Conures are very common pet parrots. In addition to being beautiful, they have a strong personality (they are funny, playful, affectionate and resourceful) which makes them easy to love. With proper care, your conure can live for 20-30 years, giving you plenty of time to develop a deep relationship with him.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Hosting Your Conure
Step 1. Choose a cage
Conures are active little birds, who like to be busy. Your pet parrot will need a cage with plenty of space for it to play and move around. If you have a small conure, the cage should be at least 45 x 45 x 45 centimeters large. For a larger bird, you will need a cage of at least 90 x 90 x 90 centimeters.
- The cage can develop horizontally or vertically.
- The cage bars should be horizontal to allow the parrot to climb them. They should not be more than 2-3 cm apart from each other.
- Consider purchasing a cover for your cage to give the parrot a sense of security when it sleeps. Alternatively, you can use a blanket or large towel to achieve the same effect.
Step 2. Place the cage in the best location in the house
The parrot house must be located in a room that is not crossed by harmful fumes from the kitchen. Also make sure not to place it in a spot exposed to direct sunlight. Conures are more comfortable if the ambient temperature is between 21 and 27 ° C.
- The room should also be drafty.
- Many types of fumes are toxic to conures, including perfumes, aerosols and vapors from detergents and non-stick cookware.
Step 3. Put some simple items in your parrot's cage
Perches are very important tools for any bird. For your conure, choose at least two perches that are about 1.5 cm in diameter.
- Place the perches so the parrot's tail feathers don't rub against the bars of the cage when on them. Place one near the feeding trough and water tank.
- Consider using perches of different sizes, shapes and textures. This will help the parrot to have healthy and strong legs. In pet stores, you can find many different types of perches.
- Place two or three food and water bowls inside the cage. One bowl will be reserved for water and one or two for food.
- Conures love to bathe. For this reason, place a second bowl of water in the cage, large enough for the bird to fit in. You can find them in pet stores or home improvement stores.
- Line the bottom of your conure's cage with newspaper or paper.
Step 4. Clean your bird's cage regularly
Conures can get very dirty, so you'll need to stick to a frequent cleaning schedule. You should clean the bowls of water and food every day. These parrots love to soak their food in water, so you should clean the trough several times a day.
- Replace the cage lining every day.
- Clean your parrot's toys and perches every day. Just use some dish soap. Make sure you rinse off the soap completely before returning the clean items to the cage.
- According to your parrot's habits, you will need to disinfect the cage every week or every month. Since bleach vapors can be toxic to the bird, you will need to keep it in a separate room while the cage dries.
- Talk to a veterinarian who is experienced in birds and ask what cleaners are safe to clean your parrot's cage.
Part 2 of 5: Enriching Your Conure's Cage
Step 1. Put some toys in the cage
Conures love to be busy, otherwise they get bored and peck at feathers. By providing your pet bird with many different toys, you will help them have fun and be happy. Common games include pickup, chew, and break toys.
- The toys to be collected recall the parrot's natural habit of foraging for food.
- Breaking toys can help your pet fight stress and boredom. If you don't want to buy a toy to break, you can put newspaper in the cage so the bird can tear them up.
- Avoid toys with very small parts - they could get caught in the pet's beak or claws, causing damage or injury.
- Keep more and more types of toys in the parrot's cage, to prevent him from getting bored.
- Consider installing a shelf in the cage to hold your conure's toys.
- You can find toys of all kinds at your local pet shop.
Step 2. Give the parrot a chance to exercise
Conures need a lot of exercise to stay happy and healthy. Swings and ladders can allow your pet bird to get enough training throughout the day. Install these equipment in positions where the bird does not hit the cage bars with its tail when using it.
Step 3. Consider placing a mirror in your conure's cage
Mirrors can keep your parrot busy, but you should only place them in the cage after the bird has bonded with you. If not, he may become fond of his reflection and not you!
- Mirrors can also induce typical mating behaviors (e.g. regurgitating food, raising the tail, etc.).
- Typical mating behaviors can be particularly problematic for female birds, who can lay eggs even without a mate. This can be an occasion of stress and illness for the parrot.
- Your conure may regard the mirror as a "love toy".
- Talk to your vet if you are unsure about inserting shiny objects into your conure's cage.
Part 3 of 5: Feeding Your Conure
Step 1. Choose a pelleted food and seed mix for your conure
You can find pelleted bird food in pet stores, which should make up about 60-70% of your parrot's diet. There are products of many different colors, which can add some variety to an otherwise uninteresting food.
- Bird food pellets, along with seed mixes, make for a balanced and nutritious diet for your bird.
- Some commercially available seed mixes contain dangerous fillers or additives. Ask a bird veterinarian or your local pet shop staff what products are best for your conure, or choose an "organic" or "100% natural" seed mix.
Step 2. Add fresh fruits and vegetables to your conure's diet
Variety is very important in balancing a parrot's diet. Fruits and vegetables are great choices for this variety. You can feed your pet kale, spinach, pumpkins and zucchini.
