How can I keep a sun conure in my house?

[LordTriggs]

ah I saw complex and auto-completed apartment in my head

If possible before even asking go to some rescues and spend some time around, maybe see if you can help out (I'm sure they'll be more than happy with an extra pair of hands). They'll no doubt have some suns you can meet and you can figure out the noise and who knows you may find a fid picks you out

 

[Jordan_Sluzki]

Ok no worries. I would love to go to a rescue. The only problem is it not sure if there is a rescue in South Africa.


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[Jordan_Sluzki]

It= I’m


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[LordTriggs]

just do a google search with "parrot rescue" then your city or general area, rescues seem to have trouble getting their name out into the open. Find one and ask if you can lend a hand and potentially learn about caring for a parrot. Little give, little take. You may just be asked to clean the cages or put different food into different bowls but it's a big help to them and they will most likely let you meet a couple different parrots. Of course Conures may not be as readily available out that way, but don't deny the love something like a meyer's or senegal can give. Most importantly let one choose you

 

[Jordan_Sluzki]

Ok will do thanks.


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[Skittys_Daddy]

Wow, seriously people?

For the record, I live in an apartment. I have had Skittles for almost seven years and while he and I have had 'issues' in the past, they've all be corrected with proper training.

I am NOT suggesting its an 'ideal' place to have a sun conure but I really don't like all the negative condemnation of it as if I'm doing something wrong or am 'doomed to fail'.

I don't need to read that crap. Don't claim to be an expert about something you know nothing about.

 

[Jordan_Sluzki]

Thanks Skittys_Daddy it just shows you how everything thing is possible.


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[Skittys_Daddy]

I'm not saying that I recommend it. No, its not ideal. But I just didn't care for the inferences some people were making.

Yes, suns are LOUD- but its the amount of noise that is the biggest impactor. A LOT of it depends on YOU. If you set proper limits, boundaries and have a proper training technique. Some of it also depends on the bird. Some suns may just be quieter than others. You don't want to end up with one that is just naturally noisy.

I suggest talking with your neighbors, doing PLENTY of research and learning about training and taming techniques. Maybe see if there are some sun conure owners in your area that will let you observe them. Maybe one of them will let you 'foster' their sun for a few days so you can get the experience or idea of it without making a firm commitment.

I was able to make it work and it does require a LOT of time and patience. But bear in mind suns are normally not 'beginner birds' because they do require a lot of time, patience and proper training.

One of the reasons why Skittles is so quiet is because he is free flighted and able to follow me everywhere in the apartment. IF he were caged all day or even most of the day, screaming likely would become an issue.

The real question is- are you prepared to make the sacrifices necessary to accomodate a sun conure. You WILL no doubt have to make changes to your life and it may cause you some inconvenience so you should consider that. I would do anything for Skittles so making it work for me and him was the only option. He is NEVER going anywhere.

I guess I'm a bit defensive of suns because everyone was telling me not to get Skittles back then. Even the pet store clerks were trying to talk me out of it. Several of the people who tried to dissuade me from getting him are now saying getting him was the best thing I ever did. BUT, and I mean a BIG but, lol, I did a LOT of research on them prior to my final decision. I have also made a LOT of personal sacrifices in order to have him. Sacrifices that many people wouldn't necessarily make.

For example, I don't date and I don't go anywhere overnight. I haven't seen my family in seven years (they live out of state) because I don't want to leave Skittles. I'm not able to be gone for hours on end every day either. But being gone in spurts of 3-5hrs has worked fine.

 

[clark_conure]

enough space to stop a jet engine noise? that's not much of an exaggeration. Being stood next to a plane's engine at take-off is 130DB a Sun Conure calls at 100DB. It's pretty darn close in terms of noise and they will do it every single day.


"

I don't often get one over on lordtriggs but the sound decibel scale is logarithmic. There is a large distance between those two sounds several orders of magnitude. (finally I know something Lordtriggs doesn't know!!!!!) I has a happy!

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Their pitch is not always that high. When they are on 'alert', yes, its excruciatingly loud but nothing like a plane. Motorcycles and ambulances are louder.

When Skittles does his 'normal' screech first thing in the morning, its cute. Its like little 'screech screech' in twos.

The bottom line is, no parrot should be screaming all day anyways. No matter the species. Some screeching yes, but it should be manageable.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I suspect if I had a private landlord, I might not be as 'protected' as I am now. But I live in federal public housing and even the landlord told me its next to impossible to evict someone for 'daytime noise' of an animal or child. Most people in the building say they can't even hear Skittles unless they are in the hallway.

