New and deciding between a S.C.Cockatoo or a SunConure?

[gottahaveart2]

Hi, I'm new to the board and I am owned by an adopted 22 year old U2. He is very sweet and being older was a plus for me. He is NOT a biter, plucker or screamer. I would suggest that you spend additional time at the Vet visiting, to see how she might behave outside the cage. Toos are dusty. I have 3 air cleaners throughout my house and 1 just for the bird room. But they are so Loving. My guy makes less noise then my Military Macaw, blue front Amazon and Congo Grey, that share our home.
Toos do love to cuddle and be with you 100%...........
Good Luck with your decision. Kathy

[Freaky Beaky]

Hey there!

I own a sun conure (or is that "he" owns me?) Sunny is 2 years old and just gone through puberty - not nice.

My sun conure has taken a dislike to my husband over the last 6 months. Sunny will squawk until my husband leaves the room (he will also do the same until the cat leaves the room too). Sunny prefers it to be just the too of us. It has taken a hell of a lot of patience for my husband to come to terms with the fact that I will not rehome Sunny. Sunny also took a dislike to my newphew (now 11 yrs old) when he lived with my parents (before I took over Sunny's care).

I must admit Sunny's ear-shattering screams drive me crazy at times. He freaks out at everything - neighbours in their gardens, cars driving past the house, everyday noises, you name it. But apart from his screams, which he only does if he is overtired and won't have a mid-day nap, he is such fun. He is so loving and protective (my little bodyguard against my husband) and funny that he gives me hours of pleasure. Sunny has also learned tricks, which I only do to occupy his brain - not for entertainment, so he is a clever bird too. Sunny will also have a bath in the smallest water up he can find and enjoys flicking water at me.

As for your choice in either a sun conure or a cockatoo, I would love a cockatoo but have heard that they are far more noisy than a conure. Also their dust can be a problem. But I have not had experience of this. I live in the UK so the noise is a concern. Thankfully my neighbours do not mind the screams that Sunny makes. I do think that if I had a cockatoo there would be noise problems though.

If you can get experience of a sun conures prolonged screams (which Sunny does if he can't have his own way), I would recommend that. Believe me, a sun conure scream will drive you to distraction at times.

I hope I have helped a little bit.

Samantha

[crazyboutbirds]

Well lets see.....I've owned both kinds of birds and can only comment from experience on the differences between the two. First...How do you feel about Noise? How do you feel about dander (bird dust)? Do you like sleeping in on weekends? How do you respond to incredibly needy emotionally dependent people? Can you handle possessiveness and extreme jealousy with fits of anger and bites that can mutilate and scar you for life.

Will you keep a male or female and will what you decide to get live inside or outside? Do you have tons of time and attention to give?

As I began by saying I've owned both breeds....Sulphur Crests are not for everyone. I had a lovely hand raised male that i rescued from a pet store here in AU right after i arrived. Poor thing was kept in this crappy cramped little cage and the shop owner practically begged me to take him. So we did! Now I owned SC's when I lived in florida to so I was very familiar with them. I just forgot how needy they were and how they typically bond to one person, tolerate some others and ansolutely hate the rest. So we got him a GF which I thought would fix the problem.....it didnt!

Now remember I live in the land of Cockatoos, so they are practically a dime a dozen here. In fact, when I kept cockatoo's it was not unusual for strangers and wild ones to come to the house for a visit.

Sun Conures by comparison are low maintenance, self sufficient and entertaining and here while readily available are much more expensive.

Cheers and good luck

[gbird]

I am owned by a Sun......he's a year old....and the sunshine of my life. I don't have a problem with his screech.....he only does it when I leave the room and he knows I'm in the house.....he's rather spoiled. I love him to bits. Not a day goes by that he doesn't make laff. He loves to cuddle and give kisses....he says "I'm a good boy", "peek-a-boo", laughs, quacks like a duck, and mumbles constantly to himself.

I have no experience with Too's, but they look like alot of fun.

Whatever choice you make, I'm sure it will be the right one, after all...they say the parrot picks the human, not the other way around.

Here are some pics of my Pita.....maybe that will help you make up your mind.











Good luck!

[Conure & Macaw Mom]

I to have a Sun Conure but have never had a Too. I do however love my Sun so much & wouldn't trade her for anything. She does have a ear pircing, peel the paint off the walls scream but its usually only when I come home from work & she's happy to see me. My Macaws do the same thing. It doesn't bother me. Most of the time she's talking to herself or me. She is a natural clown & loves to make me laugh. The more I laugh, the more she does to make me laugh. She loves anyone & everyone who pays attention to her. Whenever someone comes over (new or old) she will show off for them. She will start dancing & flirting with them until they go over & talk to her. As soon as they open her cage, she will come right out & hop right on their finger. She is great! As far as what is right for you, only you can decide what you can deal with & what can deal with your life style. Crystal

[ROYJOY]

have you made up your mind yet? your post was 2 months ago. if not, those pics of pita should convince you. pita is who convinced me to get a sun, and im so happy. thanx duck butt!

[gbird]

lol....not so much a duck butt right now.....for the time being. I think the time with Bee, was good for his feather growth, although she did have to take him to a vet for a blood feather....*rolleyes** He has 5 new tail feathers, and a whole bunch of new wing feathers. I'll pass on your thank you. Right now he's on his playstand punishing all his toys...LOL


Yes please let us know what you decided on, and we want pics as well!!

[Tiki]

Crystal!!! We have missed you!! Welcome back!

Kianga, I'm from Brisbane and you are in luck. May 6 is the big annual QLD State Bird Fair. Send me a PM and I will give you the details. I'm in north Brisbane and I'll be there for the whole thing. There are usually a good selection of Sunnies there and they will be hand reared.

[BobbieSD]

I have had both. I would never have another bird aside from a cockatoo. They are very loving and playful. They also adapt better to other people. The sun conure is the oudest of the conures, and "go off" at about anything. Although they are very charming, and love the home family, they can be very difficult with strangers if outside care is needed. Good luck, whichever you decide!

[bizzymum]

I have both a LSC and sun and jenday conures. My conures are quite a bit more noisy than my Too. Even when they are out and playing on my shoulders they still like to chatter, but my LSC will only screech when I am I standing with my back to him in front of the television, or turn off his favourite music.
I find my conures quite cuddly and less apt to take a chunk out of me than my LSC. My conures are about 5-7 yrs old and my LSC is 15 yrs old. They are all rescues and they differ like apples and oranges. My conures are less dusty and they both are in a decent sized cage, but a Greater will need a lot more toys to chew, prone to feather picking and will need a lot bigger cage. One conure tends to be a lot quieter than when you have multiple.
My conures are quite social and love to sit on everyone in my family.
They are both wonderful choices for birds. As you see, most of us here have a bit of everything and then some. A good decision is to spend time with both birds and which ever chooses YOU then that is your fid.