The sun conure is only about twelve inches long from head to tail. They have a large head and beak with very striking colors. They usually have lots of yellow, orange and green on them. Their beak is black and their feet are gray. This bird originates from the eastern parts of South America, mostly by the Amazon River. It isn't found in as many places as it used to be found because people came and took the birds to sell them. They used to be found in Southeast Venezuela, Northeast Brazil, Northern Amazon, Guyana, Surinam and French Guiana.
One of the best things about this bird besides its beauty is how affectionate it is. They are extremely social and absolutely love to interact with their owners. They will just sit on your shoulder for hours and even like to be held! If you get this bird you will have to spend plenty of time with it. This definitely isn't a shy bird.
Because of how smart this bird is, it is even capable of doing tricks! Some can even be potty trained. They do have the capability to talk but they use a somewhat squeaky voice. The sun conure loves to perform for people and play. They also love to take baths so you should provide a bathing dish. If you don't put a bathing dish in their cage then they will splash around in their water bowl. You can also mist them with a water bottle because they truly enjoy this.
The minimum cage size for this bird is 20 inches long by 20 inches wide by 24 inches tall. You should put several perches in the cage of various sizes. Sun conures also love toys so make sure you get some for their cage. Try to get lots of toys so they will have something to do. They even like to play with things like toilet paper rolls!
You should feed your sun conure a base diet of pellet formula. You can also feed fortified parrot seed. These birds will need to be fed fruits and vegetables in addition to this base diet. You can't just feed them seeds and expect them to be healthy. Also, don't leave any fresh foods in their cage for more than a few hours though. Also make sure they have fresh water at all times. Make sure you never feed your bird avocado, cabbage, parsley and iceberg lettuce.
Sun conures do make really fun, fascinating pets, but you should be aware that they can be very noisy birds. They usually will start to scream in the mornings and evenings. It is an extremely loud scream. You have to be prepared for this. You also have to remember that they require lots of attention. If you take good care of your bird it can live to be about thirty years old.
The Sun Conure is one of the most popular birds being sold today. They are fairly reasonably priced, making them a great starter bird. They are hardy, and easy to care for. They are playful and easy to handle, and the only real drawback is they are a loud screeching bird. They are not known to be good talkers.
In my opinion, the great attraction is their beauty. Their bright yellow and orange plumage makes them one of the prettiest birds out there!
HOUSING
Sun Conures will need to be given a fairly large cage, as they do need to exercise. When you begin adding toys and perches, it's importing to have room left for them to extend their wings.
The cage should be at least 24 inches wide, 24 inches deep and 30 inches tall. There are a number of manufactures that make this size cage, and they will have a play area on top that can be accessed by opening the roof. Sun Conures love these cases, as they can play outside of the cage whenever they wish. They do tend to stay with their case and don't roam around the house. Keep in mind that they have a fairly long tail. They will damage their tail feathers if the cage is too small or the perches and toys are spread around the cage. They need room to exercise!
They also love to chew! Keep a supply of soft wood sticks and twigs available for them to tear up. If you use branches, be certain that the wood was not treated with sprays that could be toxic. Sun Conures love to rip the bark off these branches and shred the wood. By giving them branches, you will lesson the damage to their cage perches.
FEEDING
Sun Conures are most happy with a fruit, berry and seed diet. But this does not give a captive bird enough nutrition. It is recommended that you feed your conure a good quality pellet diet, and be sure to supply lots of fruits and veggies. They love apples and citrus fruits. If you want their feathers to really shine (that's why you bought this bird, remember?) be sure to supplement their diet with Vitamin A and orange/dark green veggies.
BEHAVIOR
The Sun Conure has a great personality. They are an inquisitive bird, so keeping them occupied is a simple matter of giving them lots of new toys. They love attention and will play with their owners every chance they get. They will bond with the owners and are very devoted to them. They can also be somewhat protective. If they are happily resting on your shoulder, nobody had better come too close or he will immediately take on a defensive attitude.
Training Sun Conures is very easy, as they look forward to this attention. You should be able to have them finger trained within a few days, and within a short time they will allow you to pet and scratch them. They will actually look forward to this attention.
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