my current list of concerns

[KiwiJo]

I've had my bird for less than a week and never had one before that. So, I have a GIANT list of concerns that I'd like for someone to tell me if I should or shouldn't be concerned about. He is a yellow-sided green cheek conure.

1. He chirps when he's asleep or falling asleep.
2. He bobs his head though he's been weened off formula for two weeks.
3. He falls from his perches when he's asleep.
4. Should lysol 4-in-1 cleaner be okay for cleaning his cage and playgym?
5. Does newsprint hurt them?
6. Is tomato sauce okay?
7. His playgym leaves my hands different colors when I clean it and I worry that he's ingesting dyes.
8. Is constant chirping bad?
9. His poop changed from white to red to green. Could it be these Zupreem fruit pellets he's eating?
10. He eats A LOT! Could he get fat?
11. Is it bad to have him perching in places other than his cage during the day from about 7am to 9pm? He has a perch on his cage and will sleep on that, the playgym, or me. I'm hoping that's not a bad thing.
12. Are flightsuits a good idea?


I'm sure I have more, but I think 12 is more than enough for now. Lol. And I can't think of others. Please help me!

[Jess89]

lol I have an eclectus that i've had for a week now and he talks in his sleep, so I wouldn't worry about it.. When he was at the breeders him and his sister always mumbled to each other when they were going to sleep.

Falling from perches.. perhaps the perches are too thick or too thin for him.. I suggest getting one of those rope perches with the wire stuff on the inside, jasper ALWAYS sleeps on that, they can grip them better

You can get special cage cleaner stuff from a pet shop or grocery store in the pet section, i'd use that.. i have no idea what lysol is lol...

newspaper if thats what you mean by newsprint doesnt hurt them, its fine.

I don't know about tomatoe sauce, but I guess in a small amount (if the sauce doesnt contain onion, too much salt etc) then it couldnt hurt...

I don't know much about conures... so i couldn't tell you about his chirping, but I wouldnt worry..

Hmm poop changing colour *concerned look* that'd a bit odd I think.. Are the pellets coloured? There are heaps of concerned about artificially coloured pellets...

If he's eating a lot then thats a good sign! As long as he doesnt have too much of the same food (so he is eating varied things).. esspecially seeds because of their high fat content..

It's fine to have him perching in other places...just make sure he has access to food and water.. When I wake jasper up I give him his breakfast and open the cage door, when he's eaten his fill he fly's over and will sit on me aaaaall day until his bed time ^_^

I prefer harnesses over flight suits... Flight suits or 'bird diapers' sound sort of grose to me because they would be pooping in it and stuff... whereas harnesses don't have that problem lol... but it's a personal decision between the two I guess...
It does take a lot of patience to get a bird used to a harness or flight suit... the first time i tried I got bitten lol.. but with a bit of encouragement (or in jasper's case a few dozen sun flower seeds) he lets me get it on him...
So if you have the patience to get your bird used to it very very slowly, one step at a time then they can be great... But if the bird is REALLY opposed to it then I wouldnt force them... I started with Jasper by just slipping the bit over his head, then straight off again and rewarding him, then when he was fine with that i went to the next step.. etc

Hope I answered some of you questions lol...

[NotEnoughTime]

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

I've had my bird for less than a week and never had one before that. So, I have a GIANT list of concerns that I'd like for someone to tell me if I should or shouldn't be concerned about. He is a yellow-sided green cheek conure.

1. He chirps when he's asleep or falling asleep.

To me this is normal.

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

2. He bobs his head though he's been weened off formula for two weeks.

To me this is normal.

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

3. He falls from his perches when he's asleep.

Hmmm - don't know about this one - I don't recall my Green Cheek every falling off her perch... But that may just be an age thing - how old is your bird?

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

4. Should lysol 4-in-1 cleaner be okay for cleaning his cage and playgym?

No. Just clean with water - and if concerned about bacteria use vinegar.

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

5. Does newsprint hurt them?

No.

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

6. Is tomato sauce okay?

Tomato is part of the Nightshade family of vegetables. With nightshades anything green is poisonous. Tomatos are also high in acid. I would consider limited amounts only.

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

7. His playgym leaves my hands different colors when I clean it and I worry that he's ingesting dyes.

Good worry! Wash with water and vinegar to remove the dyes.

