Are Conures A Bird For Beginners? (Find Out Here)

Many praise Budgies and Cockatiels as some of the best beginner birds for amateur owners. However, you may be in the market for a bird, and you’re wondering if to go with a conure. This article provides an in-depth look at conures and if they are great for beginners.

Conures are excellent pets. They are also great for beginner breeders. The birds are bright and colorful and take a short time to reproduce.

What Do I Need To Know Before I Get A Conure?

Conures are considered small parrots or larger parakeets. It means they are small to medium-sized parrots. 

Conures tend to seek attention from their owners. This behavior has coined the bird the name ‘clowns’ in the parrot kingdom. The behaviors carried out include repeated swaying and hanging upside down. Owners should, therefore, be prepared to provide the necessary attention.

In the wild, you will find 20 or so conures together. It is because they live in flocks. Because of their herbivorous nature and living in flocks, they are considered agricultural pests in certain areas. 

Conures have a lifespan of 20 years and above. Keeping them as pets would require commitment. To achieve and surpass their lifespan, they need to be well cared for, and you should do your best to meet their dietary needs. 

Different conures face different conditions which dictate their dietary needs. Activities such as molting, egg-laying, illness, growth, and activity level cause them to have nutritional needs unique to each of them. 

Generally, conures require seed mixes and pellet mixes. They also need other foods to keep them nutritionally enriched. These include grains, nuts, fruits, vegetables, greens, and dairy. Foods harmful include oily foods, sugared products, caffeine, alcohol, and avocado.

Are Conures Difficult?

Conures aren’t difficult birds. However, they require attention. Therefore, the decision to purchase or adopt one shouldn’t be taken lightly. 

Just like other parrots, conures have unique temperaments. Their noisy nature can be tolerated by others, while some people would be irritated. While these birds don’t talk much compared to other parrots, they have loud calls (squawks). 

Those living in apartments may cause disturbances to their neighbors. Quiet people may also find it unsettling. Adopting Nanday conures or sun conures would be especially unbearable as they are noisier. The option here would be to get a quieter parrot.

When in an anxious state, these birds tend to nip. You may experience it during bird training. Too much nipping, however, shouldn’t be condoned.

These birds are social and like to play around. They should be provided with toys to keep them entertained. They should be able to chew the toys as they enjoy doing so. It includes vine balls and wooden blocks. Unfortunately, even with toys, they may still chew on furniture.

Although conures require lots of human interaction and attention, they are comfortable merely sitting with their owners. At the same time, they watch TV or work. 

Are Conures Easy To Train?

Various aspects make it challenging to train conures. It includes their difference in age and personality.

Younger conures are easier to train when compared to older conures. It applies to most animals. Therefore, the earlier the training starts, the greater the chances of fast and easy learning. 

However, this is not to discourage owners from training older birds. They, too, can learn tricks. It just might take a little longer.

Just like human beings, different conures have different personalities. While they are all spirited birds, you may find others calmer than their counterparts. More relaxed birds are easier to train as they are receptive. 

With spitfire conures, one may have difficulty convincing them to focus and cooperate. It means one task may take longer to train than with other birds. 

Generally, birds require patience and consistency. While some conures can’t be fully tame, it’s necessary that they happily coexist with their owners. Conures have long life spans, and proper training will be the thin line between unruly, unapproachable birds and friendly and pleasant pets.

Preparation is vital before preparing the training routine. Owners should incorporate treats (from regular meals) such as fruits and nuts. Also, it would be best if you used dowels and sturdy perches.

Some commands may take longer to adjust to than others. Also, conures may be more receptive to being handled and learning some moments more than others. You can compare it to humans being sharp at specific times of the day.

Owners should, therefore, watch out for cues offered by their birds. It will allow the bird to be more trusting and feel safer. The consistent training sessions should be limited to 10-15 minutes. 

In a nutshell, one must do the following when prepared to train their birds. That is, forming a relationship, allowing conures to adjust to new surroundings, building trust, creating a schedule, providing the proper training environment, teaching simple words, and using positive reinforcement.

Is A Green Cheek Conure A Good First Bird?

New bird owners can opt to start with the green-cheeked conure. These birds are not only small, but also, they can learn tricks, you can play with them, and they are less noisy compared to larger parrots. 

Beginners prepared to spare time for their pets will enjoy having this bird around. It is because green-cheeked conures want the attention and like handling. They are also great for those with friends and family with parrots.

For proper care, you should buy toys for these birds. It is to cater to their playful nature. When they aren’t given attention or don’t have toys to play with, they may start feeling lonely. It will negatively affect their health, and they may start pulling out their feathers. 

Another reason novice bird owners are inclined to purchase this bird is its affordable nature. Also, they are readily available. It is because they are easy to breed. They bear close similarities with the maroon-bellied conure, and the two are often confused.

You can teach these companion parrots how to speak, although their vocabulary may be limited. Their voice tends to be gravelly. 

Some of the tricks they can perform are hanging upside down, shaking, and lying on their backs. Also, owners can successfully potty-train them.

Summary

Conure parrots are social birds that will make a great addition to the home. Their playful nature and need for attention will keep owners on their toes as they train them and have them around. Beginners can opt for this bird. However, they should first ensure it’s the bird for them.

Elements to look at include if your temperament and theirs match. Also, your availability to properly entertain and care for them.