Conure Advice

[GreenCheekConure1]

Hello
I was just wondering if anybody has any advice for my first week of having my new Green Cheek Conure! Nobody in my family has ever had one of these unique creatures and I'm pretty dang happy that there is a forum to find out!
Advice would help, I already got the cage, toys, perch, etc. Down and ready. I was also meaning to ask, should I keep the bird in the cage for about the first 3 days to get used to the environment?

 

[TiredOldMan]

Welcome and come on in!

It's been many years since I've had a conure so I can't be a lot of help.

However there are a lot of very knowledgeable people here who will be along shortly.

 

[LordTriggs]

the short answer is to go at their pace. If you bring them home and they're scared and hiding from everyone then keep them in, if they're clambering to the walls to come say hello to you then you should interact, there's no hard timescale with them like any animal.

I would suggest getting them used to eating from your hand and to step up on a stick or a dowel perch (they normally come with the cage so make a good training tool) before letting them out just to avoid as much stress as possible when the beast is let loose on the home!

Also here's my tips for the first time out of the cage. Make sure that when they are to come out you have no plans until it is time to go to bed (the last thing you want is to have to run around trying to chase them back in the cage). Close the doors to the room your in to limit flying all around the place, cover any mirrors and close all curtains to avoid a crash. Then once out instead of following them and constantly being after their little movements just let them hang out and chill to get used to the place only coming to the rescue if you're needed for assistance. When it's time to go back in the cage put some of the treat you've been using for step-up in an easy to spot place in the cage, then coax them onto that same dowel perch and when they're eating slowly move them over to the cage and inside keeping them distracted with treats