What are baby Green Cheeked Conures like?

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What are baby Green Cheeked Conures like?

by Tracie
(Texas)

Buddy the Normal Green Cheeked Conure

I recently had someone ask me what to expect when they bring home their new baby bird. It was late and I was tired, but these are the things I came up with.

Widget is my Yellow-Sided Green Cheeked Conure and Buddy is my Normal Green Cheeked Conure.

I just thought I would share my limited experience with my two GC's. When they were babies, lots of different things happened that don't happen now.

1) I guess they were skinny, because they would fall through the bottom of the grate on the cage sometimes. Maybe they just squeezed through to get to the paper, I don't know really. I had to put a different grate on the bottom for the first couple of weeks until they fattened up.

2) They were very clumsy and would fall off things the first few weeks.

3) It didn't seem they knew what they toys were for and I thought they would never learn to play.

4) They were so desperate to be with me, they would always dive off the cage to the floor and come running to me. Once they discovered toys, they rarely do this unless I ignore them when they are obviously trying to get my attention.

5) Buddy went from loving me to hating me in a day's time. Now, about 9 months later, he is starting to like me again. I am, and have always been, the one who feeds them every day. Buddy just decided he liked my daughter and husband better. It didn't change my love for him and I did not take offense. Birds will be birds and they will also read your body language and I promise you they read your mind too!

6) From now until one of you die, your bird will always feel your tension, anger, peace and happiness. Every time my daughter comes in tense and calmly starts telling me her woes, the birds go nuts squawking and carrying on. They feel something is wrong.

7) These birds are NOT quiet when they want our food or attention. Do not believe the text books about GC's being quiet. I can hear my birds 70 feet away through 3 closed doors, 5 rooms away when they are trying to call me back.

8) Both birds went through a nippy stage and Buddy is still nippy, but rarely bites. (Unless you don't pay attention to his body language, then you deserve it!)

9) Both birds will protect their cage. If I want to change out food or toys in the cage without letting them climb out first, I have to wear long sleeves and be really quick so my hands don't get beak holes in them. They bring blood. Sweet and cuddly once out of the cage though.

Well, that's my list. Does anyone else have something to add for future Green Cheek owners?

Comments for
What are baby Green Cheeked Conures like?

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Jun 26, 2011

My Buddy Goober
by: Vancouver

Goober has been with me for over 10 years now
She probably knows me better then anyone.

We have had our battles of wills and fights over territory but after I surrendered the bathroom
and installed appropriate toys and an entertainment system peace was declared.

She is a remarkably well behaved little heathen that knows the meaning of shush and responds with
I don't care!

I have never really tried to mold her behavior being quite content to let a bird be a bird,
We pick up phrases from one another and find
context we agree on..."what you doing means"
you better take me with you! Conversely our phrase for I'm happy I can not spell as its in Conure.

No parrot owner could ever deny the uniqueness
of creatures as individual beings they have ALL
the emotions we do and express them much the same way we do... Soft nothings say I love you in bird as well.

My tip besides the water bottle spray gun behind the towel safe zone rule would be ...beware the double tap. Goober bites twice one for the toy one for whatever she's sitting on so watch that second downward chomp.

BTW the spray gun comes out when she gets loud
there are rules to the game ...at this stage she ignores the water but plays to amuse me.

There is nothing funnier then arguing with an angry parrot I'm sure she swears at me in her own way the body language certainly says get stuffed.

Anyway enjoy and love your bird and they will repay you in ways you can't imagine they are empathic little heathens.

