Conure and Cockatoo

[kornel351]

Hey, there everyone.After buying my baby green cheek conure I completely fell in love with him/or her.However I am also considing getting a baby cockatoo.Does any one know a good reputable websitethat sells them at a reasonable price.Also what is the most premium food i could give my baby conure. The pet store gave me a seed mix but i heard there also pellets which i am interested in as i keep aquariums as well so i know the more variety the better.Right now he is eatting mostly seeds especially sunflower seeds, i will give him some fruits and veggies as well.Any recommendations?

 

[SailBoat]

The availability of the dry base diet 'food' for parrots is inconsistent / limited depending on where you are in this huge World. So, please add a general location, it will help greatly! Sunflower seeds is not consider part of a base diet for a parrot. The dark greens and a like is great. NOTE: Since you do not have a Cockatoo, for the diet requirements of your Conure, see the Conure Forum.

The step from Conure to Cockatoo maybe a step to far for a first time owner. I would recommend that you read-up on owning a Cockatoo. It would be wise to offer your time (free) at a Cockatoo Rehab Center.

 

[kornel351]

The availability of the dry base diet 'food' for parrots is inconsistent / limited depending on where you are in this huge World. So, please add a general location, it will help greatly! Sunflower seeds is not consider part of a base diet for a parrot. The dark greens and a like is great. NOTE: Since you do not have a Cockatoo, for the diet requirements of your Conure, see the Conure Forum.

The step from Conure to Cockatoo maybe a step to far for a first time owner. I would recommend that you read-up on owning a Cockatoo. It would be wise to offer your time (free) at a Cockatoo Rehab Center.

I have had previous experience with birds like parrotkeets as in budgies, doves, stuff like that when i was in the carribean as my dad was a farmer but never to this extent.Also i live in New York City but if its very limited there then a website that sells it would be great as i want the best for this little guy.

 

[Scott]

Welcome to the forum, thank you for joining!

Green Cheek Conures are wonderful companions, and great ambassadors from the world of parrots. Easy to understand why you are seeking an additional bird for your home! We somewhat jokingly call it "MBS" or Multiple Bird Syndrome!

Cockatoos can be the sweetest and most cuddly of parrots, but along with that goodness comes a very headstrong "toddler" with a need for plenty of attention. When a cockatoo believes it is being neglected, a slew of behaviors including raucous noise and self-mutilating behaviors can surface. I've attached a link from the Cockatoo section of the forum to help learn a bit more about them: http://www.parrotforums.com/cockatoos/17694-owning-cockatoo.html

Parrots thrive best on a diet rich in various fresh vegetables and fruits. Good quality pellet mixes can be a decent supplement, but an all-seed diet is equivalent to a human eating mostly fast-food or very rich meals. The Parrot Food, Recipes, and Diet sub-forum is an excellent reference, particularly the "stickies" at top:Parrot Food, Recipes and Diet - Parrot Forum - Parrot Owner's Community

 

[LeaKP]

I love green cheek conures! They are wonderful birds!

Cockatoos are also great birds. They are some of the most demanding. I had a cousin who purchased one and within days changed her mind due to the demands and she is home all the time and thought she had what it takes. I'd advise to spend as much time with cockatoos maybe at a rescue or a breeders to get a feel for having one.

Just a suggestion.

Whatever you decide, welcome! There are tons of specialists here to answer all kinds of questions!

 

[plumsmum2005]

Hey great to hear that you are smitten with your baby green cheek conure but please, please, please read everything you can on Cockatoos. It sure would be a hell of a shame if it doesn't work out and another is added to the list for re-homing. Have you considered how long these birds can live in captivity and are you prepared for that? Obviously there is the extra costs of AV care and treatment, food, toys, cages and lots and lots of your time.

 

[SailBoat]

OK, not everyone gets my inside secrets. My go to place for nearly all things parrot is: Parrot Island - osCommerce

Go to their site and find: Bird Food. Click, then select Parrot Island Mixes. Near the upper left side of the home page.

Best part, you can call them and they will work with you to select the best group or blend for your parrot. You get the best in quality product (all human grade) growth on selected WI farms without all the grow chemicals found elsewhere. And, the top end of Pellet Manufacturers in the USA.

We work with rehomed, end-of-life Amazons who can have special diet needs. Parrot Island is our go to source! Yup, they are in MN, which means you need to call a little later in the morning (they are in the Central Time Zone), but it also means that you get an extra hour later in the day.

Search around their site, highly informative stuff there!

You can tell them that an Amazon Snob (Steven) in Western Michigan suggested that you call them. It will not get you any special discounts, but they will know that you are a caring Parrot Owner!

 

[ZephyrFly]

GCC's are wonderful but they are generally speaking more demanding than budgies in respects of attention. As people before me have stated, cockatoos are more demanding again. It's not impossible to have both but do a lot of research and decide if you can manage both and promise the same relationship you've made with your first little green cheek.

Just something to think about.