Companion for my Sun Conure

Hi, I have a Sun Conure I bought last year named Peaches. I love spending time with her but now that I'm working she doesn't get as much attention during the day, (although I spend most of my time at home with her.) She has a large cage with lots of toys and is in the busiest part of the house, but without her owner she can be unhappy and scream a lot. My family is tired of it, but care for her while I'm gone. She loves being around people, or even just listening to bird sounds that I play on YouTube. I've been considering getting another bird to give her company. The thing is, I can't afford another Sun Conure and want something that is low maintenance. I understand it will need to be cared for, but by low maintenance I mean not loud, but has a quiet, pleasant voice, requires a cage that isn't too large, enjoys attention but isn't demanding and can entertain themself. I understand it could be dangerous keeping them together so they would have separate cages but be near eachother, and could be out and play together (with supervision of course.) I was at a pet store and was showed a Bourke Parakeet that was happily living in a cage with a Sun Conure. It was reasonably priced, I think $185. It was very docile though and just sat on the palm of my hand. It had sweet quiet voice and I was told they are good pets, and content to sit on your shoulder. I really liked the bird, but don't want to rush into. I like to do lots of research, like I did before buying Peaches. What is your advice for me?

Hi there! Best advice I would offer, is to add a second bird only because YOU want another one. There are never guarantees that two will get along, just as two people may not, for whatever their reasons. So, on top of existing issues, there is the very real possibilities for jealousy, and having to divide your time between the two if they can't be out of the cage at the same time. Do you have enough time to spend with two birds individually if need be? This is exactly what happened in my house. I make it work because they're so worth it, but I'd be so happy to have mine out together. I went into it knowing this could happen, so I was prepared. I have my second bird because it needed to be. Happy to share that story if you like...
If you haven't found it yet, here is a link that might be helpful: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/74214-introducing-second-bird.html
Does anyone else in your family work with Peaches at all? If someone other than you is seen as positive by her ie: the source for treats for example, that's helpful. Bribery is a powerful tool! Another link to have other family members consider: http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html
Target training is also wonderful for bonding, trust, and communication with her.
I'm offering these suggestions mostly because, in many cases, adding another bird to the mix doesn't achieve the goal you're hoping for, and sometimes just complicates things further. Don't get me wrong, sometimes it absolutely does work out well, you just can't guarantee that it will.

I don't know anything about Bourkes. But I here's what I've seen with my birdies:

I started with getting two Budgies. They were babies and have lived together in one cage from the beginning.
Less than 2 months later I got my Sun Conure. She lives in a separate cage next to them.

Up until the recent change to work-from-home, I left the house for minimum 9-hours daily 5-days-per-week. The budgies are less tame and want more freedom. Sunny is focused on me when Im around. But it has always been clear to me that the Budgies were Sunny's company for when I wasn't there.

Now I am working at-home. I get to see their interactions more and it is fully clear that they Are Company for each other.


I have some friends who have budgies as pets, and they keep finches beside. And clearly the finches are company for the budgies. Another who has a larger parrot, and next to it she kept a canary. Again, company for each other when the human is not there.

Don't ever buy a bird that You don't want. But it sounds like You Might want this one? So in my view if You Want this or another, smaller, bird or two, I think it's a good idea. In Separated cages but Near each other, they will be company for each other. Especially where they are different sizes and do not "have to" decide whether or not to be friends.

((Also I'm not sure about Bourke's. Budgies seem to do better with budgie-friends. (Jefferson-budgie still keeps asking for more budgies!) I would check into that -- IF Bourke's typically need to be in pairs-or-more, then you might need to get two instead of one.))

HOWEVER. I do NOT believe you are going to change your Sun's VOLUME or FREQUENCY by having another bird. SUNNIES ARE LOUD. In fact I believe there's an equal chance her volume could go UP as well as Down.

Also. I don't think you should use "buying it for the Sun Conure" as an excuse. Make sure your family is on-board with the next bird for It's Own Sake. Because there is No Guarantee the Noise will go down -- it Might go UP -- and no matter how small or easy, another bird IS more work.

1.) Bourkes would do best in a 32x21 or larger flight cage with *full flight*

2.) Just because the bourke may be okay with the conures it's around, does not mean that your conure will be okay with the bourke (I do see that you are aware of that)


Bourkes can be great pets as they really aren't as demanding as other birds and they have lovely chirps (IMO), plus I love to watch them fly! Like finches, they should never be clipped.

I'm not sure if you mean a companion for you or your conure - it makes a big difference. Many people may dissagree with me - different genera never are so good friends as the same species because they have completely different languages. They may just tolorate - even if they preen each other

From my experience:
- conure may attack a Bourke
- Bourke may be so scared of conure
I have both - a conure and Bourkes in different cages and rooms. There were some expetions when a Bourke wasn't so scared and they had a contact. GCC's (I'm not sure about sun conures) are territorial and when a Bourke sat in his cage, the conure wanted to attack her.
This video shows how one of my Bourkes hates my conure
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIU8BRYg00s&t=67s"]Zenek odwiedził lilianki - YouTube[/ame]
I had hand-feded Bourkes, then there weren't any conflicts but I still was a bit scared and each time when they both were on me I was looking if the conure won't attack them