If I Could Have Any Conure, Which Would I Choose?

So many Conures, such limited choices!

Did you know there are over 50 species of conures? That’s A LOT!

You’ve probably heard of the more ‘common’ species, like the Green-cheeked Conure, or a Sun Conure –probably one of the most beautiful parrot species. You may have also heard of the less common, but still (relatively) easy to find conures like Blue-crowned, Black -capped, Crimson-bellied, Half-moon… There has to be a conure for everyone out there, given that they come in a variety of colors, sizes and prices!

To get another person’s opinion, I asked my daughter what species of conure she would get if she could only get one. Drumroll please… she said her first pick is a Crimson-bellied Conure.

My Daughter’s #1 Conure Choice:

Crimson-bellied Conures are gorgous. Starting with their bright, crimson-colored bellies, and then considering their sweet dispositions, these guys are fantastic pets. Crimson conures are friendly, smart and not to loud, especially for a conure, since a lot of conures can be very loud…

My #1 Conure Choice:

I have always liked conures, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve never been attracted to them. Sure, you see a Sun Conure and you want to touch their vibrant, radiating feathers that look like they’ve been kissed by the sun.

Then you learn that they can be loud, in addition to being a little too smart. (Just how loud is a Sun Conure? Around 120 decibels — the honest answer.)

However, I had heard for some time that the Queen of Bavaria Conure, also known as the Golden Conure or Golden Parakeet, is supposed to be a special parrot, a must-have, if you have the opportunity to own such a magnificent bird.

And it’s true. My first choice is a Golden Conure. They are a great size, comparable to an Amazon parrot, maybe a touch smaller, to handle and to carry. They are super-affectionate, intelligent and somewhat magical. Everyone seems to like them, including the other parrots! While they aren’t good talkers, the way many conures are, they do talk to me and communicate non-verbally all of the time. They are very happy and joyful birds who will gladly share this with you.

While they can be loud when they want to be, most of their “talking” is sweet and at a low tone. It feels more like a ‘birdie’ conversation because it’s not too loud and it’s whimsical.

Love may have a new luster to it, a golden luster. Queen of Bavaria conures are a rare find – breeding them, I suspect, only happens with a handful of experts do to their unique requirements. This is part of the reason they are costly, but certainly worth the price.

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Is It Normal For Parrots To Be So Noisy?

Yes. Let’s Ask, “Why Are Parrots So Noisy” Instead

If you’ve ever been to an exotic bird store, a breeder’s or a person’s house who has parrots, then you know. You could have also heard a flock of parrots fly by- their sound is unique and they are loud. The question is better not as “Is it normal for parrots to be noisy?”  but instead, “Why?”

In the wild if your flock flew from tree to tree then you’d have to be able to hear them. Parrots quickly vanish in a tree, their camouflage being amazingly leaf-like. Of course, since parrots fly considerable distances quickly, they have to be heard over a distance. So, they are loud.

At Home: Parrots & Their Noise

As humans, the chitter-chatter of small parrots, like budgies, may be a sweet sound. The squawking of a Cockatoo or another large bird might be cacophonous. You might consider it difficult to take and even annoying.

I don’t find that my parrots are loud and squawking all of the time, but some common conversations in my house include the phrase, “What?” because in the early morning or early evening it is common for parrots to be vocal. Amazons, for example, are said to greet the day- with their voice – and then say good bye, again with their voice.

A Vociferous Parrot Can Also Be In Distress

Of course, a parrot can voice their joy or their distress – and an unhappy parrot can voice this for hours on end.

What distresses a parrot?

Some of the obvious issues can be boredom or a lack of food, sunlight or water.

However, I want to focus on the loss of their “parrot-ness.” A lost parrot-soul.

I have done it all with parrots: I have hand-raised breeders and pets; I have rescued young parrots and, more significantly, adults. I have observed some of what shapes the personality of a parrot, the conditioning that comes from being hand-fed versus hand-reared, the latter meaning that time and love are given in addition to food as opposed to a parrot almost being ignored and just fed.

