sun conure colors.......

arielscongo

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I’m looking to get a sun conure from craigslist for my brother, how will I know if a sun conure is 100% a sun conure when it come too color, I found one that is 4 years old, but it does not have the typical colors of a sun conure.
This is what I was told by the owner:
“If they're more yellow that means they're younger, the older they get the more colorful they get”
Is this true?
 

SilverSage

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Nope, to my knowledge that is actually the opposite of true, since babies have a lot more green...

I would suspect a Jenday or a Sunday but it's hard to tell without a picture.


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arielscongo

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her is one
 

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clark_conure

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A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
A conure is a conure is a conure, some are big, some are small, they are ALL insane.....and they are also the best, cuddliest, most family oriented bird ever. You really can't go wrong. I wouldn't worry to much about the lineage.


I would prefer if your brother met the bird first.....birds PICK their owners, but I also understand giving a gift to someone.
 

clark_conure

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A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
you posted as I was typing....that is a very attractive bird...if it's friendly go with it. Chicks will go nuts....
 

LordTriggs

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I’m looking to get a sun conure from craigslist for my brother, how will I know if a sun conure is 100% a sun conure when it come too color, I found one that is 4 years old, but it does not have the typical colors of a sun conure.
This is what I was told by the owner:
“If they're more yellow that means they're younger, the older they get the more colorful they get”
Is this true?

I'm not too caught up on Sun conures colouring as they grow up but what I will say is if you're certain to get a bird off of Craigslist meet in person before any money is exchanged. Craigslist is the home of scammers, especially bird scammers. Even taking cursory looks I see so many ads that are 100% fake. It's better to find a true reputable breeder or better yet rescue a slightly older bird.

*Edit* just noticed that the bird is 4. That's a scam ad if they still appear as a baby according to the seller. At 4 a sun conure is a full adult and has been for at least 2 years! A bird will generally look the same as an adult within a couple months of birth, they can have a slight change in color after their first molt but it's not drastic and definitely not something that happens throughout their life. Walk away from that person, it's SCREAMING scam to me.

Also you're getting it for your brother. Have you asked your brother? Is he aware of a bird's needs? Also be aware Sun conures are among the loudest you can get! I met a tiny Sun at a parrot show and he could challenge the very vocal Umbrella Too there in volume. Before anything else speak to your brother, let him decide if he wants a bird, what happens if he doesn't want one? Also I am an advocate of the bird choosing the person, a surprise encounter can go terribly for both where as meeting different birds you can often find one will just hop onto someone and claim them as their new friend
 

SilverSage

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I agree always meet the seller and the bird in person, never buy a bird as a gift for someone who isn't there to meet the bird, and this doesn't sound above board.

However I disagree that "a conure is a conure is a conure" the species are quite different with different traits and temperaments. However suns and jendays tend to be similar from my experience but I don't spend a lot of time with them.


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LordTriggs

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her is one

Just saw this. that's an adult, possibly got some Jenday or other conures in his DNA. you can never truly tell, there's been quite a few cross breeding done in the past

I'm less alert of a scam but still very worried that it's a scam. Although I'm a very paranoid person. I definitely vote to never put money down until a bird is met in person and 100% chosen. At most I would say to ask questions like "how loud are they" ETC. Learn as much as you can on the species then ask really absolutely stupid questions like "Do they bite?" and "how loud are they?" If you get told they never bite or they're really quiet then it's most likely a scam. Hell I would prefer a pet store for a bird over craigslist
 
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arielscongo

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Nope, to my knowledge that is actually the opposite of true, since babies have a lot more green...

I would suspect a Jenday or a Sunday but it's hard to tell without a picture.


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I agree with you as well, I have a coworker at work that he has a sun for 19 years and she is a lot more yellow.
 

LordTriggs

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I agree always meet the seller and the bird in person, never buy a bird as a gift for someone who isn't there to meet the bird, and this doesn't sound above board.

However I disagree that "a conure is a conure is a conure" the species are quite different with different traits and temperaments. However suns and jendays tend to be similar from my experience but I don't spend a lot of time with them.


