TheTameParrot.com - Say “BYE” To Your Parrot Problems

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We are always being asked what type of bird someone should get if they don’t have any experience with birds. They don’t want a finch or parakeet (boring!) but don’t want a large parrot (expensive, large, and destructive). They want something they can handle that is easy to train.

There are a lot of birds that fit this category, and I’ve written about them in some of my past blogs. They include Quakers, and some of the conure family like the Sun and Jenday.

Another good choice is the Green Cheeked Conure. This is one of the smallest in the conure famile, measuring about 10 inches, or roughly the size of a cockatiel. Their price is reasonable, and can be purchased for around $150-$200.

They are very playful and easy to train. They are capable of talking, but are not known to be good talkers. Usually they will mimic whistles the way cockatiels do, but will pick up on a word or two.

If there is any disadvantage to Green Cheeks, is that they are a little bit nippy. It will take just a bit of training to teach them to stop biting. They also are a bit demanding, and unless you can set aside time to play with them, they quickly get bored.

BACKGROUND

Green Cheeks are quite small, and primarily green. They have a grey breast and maroon tail. They are native to South America, and can be found in the forests of Brazil, Bolivia and southwestern Argentina. They form large flocks, and nest high in the treetops.

Green Cheeks are a close relative to the Maroon Bellied Conure. The way to identify them is to look at the top of the head. Green Checks will have a dark gray or blackish look, while Maroon Bellies are all green. Also, the tail of the green cheeks are all maroon, while the Maroon Bellies have green tops and maroon below.

This really isn’t that important unless you are a breeder and are trying to mate these breeds. Both types are very friendly and make great pets.

Trying to tell the sex of these birds is difficult. There is no good visual way to identify them, and a DNA test is usually needed. Some breeders have a few ways of making “educated guesses” by checking pelvic bone structure or head size, but this does not seem to be reliable. Males also seem to have a rounder, chunkier body.

TRAITS

Green Cheeks can be moderately noisy. This makes them a favorite pet for people living in apartments, where other breeds of conures are not acceptable. As mentioned, they are not great talkers but are capable of saying a few words. They are must better at mimicking whistles and sounds.

They have a lot of personality. They are very active, smart, and inquisitive. This is there they get into trouble. When left out of their case, they love to explore. They must be supervised while out of their cage.

When in their cage, supply them with lots of toys, especially puzzle toys. You can entertain them for hours with toys that hide food treats inside, and force them to figure out how to get to them.

They love to cuddle! This trait is mostly seen in Cockatoos, but Green Cheeks want to be held. Unlike Quakers, they are a bit more social with more then one person. They love to have their heads and necks scratched and preened.

They love to play, but are also known to chew. Find some soft wood blocks for them to play with. With this type of bird, we suggest a supply of wooden popsicle sticks. You can also use these sticks as a skewer for their favorite treats. Make up a “honey-stick” using honey seeds, and after they finish this treat they have the stick to play with! You can spear their favorite foods like banana or apples.

Green Checks are intelligent, and can be taught tricks. You should have little difficulty in finger training them, or getting them to lay on their backs.

These birds tend to bite, especially if they were not hand fed or handled when they are young. Fortunately this problem is easily corrected with training and patience.

>>In our e-Book, The Easy Parrot System we go into great detail about training birds to stop biting. Green Cheeks are especially receptive to this method, and by following our step-by-step procedures you can teach your bird to learn not to bite.

One problem that Green Cheeks have is they are a little “skittish”. This is also a common problem with Cockatiels and other smaller birds, as any little distraction could cause them to panic and fly around their cage. In severe cases they could insure themselves trying to avoid this imagined danger. Such things as pets in the home (dogs or cats) coming close to their cage, sudden loud noise, or large objects moving quickly by their cage will scare them. This can be prevented with a bit of common sense and prevention.

CAGES AND DIET

Green Cheeks will do just fine in a cockatiel size cage. But like any bird, the larger the cage the better. Expect to get at least an 18×24 cage. This will give it plenty of room to exercise and hang some toys to play with.