However, I do have well insulated walls in this building so that works in my favor. You owning your complex also works in your favor too. I do however still strongly recommend talking with neighbors and doing further research and checking out other places that own suns. The rescue idea is a good one too. You'll often find suns on CL which breaks my heart because the people who buy them don't do their research. They see the pretty colors and buy them.

 

[Jordan_Sluzki]

I’m going to do a lot of research and I’m also going to ask my neighbors. I might be going to a rescue. Thanks for your help.


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[Skittys_Daddy]

I am glad you are taking all the feedback into account and doing your 'homework'. lol.

Sun conures are very high maintenance pets. They WILL become screamers if they are not paid enough attention. They have many 'diva-esque' type behaviors and will have absolutely no problem sharing their disdain for anything and anyone. But the upside is that they are very smart and very responsive with proper training.

Their personalities are even more vibrant than their colors and it is because of that so many end up re-homed. Just know that they are a handful, like toddlers only they never grow up. It's like having a toddler that never matures for possibly 30+ years (with proper care).

Each person is different. For me, personally, high maintenance pets are good fit but for some people they are not.

 

[LordTriggs]

yes good point skittles. I am only speaking from my understanding and experience with suns and taking into account a worst case scenario of more "sensitive" neighbours and a noisier sun. The one I met went toe to toe with an umbrella Too in a shouting match leaving my ears ringing. Which I know wouldn't be feasable in an apartment. although now understanding it is a tried and true house a sun isn't impossible, just requires a little show of courtesy

Skittles seems to be a quieter example of the suns though and is well trained but once again with unknown always plan for worst case. that way you can only have a better scenario than you planned for. I still vote for the go to a rescue and see what happens approach

Clark true, I get a little confused on the whole decibel scaled, but let's be fair a Sun is still closer toward a jet than a normal volume home (averaging about 60DB if I'm remembering correctly

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Yes, with suns (or any parrot for that matter) it is always best to have a "hope for the best, plan for the worst" scenario.

I just happen to believe that the vast majority of 'behavioral' issues with parrots are preventable and usually caused by owners. I speak of experience.

Skittles was NOT always as quiet and well behaved as he is now. He was once a spoiled rotten little brat who never shut up. lol. It was the result of my not setting limits or enforcing boundaries as well as not making appropriate accommodations to meet his needs. Once all that was corrected, it all worked out.

That being said, I have one neighbor (who lives across the hall) who will complain about anything- from a dog barking in the hall, to closing the door too loud or even talking in the hallway. Or if someone doesn't park their car perfectly, or puts their trash out 20 minutes too early. Or has an overnight guest. She is one of "those people".

She has complained to the landlord before about Skittles and I only found out about it cause I asked the landlord. They told me not to worry about it. They actually ignore most of her complaints because it seems every other day she is bugging them.

If he were going on and on for hours on end or if he were making a lot of noise in the late night (he's asleep then and doesn't make noise) it would be a different story.

He does have his 'off days' but since I don't let up even when he has his off days it never gets as bad as it used to be.

 

[Jordan_Sluzki]

Skittys how did you train your skittles?


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[itzjbean]

Skittys how did you train your skittles?


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Yes, I'm also wondering how you were able to curb the 'spoiled rotten' behavior. How specifically did you set boundaries for Skittles?

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Well, its a complicated and for many people here it'll no doubt be 'controversial', so I'll ask people to withhold judgment until the end. Sometimes you have to practice 'tough love'. It's kind of a long story, so bare with me.

I should start by telling you where I got the 'idea' from. It's actually the same tactics my mother used with me as a child (similar idea, different method). My mother NEVER hit me or spanked me (though I'm sure there were days she wanted too!) When I would misbehave, my mother would have me kneel in the corner and keep an upright posture. She would count the minutes and if I tried to slouch, she'd reset the clock but it worked and its the same method a lot of parents use with unruly children. By that, I mean "time-outs".

I love Skittles like he was my own human son and ANYONE in my RL will attest to that. It is because of that amount of love that in the beginning I ALWAYS gave him what he wanted, when he wanted it. I was essentially his 'slave'. He would screech when he wanted something and wouldn't stop til he got it. Part of me was wanting to please him and part of me just wanted him to 'shut up'. lol. This went on for a significant period of time until a close friend confronted me about how I was behaving with him and gave me a dose of reality. I hadn't realized just how unruly I was letting him become.

I should note, that Skittles is 'free-flighted' and has been for most of the time he has been with me and I believe that fact contributed to the success of my retraining. I had tried the whole 'ignoring' thing with him first and it only made matters worse. The more I ignored him the louder he got.

