Best Conure: Sun, Greencheek, or Other?

CharlieSheen

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Dec 8, 2012
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South Florida
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Kiwi the Peach-Faced Lovebird
Alright, so I've been thinking about my favorite types of birds (That I could afford) and my favorites were Conures and Cockatiels. My sister has a bit of asthma (She hasn't had an attack for 10 years, but just in case) so I've decided Conures woukld be great. And so, I ask, what's the best Conure? Here's what I'm asking:

Which is the friendliest with people?
Which needs the most/least attention
Which is easiest to train?
Which is the least nippy?
Which is the best for it's price? (I found Greens for 75-139 and Conures 150-175)
Which needs the least amount of space?
Which is easiest to train?
Which can talk the best?
Which makes less noise (I know Suns make louder ones, but do they do it more often?)
Which will adapt to strangers quicker?
Which is smarter?
And, most important of all,
Which do you think is best overall?
 

Julie86

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Dec 2, 2012
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Nebraska
Parrots
Khaleesi, Mulga Hen Australian Parakeet-hd: 10/29/12
Maximus, Male Pearl Cockatiel-hd: 1/30/13
Lady, Lutino Hen
Cockatiel-hd: 11/?/13
I did alot of reading on green cheeks last night and I would love to own one sometime in the future. This is an extensive FAQ on green cheeks:
The Green Cheek Conure Homepage
 

Sc0tt

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Nov 18, 2012
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Indiana
Parrots
Red Throated Conure - Casper | American Budgie - Zeus (R.I.P)
Which is the friendliest with people? Depends in the bird. Conures are very energetic and playful birds.
Which needs the most/least attention? They all require a lot of attention, Conures (nor any parrot) should be skimped on it.
Which is easiest to train? Training is a long, tedious and rewarding project with any bird.
Which is the least nippy? All conures are fairly nippy.
Which is the best for it's price? (I found Greens for 75-139 and Conures 150-175)? Price should never be an option when buying a lifelong companion.
Which needs the least amount of space? They all require a medium-large size bird Che
Which can talk the best? They all have the ability to talk, but it's up to the bird and trainer
Which makes less noise (I know Suns make louder ones, but do they do it more often?) GCC's make less noise than Suns, but can still be loud.
Which will adapt to strangers quicker? Depends on the bird, most do not like strangers ever but can possibly tolerate them better than others.
Which is smarter? They are all extremely intelligent.
And, most important of all,
Which do you think is best overall? I love my RTC like a child. He's loud, bites and is a little clown most of the time but it's worth it for the time I have with him.

Every bird is different, and there is no way to tell you exactly what a bird is gonna be like as they can differ so much even in the same species.

It sounds like you want the bird now, and want it to be talking and trained as soon as possible, which is never the way to go about handling a long-term purchase, especially an animal. Judging by your questions I still think you should go with a parakeet as they're easier to handle, require less time, space and money. Conures are a big responsibility and your questions lead me to believe you're looking for something you can have but not devote your life too. Hope this helps.
 
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CharlieSheen

CharlieSheen

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Kiwi the Peach-Faced Lovebird
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Every bird is different, and there is no way to tell you exactly what a bird is gonna be like as they can differ so much even in the same species.

It sounds like you want the bird now, and want it to be talking and trained as soon as possible, which is never the way to go about handling a long-term purchase, especially an animal. Judging by your questions I still think you should go with a parakeet as they're easier to handle, require less time, space and money. Conures are a big responsibility and your questions lead me to believe you're looking for something you can have but not devote your life too. Hope this helps.

That's not exactly why I asked the responsibility parts. The thing is, once, sometimes twice per year (That's quite rare however, has not been done for 4 years, and 1/3 times we do not do at all) My family goes on a trip, and I have a friend who agreed he'd take care of it, as I wouldn't want any living thing that's so close to me's life into the hands of a total stranger, but he admitted that it can't be extremley demanding, like a Burmese Python (Long story of why he said that.)

And the part about being fully trained right off the bat is quite far from the truth. I'd like it to be able to do that, but being pre-trained to do such things would be less fun, as I can't spend extra time by trying to teach it how to speak or do tricks, such as flying to a specific place or stepping up.
 

DannyA93

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Jan 22, 2012
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Las Cruces, NM
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Pineapple Turquoise Greencheek Conure-Ivy❤️, Male Cockatiel-Lusa (aka Bub =D)
I just had to comment that having a conure is in NO WAY like having a python AT ALL! Parrots are very demanding! You can't just feed then once a month and just leave then under there log the rest of the time they need a varied diet and a lot of attention..
 

