Sun Conures--Something I wrote up!

[bird_luver24]

Hey Everyone, I got bored tonight and I decided that I would write some things about Sun Conures. I am going to make a website purely deticated to the Sun Conure & hopefully it will help perspective buyers make the "RIGHT" Decision.
I just wrote this here in the last 20minutes & wanted to know what you thought. Nothing is really Organized and almost all of it is off the top of my head.

Im open to any Advice, Suggestions, Commnets?...etc...??
If you see something wrong here then let me know. Like the age thing. I have seen SO MANY different answers so, wondering if that is right?
Some of this stuff is purely my opinion and I dont mean to offend anyone with saying any of this.

Anyways, Here is the write up I did:(I havent spell checked anything, or really used any grammar lol...I plan to before making a site!) I have alot more to write just what I got done tonight. Thanks! & Enjoy!

-The Sun Conure-

Where are they from?
-North western Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela.

How Big do they get?
-12 Inches in length from their beak to the end of their tail.

What do They Need to be Fed?
-In the wild Sun Conures mainly eat Fruits, Nuts, & Seeds. In Captivity they should be fed Seeds, Pellets, Fresh Fruits & Veggies( As well as, Pasta, Beans, etc..)
Although pellets, Pastas, Beans etc...Were not something they eat its very important to have a varied diet to keep them healthy!

Do They have to eat Pellets?
-No, If you can feed a Varied Diet of Seeds, Fruits, Veggies, Pastas, Beans, Sprouts, ETC.....Then that would be the best diet!
I myself feed pellets, because I dont feel that I would be able to keep a proper diet with just seeds and Fresh Foods. I do offer them everyday but, Pellets just ease my mind knowing that they are getting those extra Vitamins & Nutrients to keep them healthy!

How Long do they live?
-Around 15-35yrs.

Do they Make a Good Family Pet?
-Yes, Given the right Socialization, Sun Conures Make a Wonderful Family Pet, but one of their Downsides is their Loud Shrill Screams & Calls.
They are known to be Lovable, Goofy, and Can entertain your family, & themselves for hours!

Whats up with Sun Conures Colors?
-Sun Conures as babies are a Beautiful Mixture of Green, Yellow, Orange, & Blue. With more Green then anything because in the wild the chicks would have more green to be camoflauged from Predators. They begin to molt at around 4-6months of age and by the 1yr old Mark they have a Beautiful Vibrant Set of fethers of Predominantly Yellow but, also with the Mixture of Green, Blue, & Orange. Sun Conures also have Black Beaks with A White Eye Ring around Each Eye.

How Much Attention Do They Require?
-As with any bird you need to spend atleast some time everyday with your Sun Conure. Sun Conures thrive on owners Attention and love to be talked to, played with, & snuggled. At the least 4hours a day of out of cage time with owners is adequate.

Where did they get their Name? "Sun Conure"
-A Flock of Sun Conures were seen in the Sky & reminded them of a Beautiful Sunset.

Are Suns really that Loud?
-Sun Conures are VERY Loud birds. This is definately one of their Downsides, Ther Shrill LOUD Call just alone makes them to be not very good Apartment pets. They can be heard throghout your home and Im sure the Next Door Neighbors can hear them also. Something to think about before getting one!

Whats the going price for a Sun Conure?
-A good Quality baby from a Responcible Breeder: I would expect to pay anywhere from $300-$500, Give or Take some.

A Handfed Sun or a Parent Fed Sun?
-A Handfed baby parrot usually gets fed by mom and dad for two weeeks and is then pulled around 2-3weeks of age for Handfeeding to weaning. Most People seem to think that these babies are the most tame, and the most easily trained. A Parent Fed Baby is Fed by its Parents but, also gets Lots of Socialization & Handling from its breeder to make a wonderful tame baby. I believe that you dont have to Handfeed a baby to have a well socialized, family loving parrot. Non-Handfed babies have turned out the same or even better then the Handfed babies. These babies just need to be handled more often. If you are thinking about getting a Parrot Fed Sun, Make sure the breeder is handling the babies often and giving them plenty of attention & Socialization. If you are getting a Handfed baby then also be sure that the Breeder is handling these babies, other than just handfeeding them. JMO

What Size cage Will I need to get for my Sun?
-The VERY Minimum I would recommend for a Sun Conure would be a 20"L x 20"W x 24"H. They are very active birds and need room for Toys, Playing, & to be able to spread their wings. They also have rather Long tails and their tail can easily become ragged if anything smaller. One of the Rules of Thumb with Birds is get the biggest cage you can Afford!
The Bar Spacing for a Sun is 3/4" - 1". "My Sun Conures' cage bar spacing is 1/2" and while that isnt that bad their beaks can get stuck between the bars, My Baby has gotten his little beak stuck a time or two. Not bad enough to hurt anything and Im not worried but, just something to keep in mind."

Can Sun Conures Talk?
-While Sun Conures are not known for their talking ability, They can pick up words & sounds. But, it isnt something that I would be expecting with buying a baby. Some of them talk while some of them dont. It would just be an extra plus for me if My Sun Conure talked!

What Kind of Toys do Sun Conures like?
-Sun Conures can be entertained by anything. They are known to be CHEWERS. So, any Soft Woods, Ropey, Leather & Paper toys are favorites. Although they can be entertained by almost any toy you give or make them. :) Ive found that the most inexpensive homeade toys are the favorites lol.

[Doyle'sMommy]

Looks like you know your stuff Kelly!

[Carolsclan]

I think thats good , the only thing I can think of adding is their tendency to "test" and how to deal with it.

One other teeny thing .... When I got snoopy I was actually scared of him , not one article told me that it would take time for ME to build up confidence in handling him , and to me it was a problem ... especially for newbies.

5 months later however, snoopy is my best friend, well behaved , and I love him to bits .. he talks, cuddles, purrs etc ....but in the beginning I often felt miserable because I though I wasnt cut out to be a bird owner.

[bird_luver24]

Thanks!!
I just got bored and thought this would be a good idea.
Thanks for the Ideas to!!!

[Rubyred]

I like it. But, I've never seen a sun at 12 inches. Maybe more like 8 inches.

[bird_luver24]

My Sun conure baby is 9 1/2 inches. He is 12weeks old. From his beak to the end of his tail of course though. Not just his body.

[Lynjupiter]

I would suggest a sound byte where people could hear the sun scream at it's worst.

[Eliza]

Oh, I like the sound byte idea! I always chuckle when I pull into the lot at one of the pet stores I visit (they carry the feed & hay I need for my bunny). They usually have sun conures and you can hear them from outside. As beautiful as they are, a sun isn't for me... but I do love watching them.

I think that you've done a great job, Kelly! Perhaps other sun owners from BB can contribute tales of sharing life with sunnies -- that might make for some interesting reading.

Best wishes with your new baby,

-e-

[bird_luver24]

Great Ideas!!!
The sound byte Idea will be done definately...We just found my friends video camera and once we get the Computer hook ups then I can use that...
I started on the site today and once I get enough done I will let everyone see it! ...Would love to hear more ideas!! ...Or if anyone has a Sun Conure Screaming that I can use then would love to have that to!!!

[Tiki]

Excellent post, Kelly!