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truth. Even amongst conures that look the same through research they're different. For example a black cap is a lot more chilled out than a Green cheek. Bu there's of course ALWAYS personality differences. Hence why it's important to meet them.
 

clark_conure

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A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
oh come on yes some conures are louder some are bigger, sometimes three times as big, but they all are insane....give me that much....I have a conure on my shoulder right now and he's debating kissing me or waiting till after lunch to either kill me or cuddle me to death. It's how they roll.
 

LordTriggs

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oh come on yes some conures are louder some are bigger, sometimes three times as big, but they all are insane....give me that much....I have a conure on my shoulder right now and he's debating kissing me or waiting till after lunch to either kill me or cuddle me to death. It's how they roll.

Yeah that much is certain! I'm sure they all come with a secret stash of Cocaine!
 

SilverSage

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oh come on yes some conures are louder some are bigger, sometimes three times as big, but they all are insane....give me that much....I have a conure on my shoulder right now and he's debating kissing me or waiting till after lunch to either kill me or cuddle me to death. It's how they roll.



Hm, nope, sorry. They are so insanely different that I can't agree with that one. You of course don't have to agree with me, either ;)

I adore GCCs but will never live with a jenday, for example. The differences are enough that I would not make that choice for my family.

I also have to strongly disagree that being violent is just "how they roll" that's not even remotely true and is a damaging belief; birds get that way from improper weaning, early clipping, failure to properly train as babies, etc. NONE of my 6 conures bite out of anything other than fear, nor do the babies that I raise.


I'm not upset with you and I hope I'm not coming across as harsh, but I do find the idea that "a conure is a conure is a conure" to be one that could lead a potential bird owner down the wrong path so I felt I had to speak up.


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clark_conure

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A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
the him killing me was a joke *sigh*
He never bites....
 

DoubleTake

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The bird in your picture is 4 years old? If that is the case then that is most definitely not a sun conure. Not sure if it is the lighting but the hints of yellow on the wings would suggest a sunday conure. But at first glance at your picture I thought it would be a juvenile sun conure around 6-8 months. If you look at my picture Apollo and Lily are 4.5 years old and Chloe is roughly 15 months.

There a few baby pictures of my guys in my album if you wanted to compare how my guys looked with they were babies. I have more, just haven't uploaded them :D
 
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chris-md

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Dani, let's be honest. Individuals vary, yes, but as far as species traits go, you're not going to get much difference between Jendays and pearly conures.

If you're advising someone trying to distinguish between the two, are you really gonna give them the third degree to determine the best conure for them? Probably not. It's not like trying to choose between an ekkie and a Hahns Macaw.

Absent being able to get to know individual personalities, it all comes out awash in the end. Six of one, half dozen of the other. You can't really lead someone down a wrong path when trying to choose among conure species. Even Mark has acknowledged as much. We should probably cut Clark some slack here.

Unless it's a sun conure....
 

SilverSage

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I'll maintain a huge level of disagreement there but like I said, no one is obligated to see things my way ;)


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Skittys_Daddy

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I strongly suggest meeting the bird first- the person who will have the bird. I have to agree with most of what was posted above. IF its a good match, you'll know it.

As for the type of conure- if that conure in the picture is 4 yrs old, it is DEFINITELY not a sun conure. It may be some combination of conures but its not a sun.

Some suns have more orange on their bodies (like Skittles) while some have more yellow- but aside from that, the coloring of suns is pretty universal. Yellowish/orange heads and front bodies (with red patches by the ears). The wings are a blend of yellow and green, with dark blue and olive green tips. The tail feathers are usually olive green with a dark blue tip.
 

Puck

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I would suggest asking them for more pictures, maybe with specifics. ("Hey, I have had some bad experience with Craigslist in the past, could you send me some photos of the bird from all angles along with one next to your hand balled up in a fist? The last bird I tried to buy turned out to be a scam, and I just want to make sure this will work out before I put my heart into it!")

Even though it's not true, it will probably get you what you want if it's not a scam without offending the person and more pics will better let people judge it's coloring. :)
 

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