- Your conure can eat a variety of fruits, including mangoes, blueberries, kiwis, and apples.
- Fruits and vegetables also contain vitamins and minerals that are important to the parrot's diet.
- Wash all fresh food thoroughly with water to remove pesticides.
- Consider buying fresh produce from organic farming.
- Cut fruit and vegetables into very small pieces.
Step 3. Add nuts to your conure's diet
Nuts contain healthy proteins and fats, which are important to the parrot's diet, and should always be present in his daily diet. You can feed the bird some hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts and Brazil nuts.
- Choose only nuts that are low in salt.
- Although it is an important food, do not give the parrot too generous doses of nuts, as it is high in fat. Your conure could become obese if it ate too much dried fruit.
- If you decide to give your conure some peanuts, remember that they must be shelled. Peanut shells contain a mycotoxin called aflatoxin, which can make your parrot very sick.
Step 4. Feed your conure some grains and legumes
In addition to nuts, grains and legumes must also be part of your parrot's diet. You can choose from many types of healthy grains, such as cooked brown rice, barley, flaky cereals, pasta and crackers.
- Conures don't digest sugar well, so avoid grains that contain a lot of it.
- Among legumes, you can offer your pet bird lentils and different types of beans (green beans, black beans, etc.).
- Legumes and cereals contain vitamins, minerals and fiber which are essential for the diet of conures.
Step 5. Supplement your conure's diet with other vitamins and minerals
You may need to supplement your parrot's diet with some nutrients, including calcium and vitamin K. Include foods rich in these substances (dark leafy vegetables, soybean oil, and fishmeal) in your parrot's diet. Adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin K are important to prevent a condition known as "conure haemorrhagic disease".
- There are calcium perches available for your conure to chew to take in larger doses of this mineral. Cuttlefish bone is also a source of calcium, but it is not recommended for this parrot species.
- You can add water-soluble vitamins to the water to put in the cage.
- Talk to your vet before using supplements in your parrot's diet.
Step 6. Avoid feeding your conure with certain foods
These animals are not picky when it comes to food. However, some products can be dangerous for them. For example, they should avoid avocados, cocoa and onions. These foods contain toxins that could make your pet bird sick.
Also avoid foods high in sugar, salt or fat, as parrots' digestive systems cannot metabolize them well. Processed foods often contain high amounts of these substances
Step 7. Develop a regular diet for your conure
Feed it once in the morning and once in the evening. At each meal, put a mix of fresh foods, cooked foods, and seeds in their bowl. After about an hour, remove all leftover food.
- In the morning, give the parrot some kibble after removing the rest of the food. You can munch on them all day.
- Conures have a tendency to become obese. To prevent them from overeating during meals, feed them only the food they can ingest. You will probably have to experiment until you find the right amount.
- Since conures get dirty when they eat and like to soak their food in water, you may need to replace the water bowl after each meal.
Part 4 of 5: Interacting with Your Conure
Step 1. Earn the trust of your conure
Since these parrots are very social and outgoing, interacting with them is important in caring for them. To be able to spend quality time with your pet bird, however, you will need to earn their trust first. You can do this by speaking to him in a smooth, calm voice.
- Talk to the animal throughout the day, especially when you feed it and when you clean its cage.
- The more he hears your voice when you are close to him, the more comfortable he will feel in your presence.
- Another way to gain his trust is to approach his cage slowly and calmly. When he realizes that you are not a threat, he will be much calmer in your presence.
Step 2. Get the conure used to your hand
In addition to trusting you, your parrot will also need to feel comfortable on your hand. Start by gently placing your hand on or near the cage. Talk to the animal as it climbs onto your hand to ease its anxiety.
- When your parrot feels comfortable with your hand outside its cage, slowly begin to insert it inside the bars. Hold some food (such as millet or vegetables) in your hand and do not move as the animal approaches and examines what is in front of it.
- It may take a few days or a couple of weeks for the parrot to get used to your hand. Be patient with him.
Step 3. Teach the parrot to climb onto your finger
When the conure trusts you and is comfortable in your presence, you can have fun with him in many ways. For example, you can teach him to climb on your finger. Using your index finger as a perch, gently push your finger against the animal's lower chest, just above its paws, to encourage it to climb onto it.
- Give the pet a food treat when it gets on your finger.
- When the parrot has learned to climb on your finger, you can take it out of its cage and try the same game again in a different room, such as the bathroom.
Step 4. Teach your pet bird to talk
Parrots are known for their ability to speak. Conures, however, are not as good at this as other species. As hard as it may be, your bird will likely be unable to learn more than 5-10 words.
- Your conure will need to focus all of their attention on you in order to learn to speak. Make sure that no other noise (television, radio, telephone) can distract him.
- Choose simple words and phrases and associate them with specific objects or actions. For example, you might say "Are you hungry?" when you feed him and "Hello!" when you leave the room.
- Talk to your parrot with enthusiasm. The more excited your tone, the more motivated and driven the animal will be and imitate your words.
- A conure parrot's tone of voice is quite high.
