Need help!!!

[Ebella812]

Hi! I recently purchased a Sun Cap Conure. We have to wait a couple of weeks until we can take him/her home. (I'm waiting on the results of the DNA test) I joined this forum since I am a new bird owner and need all the help I can get. I've been doing my research online, but I've been getting mixed answers. Hopefully one of you can help me.

I have a number of questions so I will just type them out.

1. Should the cage be covered at night when we go to sleep? Even if we are still in the room watching tv, etc. And how many hours should they sleep?

2. How often should they be bathed? I'm not crazy about leaving a water bowl in the cage because they can poop in it and some food may fall in it and I don't want it to harbor bacteria. Any suggestions?

3. Should I get a sleeping tent for it. I'm waiting to find out the sex of the bird and I heard that if you get a tent for a female, she may think its the place to lay eggs. I know females lay eggs regardless if a male is present, but what are my options? Will she lay eggs if there is no place to lay them?

4. How often should you change their food bowl? I plan on getting a water bottle for it to drink from since I don't like the idea of water just sitting in a bowl all day.

Any advice would be very much appreciated. I fell in love with this bird when I saw him and I want to make sure he gets the best care. Thanks guys!!!

 

[artemis]

Your bird needs about 10 hours of sleep each night. If you're going to be in the room late in the evening, a cage cover may help your bird sleep - but remember, noise as well as light can keep your bird awake. So you'll need to turn the TV down low. Another alternative may be to put a small cage in an out-of-the-way room and make that your bird's sleeping cage. Birdie could then spend the night in the quiet sleeping cage, and the daylight hours in the bigger cage in your busier room.

You can offer your bird a shallow bowl of water to bathe in every day or two. Alternatively, you can use a plant mister to give your bird a shower.

A bottle for drinking water is an excellent idea! But be sure to offer water in a dish as well, until you see your birdie drinking from the bottle and know for sure that birdie has figured out how to use it. Position the tip of the water bottle over the water dish to help the bird figure things out. Some bottles come with a red tip, which helps attract the bird's attention. Remember that you need to check the bottle tip daily to make sure the water is flowing properly, and you should empty the bottle and wash it out thoroughly at least once a week. Food bowls should be cleaned daily. If you can, get multiple sets of bowls for your cage; it makes life much easier. (it's even nicer if they are dishwasher safe.)

Some hens become sexually stimulated by huts, some don't. The only way to know is to try a hut and see how the bird reacts to it. If a hen does become sexually stimulated by the hut, it should be removed from the cage ASAP. And yes, a hen will lay eggs even if she doesn't have a nest to lay them in if she's sexually excited enough. That's why sexually stimulating objects should be removed from her cage; chronic egg laying can endanger her health.

Good luck with your new buddy! You're going to make a fine parrot parent!

 

[Ebella812]

Thanks for the advice! This may sound like a silly question but what things sexually stimulate females? I want to know to make sure I don't buy anything. Also, can they sleep without the nest? Is there something else I can buy that will make them feel comfortable sleeping? How will I know if she is sexually stimulated? (what are the signs) Thanks again!

-Erica

 

[Mozzie]

I agree with artemis except my Conures and Amazon seem to need 12 hours of sleep. My African grey only seems to need 10 hours though. Mirrors sometimes stimulate females (not all though). my conures have a birdie blanket that ties to the cage. They sleep cuddled up next to it. Good luck and congrats on your new baby!

 

[wenz2712]

Hello and welcome to the forum

Most Conures love to splash about in a Water Dish.

Most people I know with Conures absolutely love their Snuggle Tent.
He will need at least 12 Hours sleep per night! I would cover him up, especially as he is in the same room with you!

Remember to give him plenty of Fruit and Veggies as well

 

[artemis]

What things sexually stimulate a hen? Springtime, for one - the lengthening daylight helps put hens into breeding condition. Nothing you can do about that, of course, other than being aware that the hormones may be surging in your bird at that time of year. Other things that can sexually stimulate a hen include lots of stroking of her back, under her wings, and belly (this is courtship behavior in parrots), mirrors, and dark, enclosed spaces (in the wild, most parrots are cavity nesters, which is why huts can be a problem - they mimic a tree cavity). Ans some birds will fixate on a toy and use it to masterbate - that's a problem if it leads to egg-laying, but can be ignored otherwise.

You'll know your hen is getting sexually excited if she crouches down low, raises her tail, and quivers. She may also regurgitate onto you. When she's hormonal, stick with petting her head and feet, as those are neutral areas of her body.

As an alternative to a hut, you can consider providing your bird with a flat platform to sleep on. Many companies make quarter-circle flat platforms that fit into a cage corner and work well as a sleeping perch. And while my own female sun conure was overly-stimulated by a hut and began laying eggs, she's fine snuggling against a soft Cozy Corner. You just have to experiment a bit and see what works for your bird and what doesn't.