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New conure person

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New conure person

Postby Feistychick » Sun Mar 26, 2017 5:26 pm

Hi, my name is Jen and I am new to living with indoor birds. I've been reading here for awhile, but thought I should introduce us :D Thank you for all the wonderful discussions and information on this forum - it has been a wealth of new information to digest and learn more about.

Baby and Tango recently joined our household (January). They were being rehomed together. Baby is a 6 year old sun conure and Tango is about a year and a half old GCC. They have been together since Tango was a baby, so were rehomed as a pair. I did a lot of reading before deciding what type of birds to get, and had narrowed it down to conures or cockatiels being the best fit for us. It happened that these sweeties needed a new home and that made the decision for me. I also volunteer at a local parrot sanctuary/rescue, which has been educational as well. If I can figure out how to post pictures, I'll get some posted.

It has been a learning adventure so far! No amount of reading fully prepares you for living with them - although it did help :lol:

They came to us on a seed diet, which I've been working to make more balanced. I transitioned them from seeds to tops pellets, and have been giving them fruits and veggies twice per day. So far we like apples, mango, banana, carrot (only cooked), sweet potatoes (cooked), blueberries and quinoa. We hate broccoli and leafy greens, but I keep putting it in.... just in case they change their mind. I have all the goods to try making gloop, so that will be the next thing that they get to sample. Seeds are currently a treat, but their diet has been slowly changing and we'll eventually settle into something more balanced as we figure out likes/dislikes, quantities, etc.

They've definitely been socialized in their past life, and seem to be used to people and affectionate - thankfully. Their training seems to have been pretty minimal, so we'll start working on the basics over the next while. Tango (GCC) was really bitey (although he always wanted to be on me), but that's been diminishing over the last few weeks (for which my fingers are very grateful). Baby puts her beak on me, but never bites - and she loves to give kisses. They're very lovey with us and with each other. They live together in a very large cage (they came with it), and are out most of the time when we are home. They are flighted and have free run of the house when they are out. They've not been sexed, so we really don't know for sure what gender they are. Baby is rumored to have laid an egg (2 owners ago) so we assume she's female. But I'd like to find out for sure when I take them to the vet.

Sorry for the novel... I do have a couple of questions that I'd love opinions on.

Would you take them to the vet together, or separately? They are so attached to each other, I'd hate to separate them - but they can be a handful when they are scared. We have 2 avian vets in the area so I'm fortunate to have options.

How do you tell if birds are bonded, or just good friends? Mine groom each other, sleep together in the snuggle hut, go everywhere together and occasionally feed each other. I'm very curious if this means anything, or if it is just typical flock behavior?
Feistychick
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 8
Location: Washington State
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Sun conure, Green cheek conure
Flight: Yes

Re: New conure person

Postby Bird woman » Mon Mar 27, 2017 10:08 am

Welcome baby , Jen , and tango :) well I'd say they are defiantly bonded and as far as the vet goes I usually will take 2 at a time when I'm going for health check ups and the ones that get along real good go together. You seem to have studied very well and have a good start on things. There's so much to learn and there always discovering new things and better ways to take care of our birds. :shock: Sometimes I get overwhelmed. Welcome again nice to have you here. :thumbsup: BW
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Bird woman
Amazon
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 869
Location: Southern , Oregon
Number of Birds Owned: 10
Types of Birds Owned: 2 mollucans, 2 LSC'S, 2 macaws, 1 bare-eye, 1 grey, 1 goffin and max the quaker
Flight: Yes

Re: New conure person

Postby Pajarita » Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:30 am

Hi, Jen, Baby and Tango and welcome to the forum! First of all, thank you so much for taking in birds that needed a home instead of buying a baby from a breeder! And, thank you, again, for doing research and starting the process of transitioning them to a better diet. I think that you will not have much trouble because, in my personal experience, conures are good eaters and naturally predisposed to eating produce -well, let me rephrase that from 'produce' to 'fruits'. Not that they don't like veggies because they do! It's only that they like fruits better and, with veggies, you need to 'convince' them unless it's something like corn on the cob (don't know a single bird that doesn't love corn with a passion!), carrots, sweet potatoes, etc. (try butternut, spaghetti squash, sugar snaps and beets, they like those, too!).