Sc0tt

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Nov 18, 2012
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Indiana
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Red Throated Conure - Casper | American Budgie - Zeus (R.I.P)
I just had to comment that having a conure is in NO WAY like having a python AT ALL! Parrots are very demanding! You can't just feed then once a month and just leave then under there log the rest of the time they need a varied diet and a lot of attention..

Very true. I have a ball python as well, and they are not even close to the same thing as far as maintenance and care goes.

Also if you don't have the time to teach it specific tricks like flying to you or stepping up, then why do you want a parrot in the first place?
 
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CharlieSheen

CharlieSheen

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Dec 8, 2012
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Kiwi the Peach-Faced Lovebird
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No, I mean a Burmese Python. Those pythons need alot of effort to take care of, and I'm not talking about attention. I prefer parrots.

And I just said I wanted to be able to teach it how to do it... I said it would be less fun if it was already trained because I wouldn't be able to use my free time to train it.
 

Aims

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Jun 23, 2012
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Perth, Western Australia
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"Jax" Red-sided Eclectus ~ "Peaches" Lutino Lovebird ~ "Skid" Peachface Lovebird ~ "Bo" and "Peep" Cockatiel's ~ "Opie" Galah
I don't know why people are being so negative towards you, I can see you are only trying to get as much information as you can before purchasing a bird which IMO is much better than buying one and having no idea what o do with it. Good on you for asking questions.

I can't answer conure specific questions about behaviour and such because I have no experience with conures but I will try to help.

All conures are similar in size (I think) so cage wise there wouldn't be a difference in cage.

Birds can hate strangers but if you buy a young one and socialise it well with lots of people it will be used to different people. For example my Ecky will go to any of my family members, but he prefers me over anyone, and loves to regurgitate for me... Lovely.. Lol.. His second favourite person is my 10 yr old son he is the most confidant out of my kids with birds, the other two and even my husband is weary of him, so I think he picks up on that and in return is a little weary of them. But he will sit on them and would let them look after him in my absence. I had to go overseas last year for 3weeks because of a sick relative and my husband and kids stayed with Jax (Ecky).. All was well when I got back.

I hope I have helped a little, good luck in your hunt. I hope you find a wonderful life long companion.
 

DannyA93

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Jan 22, 2012
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Las Cruces, NM
Parrots
Pineapple Turquoise Greencheek Conure-Ivy❤️, Male Cockatiel-Lusa (aka Bub =D)
How much time do you have to spend with him? you have to set time aside for him you cant just play with him whenever you have freetime. maybe a cockatiel, parrotlet or lineolated parakeet would be good for you instead of a conure for now? they have big parrot personality in tiny body! linnies even hold food with their feet! they're pretty cool and beautiful too. maybe you should consider a less demanding species for now and then move up when you fully understand bird care:) im sorry if we sound like where bagging on you we just want whats best for you and the bird. if you don't fully understand then you could accidently make mistakes with the bird and not even know what you did and such. i can tell you when i first wanted a sun conure i wasn't even close to being ready to have one but its been about 2 years of research and reading every little thing i can find and asked millions of questions and i finally feel im actually ready for one but im still nervous about it! and im still asking questions all the time lol
 

Birdlover11

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Aug 23, 2012
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Long island
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Pepsi and sprite, both are American male budgies
There's not really a " best " conure out there. Have you ever had a bird before ? If your a first timer I would reccomend a green cheek. Also they are a little loud, but it depends on the bird . You have to have in my opinion for a conure at least 3 hours of free time everyday, I think. Conures are very demanding , like any other bird. Even more then a puppy or a kitten. I hope you don't mind me asking but is their something in a conure that you like or attracts you ?
 
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CharlieSheen

CharlieSheen

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Kiwi the Peach-Faced Lovebird
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Thanks for the info, and by the way, I DID do my research, I'm just getting personal information, as not only can websites be wrong, but I always belive that, especially with animals, there's no better way to get information then from people who've had experience.

And the time I'd have with the bird is usually 2-10 hours, 1 being the bare minimum and only happening if I'm completley swamped. Because, as many of you have said, why would I even get a parrot if I didn't want to spend time with it? If I wanted a pet that I could watch all day and rarley take care of, I would have stuck with fish or salamanders, but I personally love Conures for their clown-like personalities, as I see them in the Local Pet Shops. I imagine that if they're that interesting to total stangers, even in cages, they would be just amazing personaly.
 

