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Top 10 Pet Conure Questions Answered
Have a question about your pet conure? Check the BirdChannel.com pet conure FAQ for answers!
By the BirdChannel.com Editors
Is a conure a parrot?
Yes, a conure is a parrot in the Aratinga, Pyhurra, Nandayus, Enicognathus or Cyanoliseus genus. The most common conures are in the Aratinga genus, followed by conures in the Pyrhurra genus. They are medium-sized (averaging 12 inches), short-tailed primarily green parrots with featherless eye rings. The most popular conures are the sun conure, the jenday conure and the green-cheeked conure. |
Black-capped conure
Courtesy Rita Reidenbach, Pennsylvania
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Blue-crowned conure
Courtesy Jay Carr, Oregon
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What do I feed my pet conure?
Conures benefit from a diet with variety. A nutritional pellet feed and table foods, such as bean and/or grain mash and fresh or cooked vegetables, will provide well-rounded meals. Of course, always provide fresh water for your parrot. Never feed certain off-limit table foods like avocado, chocolate or caffeine, which are harmful. Also, avoid feeding human junk food to your bird. If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your pet conure.
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Can a pet conure talk?
While conures definitely want to be heard, judging by their loud vocalizations, their speaking ability is limited. Most pet conures are likely to develop only a vocabulary of five to 10 words and utter them in a gravelly voice. Sun conures, blue-crowned conures and nanday conures all have been known to learn how to speak. The ability of all pet conures to learn tricks, however, shows owners how smart they can be. |
Green-cheeked conure
Courtesy Kelley Anderson, Massachusetts
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Brown-throated conure
Courtesy Jessica Wonderly, Indiana
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What kind of cage should I get for my pet conure?
Active pet conures need room to stretch out. Get a pet bird cage that’s a minimum of 24 inches high and wide, with no larger than ¾-inch bar spacing. As a rule, buy the biggest pet bird cage you can afford for your pet bird.
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Is my pet conure male or female?
Conures are not sexually dimorphic (i.e., visibly distinguishable between male and female), so you can’t tell by looking. Talk to your avian vet if you would like to find out the sex of your bird through a DNA test. As far as behaviorists and readers can determine, there is little difference between the traits of male and female pet conures. |
Patagonian conures
Courtesy Chris & Becky Ogilvie, Colorado
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Nanday conure
Courtesy Alex Balagurak, Pennsylvania
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What should I give my pet conure to enrich its life?
The short answer is pet bird toys. Conures are playful, energetic birds that enjoy chewing and foraging. Provide enrichment and puzzle toys that will occupy your pet bird for hours.
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How can I tell if my pet conure is sick?
A healthy pet conure displays these signs: dry nares; erect posture; smooth, bright feathers; and a toned body without excess weight or lumps. If you notice a problem, make sure your pet bird is eating a proper diet. Malnutrition is a major cause of illness. If you see black spots on your bird’s feathers, it could signify malnutrition and mean it is time for your pet bird to visit its avian veterinarian. |
White-eyed conure
Courtesy Grigoris Aggelis, Greece
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Gold-capped conure
Courtesy Kathryn Mattern, Texas
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Can I train my pet conure?
Pet conures are very intelligent and respond well to trick training. Begin with the essential Step-up command, and begin to build on a relationship of reward and trust with your pet bird to work on other tricks. Try shaking hands, a trick that can be adapted to teach the wave.
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Is there a quiet conure?
Conures are very outspoken – some more than others. Green-cheeked conures, dusky-headed conures and Patagonian conures are those that usually tone down the noise compared to their conure cousins, but, as always, this varies on a parrot-by-parrot basis. |
Dusky-headed conure
Courtesy Dominick Fresco, New Jersey
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Sun conure
Courtesy Saverio Cubisino, Florida
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Should I get a cage mate for my pet conure?
Conures are social creatures, but you might have a better chance at bonding with your pet parrot if you are the one it’s social with. Also, some pet conures can become territorial within their cage and battle with their pet conure cage mate.
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Top 10 Pet Conure Questions Answered
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