Green Cheek Conure
Green-cheeked conures (scientific name: Pyrrhura molinae), also known as green-cheeked parakeets, are popular companion birds known for their "big personality in a small body." They are native to South America, specifically found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay.
In aviculture, several colour mutations have been selectively bred, including:
Cinnamon, yellow-sided, pineapple, turquoise, moon cheek, violet and variations of these colours.
Facts
Lifespan: 20-25 years on average
Weight: 60-80 grams
Size: 25-26 cm total length
Highly social: They thrive on interaction with their owners and can become very affectionate, often described as "Velcro birds." They need a great deal of time out of their cage daily for socialisation (2-4 hours is often recommended).
Playful and comical: They love to play, hang upside down, and are known for their antics. They are generally good-natured but, like any bird, can be nippy at times.
Intelligence and train-ability: Green cheeks are intelligent and can be taught tricks. They respond well to consistent training.
Vocalisations: While generally quieter than other conure species, they are still vocal and can make loud, high-pitched calls. This is a factor to consider for apartment living. They can learn to talk a few words, but aren't primarily prised for their talking abilities. Both males and females can learn to talk.
Companionship: If you can't provide ample daily interaction, consider getting a second green cheek conure (same-sex is recommended if you don't want to breed). While they will still interact with humans, having a companion can reduce stress and prevent behavioural issues like feather plucking, especially if you're away from home frequently.
Cage and Accessories
Once you have your cage place it in the corner of the room, preferably near a window. This will give your bird an excellent outdoor view. However, the enclosure should not be in a spot where it will receive direct sunlight or draft. Be sure to cover your birds cage at night.
- Green cheek conures are very active birds and require a good size cage to be able to move around. cage size: minimum sizes 61cm wide x 61cm deep x 76cm high, larger is always better! Bar spacing (1.27 cm) or less.
- Perches: Natural branches in different thicknesses and structures.
- Green cheek conures sleep in tree cavities or hollows in the wild. They are cavity nesters, meaning they prefer to roost and nest in enclosed spaces for protection from predators and weather. They should be given a bird tent or nest box to sleep in as they otherwise tend to hang on the side of the cage to sleep.
- Toys: wooden toys, swings, bells, cat balls with bells, foraging toys, rope toys (Avoid toys made of cotton or synthetic rope as your bird can get tangled in the threads or swallow them leading to severe injuries. Safe options are sisal rope or superior rope).
- Food dishes, water dish
- Bird bath
- Cuttle fish bone
Daily Food
Diet is the most important aspect of a green cheek conure's care.
An epic cage setup or how well you train them won’t even matter unless they’re eating a nutritionally balanced diet.
- 30% Quality pellets
- 20% small parrot mix or cockatiel seed mix
- 30% Fresh vegetables/ Soaking Seed
- 10% Protein such as Rice, Quinoa, beans
- 5% Fruit
- 5% Training treats (Sunflower seeds, millet spray)
Green-cheeked conures thrive on a varied diet that includes a high-quality commercial pellet base, supplemented with fresh fruits, vegetables, and occasional seeds and nuts.
Care and Cleaning
Daily:
- check and replace food and water, clean dishes if necessary.
- remove any decaying food from the cage and tray.
- clean and refill birdbath if needed.
Weekly clean:
- Remove all accessories from the cage including the bird.
- Remove any solid waste you can see.
- clean the cage and accessories with apple cider vinegar or dish soap mixture.
- Rinse the cage thoroughly and let it dry.
- Replace bedding in the nest box/ wash their tent.
- Put your cage back together.
Health
To keep your green cheek conure healthy here are some things to consider.
- Keep the cage and food clean to avoid bacteria or fungi growing.
- Feed your bird a well-balanced diet. An only seed diet will cause deficiencies in your bird causing it to become ill.
- Keep out of direct sunlight and drafts.
- Birds have a very sensitive respiratory system. Airborne substances that may be harmless to us can be deadly for birds. Such as cleaning products, perfumes, scented candles, Teflon fumes, burnt food.
- If you notice your bird acting differently than usual, not eating, sleeping a lot, sitting fluffed up, then seek medical help.