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

8. Is constant chirping bad?

No.

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

9. His poop changed from white to red to green. Could it be these Zupreem fruit pellets he's eating?

Yup. Use the "natural" version of Zupreem if he likes them. Dye in pellets has not been proven safe and may mask issues in the "poop" because of the colour.

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

10. He eats A LOT! Could he get fat?

Get a gram scale (about $10 to $20) and weigh him a couple of times a week. Make it a regular habit. It is unlikely a bird your conure will get fat - but if he loses weight quickly then make sure you see a vet.

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

11. Is it bad to have him perching in places other than his cage during the day from about 7am to 9pm? He has a perch on his cage and will sleep on that, the playgym, or me. I'm hoping that's not a bad thing.

No it is not a bad thing. conures are a flocking bird and will want to be with you and will wonder why you don't want to be with them. This can lead to behavioural issues in the long run if you are not prepared for it. Birds are very different from dogs and cats - so don't expect the same reactions.

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

12. Are flightsuits a good idea?

I use a harness for going outside. I prefer a bird with a "long" clip (she can fly) so a harness makes sure she is safe.

Originally Posted by KiwiJo

I'm sure I have more, but I think 12 is more than enough for now. Lol. And I can't think of others. Please help me!

Ask away... People will answer!!

[KiwiJo]

Thanks for the answers. I think that actually means I'm doing an okay job so far. It's only been four days, so it can't be that bad, right? Lol.

And He's only two months old.

[Jess89]

lol ^_^ i used to breed budgies when i was younger, so an eccy was a big step.. and belive me when i brought jasper home i was worrying about everything! he was only eating peas and sunflower seeds... he was chirping at all the boys, he was flying into things, grinding his beak :|
I only brought jasper home last wednesday so I know exaaaactly how you feel haha.. I guess everyone worrys about everything when they first bring their baby's home hehe

[NotEnoughTime]

He is very young!

Go to the conure section of this board and post any other questions... There are lots of people to help out.

Conures - BirdBoard.Com - Parrot Message Board & Pet Bird Owner Forums

You will encounter noise and biting issues. Have a read of The Rational Parrot to get some really good information about parrots in general and Monica's Bird Safe Fresh Foods & Toxic Food Lists + Sprouts on what to feed your bird...

Most importantly have a great time with him!!

[Ashling]

My 2 cents:
1. Chirping may be his way of saying he's content. Make sure he isn't breathing heavily.
2. When does he bob? He may just be playful or he may want some more hand-feeding from you.
3. Normal for babies- just keep a soft towel at the bottom of the cage at night and keep the perches low so he doesn't hurt himself.
4. I don't know, but I use white vinegar and warm water which is non toxic but kills bacteria and it's actually good for your bird to ingest a little.
5. As far as I know, newsprint is harmless; its what I use for my cages.
6. No, commercial tomato sauce contains preservatives, artificial colors and flavors and other nasties. Homemade tomato sauce with tomatoes, herbs and natural ingredients (make sure they're safe for birds) and water is good!
7. I have the same problem with some of my birds' toys. I just make sure they don't get wet or chewed, otherwise acrylic toys and play gyms are safer and also easier to clean.
8. Constant chirping can mean a lot of things, some not necessarily bad. Can you find out WHY he chirps? Is it for attention? It may start to annoy you over time so you might want to teach him to play quietly by himself.
9. Most likely yes... colored fruit pellets have colors in them that aren't good for your birds, you should try switch to another type without them.
10. He is a growing baby at the moment, so it's good if he eats lots, however birds can get obese if they eat more energy than they can use up. There are exercises you can do together to let him use up his energy including teaching him to flap, climbing stairs, going for walks around the house etc.
11. It's great to have numerous perches! It gives him a view from different places and lets him get around. As long as they're all in safe places, it's fine.
12. Flightsuits are fine if you can teach your bird to wear it and you don't mind cleaning them out!

I hope I covered them all thoroughly enough. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

[daydream]

It sounds like you're off to a good start KiwiJo. Be sure and toss the non stick cookware if you haven't already. Also be sure there are no drowning hazards. Keep toilet lids closed, baths drained, dish water drained when not in use. Good luck with your new baby :-)