conure problems and really needing help!!!!

[margi25]

I have 2 sun conures bonny and buddy (under 1 year old). Originally they were bought to be kept separately. However my boyfriend who took the boy (buddy) started a new job and didnt have the time for him, so I have them both now. I went into the pet store today to buy some more food etc and started speaking to a lady there. Apparently and I dont know how true it is, but sun conures especially the males once they reach sexual maturity become extremely aggressive and cant be handled. I asked about separating them into 2 cages but apparently even then buddy will know bonnie is still there. So my problems are, firstly bonnie and buddy are brother and sister, so I dont really want them breeding. Secondly I absolutely adore my birds and couldn't imagine having them attack me and not like being handled. She suggested separating and giving them away before they bond, but I cant choose which one I would have to find another home for. Can anyone please give me some advice about anything similar or any knowledge you have that could help (and possibly help me keep them both). Because if they will need to be properly separated I would (as hard and sucky as it would be) rather do it earlier so they are less affected.

 

[Kalidasa]

I would just work on creating a very strong bond with at least one of the birds. If you're bonded with at least one, the other will usually follow. If you want to keep both your birds, then keep them both, but definately keep them in separate cages and see how it plays out. Don't let some pet store person scare you into rehoming a bird that is doing well in your home. The majority of people on here have multiple birds without a problem.

 

[margi25]

Yeah she totally freaked me out because I knew there would be a few problems keeping them both (and buddy is already a bit of a terror, so I am waiting with baited breath to see what hormones will do to him). I am quite bonded with bonnie, she will usually always make sure she gets over to me.
By separate cages, would that be more just at night or most of the day?.
And thank you My completely absolute last resort would be re-homing them, as they are way to comfortable here, and couldn't bear to see either go!

 

[weco]

Although it is generally frowned on, siblings are bred in some cases when breeding for specific mutations/colorations.....

I've never maintained any of my birds in breeding situations, I do have a nanday and sun pair that were a pair 8 years before they moved in here...they do practice at procreation, however have never produced viable clutches.....in your case, there is a much higher probability of success...but...if you've allowed kept them in separate cages, you may be able to maintain them that way, but you would need to give them the same amount of attention, but separately, though you may have to appreciate an amount of screaming.....siblings both of the same and different sexes can be separated & kept in their own cages...I did it with 4 siblings that were 18mo & 24mo and had been all caged together since their parents had weaned them....the owner could handle the parents, but the chicks were never handled after separation from the parents until the night I picked them up.....

I never experienced attacks from any of them, though it was over a year before the last one became hand tame.....I found it best to take them individually to another room to work with them...a room they were not familiar with and where they could not see the others.....

 

[Kalidasa]

They get their hormonal surges yes, but if it were impossible to handle a bird after sexual maturity, this site would not exist! What that woman told you is a bunch of B.S. but it wouldn't be a bad idea to house them in separate cages without nesting opportunities (happy huts, etc). Start working with Buddy every day, and make sure you and Bonnie are super tight, and you'll be fine. .

 

[faeryphoebe1]

My Sun is 9 months old and so far, he's been great. As long as you take your suns out daily and interact with them (perhaps even separately), they will stay bonded to you.

I would definitely house them each in their own cage (permanently) to prevent mating.

Please, don't get rid of your conures. It sounds like the woman you spoke with is perpetuating a weird myth about Sun Conures and should stop alarming people needlessly.

Hopefully, Boom Boom and some other Sun Conure owners will come along and offer you some words of wisdom.

 

[margi25]

I definitely have no intention of breeding them!!I wouldn't know what to do at all. I would say they are both quite good with me, I have had them for about 8 months. They are both super tame (I have handled them a lot) , and only really bite if im trying to get them off me and back into their cage!!!
I think there will be a ton of screaming when I separate them but if its for the better I will just have to do it.
Would it be okay to have them in the same cage during the day and separate them at night? or should it be definitely completely separate all the time? And should I place the cages far from each other and out of sight?
Yeah I was a bit worried, and I would hate to see what she would say to other people!! shes like you should probably try give them away and maybe get 2 males or something, and shes a breeder!!! I was so shocked, I just thought to myself I actually like my birds and they aren't just an inanimate object object you can so easily get rid of!

 

[weco]

If you leave them out together & to their own devices, they will follow Nature's urge to procreate.....whenever...and...wherever they have the opportunity.....modesty and/or privacy is lost on birds.....if they feel comfortable in their surroundings, they will definitely do what comes naturally.....

No, moving their cages out of sight may just exacerbate their screaming.....

If you know their hatch dates, you could mark your calendar for 5 months from their hatch date for a molting, then restrict their togetherness for the next couple of months.....then do the same thing 6 months from then.....the idea is to keep them apart during their mating season & unless you know their last molt start and finish, you can use this formula until their next molt.....virtually all parrots molt just before breeding season, so they'll be in their finest plumage to attract a mate.....even though they may be in a permanent relationship.....

Keeping a log book/diary on each bird goes a long way in recalling diet changes, anomalies, etc., etc., etc.

 

[JasmineGCC]

When my GCC jasmine hit puberty she went almost overnight to an aggressive biting monster. But it didn't last and now several months in she is back to being a snuggle bunny - which will probably last until next spring. I just gave her lots of space with minimal handling but lots of treats every time I went past her cage. She did improve but it took time.

So def doesn't last forever so don't let that lady scare you!

 

[MikeyTN]

If you separate them, it's probably best to just separate them all day and night. Play with them separately like everyone else says. You'd be amazed how determined males can be when they want to mate rather it's mating season or not.

 

[MonicaMc]

I had one conure for 3 years. Then I got another conure and had two for 5 years. The two never did get along, and the first one ended up passing away due to health complications. After having had two, it didn't feel right having only one conure... Three years later, I now have two conures again.

None of mine ever got along, but that's ok! They still benefit from having each other around!