Conures
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Conures
With a size range of 16-45cm(6.3-18in), conures can be classed as medium-sized parrots and, if well cared for, they will live up to 20 years or more in captivity.
The most suitable housing conditions for these birds are within a large outside aviary. Compared to parakeets, conures are excessively noisy birds and most are too large to be kept in an indoor cage as pets. The cactus conure is an exception and is more suited to a spacious indoor cage. As with most parrots, conures can cope with the majority of winter climates once they are acclimatized, providing they have adequate shelter. Only in extreme conditions will you need to lock them in.
A good conure diet should consist mainly of larger seeds, such as sunflower, safflower, and peanuts, plus some millet. You should have no problems buying typical parrot mixes suitable for your size of bird. Remember to offer supplements of fruit and greenfood.
Conures are much cheaper to maintain in good health than larger parrots, but they do produce excessive amounts of noise. Some species are worse than others, but in general, all conures are vociferous. They are also extremely destructive birds, so you will need to replace the perches in the enclosure every four weeks or so.
To help prevent rapid destruction, cover the connection between the perch and the aviary with sheet metal or strong wire mesh. Otherwise, you will discover that within a week the bird has chewed the edge of the perch and it will have fallen to the floor. Do not replace wooden perches with plastic or metal ones, however, because it is essential for the birds to chew if they are to remain healthy and happy.
Some conures can be kept on a colony basis, but this requires more attention and cost than keeping them as pairs.
Sexing conures is not the easiest of tasks; the majority of species have no external differences and so it is best to have them scientifically sexed to ensure that you have a true pair. Many species of conures can be successfully bred in captivity. The clutch varies from two to five eggs, sometimes seven, depending on the species. The incubation period lasts 23-28 days and the young fledge approximately 56 days later. When supplying the nestbox, add an inner lining of wood chips and bark to prevent the birds destroying the nestbox itself. Conures will not tolerate interference within the nestbox, and so for successful breeding leave the birds totally undisturbed during this period.
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Tags: Adequate Shelter, Aviary, Captivity, Conure, Conures, Excessive Amounts, External Differences, Extreme Conditions, Good Health, Greenfood, Millet, Noisy Birds, Parakeets, Parrots, Peanuts, Perches, Rapid Destruction, Safflower, Sheet Metal, Winter Climates, Wire Mesh