Bolivia, and down to northwestern Argentina. It inhabits forests and other woodlands, congregating in large flocks.


Reproduction:

The mating season for the Green-cheeked Conure begins in February and several matings are possible. Females lay 4 – 6 eggs per clutch and average an incubation period of about 24 days.

Tony Mandarich