Green Cheek Conure - New Owner

Hi All,

I have just adopted a baby Green Cheek Conure (circa 9 weeks old) just 2 days ago.

He bonded in really well with both myself and my wive. We even had guests over and he is superb.

I have bought him a nice cage as suggested by a pet shop and also included a swing as a toy.

The problem is...this is my first day at work and I had to leave him at home in his cage. I would really love to keep the cage open so he can get out but don't think he manages to get in on his own to feed himself.

Also everytime I put him in his cage he is very agitated and screeches to grab attention....and I feel really bad when he does it. He seems to settle after a couple of minutes especially if we leave the room.

I am still feeling sick knowing I left him behind in his cage...do you think he'll be fine and happy? am I over thinking and being over anxious for nothing?

I would love to keep him very happy since he makes our family complete and has brought so much hapiness even though he has been with us for just 2 days.

Can anyone please help and provide some insight!! :51:

Absolutely, never leave him out, unsupervised!

No, never leave him out unsupervised! Too many things can happen. He'll be fine and will get used to it as long as he's out and amongst your family whenever anyone is home. However, he needs a lot more toys than just a swing to keep him occupied and to not get extremely bored! They are very intelligent and need chew toys, foraging toys, wooden, plastic, etc. And you need a variety in his cage at all times, and you need to rotate new ones in often and move them around in the cage often. Just a swing will not allow him to be entertained. So I suggest you go buy him a bunch of different toys, made of different things, different shapes, etc. ASAP!

"Dance like nobody's watching..."

Every now and then, I tell my story. I'm never sure how much advice is in it... but maybe just some support...


I got the Rickeybird in 1984. I was in college and then grad school, so I spent LOTS of time with him. Then it was time to go to work!
There were were years (about 25 of them) when 5-6 days a week, I was gone at 7:30-ish and back at 6-ish.
Some did and will consider me wrong and think I should have re-homed him.
Anyway, here is what I think made it work.
I moved and got new jobs maybe 5 times or so. BUT...
Every morning, he had at least ten minutes, and every evening, he had 20 or so. I have always kept him on a natural light schedule, in a separate room, so sometimes those times together were in the dark. During the day, he had a big window looking out on something interesting, a television on one of his favorite channels (Music channels, CNN - he loves talking heads), a biggg cage, lots of fun foods, and a few toys that I changed out regularly).
He KNEW he could count on those two crummy sessions a day. Somehow we both made it.
I'm now retired and times are good again.
Good luck to you. And welcome to the Forum... you'll get lots of empathy and advice here.