Newbie Here

[wynterphoenyx]

Hi All,

I'm Kittie, and I'm the proud human of a jenday conure. My husband and I didn't go to the store with the intention of going home with a conure. We were going to look at turtles... but Calypso just wouldn't let us walk away. I'm a sucker for a cute face and clever antics, as proven by the great big hole in my bank account now

We've only had him for 2 days now, but we're already crazy-attached to the little guy. Thus far, he's been much quieter than their reputations had me expecting - he only gets squawky when he hears us right outside his door and wants us to come in and play. He's a little bite-y yet as well, but he seems generally quick to accept a toy instead of a finger, and I think he's starting to 'get' the time-out concept. I've never met a cuddly bird before, and Calypso is just the greatest ever.

I've had just a few birds before, a couple of budgies and a dove I found with a broken wing. I've been reading up all I can get my hands on about my new friend, and I thought it would be wise to join a forum where I could learn more from people who have some experience with conures. I love Calypso so much, I want to make sure I give him everything he needs to be happy and healthy!

Best Regards,
Kittie

 

[Bird_Mom_to_Coby_the_GW]

Welcome to the forum There are lots of conure owners on here that can help with any questions that you may have. Congratulations on your new feathered friend.

 

[Turquoise]

Welcome to the forum Kittie. Calypso sounds adorable & I love his name. I really can't help you much with Jenaday conures, I have never owned one. I do have a GCC, but I am not experienced at keeping conures. We have a wonderful Conure forum in the spices specific section. There are many who can help with anything you can think of asking. Good luck with your new feathered joy.

 

[antoinette]

Welcome

 

[WannaBeAParrot]

Welcome to this great forum. I'm excited for you and for lucky Calypso for finding you and your husband. It sounds like the three of you are going to have much love and fun to share with each other. Please post a photo when you can - would love to see Calypso.

 

[wynterphoenyx]

Thanks for the kind welcomes If I'm using the app right, I'm about to upload a pic of Calypso...

 

[wenz2712]

and welcome

 

[Turquoise]

Awww, Calypso is a cutie. I love your avatar pic with him peeking out your hair.

 

[faeryphoebe1]

Oh, he's beautiful. Welcome.

 

[MonicaMc]

Calypso isn't a jenday conure... either he's a sun conure or sunday conure (sun x jenday hybrid). Considering colors, I'm leaning towards Sunday!

He's gorgeous, and welcome to the forum!

 

[wynterphoenyx]

Calypso isn't a jenday conure... either he's a sun conure or sunday conure (sun x jenday hybrid). Considering colors, I'm leaning towards Sunday!

How sure are you? He was sold to us as a jenday, but I can't claim to be an expert. I know his colors are due to change a bit as he matures (he's just shy of 3 months old currently), so it never occurred to me to question the information I'd been given.

Thanks,
Kittie

 

[MonicaMc]

Did he come from a Petco or a Petsmart by chance????

If so, I'd have to say that they aren't very reliable on information regarding their pet birds.


Jendays have green wings, and always will. Some may have flecks of yellow at the wrist joint (what many people consider the shoulder area of the bird), but otherwise, green. Heads are typically yellow with orange around the eyes, although there's a lot of variation (hard to say if any have sun in their ancestry) Here's a some pictures of adult jendays.
Jandaya (Jenday) Conure | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Jenday Conure | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Jandaia-verdadeira (Aratinga jandaya) | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Jandaia-verdadeira, Jenday conure (Aratinga jandaya) | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Jenday Conure at Mayaguez Zoo | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Parrot | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Sun conures vary a lot more in color. Here are some sun offspring (typically, but not always, very green)
Cage door | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Sun Conure (Aratinga solstitialis) | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Molting in Progress | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

And adult sun conures
Sun Conure Parakeets at Zoobic Safari | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Tinky; Sun Conure | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Bird of small things ... | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Image | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (red factor)

Pied suns
SUN CONURES - *THE FEATHER BOUTIQUE*
Valle's Zoo
Baby Pied Sun Conure 6 weeks old - Toetally Birds


