The Basics:

This sociable, upbeat and friendly bird has a zest for life that’s as vivid and apparent as its stunningly beautiful plumage. The little Sun Conure packs a lot of personality and energy into a tiny package. It is not a quiet bird, and fittingly it enjoys games that allow it to make noise. Jumping, splashing in a shallow water bowl, mimicking sounds, chewing and interacting with people all rank high on this avian dynamo’s list of favorite activities.

Cage:

Despite its relatively small size, the active Sun Conure needs his space.  His cage should measure at least 20” long by 20” wide by 36” high, 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 Sun 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:

Sociable, friendly and emotionally deep birds, Sun Conures need to be close to their human companions. Positioning the 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:

Sun Conures love to play and climb, so a variety of toys, including climbing toys, should be available to them inside and outside the cage. Since these Conures are determined and persistent chewers, they should be given a lot of wood block toys. Their human companions should always check toys for damage and immediately remove any that pose a safety risk.

Perches:

A Sun 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 Sun 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:

The chance to play and bond with human companions outside the cage is essential to the health and well being of Sun Conures. Socialization is key for a well-behaved Sun Conure. Due to the amount of time they spend outside of a cage, it is important to have a Conure’s wings clipped and checked regularly for new growth. Many Sun Conures will enjoy playing games with their owners. Play gyms serve an important function as a method of keeping the bird busy and entertained while outside of the cage, especially when they afford the Sun 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. A daily bath or shower using chlorine-free water, will not only highlight the beautiful coloration of the Sun Conure, it will also keep his feathers and feather casings in good condition and reduce the risk of him 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 Sun 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.