May 29, 2011

this is the price
by: Anonymous

yes a green cheek conure will be prob from 250 to 450 and that is dollars

Mar 08, 2011

Diet, appropriate medical care and love
by: The Bald Canadian

I will tell you what a GCC can be like: I purchased Titus from a local petstore (not that a petstore is an appropriate place to buy a bird) when he was 5 weeks weaned. I took him home and he had been eating some junk food with lot of shit seeds mixed in with a little sugar-laiden coloured pellets. He was baically a seed junky. I took him to an avian specialist in Southern California, where we reside, and dicovered that he was severely low in blood iron, calcium, and was underweight. Following medical advice I switched him to Harrion' High potency and provided him with a teaspoon of safe organic fruits and veggies per day. After two weeks it was as though I had a new bird. He began and finished his first moult with ease, his new feathers came in lustrous and rich in tone, he started acquiring speech, and his overall disposition radically improved. Now at one year old, Titus has learned how to CLEARLY say over 50 words/phrases, has no bald patches, inqusitively plays with whom he comes into contact, and has perfect bloodwork. He has become the greatest companion and playmate. I think I love him more than my husband (he sure listens better).
BUY A GREEN CHEEKED CONURE; WITH PROPER CARE HE/SHE HAS THE POTENTIAL OF BECOMING A JOY BEYOND YOUR GREATEST EXPECTATIONS-THEY SURE POOP BEYOND YOUR GREATEST EXPECTATIONS.

May 13, 2010

To Alicia and others
by: Melle

I think that the biggest cage one can afford (the bigger the better) for conures is fine. They are just adorable pets.

As for pricing here in Canada, I paid $300.00 for mine but I was a member of that pet shop. Most places here sell them for $400-$500. I think they are around $150.00-$200.00 in the US. I'm not sure about other countries.

May 12, 2010

do they talk????
by: Anonymous

I am looking to buy baby GCC from www.parrotcare,com its about £225. But are they able to talk???

Editor's note: Please post your question as a new question instead of an answer so others will see your question. Some GC's talk, but they have such squeaky voices that people don't usually understand them.

May 12, 2010

Kiwi
by: Samantha

My bird (Kiwi)is very nice and he loves to go on my solder and play with my hair like right now!

May 08, 2010

i likier
by: Anonymous

i got a baby conjure it is biting me why?

Editor's note: Please post your questions a new questions instead of an answer to another question. Also, please read the parrot training information on our Parrot Training page.

May 05, 2010

When to stop hand-feeding baby green cheek?
by: luna

Hi, I got a baby green cheek conure about 3 weeks ago and it is almost 3 months old.. When can I stop hand-feeding it? Thanks.

Editor's note: Please post your question as a new question so that someone will answer it.

Mar 19, 2010

2 Green Cheek Conures
by: Melle

I have an 11 month old GCC and her name is Kiwi. She is a doll and does love to preen my hair and walk around on my shoulders. She has her nippy periods during the day. I think it's the only inconvenience of GCCs as they are nippy birds.

She's a pretty good girl though. She does like to fly on the budgie cage though..I figured she was lonely so I bought her a little friend. The guy at the shop says it's a little male. I don't care either way cause Kiwi will surely love him. The new baby is almost 6 weeks old and will arrive in 2-3 more weeks. I will keep him in a separate cage near her and gradually introduce them. When I see that they can spend a couple of whole days in the same cage, I'll try letting them spend the night and so on.

They are adorable birds. Not much talkers though and when she does talk, you can't really understand much but to me, she is pretty quiet. She squawks in the morning when she wants to get uncovered but rarely during the day.

Jan 11, 2010

hhii
by: Anonymous

Heey bird lovers! It was very interesting to read about your relationships with your pets. Though I've never actually had a bird of my own, I think they are very fasinating. I love animals, and i just wanted to say thanks for making me smile! : )

Nov 14, 2009

got new baby gcc
by: damo

i realli would like to no more about these cute lil fullas! i have to baby gcc loco and cj i bought them as hand rared buh they arnt very tame? they always fly away from me, they have there wings cliped and i have them in my galahs cage and took scooter ( my galah) out
if any1 could help with information it will b appricated :)

Editor's note: You need to post a new question so that people will answer it.

