Reply #14: Our Sun Conure... [View All]

[Tesha]

Conures are known for being loud. But our Sun Conure
normally doesn't scream unless she sees something that
she deems to be threatening. Things that apparently
make her think "snake" (like the vacuum cleaner).
The occasional bee at the window. Etc....

Some threats, though, like hawks circling outside
her window, provoke her to be very, very quiet. ;)

She does live up to her species' reputation,
routinely giving her very robust "Chirp-Chirp!"
call any time a member of her flock (that's Mr.
Tesha and me) is missing or out of sight.

So far, she hasn't ever cranked up in the middle
of the night, but she sleeps in her own room
nicely covered up.

Two things that took us completely by surprise
when we joined her flock:

o She's very physically affectionate. She really
really wants to be in the middle of any hugging
or kissing that's going on. She climbs right in
and makes appropriate "kissy" noises. She also
loves to be rubbed.

o She loves to play rough, especially right
before her bedtime. Hang her upside down by
one foot, hang her by her beak, roll her over
on her back, she loves it all. And she'll
yell at you if you stop while she still wants
to go.

Another thing you need to be ready for is that
parrots are *BIG TIME CHEWERS*. Ours seems to
like our clothing best of all, much preferring
that to all of her fancy wooden chew toys. So
we have distinct sets of "parrot-modified"
clothing that we wear around her.

Parrots need a lot of your attention, at least
several hours a day, and a well-cared for parrot
will live for many years (with some species
like African Greys and Macaws likely to outlive
you), so be sure you're ready to make that
commitment before you get one. But they're
very rewarding little pets.

Tesha