Just like humans, the experiences that a parrot has affect and shape their behavior, their outlook on life and how they relate to other parrots or people.

Just like humans, conditioning has a lot to do with whether or not needs are met. Needs go beyond physical needs for food and shelter; just as important and impactful are emotional or social needs for both humans and parrots. Interestingly enough, at this time, we are experiencing the pandemic and people have had to socially distance for months. Now that it is Thanksgiving, the news keeps reporting about the fact that people are planning to fly, against warnings that it is best to stay home, and they are reporting on what percentage of people plan to require their Thanksgiving guests to wear masks.

What’s missing here is the recognition that our human nature is social; we need our family tribe. That need is strong, stronger than an old concern about socially distancing. People have been told to social distance for so long that the novelty has worn off and they’d rather spend their holiday with their tribe.

Parrots are no different, except I might easily argue that they may be more social than people. If people would rather go to Thanksgiving, imagine what a parrot who is deprived of his flock would be like. Imagine a parrot who is isolated and kept in a home or cage by him or herself day after day with only some engagement with humans when we have time to spend with our beloved pet.

In jail, that’s practically solitary confinement. No, I’m not saying you should not have a pet parrot; I’m saying that I’ve rescued parrots that had no other parrots in their lives and I find them to be somewhat broken, “parrotless.” They weren’t given the chance to develop themselves and know themselves as a parrot because they didn’t have another parrot of their species or otherwise to be a parrot with. Instead, being told to be quiet, being clipped and scolded for doing typical parrot things, like eating at the wood furniture, is damaging to the psyche.

You Can Hear Parrots In My Videos

When I record videos, you can hear my parrots. I recently had a question in which someone asked why there is a parrot constantly calling in the background. Well, I have parrots and I know they are loud. It can get hard at times, but during most of the day they aren’t so loud. My parrots particularly seem to want to be YouTube stars because they always seem to get super vocal during videos — and that’s also when get performance anxiety and stop doing tricks!

Yes, if you have parrots, you know they are loud. If their is distress, hopefully you can and will do something about it. For example, our rescue is getting more calm. She is starting to spend time in the bird room without calling, but again, mornings are loud. That’s just the way parrots are. When the opportunity arises, I’m going to try to find her a mate so that she can experience another parrot of her species. Parrots relate and recognize their own species quite differently that other parrot species. Their behavior changes and becomes more “natural.”

Yes, parrots are loud because that’s what they are by natural design.

Have a questions about parrots?
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How To Tell The Difference In Gender For Dilute (Light Colored) Parrotlet Parrots

What Gender Are You, Parrotlet?

You may already know that Parrotlet parrots are sexually dimorphic (you can see the difference in gender visually); you may know that the males have blue on their wing, on their back and, often, above their eye.

Yes, once you understand this, it’s super easy to know a Parrotlet’s gender.

Unless, of course, they are dilute, or light colors. In that case, you may feel like the rules all flew out the window! All of a sudden, dilute-colored Parrotlets all seem to have no blue!

A Couple Hints For Dilute Parrotlets:

Color, how ‘simple’ and indigo:

The first thing to look for is a blue/purple.

Yes, it is subtle on a Parrotlet, but you will see it. And sometimes it is more obvious when the Parrotlets reach maturity. However, there will be ‘more color’ on males and they will have some blue or indigo on their wings and definitely on their backs. Dilute Parrotlets don’t always have coloring around their eyes though.

As you look at dilute pairs, you will get a sense that the female’s colors are ‘more simple’ and that the males have more color spots – not that this is a ‘rule’ in determining gender, but it’s helped me have a good sense of gender. And sometimes all of the little hints help!

I use these same color hints on my own dilute pairs. You can see the babies they produce on our Pacific parrotlet page.

Have a questions about parrots?
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Parrots & Toothbrushes: What To Do When They Freak Out!

Toothbrush Terror: Parrots Beware!