Aug 10, 2009

Magoo
by: Stan

I got Magoo from a breeder when he was 3 months old. His wings were clipped and he knew how to 'step up'. I've had Magoo for about 2 months now, and he really hasn't been a problem at all. His cage is big enough (17"x23.5"x40"h), and he always has 3 or 4 chew type toys - which he loves to destroy. I have put three branch type perches, one dowel perch and one gritty perch inside the cage. There is another branch perch, and a bungie or bong perch on the outside of the cage. Magoo likes to sleep in his cozy hut which is a fabric covered tent shaped thingy that hangs from the top of the cage. There are two feeding bowls inside the cage and a couple of foraging toys that I hide treats in for him to find. I put fruit and vegetable pieces in one bowl and pellets and seeds in the other. I have the gritty perch near his pellet bowl so that he will spend some time at least filing down his nails while he eats. Magoo drinks from a water bottle - it's much easier to keep clean. I work at home, so I spend lots of time with Magoo. He likes to fall asleep in my hand while I'm sitting in my chair. He has come to recognize the sounds and patterns in the house and knows when I'm about to enter his room. When I'm home I usually leave the cage open so he can crawl around outside and use his outside perches, which he loves. I cover his cage at night - only about the top half. it seems to be enough to give him the security he needs to go to sleep. Magoo is a great pet - I've taught him three or four tricks - I use a clicker and reward him with a pine nut cut into 4 pieces. He makes some adorable birdie noises, and can also squawk - mainly in the morning and when I first cover his cage at night - but also if I don't pay enough attention to him. But on the whole, Magoo is not noisy at all. Good luck to all you greencheek owners! - they make great pets!

Aug 01, 2009

Buddy
by: Joel

Hello.
Just thought i would share. I am in Australia and we bought a Green cheek almost a year ago now. He is also called Buddy :) He has recently also turned on my partner...she can't hold him without being bitten and sometimes he even chases her around the room :)

Jun 11, 2009

behavor
by: savannah

your bird will want attintion.trust me i have a conure.his name is rascall and can get out of his cage when he wants my attintion.but if you try to get him out and he backs away or scwaks that means you better back of or im going to bite so be carefull. if youleave him alone when he gives you his warnings and love him when he wants it your bird will love you for the rest of yalls lives. i think you should get a conure if you want a bird cause they are beautiful loving birds that are easy to care for. if you have a conure you made the right chose.

Mar 25, 2009

lost bird
by: tex bird watcher

I moved the question about the lost bird to parrot questions.

Sep 28, 2008

Cage size for baby Green Cheeked and Sun Conure
by: Tracie

Hello Alissa,

This isn't exactly the ideal way to answer your question since you posted your question in the response to a question instead of posting as a new question.

I am a believer in purchasing the largest cage, that has the proper bar spacing, you can afford and have room for. You want to have room for lots of toys and room to hop around and get exercise too. I like play top cages, because when you are home it gives them even more room to climb and explore.

For Green Cheeks, you want the bar spacing to be 3/4" to 5/8" max. You don't want them to be able to partially squeeze through the bars and get stuck or even escape. Also consider converting them to a safe, non-colored pellet if they are not already weaned to pellets. Training them to use a water bottle will lower the chance of getting a bacterial infection also.

If your birds will be climbing on the outside of the cage, you will want to purchase the Lixit bottles that have a wire that holds the bottle on instead of a spring. Some birds like to play with the springs and can get their beak or body parts trapped and then bleed to death quickly when they attempt to free themselves. I know of one person whose bird lost their beak to a spring attachment.

If you want them to have something cozy, provide a bird tent. Our two Green Cheeked Conures sleep in a large bird tent together. They also run and hide in there during the day when they want to be left alone or something scares them.

If both of the birds are babies and get along, they can share a cage without a problem. You might want to make sure they are the same gender so that you do not have breeding problems. Some female GC's don't even need a male to decide to lay eggs, but having a male will certainly increase the possibilities of having a chronic egg layer. That will also include having a grumpy bird when she is hormonal.

Sep 27, 2008

Cage Question?
by: alissa_n6@mac.com

I'm in the "nesting" stage... where I'm buying all sorts of toys and stuff for my baby conures. I'm buying from a breeder and was able to pick my green check and sun conures right after they were pulled. I'm buying a weened baby conure for $150 and my sun for $325 from the same person. Do you think a large cozy cage with lots of toys would be better or a large roomy cage with a smaller amount of toys would be better for the two? And is it a good idea to have two different conures in the same cage together?

Apr 09, 2008

Price
by: Anonymous

i would love to get my own green-cheeked. can you tell me how much a 7 week old conure would cost me?

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