ConureCrazy

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Jun 13, 2012
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Senegal: Oliver ~~
Yellow-Sided GCC's: Bella and Zora ~~
R.I.P Tweeters the Cockatiel<3
Hey, I'm the same age as you! That's awesome. :p (Your in seventh, right?)

As far as the attention, routine is best, I believe. My birds get an hour out before i go to school, and during that time I'm changing their newspaper (in and around their cages), food and water, and cutting up their fruits, veggies, and other stuff (eggs 1-3 times a week, birdy bread muffins, etc.) Thats all in a morning, every day! I wake up early for that, courtesy of my 3 loud 'alarm clock' birds doing their morning contact calls. They get 5 hours out after that, maybe an hour or two less if I go somewhere. Probably an hour or an hour and a half if that is one on one quality time i spend with the bird, homework or not!

And even if you get the bird cheap (which really doesn't matter, it's how you take care of the bird, not its price) it will add up!!!
Let's say, like you want, $75 for the bird itself.
+150-275 on an actual, safe metal, good quality, necessary (at the very minimum!!!) size cage
+50-? on bloodwork and checkup, especially if you're getting the bird off craigslist.
+75-100 on setting up toys for the cage you'll be getting. (Leather strips are not safe unless vegetable tanned!!!)
And this bird will live 20+ years, this is only once you get the bird!

Also, keep very close in mind, conures scream! A LOT. And it's very high pitched and ear piercing. :eek:
 
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CharlieSheen

CharlieSheen

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Kiwi the Peach-Faced Lovebird
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Yes I am.

The time I'm prepared for much more than an hour and a half on most days, usually, It'd be double that time at least double that most days, as I often have little to no homework to do.

The other costs, as I've explained, have been planned and I commend you for your aid. (Also, as you can see in this thread I meant to say 175, not 75.)
 

Sookiebird

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Dec 12, 2012
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Raleigh, NC
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Sookie-Meyers Parrot,
Cucumber-WB Caique
I had a GC conure who passed away a year ago and now I have a female Meyers and I foster an Amazon. My conure was pretty much my first bird and it was a learning curve to say the least! He was a rescue bird and had been neglected. But with time and patience (and a number of bites!) he became the most devoted little guy. IMO GCs are the nippiest of the ones I've met, BUT I've also met a couple that weren't nippy.

Overall if you want an interactive, fun, kind of goofy bird, then go with the conure--maybe a sun or GC. I like Quakers too---they love their heads rubbed! And finally spend as much time as you can around people who have these birds and learn to handle them. Don't act afraid---they smell fear...lol.
 

Abigal7

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Jun 17, 2012
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United States of America/ Kansas
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Captain Jack (Hahn's macaw)


Clover (green cheek conure)
I am glad you are asking questions and research. To be honest with you conures can be loud the Green cheek is considered the quietest of the conure. This does not mean hey can get loud just that they are not as loud when compared to other conures. I think a conure is smart enough to train. If you switch toys out daily and spend personal time with the bird daily perhaps any conure would be content. I never had a conure pluck but I have heard of some that have plucked themselves badly . They do seem to suggest Green cheek conures for beginners. All conures need fresh fruits and veggies and pellots to be healthy an all seed diet is not healthy. If you are set on a conure get a young hand feed one. If you socialize it around people while it is young it will learn to tolerate other people.
 
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CharlieSheen

CharlieSheen

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Dec 8, 2012
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Kiwi the Peach-Faced Lovebird
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Alright, I think I'm going to decide on a GreenCheek, as many of you have explained a Sun Conure isn't the best bird for beginners.

Thanks!
 

turquoisecheek

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Dec 3, 2012
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Florida, US
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Toots, a turquoise green cheeked conure.
Elliot and BB, lovebirds.
Mr. and Ms. Keet, parakeets.
When you meet the right bird, I think you will know :) Despite all the cons and pros of different types of conures, in the end, it's worth it. But if you've decided on a GCC, then good choice! They make great pets and even better friends. Good luck!
 
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CharlieSheen

CharlieSheen

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Dec 8, 2012
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Kiwi the Peach-Faced Lovebird
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Alright, thanks. I really like how they look and at PetSupermarket they're 139. Cheaper than anywhere else I could find, apart for one on craigslist that was 75.
 

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