Say it aint so!
Toothbrushes, they are filled with bristles, they are colorful and terribly scary!

Why can a toothbrush scare your parrot, so much so that he/she is then scared of you because you were holding the toothbrush? Who knows? Sometimes parrots seem to fear snake-like shapes, maybe it looks dangerous to them.

Hairbrush? Toothbrush? Or Another Parrot Panic-cause

So, what do you do?
Well, when Abby, my daughter’s Green-cheeked Conure got scared by her toothbrush, she allowed Abby to play with it and step on it. This allowed Abby to ‘conquer’ the toothbrush and find that there really was nothing to fear.

My daughter says that the toothbrush did cause Abby to take a step backwards in his training, but she also said that this happens all of the time. Different odd things happen which then take them back to square 1 in their training, but everything goes forward faster.

If you are comfortable with it, how about drilling a hole in a clean toothbrush and hanging it like a toy in your parrot’s cage? Watch to see that your parrot plays with it and isn’t just scared. Also make sure that your parrot isn’t biting off plastic or bristles and eating these. Generally I choose wood toys or toys made out of other natural materials for my parrots, but they do love stealing plastics to bite and chew up. So, if you keep an eye on the toothbrush, it might make a wonderful parrot’s toy.

Parrots perceive the world differently than we do. Part of their perception is based on instinctual survival fears, such as snake-like objects. If you are making progress with your parrot but it then takes a step back, don’t be discouraged. Enjoy the process and enjoy the bonding that you have developed in training your parrot. Parrots are amazing, wonderful creatures. They have a lot to offer when you spend the time creating a relationship – though talking, teaching them tricks, taking care of them (like feeding them or misting them to offer a shower) and being with them. They are wonderful companions who will come to know you well, anticipate what you are doing and even become comfortable with your toothbrush!

Have a questions about parrots?
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Would I Add Eclectus Parrots Or Hahn’s Macaws To My Flock?

Decisions, Decisions! What Parrot Would I Choose?

What a red, green (and a little purple) dream! Eclectus parrots are STUNNING! What a unique and stately-looking bird, but would I add them or the sweet, mini-macaw, a Hahn’s Macaw?

Eclectus Parrots

Oh baby! Do they have a specialized diet! You really have to know what you are feeding your Eckie, as they are called, but I don’t know if most people KNOW what to tell you to feed them. I’ve seen blogs that say they can be given eggs or chicken, for example, but then these parrots wind up sick due to clogged arteries.

No! A healthy Eckie is NOT fed eggs. Or chicken.

They are not given pellets with extra vitamins either – and IF they are fed pellets, it CANNOT be colorful pellets! Eckies don’t do well and their bodies react, causing them to have itchy skin and bite themselves. I would not want to see that!

Eckies need fruits and vegetables! If you are prepared to prepare meals, what a parrot!

Be careful, if you get two, they need SPACE from one-another! A ‘normal’ cage their size won’t cut it. You need to give them lots of space because these parrots can be independent and they like to do their own thing without another parrot buggin’ them!

Hahn’s Macaw

More personable. Our Hahn’s is a rescue and she was the inspiration for Velcro. I swear! You put her down on a perch and she just doesn’t come off! If she does, the Velcro quickly re-sticks!

Yes, our Hahn’s is a people-person. Now part of that comes from her conditioning. I don’t know if she was ever around her own, actual species, but she lived with people for over ten years. Yes, this affects how a parrot sees themselves and how they relate to the world.

I suspect that most Hahn’s Macaws are not quite so needy and clingy, but that they are just as gorgeous, intelligent and playful.

Who Would I Pick?

If I wanted an independent bird and I didn’t mind a special diet, the stunning dimorphic Eclectus pair!

If I wanted to bond more with my parrot and I wanted to be able to give them pellets (so I wasn’t always preparing food) then I’d go for the more social Hahn’s Macaw.

If you landed on the Hahn’s too, that is the macaw I breed — I hand-raise them here in Florida. See the babies I have available →

Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!