Green Cheeks do not have any specific nutritional needs. Any good diet will do, as long as it does not contain a lot of seeds. I recommend a pellet diet, but try to push extra food for this type of bird. Try to push lots of green and orange vegetables, with an occasional treat of pasta and bits of cheese. Green Cheeks are an active bird, and do need a little fat in their diet. This is also needed to support their oil producing glands, so a few “fatty” sees like sunflower seeds are helpful. In cases like this, we like to put a little peanut butter on their food, or a piece of toast.

Here is a great tip. Buy a bag of frozen diced mixed vegetables. Take a small amount and put them in a small hand strainer, and hold it under hot water for several seconds. This will warm up the vegi’s and offer a nutritious treat for your conure.

>>If you would like more great ideas on how to feed your birds, check out our e-Book The Easy Parrot System - Nutrition. We offer tons of ideas, and home recipes that your birds will enjoy! This is not only healthier, but will extend their lives by many years.

Green Cheek conures are one of most playful and intelligent conures out there. But they are known to be a little nippy.

When people have asked us for advice on getting birds not to bite, we begin by trying to get a little history of the bird. What quickly become apparent is the bird is not being worked with on a daily basis. The owners will ignore the bird for a few days, but then want to take the bird out to play. They get bit, get upset, and unintentionally “punish” the bird by putting it into “timeout”.

Unfortunately, this isn’t going to work with a Green Cheek. This breed of bird is very demanding and wants to be cuddled and played with. They bite for many reasons, but it’s very easy to teach them to stop with just a little patience and daily work.

STEP UP

The first step is to get the bird to step up on your finger and get used to being handled. In our e-Book The Easy Parrot System, we discuss some simple, step-by-step methods to finger train your bird. It should only take a few days to accomplish this.

If the bird is nipping at you during this state, begin to immediately teach him that it is unacceptable behavior by saying “NO BITE!” in a firm tone. When the bird steps up and behaves, give him lots of praise and offer a favorite treat like a nut or grape. Continue to do this every day, and you will soon teach your bird that if he wants to be with you he must learn not to bite.

Green Cheeks will learn this method! They are known to be a friendly bird and they want to be cuddled and played with. This trait is normally seen only in Cockatoos, and most conures are not this willing to be handled. But Green Cheeks are different. And if they want to play with you, they must learn to stop biting.

One other cause for biting is they have reached sexual maturity. Green Cheeks reach this point at about one year old. They become a bit more aggressive, and this will lead to their tendency to nit at your finger. Just reinforce your training. If it gets out of control, use the “time out” method and place the bird in its “discipline” cage located in another room. Try not to use its “home cage” for discipline because it will get confused. Remember, Green Cheeks are a little more intelligent then you think. You need them to understand that the “discipline” cage is because they acted badly. Otherwise, they will learn that if they want to go back to their “home” cage, they simply have to bite you. You are passing the wrong message to them!

Never strike your bird. I can certainly guarantee that from that point on you will never be able to train your bird.

Here are a few extra points. For more ideas check out our Ebook!

-Clip the wings before you begin training. You want to be in control of the bird, and if it can fly away you lose that control!

-Use constant praise and reinforcement. Keep a supply of treats handy

-Stay in control. Do not let your bird think you are afraid. Fortunately, these little guys bite does not do much harm to you, other than a painful pinch. Try to deal with it!

-When working with the bird, also teach it other simple tricks like lying on it’s back, playing dead, and playing catch with objects. A small foam ball works great for this.

-Work with the bird daily, preferably at the same time of the day. Sessions should be about 15 minutes at a time.

Once your bird has been tamed, you will find that he wants to stay with you most of the time. Use this to your advantage while training him. If you are watching TV, have him in your lap while you gently handle him. The constant human interaction will reinforce to him you are not a threat and he should not bite you.

If you ever thought of becoming a bird breeder, one of the “brass rings” you are always trying to grab is the ability to breed mutations. In other words, by breeding two birds you are trying to develop special colors or traits into birds.People that breed parakeets are well aware of this hobby. They spend years trying to create beautiful birds, and will travel for miles to show them off at shows.