Step 5. Help your parrot take his morning bath
This is another way to interact with him. Use a spray bottle to gently wet it with water spray.
- If your pet allows it, gently wrap it in a towel after bathing and hold it close to you until it dries. Conures are very fond of cuddling, so your little bird will love being so close to you after a nice bath.
- When it is dry, it will smooth its feathers with its beak. In doing so, it will bring its beak up to its body's oil-producing gland (located at the base of the tail) and spread it all over the feathers.
Step 6. Dance with your parrot
Believe it or not, conures have a sense of rhythm and love to dance! When your pet bird is excited or tries to copy your movements, it will swing back and forth. If you like to dance, play some music and dance in front of the animal. Watch him amused as he moves from side to side to imitate you.
Step 7. Play with your conure
This is a great way to interact with him. As an example, you can try hide and seek. Wrap the animal in a towel and blink it when you reveal your face. Repeat the game as many times as you like; your parrot will probably like it very much.
- Play fetch with your conure. Throw a soft toy at him. Bear in mind that he may not be very good at catching what you throw, but he will still have fun. He might even throw the toy back at you.
- Imitate your conure's actions and let him do the same. For example, when you stretch your wings, you stretch out your arms. Move from side to side, seeing if the parrot does the same.
- Break something with your conure. These parrots love to break things. After you get your pet bird out of the cage, sit on the ground with it and dirty all over by tearing up some newspaper. Give the animal a newspaper that it can break on its own.
Step 8. Teach your conure to lie on his back
Owners of these pet birds love to teach them this simple trick. When the animal is on your finger outside its cage, hold it against your chest, with its back away from you. Gently place your free hand on the bird's back and begin bending your body forward, very slowly.
- Keep your hand on the conure's back as you lean forward. Lying down will initially be strange for the parrot, so he will need your hand on his back to feel confident in his movements.
- When he has no problem lying on your hand, you can play with him by tickling his belly. You can also give him some small toys that he can use while lying down.
- Once your conure has learned to lie down, you can teach them more advanced tricks, such as rolling.
Step 9. Ignore the annoying noises of your conure
While it is important to interact with your parrot, you shouldn't pay attention to him when he screams. This species has a tendency to produce very loud sounds. As much as it may pierce your eardrums, try to ignore the animal when it is this loud.
- If you approach the cage after it has screamed, the parrot may learn that a loud cry grabs your attention. For him, attention is a reward for his behavior.
- By frequently interacting with your conure and giving him lots of toys to distract him from, you may reduce his tendency to produce loud noises.
Part 5 of 5: Preparing Your Conure To Moult
Step 1. Be aware that almost all birds need to moult
This is the natural phenomenon in which birds lose their feathers, which are replaced by new ones. The moult is necessary for the growth of all birds.
Step 2. Calculate the age of your conure
The moult begins when the parrot reaches 8-10 months of age and continues every year. The moulting season depends on the conure species.
Step 3. Understand the stressful state of your conure
During the moult, the parrot will be annoyed and will not cooperate with you. He will feel itchy from the new feathers that are growing. You can sprinkle it with water to relieve its discomfort.
Step 4. Feed your conure protein-rich foods, which will encourage the growth of new feathers
Step 5. Smooth your conure's feathers
You can do this by gently stroking it with your hand, to facilitate the release of the new feathers. If you have a pair of parrots that are molting at the same time, the two can help each other by smoothing their feathers and rubbing their bodies against each other.
Gently pat the parrot, as it may feel pain when you touch the new feathers
Advice
- Conures love to be together with humans. Spend as much time as possible interacting and playing with your specimen.
- It is quite easy to train a conure parrot. The pet will enjoy learning new tricks and words when you use positive reinforcement (food rewards, vocal praise).
- It will be easier to train your conure if its wings are sprouted. Make an appointment with your vet to have this procedure done.
- To keep the conure interested in its food, feed it with foods of different shapes, colors, sizes and textures.
- Even if your conure is very active, it still needs time to rest. Give him about 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep per day.
- Conures are quite hardy birds, they don't get sick often. If, however, your dog shows symptoms of illness (e.g. decreased appetite, position with the head close to the chest, discharge from the eyes), you should take him to the vet for proper treatment.
Warnings
- Peanut shells contain a mycotoxin known as aflatoxin, which is dangerous for conures. If you feed your parrot peanuts, be sure to shell them.
- Some fumes (perfumes, aerosols, hot non-stick pans) are toxic to conures.
- Some foods (cocoa, avocado, onions) are toxic to conures.
- Conures have a tendency to bond with one person and can be grumpy with those they don't know.
- Conures have a habit of making high-pitched noises, which could annoy you a lot.
- Conures can start pecking at feathers, a serious behavioral problem that leads them to pluck their own feathers. This attitude can be the result of boredom and stress. In addition to offering your parrot a more interesting environment, you should also seek advice from your vet.
- Female conures can lay eggs spontaneously and this can lead to nutritional deficiencies, osteoporosis and other serious diseases.