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What Do Macaw Parrots Eat?

Parrot Diet

In the world of parrots, “exotic” seems to mean “you must feed fresh vegetables!”

It also means that you need to know what your specific parrot’s species requirements are, and sometimes each species has their own, specifications.

With 350 to 400 species of parrots, depending on how they are classified, that can be a lot of variation! With some parrots, diet makes a huge difference, so it can be critical to know what your parrot can and can’t eat.

Macaw Parrots

Macaws need fresh vegetables, like every parrot, every day. If your parrot is on a pelleted diet, then they are said to be getting all the vitamins and minerals they need. Fresh vegetables provide micronutrients and can also give them the beta-carotene they require.

My understanding (because I’m not a nutritionist) is that parrots need A LOT of beta-carotene, which I think is needed for their excellent vision. After all, a flighted bird would need to be able to see well at distances to find food, avoid danger and know where to land.

Beta-Carotene

For this reason, carrots and sweet potatoes are almost always present in my parrot’s diet. I supplement with things like some scrambled egg (because Macaw parrots require protein), peas or green beans (they love these), quinoa, sprouts and so on.

Nuts

Most Macaw parrots eat a lot of palm nuts and other nuts in nature. Green-winged Macaws have been observed eating palm tree nuts in the wild, making up over 3/4 of their diet.

A good balance for your Macaw would provide about 1/4 cup nuts daily.

If you are reading this because you are weighing a macaw of your own, the macaw I breed is the Hahn’s — the smallest true macaw, and the one I think suits an ordinary home best. I hand-raise them here in Florida. See the babies I have available →

Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!

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Can You Put Different Species Of Parrots Together?

Why Do We All Want To Put Different Species Of Parrots Together????

Because there are SO many AWESOME parrots!

 

Can you do so? Is there a “right” way to do it?

Yes and yes –

A couple of way and things you want to keep in mind:

  • Age
  • Cage
  • Flight
  • Also consider having 2 of the same species

AGE

It is easier to mix species when they are young. If they are hand-fed together or are put together when they are young, then they recognize each-other as ‘flock.’  They will be close, treat each other well – generally speaking – and enjoy each other’s company.

CAGE

While every parrot is unique and it’s really more about personalities, generally speaking, I think it is best NOT to mix species in a cage. Every bird should have their own home, their own safe space and, in case they have different diets, their own food and water.

Mixing species is probably best done in “neutral” parts of your home so that there are no territory wars or threats.

FLIGHT

We like to keep our parrots flighted as much as possible. One reason for this is that, especially smaller parrots, should be able to fly away from any danger they perceive. Sometimes the threat could come from another parrot, but it could also be another household pet or something that’s been knocked over.

Mixing parrot species, for me, means keeping as safe an environment as possible but also making sure that my parrots can feel as safe as possible.

2 OF THE SAME SPECIES

Even though we do have a mix of species, we still strive to have at least 2 of each species of parrot. Again, there are always exceptions, but I’ve observed that parrots of the same species relate to each other differently than they do to other species, even when they are close to the other species.

An example of this is our Lovebird, Nassy (short for Nassau). Nassy loves to be in the bird room with the larger parrots. I have my eye out for a companion for him because I noticed that he wants a buddy. Although he has a couple other, bigger friends, it isn’t the same for him. He tried to befriend a Parrotlet or two, I think because they were his same size, but the Parrotlet didn’t know how to relate to him.

When two parrots of the same species are together they relate to each other in ways that amaze me. They play, bicker, preen and talk to each other in a unique way that I think is important for their well-being.

This is why we have different species but also try to have two of each. Parrots are amazing and wonderful; I love seeing the differences in the species personalities – and seeing all their colors and ways.

Safely mix your species and enjoy your colorful flock!

Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!

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How To Handle A Parrot That Bites Hands

Parrots That Bite Think You Have Many Fingers!