Several years ago, we were introduced to a very unique little bird…the Blue Quaker. We never heard of them before. We were introduced to them by a breeder who was getting rid of her green Quakers so she could concentrate on breeding blues. Because they were very rare at the time, they were selling for many times the cost of a normal green Quaker. We researched this for a little while, and discovered that not only are there Blue Quakers, but also Yellow, White, Grey, and Cinnamons. They also have been bred into pearly, and pied mutations. All of these are quite rare, but as breeders continue to work on these different mutations, they are becoming available in greater quantities.

BACKGROUND

Blue Quakers started showing up in the wild many years ago. According to historic records, The Duke of Bedford in England began breeding them from a captured pairs, and all blue Quakers can be traced to this stock line.

In 1993, four pairs were imported into the US, where breeders started a breeding program to increase those numbers. At that time they were extremely rare, and cost nearly $5000. But after several years, and a successful breeding program, costs have come down to $300-$500.

FACTORS

So how exactly do you create a Blue Quaker? On the surface it sounds very simple, but doing it is complicated.

Quaker parrots are normally green. The green color comes from combining the blue coloring of the feather structure, and the yellow, which is the actual color of the feather. Through selective breeding, you select Quakers with a predominate blue gene, and breed it with another Quaker with a lesser yellow gene. Since a different gene is responsible for each, you can gradually produce a blue, or even a yellow, Quaker. By combining a weaker “blue” gene, you can produce a lighter “green” color, producing a cinnamon colored Quaker.

Today, because of this dedication of breeders, there is a large variety of color variations and splits. These unique birds are now widely available, especially from breeders. And new variations are still being worked on, such as Aqua colored Quakers. These are starting to appear at bird shows and getting great reviews from judges.

We have been asked by beginning bird breeders what is the best type of bird breed?

Normally, that depends on their experience and how much they can invest. Being a hobbyist bird breeder can be expensive, and does take a tremendous commitment of time. No matter what type of birds you plan to raise, the time commitment is going to be the same.

Expense wise, Cockatiels are probably the most inexpensive and easiest birds to breed and hand feed.

But if you want a easy to breed bird that will bring back a good investment, we suggest Jendays. They breed fairly easily, and are known to breed year round. They lay three to four eggs per clutch, and generally are very good parents.

Breeder pairs are readily available. You can usually pick up a proven pair for $400-$500. Baby Jendays sell for about the price of medium priced Conures, in the $300-$500 range. Pet stores will usually buy these birds from hobbyist breeders, but don’t expect to make a lot of money this way… they expect wholesale prices. You are much better selling at bird shows or even advertising in the newspaper. Your customers will come to you!

A hand raised baby Jenday is (in my opinion) one of the most friendly and playful birds available. This is why they are in such demand.

GETTING STARTED

Jendays are a very prolific breeder. They will breed at any time, but the conditions must be right. They do not like it too warm. Baby Jendays do poorly when the temperature is above 90 degrees, so the parents tend to stop breeding in hot weather. They can breed up to four times a year. To promote this, you must pull the babies from them after a few weeks and begin handfeeding. Fortunately, this is fairly easy, as Jendays are easy to hand feed (with proper training). It usually takes 10 weeks to wean a Jenday baby. If you let the parents do most of the care, you can reduce this to 7 weeks. During this time you try and handle to bird as often as possible, to get the babies used to human interaction. But this will reduce the number of clutches per year.

Jendays are a little difficult to sex. It is recommended that a DNA text be performed to ensure you have a pair. Also make sure that you do not get a hybrid conure. Hybrids are those that were bred between a Jenday and Sun Conure, producing a Sunday conure. They will not breed well with a pure Jenday.

CAGE

As with any breeding pair of birds, the larger the cage the better. It is recommended that they have a flight cage 4 feet long, but many people can not offer this much space unless they are raising them in an outdoor flight cage. A 24”x24”x36” will do fine. There are some very good cages that are heavy enough to allow a breeding box to be attached to the side.

The breeder box is a square box about 12”x16”. Jendays have a tendency of tossing the bedding out of their boxes, so we lined the inside of the box with wire mesh. This seems to help prevent it.

Once you have everything set up…just sit back and let nature do it’s work.

