Tips on Caring for Your Pet Conure

Parakeets are very social by nature and love to interact with their owners, which is one of the reasons why they are so popular as pet birds. However, because they constantly crave human interaction, they can be quite demanding of your time and attention. Hand-raised parakeets make fantastic pets, mainly because they are human-imprinted and honestly believe they are human. Some species, such as sun conures, can become extremely vocal in their efforts to get your attention, and this is something to be aware of before taking responsibility for a bird that requires a lot of love and attention. If you can’t spend much of your time with a companion who rewards you with lots of pleasure, then consider getting a less demanding pet, as a neglected conure will create stress for both bird and owner.

Diet It is best to provide your conure with a well-balanced diet consisting of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds to keep him in a healthy condition. Commercial seed and pellet mixes should be supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh apple, corn on the cob and sprouted seeds will be to your pet’s liking. Commercial pigeon mixes, consisting of corn, a variety of peas, and sunflower seeds, can be cooked and fed to your conure as a healthy part of their daily diet. Avoid feeding your conure dairy, which can cause a sour crop. Chocolate, alcohol, and onions are also prohibited, and avocado is highly toxic to parrots and can kill your bird instantly, so never let your bird eat avocado.

General health

Keep your parrot’s cage away from drafts and direct sunlight. Place his cage in a central area of ​​the house so that it is part of the daily activities of the home. Tobacco smoke, fumes from aerosol sprays, and household cleaning products can negatively affect your bird’s health, so try to avoid them around your bird as much as possible. Your bird needs a lot of sleep, so if you are a night owl, make sure your bird’s cage is covered and placed in a dark, quiet corner at night so its rest is not disturbed. If your conure will be spending a lot of time outside of his cage, consider clipping his wings so he can’t fly off into the sunset. This is for his own good, as he can fly to a window and insult himself, or even kill himself; or fly, where your chances of survival are limited. If your bird will be housed in an aviary, wing clipping is not recommended as it is necessary for the bird to fly freely.

choose a cage

Although parakeets are small in size, they require a fairly large cage as they are active birds and require lots of stimulating toys to keep them from getting bored. A small cage would quickly become too cluttered and restrict their movement. There are some wonderful cages on the market that offer open play or combinations of play and gyms that allow your bird to go in and out of the cage freely. Choose a sturdy cage, one that will withstand the wrath of your conure’s beak. When choosing a cage, avoid painted or plastic-coated wire cages, as your conure will chew the bars and may ingest them, which can compromise their health. Choose a cage with adequate bar spacing for the size of your bird. Smaller parakeets require cages with a narrow space between the bars to prevent them from escaping. Lastly, look for a cage that is easy to clean.

Parrots are extremely playful, intelligent, and active, so provide a variety of toys to keep them stimulated. These can include chew toys, such as rawhide and wooden toys; things they can climb on, like ropes, chains, and wooden ladders; toys that make noise, such as bells and maracas; and swings, which give them hours of pleasure, as well as a good exercise.

Game time

Parakeets are extremely playful and fun-loving. They have a mischievous air and can be real clowns. They are smart and will learn tricks very quickly. They often roll on their back in the palm of your hand. Parakeets also tend to be true water babies, so keep a spray bottle handy in hot weather and provide a birdbath for them to splash around in. They will even join their owners in the shower, but be careful not to overdo it and make sure they dry in a warm, draft-free area.