So what I did was purchase a 'time-out' cage. Small enough to serve its purpose yet large enough that it wasn't 'cruel'. When he would misbehave, I'd give him a warning. If the behavior continued, I gave him an even sterner warning. I didn't go over to him or acknowledge the behavior, I merely used a stern tone of voice. If that didn't work (and it often didn't in the beginning). I would take him and put him in his time-out cage. He often would play 'tag' with me to avoid the time-outs. But eventually I got him in the time-out cage. I didn't want to use his day cage for time-outs cause I didn't want him to associate the cage with that method since getting him to go in his day cage was never a problem. Skittles HATED that time out cage, and I felt guilty as hell doing it, and truthfully, the only reason I continued to do it is because it was working. I'd take his time-out cage, with him in it and put it in a dark room (the bathroom) and close the door. I'd wait about one minute and then take him out. If the behavior started up again (which it did for a while), I'd repeat the time-outs. I never left him in the time-out for longer than three minutes, truthfully, it was always more like 1-2 minutes. I was putting him in 'time-outs' several times a day for a while. He hated those time-outs and he even had this little 'manipulative' tactic which is that he would make his "kissy noises" in hopes of being let out. It's also what he does when he wants something.

Truthfully, I don't know why it worked. But it did and I'm very thankful it did. Eventually, the behaviors corrected themselves. He began to understand what my 'stern' voice meant. I actually only use my 'regular' voice with him when I am setting a limit or command. All other times I use my 'birdy voice' which he likes.

I found that by associating positive behaviors with positive reactions was very effective and using 'time-outs' to address bad behaviors. So he began to understand what meant 'treat' and what meant 'time-out'.

I also rearranged the way I did things. I found that by 'including' him in day to day activities and allowing him to partake in them kept him occupied and out of trouble for the most part. He used to scream incessantly when I was on the phone. Now, I will pet him and look at him when I'm on the phone and he's quiet for the most part. He likes being with me so that was an effective method as well.

Needless to say, I don't even own the time-out cage anymore. I got rid of it. I did have a separate "vet trip" cage so he wouldn't associate time-outs with the vet. I still have the "vet trip" cage and its surprisingly easy to get him to go in it.

In all honesty, there are still occasions where he 'tests' the limits and ignores me and when that happens I put him back in his day cage. Not so much as a punishment now, but rather letting him know that being outside is a privilege and he is expected to behave in order to have it. This is RARELY needed because most of the time (nearly 99%) when he goes on a tirade its cause he's on alert "knocking on door, doorbell, a bug or a 'foreign object'. He also goes on a tirade when he sees people outside walking up the steps of the building next door. I merely reassure him when these occurrences happen and redirect him to something else (or remove the danger).

Now, he usually comes to me when I call him and goes into his day cage without any resistance when I put him in it cause I have to go out.

The down side of all this is it limits the amount of time I can go out because he's not used to being caged for prolonged periods (except bedtime). But he is fine if I am gone for 3 or 4 hours as long as I let him out for a bit before I leave and I let him out after and he gets a decent amount of out of cage time each day. This all works cause I am happiest at home with him than anywhere else.

I realize my situation is unique and most people don't have the luxury of being able to make the changes I was able to make but for me, it worked. He is now the most obedient bird I've ever owned (aside from Peaches- she was an angel from the start).

To give you a few examples of how effective the commands are with Skittles. I tap my shoulder several times and he knows to fly over.

The other day I was eating something and he wanted some. He will fly over to the food item and try to steal some but I redirect him. Once I sit to eat I will often share some with him. He knows this will happen so he's patient for the most part after. If I am eating something he can't have, I either tell him "no" firmly and if that doesn't work I put him back in his cage and he will then usually go eat from his own dish (sometimes he still does it completely on his own).

I found that by associating certain actions I want him to take with certain behaviors or commands that I give him works best. It doesn't confuse him because he knows what each means.

Its a constant exercise I have to practice each day. Setting the limits, reinforcing the boundaries and keeping up with the proper redirecting. There were a few times I let that slide a while back and I found the behaviors began again so that's why consistency is so crucial.

But its like night and day and he is incredibly obedient now its kind of mesmerizing.

 

[LordTriggs]

that sounds far from controversial, in fact a time-out is what's done in the wild, the flock comes and drives the perpetrator off until they behave. Many people use time-outs, just the details are different, me and Clark use the floor for example just for the speed of it, I even used the bathroom a couple times when Rio really went for it and kept the light off

he learnt pretty quickly how to fall in line doing that

 

[LordTriggs]

oh and to add that is the thankful thing with parrots over dogs especially. Parrots rarely make a peep at night just sunrise and sunset which joins the cacophony of the birds outside the windows