CARE

Be sure that you are feeding your breeders a good diet. Calcium is important if you plan on letting them breed year round. Ensure a lot of fruits and vegi’s are available. Once they babies arrive, they will be eating a lot more! So make sure you keep a adequate supply of food. We highly recommend pellets, as this will ensure your bird is getting all of the vitamins and nutrients they need.

Do not attempt to hand feed your babies unless you have done your research. Just reading about it isn’t enough. Hand-on experience is recommended, and you can get this by visiting another breeder, or an avian vet. This is where your local bird clubs come in handy. Their members will be more then willing to take you “under their wing” and train you on hand feeding. We have done this many times ourselves.

Jenday Conures are a very colorful, medium size bird. They are closely related to Sun Conures, both being in the aratinga conure family. As with many Conures, they are mostly green. They have a yellow head, and orange front. Their tail is tipped with red or blue, and their wings are commonly tipped with blue. They will have a white to pale grey ring around the eye. Their beaks and feet are black. They certainly are a very colorful bird!

It is believed that Suns, Gold Caps and Jendays are all part of the same species, as opposed to being three separate species or sub-species. They are the same bird, but just a different color variation depending on the region they are from.

Jenday Conures come from South America, and are mostly found in Northern Brazil and Northeastern Argentina. They are easy to breed, and are very popular to bird breeders.

Jendays are a very playful bird. If raised as a baby, they are extremely friendly and do well around children. They love to be handled, and are trained easily.

Jendays are considered a medium sized Conure, averaging around 10 to 12 inches long and weigh 100-180 gm. If properly cared for, they have a lifespan of 20-30 years.

Like most Conures, Jendays are fairly noisy. They have a loud and harsh scream that they use to get your attention. They are also capable of talking, but from my experience they only say a couple of words. They are not known to be very good talkers, however there are cases where they can be good talkers if worked with daily over a long period of time.

Jendays are a very playful bird that loves to be handled and played with. If you get a very young Jenday, it’s recommended that you play with it daily. Let him sit on your lap while you watch TV, and let him play with some toys or wooden blocks. This interaction will make him very tame and friendly.

Their diet is important, and Jendays have a couple of unique requirements. They are susceptible to Conure Bleeding Syndrome, which is caused by the lack of Vitamin K. This condition prevents the bird from being able to clot their blood, causing excessive bleeding.

This can be easily prevented by supplying your bird leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts and spinach. Some breeders offer their birds parsley leaves to munch on, which is very high in Vitamin K. You can use wheat bran in some home made dishes for them to eat, or supply some diced kiwifruit and bananas. This makes Jenday Conures one of my favorite birds, as I now have an excuse to get rid of my icky vegi’s that my wife tries to feed me. They somehow end up in our birds food dish!

They also love shredded meat or pasta, bean sprouts and hard boiled eggs. Some breeders we know are firm believers in feeding sprouts to their Conures, but I never ventured into growing them myself…this is one of my future research projects.

As usual, be sure they get enough calcium, especially in the females. If you feed your bird a pellet diet, and supplement it with fruits and vegi’s, you will not have to worry too much about this. Pelleted diets are formulated to have all the vitamins and minerals most birds need, and you only need to supplement certain items specific to your bird (like Vitamin K)

Jendays will require a few additional maintenance chores then other birds. They are very good flyers, and since they have a lighter body then other conures, they will take flight unless you do a lot of extensive wing clipping. You want the bird to be able to glide to the floor and not get hurt, but you also want to prevent full flight. With Jendays, you need to educate yourself on how to clip wings, or else expect a lot of trips to the vet. If they can’t fly, they won’t get into trouble!

While Jendays are susceptible to a number of common bird diseases, they are usually fairly healthy and easy to care for. By monitoring their behavior and looking for the telltale signs of problems, you should not have any major problems with their health.

Jendays are known to love to chew. If you have them out of their cage, you must monitor them to ensure they don’t damage your furniture or woodwork. Supply them with some toys they can chew on inside their cage. Most common are colored wood blocks or sticks. Our Jenday enjoyed destroying colored popsicle sticks, quickly turning them into toothpicks. They also love any toys that make noise. You can be a bit creative and make your own using some bells, beads, and bottles.