Nanday Conure?

[Ashling]

I've had the idea of a Nanday conure in my head for quite some time. I am absolutely fascinated with them. I have been doing a lot of research, and I think I would be a good home for a Nanday. I share morning showers with Ash every day and she's out from when I get home from school till when I go to bed at night; I think it'd also be good for Ash to have a friend to keep her company while I'm at school, as she's "alone" for 7 hours (although she has the cockatiels, they don't talk to her).
If/ when I get my old aviary back from some friends, who live about an hour away (I'll need the use of a trailer and my boyfriend to drive me) the cockatiels will get the aviary and I'll have the tiels' cage for the Nanday.
I've told myself firmly that now is not the time for a new baby- as I've just started my final year of school- so I want to spend a few months thinking about it further. I've already waited a long time to make sure the idea of a Nanday was not just a fad... and I still think they're grand :) I can imagine a Nanday being a good playmate for Ashling, as they are both generally gregarious species.
This brings me to my first question: Would a Nanday get along with a lorikeet very well? I mean... I know they're playful too, but can they handle the energy of a lori? They would be in separate cages, and have their own gyms... but are they compatible?
I was also wondering if it is safe to give a Nanday eucalyptus (or gum tree) branches; to perch and chew on... and are Australian native flowers ok as a treat?
How much do these guys chew? Lorikeets aren't big chewers so much as lickers, I find, and I've never had a big chewer before. He'd get foraging toys and wood blocks and such.
How much noise do they make, and how loud are they? Loud as a lorikeet? Would they have screaming matches?
Do they have dust, or are they like lorikeets and use the oil glands on their rumps? The cockatiels sometimes make my nose stuffy with their dust, but I'm not allergic!

Any ideas/ comments will help me out heaps; be as critical as possible, if I'm not the right home, please tell me! Any suggestions, I'd love to hear it.

Obsessive doodling in class:

[OzzyBird81]

I've never owned a Nanday but we had one at work. He was hand shy but loved kisses. The only thing I can attest to is their loudness. When they scream, they are LOUD! Hands down the loudest conure I've ever encountered. They make a Sun Conure scream sound like a purring kitten.

Someone else can probably answer your other questions, just wanted to throw in my two cents on that one!

[Ashling]

They make... a sun conure... sound like a purring kitten? Oh dear... haha! Kali says her sun is waaayyy louder than my lorikeet!

[amanda143]

Our nanday is VERY loud, but only when he is scared. Otherwise he generally minds his own business and chews on all his toys. We believe he was a breeder as he doesn't seem to have any desire to have anything to do with humans. However, he seems to be very intelligent and I have hopes that he will come around eventually. Good luck to you!

[Laura65177]

You're the best doodler I have eber seen.

You're house will be loud! O:

[jdlilfan]

Hello there! We have a Nanday conure, Maverick, and maybe I can give ya some advice.

Well, on the noise, he is pretty quiet throughout the day...but he has his moments, and let me tell ya, he can outscream my sun, Cheeko. Get them both going and it's really ear splitting. Maverick overall is a lot less vocal than Cheeko. I definitely wouldn't recommend a nanday if you live in an apartment or have close neighbors. Other than that, he actually is quite a talker! He has a vocabulary of about 15-20 words & sounds or so. He's very chatty! I have some videos on youtube of him talking if you want to check them out.

YouTube - Talking Nanday 2
YouTube - talking nanday

Maverick is a very chewy bird. He can destroy just about anything in a matter of minutes, so you'll definitely need A LOT of good chewing toys...I recommend the birdie kabobs...VERY powerful beak...he LOVES to chew the ringers out of bells. Also, I recommend foraging toys and/or puzzle toys. I let the boys hang out in my bed while I do work or read, and they LOVE to burrow and forage around. The foraging toys keep them occupied for hours while we're gone. Also, be careful if you have any jewelry or good shirts...Cheeko has destroyed earrings and Maverick has chomped through shirts.

Personality wise, Maverick is very standoffish around people he doesn't know. However, we rescued him from a bad situation and he was very mistreated. He still holds onto some of those bad memories and he's very wary of new people. Once he got into our home and we worked with him, he became very loyal and affectionate. Both he and my sun are the best companions I've ever had. They are really like people to me. Maverick truly is a clown at times. He's constantly doing things that make us laugh and in the evenings he loves to wind down with you and cuddle right on your neck and give you kisses.

I don't have any experience with Loris, so I can't offer you advice there. I have actually thought about getting one though! I fell in love with one at a bird show a while back and I keep kicking myself in the rear for not getting her! haha! Maybe one of these days!

Also, they do not dust! I have allergies/asthma, so I can't be around anything furry or or excessively dusty. I don't have any allergy problems at all around either one of my conures. They do get bathed frequently however. Maverick has a shower perch and he LOVES it!

On another note, you don't live in Tennessee do you? The state banned nandays a while back, fearing feral birds would pose a threat to crops. Yea, it's pretty outlandish. That's one place I'll never live!

You sound like you know what you're doing and you're obviously doing your research. I really LOVE conures and any other conure owner will say the same. They are so loving and so sweet. They are excellent birds and I especially can't speak highly enough of nandays or any conure in general. You'll really have a great companion and your new birdie will bring you a lot of happiness! Any other questions, let me know!

All the best!!!

Meghan

[becca623]

Nandays are my favorite conures. Yes, the noise can be awful. I couldn't hear out of one ear for several hours after one screamed in my ear. But they are so sweet and cuddly most of the time. I've met quite a few who are nippy in their cages but outside of the cages, they turn into snuggle butts.
I'm kind of worried because I'm seeing less and less of them. Plus, I've talked to multiple breeders who have said they are getting out of them because there doesn't seem to be much of a market. Hopefully, they stay readily available.
I'm more comfortable with larger birds in my house but in their size range, I haven't found a bird I like better. I find them to be some of the friendliest conures. Anytime I am in the general area of one, it usually finds its way to my shoulder for lovin'.

[amanda143]

I agree with you becca, they do seem to be more rare now days. It's a shame because they are really lovely. I think most people want the suns because they are so pretty.