Green Cheek Conures!!

[iEgg]

Hey everyone,

 

Long time no see! I didn't forget about this place... life just picked up and all. Anywho during that time I was gone, I was searching craigslist for a medium sized bird and came across 2 conures and their cage for $125. I'm gonna attach a picture of them. They look like very healthy birds. I only have 2 pictures, both are of the same bird, but this picture I'm showing has both of them in it.

 

Is it a good idea to get 2 conures? Would I be able to handle conures? If they're bitey at me, should I wear a glove?

 

 

I need advice please, I have studied up on proper care techniques for them, I just don't know them from a personal experience.

[danmcq]

You would have to go visit and see how well they have been socialized and interact with humans. If they are breeders, do not even think about bringing them home. They would not interact with you at all.

 

As for gloves, never use them. They strike much fear into a bird and make things worse. I don't know if you could handle conures or not. They are very noisy at times with their screeches, so only you can answer if you would just accept that as part of the package. IN regards biting, it just depends on the bird. Some can be very bitey, some just using it as a means of conveying the fact that your not paying attention to their body language.

[Birdnut]

Hi iEgg,

 

Dan has given some very good advice. I have conures, and I can tell you that they can be very noisy (especially if there are two of them). That may or may not bother you. They can also be very nippy, depending on the bird. Conures are very active birds...downright rowdy.

 

It appears that the conure in the picture that I can see well has its flight feathers and is able to fly. To me, that suggests that these conures either hardly ever come out of the cage ... or ... they are very tame and allowed the freedom of the house. I would want to know which it is.

 

I have a (M/F) pair of blue crown conures who are caged together. They are not breeders, but they are bonded. They are still very friendly towards me, but they are not the cuddly pets they would be if they were kept as single birds.

 

Conures can be terrific companion birds. They're very playful and comical. I don't have a green cheek, but I understand they are great pets. But I would ask a lot of questions before taking these birds on, especially if you don't have experience with parrots. And, as Dan said, it's much, much advised to be able to meet and interact with birds before deciding if they are a good match for you.

Edited August 20, 2010 by Birdnut

[Jayd]

All that's been said is true, Green cheeks in general are the quietest of the conures. Two of ours are mated, they were hand-raised, then for two years they sat in a pet store till we got them, their still nippy, but will let you return them to their cage. They've hatch 2 clutches for us, it's funny, Green-cheeks do not have to be hand raised, when weened, the male/father, throws them out of the the nest, at that time you remove them and start raising them , they look to you as their new flock...so even after they've been away form being held, there's still a chance to bond with a pair of them' They are good eaters, loving veggies and fruit, and small conure/ cockatiel pellets. As compared to our Suns and Mitered conures their as about as loud as a cockatiel...

[Elvenking]

I have one Green Cheek Conure and he can be nippy at times. He mainly likes me and a few other select people who aren't nervous around birds. If you are nervous, he picks it up right away and uses it to his advantage...nipping. That said, my green cheek, Pedro, keeps to himself and likes to stay on his cage. Mostly happy just with some toys and his space. He likes to sit on my shoulder and is perfectly fine there. But all these things are just his personality.

 

As a species, I would say that they can make some noises that are pretty annoying for sure. Easily beats my Grey in that department. Screeching...that is the best word for it. It happens on occasion. But if yer a bird person that shouldn't bother you to the point of thinking owning one is a mistake. He was my only little buddy before I brought Issac home. He learned how to say his name which was cute. He copies some of the noises around the house too. Very cool bird.

 

On a difficulty scale of one to ten, I put them at about a 3 or 4......and a Grey at about 8 or 9. The Conures just aren't as demanding. But that is just my experience with one single Green Cheek. He was clipped young, but I let his feathers grow out so he could fly. However, he doesn't like to much and only flies when spooked. There are my two cents.

Edited August 20, 2010 by Elvenking

[judygram]

I don't know much about green cheek conures but I have a sun conure and she can be loud sometimes but that is a trait of most all conures, they are screamers but it is not all the time. Conures are fun little pets and my sun conure loves nothing else but to ride around on my shoulder when she is out of the cage, she goes with me wherever I go in the house. She can be sweet as honey one second and bite the crap out of me the next but generally she is very easy going just feisty as she doesn't take any crap.

I would ask more questions about the pair before committing to getting them but they can make very good companions. I have to agree with Dan about the gloves, you don't want to wear them and the bites from a conure aren't going to be that bad, just nippy kind of bites that pinch more than break the skin, my conure has never brought blood.

[iEgg]

I was pretty dedicated to getting this Nanday Conure that we have at my work. She's a beautiful bird, but I was changing her water at closing, and I had to weigh her, she bit my finger pretty hard... Might have drawn a little blood or it was a blood blister, I'm not sure. That bite was the only thing that made me curious. I took the bite like a man I swear!

 

Anywho... I talked to the person more about the conures. She said she's never really handled them, they just play around in or on their cage and sleep in the nesting box. She said they've never mated and she's never found eggs or anything. The birds ages are 1 year and 1.5 years old. I'm still thinking I want to get them... Either that or get both of them and surrender one to the humane society or something?

[Jayd]

get both of them and surrender one to the humane society or something?

Please don't do that, they should stay together,it would be wrong to separate them. Two GC's are as easy to take care of as one....Maybe you should do a little more research on companion birds, to fully understand what is involved in caring for them in general...Have they been sexed? GC's thrive in pairs, they love a cage that is long instead of high, with rope perches, their climbers...

[iEgg]

I'm convinced that I'll be able to handle them. The noise shouldn't be a problem either.

