Painted conures make adorable little pets. Their personalities are very endearing and loveable. Painteds are small birds, making them easier to handle for gentle children and people who would love to own a parrot, but are afraid of those beaks! But don't let their diminutive size fool you. These birds have a big bird complex. They are bold and poke their beaks into everything.
CARING FOR PAINTED CONURES
Companionship Time
Hand-reared painteds are very social birds and enjoy interacting and playing with their humans. Therefore, as for any other parrot, taking one on is a huge commitment. Do you really want to spend time everday with a bird for the next 20 years or so? Painteds need to be out of their cage with you for at least a couple of hours a day, more if possible. You do not need to be fully focused on the parrot for the whole of this time - watching TV, typing on the computer or doing the housework with him perched on your shoulder is fine. But for some of that time, say 2 fifteen minute sessions your parrot will find it fun if you play parrot games with him, or cuddle and tickle him. Also it is important to be consistent if possible. If you spend all day with your painted on weekends, but only 15 minutes with him on weekdays, he will find it difficult to adjust to the change. He may start protesting at being left alone. Of course it is OK, better even, to vary a little the time of day or lengh of time he is taken out so that he has some spontaneity in his life.There may be one-off occasions where, for some reason or other, e.g. work commitments, it is impossible for us to devote this much time to your little friend. I have found that Keiko does adjust to the occasional day when I cannot spend so much time with him.
Painteds, if they are to remain friendly and manageable (those little beaks can still deliver a painful bite), need to be taught basic obedience, that is to say 'step up' and 'step down'. I have also taught Keiko the meaning of the word 'off' (he likes to land on my head and so needed to be taught to climb 'off'; my head onto my shoulder). Trick training is also a way of keeping them friendly and reinforcing the bond between parrot and human. These little birds are quick to pick up basic commands and simple tricks. I have taught Keiko a number of tricks to exercise his grey matter, including waving his foot in the air (as if to say 'hi'), showing me where his beak is with his foot, and 'going potty' when I ask him to.
Bathtime
One of the all time favourite activities for painteds is taking a bath. I found that Keiko loves to splash around in a shallow dish filled with 2 centimetres of water. Alternatively, he also enjoys showering from a gently flowing showerhead (be careful not to scald your pet!). He prefers it if the flow of water is aimed at his tummy rather than coming from directly above him. He does not like to be sprayed with a squirt bottle, but each bird is individual in this respect.
For Keiko the fun does not end when the water stops running. After his bath he will spend about half an hour rubbing himself against a towel until he is dry - just like a cat!
Feeding Time
It is important to give your painted a balanced diet consisting of a good quality seed mix, pellets, vegtables, cooked beans and fruits. Some animal protein can also be added to the diet in the form of chicken, cheese or yogurt (milk itself should not be fed as parrots cannot digest it). Keiko's favourite treats are millet spray, yogurt, fruit juices and crunchy honey-coated breakfast cereals. Try to limit the amount of sugar and salt in the diet. Avocado, chocolate and alcohol is toxic to parrots.
Cage Time
Given the choice painteds would prefer to spend their whole time out of their cage. However, for their own safety it is essential that you have a cage to keep your painted when you cannot supervise him. Try to buy the biggest cage your space and budget will allow. However, make sure that the bar-spacing is not more than 3/4 of an inch wide to avoid your painted getting stuck inbetween the bars.
Painteds are very playful little birds so they will appreciate toys to play with in their cage. There are many manufacturers out there, offering a huge choice in parrot toys. Try to buy a number of toys made of different materials and rotate them every week so that your pet does not get bored. Don't overcrowd the cage though - 2 to 3 toys at a time is fine. Your pet will probably develop a preference for certain types of toy. Keiko's favourite toy is a large bell designed for macaws. He enjoys making it ring as loudly as possible. The louder it rings, the more annoyed with it he gets and the more he pounds it. Really funny! (Safety note: The usual advice is to give your bird toys designed with his size in mind. If you do allow your painted to play with toys designed for bigger birds make sure there are no parts which will hurt him as manufacturers will not have the safety of a painted in mind when designing the toy.)
FAVOURITE LINKS:
Pyrrhura Conures As House Pets - More information on these delightful little birds.
Conures: You Just gotta Luv' Em - Very useful site with a wealth of information on caring for conures.
Natural Enounters - Expert parrot behaviourist Steve Martin, and other behaviourists, have publihed very helpful articles on this sight helping you to understand life from a parrots point of view.
The Parrot Pages - One of the most comprehensive lists of links on the web on all aspects of parrot care.
Parrot Parrot - A site dedicated to the smaller species of parrots.
Up At Six - Excellent site with many articles on all aspects of parrot care.
