Thinking about a conure...

[ripbern]

Hi All,

My name is Ann. I currently have one quaker parrot, Pookie, and she is a rescue birdie. She can't fly due to sustaining a broken wing when she was younger. I don't know the story there...she had a rough life before I got her.

Anyway...my first bird, a quaker named Aidan, recently passed away due to renal disease. She was 11 years old. She was my world and my best friend. I could go on, but that is not the purpose of this post.

I think Pookie might be a lonely, and I miss having two birdie companions. Aidan was full flight so I miss that too, and she was my wild child. Pookie is much more chill. I want to get another bird at some point, so I am starting my research. I'm considering getting some type of conure, but there are so many types! At present I've been told to consider a green cheek, a gold capped, or a blue capped. In general, I want a bird that will cuddle, but also be a clown. Talking is a bonus. I also would like to get something a bit bigger than a green cheek. I should also mention that my current living space is a one bedroom apartment, so noise is a factor. However, I am used to living with that unmistakable quaker call!

Note: I have only owned quakers.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Ann

 

[wrench13]

Welcome and be welcomed, Ann. Sorry to hear about your poor Aidan.
We so many conure owners its not funny. Post in the Conure sub-forum for a quicker response.

 

[chris-md]

Hello and welcome!

So sorry to hear about your loss. I’d recommend any of the pyrruhra conures: pearly, green cheek, painted conure, etc).

I don’t necessarily agree with the recommendation of a gold capped conure. For apartment settings, any of the aratinga conures (sun, jenday, gold capped, cherry headed, etc) can be a tad more vocal. Look at the scientific name, any that show the genus Pyrrhura would be a good fit.

To be clear there are a lot of people who own an aratinga type conure in an apartment. Problem is no two apartments are th same. They may have a quieter conure, or more sound proofing between units. It’s definitely taking much more of a risk, which is why I don’t recommend risking it. Pyrrhuras are less of a risk.

Then again, Quaker’s can be quite obnoxious. So if your neighbors aren’t bothered by the Quaker’s, maybe just about any conure might be fine for you.

 

[LordTriggs]

it does sound like the Pyrrhura (still no idea how to pronounce that) are a good fit. Now having had 2 Quakers does give a good range of noise level you can live with which is good. Conures are definitely the clowns and cuddlers of birds. I say they're the puppy of the bird world wanting nothing more than their human. As for the "wild child" aspect conures definitely fit the bill, I'm currently trying to see if I can find the communal conure cocaine stash they have hidden around.

I know size is something you're a bit off on but whilst the green cheeks are small nobody has told them, they're really just hyperactive macaws. The Aratinga species on the whole with some exceptions are just not good for an apartment, Suns are the loudest as far as I can tell with the others not far behind and boy they are loud when they want. The other thing which goes against almost all conures is their call is high pitched and shrill which does make them feel louder than they are, able to easily pierce through internal walls with less insulation and easier to annoy neighbors than the lower pitch calls.

 

[clark_conure]

What lordtriggs said, also green cheeks are generally more quiet, very affectionate, can learn to talk and use words in context.

But then again I was just filling an ice tray, and my gcc walked down my arm and proceeded to take a bath...in my filling ice tray....I turned on the hot water to make it room temp and just watched him splash around like a fool.....it was an ICE TRAY....so my advice is to take that story as what living with a GCC is like.

I wouldn't change a thing.....

 

[ripbern]

Thank you to all who have responded. So regarding suns, I am very familiar with there shrill call. Member of my bird club has one, and wow it is ever so ear piercing! How do the gold caps and blue caps compare to the sun call?

Also, the place I am looking to get my conure from has a variety of green cheek variants. From what I remember, they have the "normal", cinnamon, pineapple, and turquoise. Any thoughts on that? From a brief look online, it seems that the normal or pineapple would be a good fit for what I am looking for in terms of personality. Note: There is the potential for them to get other varieties.

Again, thank you all so much. Loosing my Aidan as been so hard, and I still can't decide if it is too soon to get another bird. I would do a rescue, but I just miss that connection one gets when having a baby bird. I want to ease my way into it, and maybe do some one on one visits with the conures at the shop.

 

[FlyBirdiesFly]

The color mutation has nothing to do with personality. Every bird is different, and green cheeks share some similar traits. My advice is to let the bird choose you. Personality is more important than looks, in my opinion.

