The Basics:

A beautiful bird with vivid colors and a long tail, the hardy Golden-Capped Conure makes a good family pet, provided it is given sufficient attention and respect from its human companions. Like most parrots, the Golden-Capped Conure enjoys interacting with people. This is a smart inquisitive bird that enjoys playing.

Cage:

A cage measuring 20” long by 18” wide by 36” high provides sufficient space for Golden-Capped Conure, though bigger is always better. Spacing between the bars should be no larger than ¾”. Since Conures have a tendency to mouth everything in their immediate vicinity, their cage should be kept very clean.

CAUTION

In most cases, more space is more desirable for birds. However, when increasing the size of a Golden-Capped Conure’s cage, the bird’s human companion must be careful to maintain a safe (narrow) space between the bars. The bars of a cage have to be narrow enough to prevent a bird from sticking his head in between. Bars that are spaced too far apart for the bird’s size can result in serious and even fatal injuries.

Positioning The Cage:

A sociable, friendly and emotionally deep bird, the Golden-Capped Conure needs to be close to his human companions. Positioning his cage in a family room or other area where there is a lot of activity is a good idea.  However, it’s important to provide the bird with a sense of security by placing his cage in an area that is not in the direct traffic path of his human companions. Ideally the cage should be placed with a wall near two of its sides, so no family member can walk all the way around it. Areas exposed to direct sunlight or drafts should be avoided when choosing a spot for a bird’s cage. Any place in or near a kitchen should also be off limits, since smoke from cooking and fumes from nonstick cookware can prove to cause serious, even fatal complications for a bird.

Playthings:

Golden-Capped Conures are curious, active and acrobatic birds that require an outlet for their intelligence and physical energy. A variety of appropriately sized toys will help the Golden-Capped Conure lead a happy and healthy life.

Perches:

A Conure needs to have a variety of perches made of different materials and of different diameters. The perches serve many important purposes. In addition to providing the bird with an area for standing, they help keep his beak and nails trim. The perches in a Golden-Capped Conure’s cage should be between ¾” and 1” in diameter. A perch should be placed in front of, but not above, food and water dishes.

Play Time Outside The Cage:

Socialization is key for a well-behaved Golden-Capped Conure. Due to the amount of time they spend outside of a cage, it is important to have the bird’s wings clipped and checked regularly for new growth. Many Golden-Capped Conures will enjoy playing games with their owners. Play gyms serve an important function as a method of keeping a bird busy and entertained while outside of the cage, especially when they afford the Golden-Capped Conure an opportunity to climb. The wings of the pet should be clipped by a veterinarian or grooming professional to prevent flying injuries and escapes.

Grooming:

Consult veterinarian or literature about trimming nails and possibly flight feathers.

Bathing:

Provide a shallow bowl of chlorine-free water for supervised bath or mist with chlorine-free water daily. Water must be lukewarm to room temperature. Avoid drafts. Remove bath bowl when finished. Aside from highlighting the Conure’s beauty, baths and misting will also keep their feathers and feather casings in good condition and reduce the risk of the bird developing dry or irritated skin. Some Conures prefer bathing in their water dishes, while others like mistings. Dishes must be cleaned frequently to protect against bacterial buildups.

Diet:

Commercial pellets should form the basis of the Golden-Capped Conure’s diet. Portion sizes and feeding schedules should be based on directions provided by the manufacturer, since different products will vary. In addition to pellets, the bird should be offered a wide variety of fresh vegetables, and a lesser amount of fresh fruits. Fruits and vegetables should be rinsed, dried and cut into appropriately sized pieces before being offered to this bird. Grains and legumes like pasta, cooked rice, cooked beans and oatmeal should also be made available only in small quantities because of their high calorie content . Seeds and nuts should be kept to a minimum, because of their high fat content Provide additional calcium i.e. cuttlebone during egg laying. Clean, fresh chlorine-free water should be made available at all times.

 A Note About Water:

All water given to birds for drinking, as well as water used for misting, soaking or bathing must be 100% free of chlorine and heavy metals.  (Not all home water filtration systems remove 100% of the chlorine and heavy metals from tap water, so check your system's specifications before using it to filter water for your pet.) We recommend that you use unflavored bottled drinking water or bottled natural spring water and never untreated tap water. Do not use distilled water, which can cause severe medical problems, since it lacks minerals that are essential to important body functions.