You have ten fingers, but that doesn’t mean that you are willing to give one or two to your parrot! A parrot’s hook bill is – like a hook! And it is the strongest beak in the avian world – right? No body wants to be bitten by such a powerful beak – and some parrots, like Macaws, can send you and your finger to the ER!

What do you about a parrot that bites hands?

Parrots can be territorial over ‘their’ space, or their cage. If your parrot bites when you put your hand in his or her cage, then… stop. Use a stick. 🙂 I don’t consider this to be a “problem” in the sense that, if your parrot is too aggressive then you need to work with them, but I believe that everyone, including my parrots, should have their own space and they should be able to ask you to stay out of their space – and when we don’t understand the ask, they often bite. My point: I wouldn’t focus on them biting in their cage, I would focus on their behavior outside their cage, especially when they are on “common grounds.”

Common Grounds

When you are in a neutral space in your home, preferably a room other than the one your parrot’s cage is in, then your parrot should not display aggression. The only natural reasons to do so are if your parrot has been scarred, in the case that you adopted a rescue with a traumatic past, or if you have a hormonal parrot. Note: Male Cockatoos can be very hormonal, aka, aggressive. This behavior is innate and not “bad” or “wrong” – even though it can be very hard for us as parrot-keepers to handle.

Choose to work with your parrot in a neutral space.

  1. Make sure that your parrot feels safe and secure. No creature, human or animal, is friendly and loving when they feel scared or threatened and the threat may not be in their present situation. Trauma stays with creatures until either time heals as much as it can or humans find a good therapist!
  2. Check your parrot’s diet: a “parrot junk food” diet can cause an unhealthy or cranky parrot. A pellet and fresh vegetable diet that adds seeds (without sunflower seeds) for small parrots (like Parrotlets, Cockatiels, Lovebirds) and nuts for large parrots that require nuts (like Macaws and African Greys) but otherwise omits these will increase your parrot’s health and mood. In other words, it will make them nicer 🙂
    Note: Cockatoos, who can be one of the most aggressive parrots, should NOT be given fats in their diet as they are prone to being over weight and having related health issues. This means that an aggressive Cockatoo that is fed a seed-based diet could be a recipe for even worse behaviors.
  3. Make sure your hands are “magical and delicious!”
    Be the only source of your parrot’s favorite treats. This is the only time I see that it is appropriate to give sunflower seeds – when I’m giving them. This way your hands can be conditioned out of an old definition that caused your parrot to bite. Always move your hands slowly and don’t come at your parrot from above, like an overhead airplane. Come at your parrot from below or from their eye level – and with a treat.
  4. Spend time with your parrot every day. They don’t have to be on you or learning tricks necessarily, but if they are around you for a couple hours or more per day then they will begin to, maybe slowly over time, shift how they feel about you and your hands 🙂 Of course, you don’t want to give them treats for two hours non-stop… but do give them a wonderful experience of you and your hands for as long as you can – and this can happen at intervals (like every 15 or 30 min) so that you keep coming back to talk to them and put something down for them to eat – so that they are experiencing your hands in a positive way over and over and over.

Parrots are smart. Use hand signals, because they understand body language more than words, but couple it with a command. Give them routines, for example take them out of their cage, on a stick, and have them at a play perch for a couple of hours around the same time every day. The trick is to be constant and consistent because then your parrot will quickly catch on to what you are doing and they will “learn” more quickly.

Parrots are amazing – they are my bliss. You should have a blissful bond with your parrot. Not every parrot will want to bond with a human, but generally speaking I find that they are curious about us and want to connect. Spend the time and dedication – move your hand slowly and make sure they are on a good diet so that you can work your “magical and delicious” hands!

Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!

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Can You Potty Train Your Parrot?

Is It Bad For Your Parrot To Be Potty Trained?

Holding “it” isn’t good for humans or parrots. There is talk about potty training being unhealthy for your parrot because encourages them to hold it and not release. True or not, I think the take-away is that you need to make sure your parrot is healthy.