 

[ripbern]

Thank you, FlyBirdiesFly. That was my sense, but I was not sure

 

[itzjbean]

Hello and welcome! Sorry for your recent loss. Highly recommend a green cheek, if I were to get one I would definitely get a Turquoise green cheek, their color is just magnificent. They are small, smaller than the cockatiels I have, and are quieter than other species you've mentioned.

 

[Notdumasilook]

If you scan handle the Quakers racket Im pretty sure that few conures can match them in the LOUD department....just my opinion.

 

[clark_conure]

Every bird is is different like flybirdiesfly said. My bird tends to grunt more than call. He tends to imitate me. He also started doing things like making a purring noise, it sounds kind of like a native Spanish speaker rolling his "R"s. I love it. He not very shreaky at all. He knows he gets more attention when he talks. He will do where are you calls but they aren't very loud when he does.

 

[PickleMeDickles]

Hi, I am SO sorry about Aidan. I am not pushing religion on anyone by any means, but the only thing that has brought me peace is something I read once about animals not needing to live as long as they do not have to learn near as much as their ignorant humans.

Anyhow, I have a GCC and 2 Suns and that is ALL my experience with conures. I got all three as itty babies from the same breeder. Pickles, the GCC, is evil. Don't get me wrong, we love her all the more for it, but she has a definite evil streak. Not towards us but towards all other animals. She flies over to the Sun's cage and terrorizes them. She is an itty bitty thing, even for a GCC, but backs down from NOTHING! We have to be so careful with her. I am so afraid the Suns are just going to snap her leg in two or something, although so far they have been ultra tolerant. She is also quiet as a mouse.

My Suns get along with all the animals (under direct close supervision, no cats!). They are just jovial clowns and want to spread the love. But the noise. I live on the acres and can hear them from inside the house on the far side of our property. To be fair, having 2 Suns probably multiple the noise by about 20. They do talk amazingly well in context.

Good luck with whatever your decision is. You will find amazing support and advice here!

 

[LordTriggs]

is a very good point about personality

My green cheek never did the morning or evening calls. He would chirp for those times which was really nice. But when he wanted to he could be a noisy terror. Those times were either when he saw birds he didn't like outside such as magpies or crows, he'd screech at the ringnecks if it was morning as a greeting and if he got too excited he would fly around screeching. He would also contact call if I dared to go to the bathroom without him

 

[Hualani]

My Blue Crown and Sun Conures, as far as noise goes, either mimic me or the dogs. They can bark louder that the dogs if there is an intruder outside like Fedex or USPS. Since the conures can see out the window, they'll start barking before the dogs do.

I can't talk on the phone or computer where the conures are because they'll start talking very loudy doing mom-isms.

The Blue Crown will do a loud Ee-yak of disapproval if I sing off-key, which then sets off the Sun Conures. But, mostly the birds prefer to bark or speak. If they squawk loudy, I go to another room. Over the years, they have decided to do mom-isms and dog wars to keep mom or the dogs in the same room as them. They are lonelier if they squawk.

 

[Skullkeeper]

I grew up with parakeets and had a cockatiel . I recently got a Green Cheech Conure . I have had him a little over a month . He is hand raised and four months old . I watched every video I could find and did a lot of research . Something I was not prepared for was how hard he could bite . So as a warning even a young one can bite very hard bringing the blood . Cody took several weeks to get use to his new cage ,new noises and me . It has taken him about a month for him to really bond with me . I had bite marks on my neck, ears , ( I would not let your bird on your shoulder until he has bonded ) and all up and down my arms . He would bit and hold on . So it might take a little while . I noticed that he responded to the tone of my voice . If I sounded mad or angry he has mad . But if I talked sweet and low to him he calmed down . I also figured out he would bite when I was putting him back into his cage . So I now only put him in his cage while he is on a perch , not on my hand . I usually give him seeds or fruit something he likes once he is back in his cage so he associates it as a good thing . So if u get one be patient . Stay calm even if u get bit . Cody now falls asleep upside down in my hands , and has become a little lover boy . Very affectionate ,much more so than any bird I have had . Loves head rubs , and to cuddle . Very active sweet bird . Cody is actually very quiet most of the time . He can get loud at the end of the day or if he's upset .

 

[DerTier]

I did a ton of research and ruled out suns as they get loud. I've got a gcc and i adore him. Hes a good boy though and doesn't usually scream or shriek...he will try and call for me if he can't see me but its not incessant. He loves to make kiss noises and laugh. He can talk but not often other than to talk at length about pineapples... which he doesn't even like! Lol

 

[GaleriaGila]

You sound like a wonderful, caring, open-minded bird owner. I'm glad you found us.
You'll get great advice and support here...