And I agree with BW, they are definitely bonded and I would not even consider not taking them together to the vet. Going to the vet (or anywhere that is not a familiar environment for them) is very stressful and, as they find comfort and safety in being with the ones they love, taking them together will take a lot of that stress out of the equation. But, if you are going to get blood work done on them, I suggest you consider doing the DNA test for gender online. That's what I do. It's as accurate as the one done at the vet and much cheaper. And all you have to do is get the kit in advance and bring the little vials for the blood with you on the visit and ask them to put a bit of the blood they draw for bloodwork in them. It costs about $25 a test when you do it online and, if your vet charges as much as mine, it will cost you $60 - 65 at the vet - and, as we are talking two birds, it's a savings of $80!
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: New conure person

Postby Feistychick » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:29 pm

Thanks so much for the replies! I was worried about separating them to go to the vet, but also worried about them being too much to handle if they spooked badly - I appreciate the confirmation that it's better to take them together. Dang, I always worry so much that I'm going to do something to ruin the babies :)

Love the suggestion about doing the DNA testing online - I'll do that instead (I didn't know it was an option). That's a pretty significant savings!

I'm going to have to pick up corn and beets and have them try it, they haven't been very adventurous with food so far - only eating new things after I eat them and share.

Does "bonded" mean that they are likely opposite genders? Or is it possible for birds to bond with another of the same gender? I know, strange question - but not something I've come across in my reading so far :)
Feistychick
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 8
Location: Washington State
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Sun conure, Green cheek conure
Flight: Yes

Re: New conure person

Postby Bird woman » Tue Mar 28, 2017 10:10 am

Sometimes I don't think my birds know the difference between male and female :shock: and I have different species getting quite close to other species as well.Im sure they know what there doing in the wild but in captivity the game surely changes somewhat.BW :roll:
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Bird woman
Amazon
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 869
Location: Southern , Oregon
Number of Birds Owned: 10
Types of Birds Owned: 2 mollucans, 2 LSC'S, 2 macaws, 1 bare-eye, 1 grey, 1 goffin and max the quaker
Flight: Yes

Re: New conure person

Postby Pajarita » Tue Mar 28, 2017 10:48 am

Nature 'set up' a system that tells them what their own species and the opposite gender looks like (it's a survival of the species mechanism called sexual and filial imprinting) but, because we steal them from their parents while they are still tiny babies in the nest, pet birds would, sometimes, get confused - and that's why some birds want to have sex with their owners. I think that the little species get their imprinting before we steal them so most of them are very clear as to whom they should fall in love with BUT because of the super 'unnaturalness' of the whole captivity situation, they sometimes bond to another species and the same gender. I have a female GCC bonded to a male PeachFront and two females bonded pair right now (amazons) and have had other cross-species as well as a couple of same gender pairs (including two or three menage-a-trois situations). It doesn't bother me and it doesn't bother them so, as long as they are happy, I am happy for them!
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: New conure person

Postby Feistychick » Tue Mar 28, 2017 2:27 pm

That totally makes sense - thanks for the explanation! I'm glad they have each other to hang out together while I'm at work during the day. I kind of hope that they are the same gender so I don't have to worry about any possibility of babies :lol: They love each other so much, and seem quite able to include me in their circle of love - so I'd rather not change the dynamic!

They are so darn cute and affectionate. They seem to include me in most of their affectionate behavior equally. They always sit side by side on my arm, shoulder or leg - alternating kisses and preening with each other and me :).
Feistychick
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 8
Location: Washington State
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Sun conure, Green cheek conure
Flight: Yes

Re: New conure person

Postby Bird woman » Wed Mar 29, 2017 9:59 am

Wow , I'm jealous seems like you have the total dream package with your pair. You should be very grateful your birds are the way they are. I would kill for my birds to get along like that. They tolerate each other at best :roll: , and are always pissey about who gets more attention. :lol: BW
User avatar
Bird woman
Amazon
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 869
Location: Southern , Oregon
Number of Birds Owned: 10
Types of Birds Owned: 2 mollucans, 2 LSC'S, 2 macaws, 1 bare-eye, 1 grey, 1 goffin and max the quaker
Flight: Yes

Re: New conure person

Postby Navre » Wed Mar 29, 2017 10:10 am

Sounds like a perfect arrangement. I'd just caution to make sure you leave them flighted, especially the little one. Fights can happen, and it's always better if the birds are able to get away from each other.
Navre
African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 1909
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Turquoise Green Cheek Conure
Hooded Parrot
Flight: Yes

Re: New conure person

Postby Navre » Wed Mar 29, 2017 10:14 am

One other thing...Try to see if you can convert them from the snuggle hut to something a bit safer.

I took a seagrass mat and rolled it up like a tube. I laced it up with rawhide, but anything bird safe to tie it together should work. My greencheek conure took to it right away. You can make it whatever size you want.

My greencheek had a fleece snuggle hut, and after a while, I noticed she was chewing on it. That stuff will mess them up if it lodges in the crop. There are plenty of horror stories online if you look. Dont look.

I got the seagrass matts at Mysafebirdstore.com, but you can probably fond them lots of places.
Last edited by Navre on Wed Mar 29, 2017 12:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Navre
African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 1909
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Turquoise Green Cheek Conure
Hooded Parrot
Flight: Yes

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