 

If the birds are climbers, wouldn't I want to get a cage that's tall instead of long??

[Jayd]

I'm convinced that I'll be able to handle them. The noise shouldn't be a problem either.

If the birds are climbers, wouldn't I want to get a cage that's tall instead of long??

They like to go across a long cage like going from tree limb to tree limb, not so much up and down The love rope perch s...Jayd

[Elvenking]

I'm convinced that I'll be able to handle them. The noise shouldn't be a problem either.

 

If the birds are climbers, wouldn't I want to get a cage that's tall instead of long??

 

Yeah..pretty much if you don't mind the noise...you can handle a Conure. That is the only issue I have ever had or heard about regarding them. They are cool little guys.

[Jayd]

Are they loud birds?

Conures have a reputation as being some of the loudest parrots. For the larger conures, this is true! But the smaller Pyrhurra conures, green cheeks included, are relatively quiet. Please make note of the word "relatively"! Green cheeks do have their noise - mainly squeaks and squawks. These are very quiet compared to the ear-splitting screams of their noisy cousins, but some people still find it bothersome. It should also be noted that noise is a very individual trait in green cheeks - some call to their owners all the time, others are nearly always quiet.

http://gcch.tripod.com/faq/faq2.html

A Sun is one of the nosiest conures...

[judygram]

A Sun is one of the nosiest conures...

 

Don't I know it for I have one but suns are the prettiest and brightest of the conures which was what drew me to them but she doesn't scream all the time and it doesn't bother me in the least, its part of owning a parrot.

I agree that two gc conures will not be any more trouble than one so go for it.

[iEgg]

Update....

 

I'm getting cold feet about getting these 2 Conures. I re-read the emails between the owner and I, and she said "They do not like to be handled." After reading that, I just started thinking that maybe I should continue my search and find a different bird.

[judygram]

Well don't give up on conures in general for they make great pets, I have a sun conure and she loves to be handled, in fact she is a shoulder ornament when I am at home and she is out, she loves nothing better than to ride there wherever I go in the house and she goes with the flow, no matter what I am doing she is there and I do not have to move slow to keep her from getting off balance as she is very adept at staying on with me in motion.

[Birdnut]

Well don't give up on conures in general for they make great pets

 

I agree. Conures are great. I also have a sun conure, and she is so friendly and affectionate. She wants to be with me all the time.

 

I also have two blue-crown conures. They are good natured birds and wonderful talkers. Whenever I go in the bird room for something, I come out with conures on my head and both shoulders. I call them my "conure posse." They want to accompany me wherever I go.

 

There are many different types of conures. And don't pass up on some just because they may not be flashy looking. They are great pets and I think an ideal first parrot.

 

(My 2 cents on conures

[judygram]

Birdnut, does your sun conure talk? Mine does not and I used to think they weren't talkers but I have since learned they do talk but I guess I got the one that doesn't but I love her no less and they are fun little birds.

[Birdnut]

Birdnut, does your sun conure talk?

 

Daisy does talk a little, but not very clearly. I think she has mostly learned things from the blue crowns, since she is around them all the time. She says a couple of the same things they frequently say, and with similar inflection. It's kind of like a second-generation xerox ... not as clear as the original. I am probably the only one who would understand what she is saying! Sun conures are not known to be great talkers, but can sometimes learn a few words or phrases.

 

She says:

 

Can I have a kiss? (Makes kissy sounds.)

 

Wanna sing?

(The blue crowns say this, and then will sing the "John Jacob Jingleheimer" song. Daisy will say this, and then when I sing the song, she will immediately start dancing, bobbing her head up and down, and will mouth sort of a beat-box version of the song while I sing it. She doesn't articulate the words like the blue crowns do.)

[Elvenking]

My Green Cheek says his name, Pedro, he does kisses, burps, and coughs too. LOL. And I often catch him speaking some demon language that I can't make out...but I swear he is talking.

[Karcar]

I have a half moon conure that is a sweet heart he rides around on my shoulder and gives kisses he is a baby and is just starting to talk. He really isn't a very loud bird and I just love his size so small and cute.

I do think that conures and amazons are both a little on the spicey side maybe not for beginners. My mom had a little green cheek that was extremely noisey and nippy was putting it mildly he would bite down as hard as he could and he was a handfed bird that was handled as much as possible she is older and her skin is thinner now and can't take the bites. His name was Charlie and she bought him a sleep tent and somehow he got entangled in it and hung himself , very sad!

Karen

[Jayd]

I'm sorry we can't make open statements saying "So and So birds Are !!!!!" this isn't true. Green-cheeks, Half-moon's, Marooned-belly, are known to be be generally quiet birds, of my five conures, 1 GCC and the Mitred, don't fit the general description, out of 2 suns, 1 is noisy, one isn't. Last year raising 5 half moon's, only 1 turned out tame. Amazons, depending on which one makes the best large parrot for a beginner...There low maintenance, have distinct body language, only major requirement is to watch their weight. A blanket statement"All birds are loud, some louder then others...." Did you know that a "Budgie" is one of the best talking parrots". There volume is low......Each person and each kind of bird has similar traits, Theirs only 3 birds a newbie shouldn't get, #1, A Grey, #2, A macaw, #3, A 'TOO... [there are a few more].....Thanks Jayd

[Guest jamalbirdbiz]

As usual Jayd has given the BEST advice. You must get BOTH birds and if you dont you might hurt their feelings and they might not fully recover. Stop debating with yourself and just do it. Jayd is the best one on this site and knows about all kinds of birds. He even does rescue. He wouldn't steer you wrong. We are looking forward to hearing more about your new bird duo...

 

Thanks...Jamal

 

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