Parrots Poop Often

The smaller the parrot, like a Lovebird or a Parrotlet, the smaller the poop and the more frequent. The bigger the bird, the less often they poop — but when they do, watch out! We sometimes call them “Elephant poops!”

Regardless of size, parrots have a natural inclination to poop and not get themselves dirty. They tend not to walk in their poop or do anything to get themselves dirty. Use this in training your parrot.

Parrots Get It

I find that my flock is intelligent. They seem to know what I’m doing and why I”m doing it, most of the time. They take cues well and, for example, my Yellow-naped Amazon will spend an hour or two on me as I watch a movie or take a nap, and she’ll wait until we get up and go to a perch to poop. Most of the time. The times she doesn’t, it’s often my fault.

A Poop Perch

The part of my flock that I aim to train has a “poop” perch. This perch does not have food and water for them. It has one purpose only.

I don’t train most of my flock. My Macaws, for example, don’t poop on my husband or I. They don’t poop often and they get off of us when they need to poop. This means that, if you have a clipped parrot, they wont’ be able to choose to get off you to poop.

In that case, you may want to do what my daughter does with her Green-cheeked Conures: she puts them on their poop perch every 15 to 20 minutes – even though their wings are not clipped. She doesn’t pick them back up until they have pooped.

This is interesting because this means that some of our parrots aren’t “trained” to poop on command, but are encouraged to poop in a certain area – and they are taught they will be given “poop” breaks at predictable times.

Parrots like patterns and predictable behaviors and routines.

Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!

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How I Handle My Timid Amazon Parrot

A Nervous Or Scared Parrot

How Do You Handle Them?

When it comes to a parrot that you have rescued or otherwise acquired as an adult, especially one with an unknown past, well… it’s like a box of chocolates. You never know if you’ve gotten something sweet and loving, scarred and afraid or mean…

Well, our Orange-winged Amazon (a name I don’t understand, he doesn’t have orange on his wing) is gorgeous! We’d given him a name, but he quickly corrected us, calling “Tiko” Tiko had taken to my husband, which is why we brought him home, but at home he was reserved and non-engaging.

To Tame Or Not To Tame

In some ways, he’s perfect in our flock. With a parrot like Tiko, I feel you have to decide whether you want to try to bring out the cuddly and engaging side of your parrot or whether you are happy to let them just have a safe, loving home.

Tiko used to have a cage, but I lean towards an open-door policy whenever possible. Tiko enjoyed this policy and would come out of his cage, but still didn’t engage. He’d talk some and would sometimes bow his head for my husband to pet him as he warmed up, but that was about all the human interaction he would take.

Because I have a flock with over a dozen species of parrots and because I breed Parrotlets (and a few other parrots), and have parrot pets, it works perfectly for me that Tiko just likes to hang out in the bird room. He is currently cage-less. He spends his time on his perch, which has food and water for him, or on top of another’s cage. He is great about not disturbing other parrots and getting along with the other cage-less parrots, like my Cockatiel and Lovebird.

I encourage Tiko to engage with me, talking to him or responding when he talks first. I give him the hand signal for skritches, which he agrees to by bowing his head, or disagrees to by ignoring me. If he is in a bind, because he flew away from his area and got stuck upstairs or some place like that, then he will allow he to offer him a ride back to his area, stepping up. But only when he’s in a bind.

It’s been a couple of years and Tiko is getting more comfortable. With a parrot like him, like I said, you either let him slowly work out his discomfort or you can work to tame them. I’ve let him take his time because there’s no reason to push him. I’m happy to let him be a parrot doing parrot things.

How I Handle My Timid Amazon Parrot

We have given Tiko a space in the bird room to do his thing. We offer attention, verbal and pets, when he’ll take them. I sign to him and praise him often, but otherwise we like to ensure, as best we can, that he can feel that this is a safe and secure place for him.

Safety and security are the first thing any creature must have to relax and come out of their shell. They must have it to maintain physical well-being and to try to bring back their emotional well-being. So, we are letting Tiko find his safe space so that he can come forward on his schedule.

Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!

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