Sun Conure

Hey guys I am thinking about buying Sun Conure to my home. But Im student so im not home atleast 8 hours a day. I can buy anything for that bird that would help him survive without me. Is it a problem for him to be alone 8 hours a day 5 days a week?
thanks for answers

I would not recommend it. I know if I left my sun conure alone for 8 hours a day on a regular basis he's be extremely depressed and eventually start screaming his head off for extended periods of time even though he's generally quiet. It sounds like your schedule wouldn't allow any bird at this time unless there is someone else in the home to be with the bird when your not there who can't let the bird out and give it attention.

And what about Radio or Television for him?

Conures are definitely not a good choice for someone who isn’t going to be at home too much, especially if it is only one bird! They become very very attached to their owners, and when an owner disappears a lot it will make them stressed and depressed. Even if there is someone else at home to let your bird out and give him/her attention, they often become “one person birds” and will bond with the person they spend the most time with - if you want that person to be you, then you need to be with him/her as much as possible.

You could definitely make that schedule work. Plenty of people with a 9-5 job have birds guys. You just need to make sure you teach the bird independence, large cage, lots of toys, no overbonding. You can play music if you would like him to have something to listen to and everything.

If you live at home make sure everyone in the house actually wants a loud and messy creature in the house. Make sure you can afford everything the bird needs including a vet. Make sure these crazy animals are something you can commit to for 30 years and that any plans you have for the future will allow one of these animals. If you rent make sure the landlord is on board. Make sure the neighbors won’t be annoyed if you don’t live in a house and have thin walls. You just need to make sure this type of animal is a commitment you actually feel you can live with and accommodate for a very long time.

The schedule is okay but that's ONLY assuming you have class, not friends to hang out with, classes to study for, college soon if you're not in it already and then the bird will be left alone for longer when you have to be away studying, out partying, etc. etc.

I never recommend these types of parrots for students. Your life is just beginning to grow and your schedule will begin to change a lot, with social life, school, work (because that's what we all go to school for), traveling, etc. it will be a better choice to wait until you are at least 21/out of school/making your own money and live somewhere permanent before you consider caring for a parrot.

Yes I agree with that! I am a student with birds, and trust me it is hard. My whole life revolves around them, and when one factors in class schedule, exams, studying, seeing friends, etc, it becomes quite a challenge. I am lucky that I can mostly work from home, and I have managed to adapt my social life. It is difficult, but they are SO worth it. However, I also do not live alone, so when I do go out there are usually other people in my family who are there for the birbies. It all depends on your circumstances.

I'm away from home 8am till 6pm and my African grey is fine. I worried about this too but not a problem. One thing though, spend an hour with the bird every morning without fail and always make a fuss and spend time with the bird when you get home

It's hard but not impossible, I'm fortunate I work nights so when my bird is asleep I'm at work anyways, then we play, he hangs out watching me sleep then we play some more, it's a rotating schedule.

The advice I usually give is what can you provide for the bird. You get all of his/her attention and love. If you feel you can provide for a bird and put in the time when your home, then great. If not then....do the right thing. The golden rule, would you want to be your owner if you were a bird. You have to make that judgment call.

Also birds live like 30 years, a sun conure even more usually....it's a LONG TERM COMMITMENT.

itzjbean said:

The schedule is okay but that's ONLY assuming you have class, not friends to hang out with, classes to study for, college soon if you're not in it already and then the bird will be left alone for longer when you have to be away studying, out partying, etc. etc.

I never recommend these types of parrots for students. Your life is just beginning to grow and your schedule will begin to change a lot, with social life, school, work (because that's what we all go to school for), traveling, etc. it will be a better choice to wait until you are at least 21/out of school/making your own money and live somewhere permanent before you consider caring for a parrot.

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This is what I am worried about, the schedule works if you plan on coming home right after class and not going out much on the weekends. For some people that's perfect but most people want to go do fun stuff with school mates and that is where I think it would be tricky to make it work.

Also, Sun conures are LOUD..they are pretty but loud and it might develop a screaming problem and unless you live in a house (not an apartment) ALONE it will become unbearable for those around you very quickly. Perhaps a green cheek or a cockatiel would be more suited for your situation at this time.

I’m fairly certain you guys don’t want to know how little I interact with mine on a day to day basis😂 I personally don’t spoil my birds with one on one interaction because I never want them to have problems adjusting with life changes. When they are out they are not to sit with me nonstop since it’s too much overbonding. I am BIG on independence in my birds. If they hear me they don’t think they are coming out and scream nonstop. They greet me and go back to toys. They don’t come out every single day since that’s too much expectation and life doesn’t always give you that kind of routine. I can leave them in a cage for a week and they won’t have a problem with it. Which means I can take a vacation or based on this discussion actually have a life if I so desired. I’d come back to perfectly healthy happy nonplucked birds. All my birds are still bonded to me. They still fly/walk to me for short interaction periods before running off to destroy something else. On the other end I could let them out for a week and they would still put themselves to bed in their own cages every night. And they wouldn’t scream the next week if I didn’t let them out at all. I don’t like routine for my birds. They know they don’t have one, so they don’t scream expecting to come out. Some days I don’t let anyone out even if I’m home all day...

You are the one that has to be honest with yourself about if you can deal with a bird. Your age doesn’t matter if everyone around you is on board and you have given honest thought to the future and if you can bring the bird along with you or make plans with family to help. I got my first bird at 16. I didn’t go away for college but I did still go abroad at 23 for 3 months. I got muttered at for about 30 minutes or so by my conures but that was about it. I didn’t have any of the bigger ones yet. I doubt I could do 3 months again but 2-3 weeks would still be easily doable with the right petsitter or boarding service. My issue is the many snakes I own not the birds lol