TheTameParrot.com – Let's Try To Solve Your Parrot Problems

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.

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