Sunday conures (the hybrids) are anywhere between the two extremes. They might look more like a sun conure with green feathers scattered throughout the wings, or they might look more like jendays with an oranger face and yellow feathers scattered throughout their wings. A lot of people own sunday conures and aren't even aware they own a hybrid. Here's some photos of sundays

Pasha, one hybrid that could easily be mistaken for a Jenday, but is a hybrid. He has flecks of yellow at his wrists and his face is more orange like a sun. Otherwise he looks pure jenday!
Mr. Brave | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Rainbow Baby | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Pablo, a bird sold as a sun, but is a sunday. Has the colors of a sun, except the stomach is a little darker than the typical suns, plus green wings with yellow scattering.
Pablo | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Sunday & Sun conures. The sunday looks like a jenday with a sun conure face
Sunday & Sun Conures | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Two suns and a sunday
Sun Conures | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Panna, a sunday with more yellow
Jazz | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Another sunday, I think this one was sold as a jenday? Can't pull up the info on it atm...
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/145/332881250_2c52efd69e.jpg

 

[wynterphoenyx]

I'm a little embarrassed to admit I did buy him at Petco (and not a well-researched breeder.) In my defense, I wasn't looking for a conure; I just wanted to look at red-eared slider turtles when we stopped in Calypso just wouldn't let us leave without him.

My husband and I have been digging around all day, looking at pics of suns, jendays, and sundays. There's so much overlap between their color variations, we're just about to the point of giving up on being able to see it ourselves. Is it the yellow in the wings below the wrist joint that tipped you off?

We didn't buy him for his pedigree, thankfully; it was his personality and his desperation to come out and play with us that won our hearts. <3
Overall, it wouldn't actually matter in a practical sense if he turned out to be a freakishly mutated bluejay, so long as he's happy and healthy, but I'd like to know absolutely everything about him and to not misrepresent him when blabbering on to the world about how much I adore him when I can't even figure out his species

Best Regards,
Kittie

 

[MonicaMc]

The majority of parrots don't have pedigrees! But I get what you mean!

Yes, it's the yellow throughout the wings. This tells me that Calypso is either a young sun, or a young hybrid.

Who cares if you bought him from Petco, as long as he's healthy and happy! He was worth the money to you! I've bought from Petco, Petsmart and PetSuperMarket... but I only bought budgies.

All the other species that I've owned, and some budgies, have been second hand plus pets. Nine years ago, I gave up buying birds because people kept giving them to me! For a few years now, I've actually been contemplating buying a bird, but then I come across a bird in need of a home, consider taking the bird in, only to end up backing out for one reason or another.

 

[wynterphoenyx]

Thanks very much for the useful information. We're headed to Petco after work to use our 'Pals Rewards' bucks on toys for Calypso. I figure I'll ask if they have any documentation on him, but I don't expect anyone to really know anything, which is fine. I'm just as happy with my sunday conure as I was with my jenday, lolz. They should have it pointed out that they really ought to be better informed, though.

Thanks again!
Kittie

 

[MonicaMc]

It's hard to say if they will or not. I have heard that these stores may buy birds from local breeders as well as from "bird mills". Whether or not they actually are, I can't say.

Some pet stores will hire people who actually know what they are doing and will have that person be the animal expert in their specialty, while others will hire puppets, train them in all sections, and depending on the day that they work, they will be the "animal expert" in any one of the sections without actually truly knowing the species. The employee just knows basic care of the animals.


Hope you are able to at least find something out!

 

[wynterphoenyx]

All I was able to find out is that he's captured the hearts of the whole staff, and they were happy to see he's well-loved.

We bought him a little playground and some more toys. He doesn't seem to dislike any of it, but he seems to really just want to cuddle up in my hair.

 

[MonicaMc]

LOL! Typical behavior! It's great that the staff loved him!


Guess it's a waiting game for you, then! LOL See what species he grows up to be!

 

[Bandit]

What a gorgeous little bird! Congrats on your new feathered baby I too am a new member and also new to conures. I got my first conure on Wednesday; a little green cheek. Aren't they an absolute joy?

Welcome to the forum

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Awww, what a sweet baby conure

Be careful with bird products. Many toys are not actually safe -the dyes can contain cyanide(to make the color better), watch out for potential entrapment toys, and all sorts of things.

I tend to stick with planet pleasure toys, they are made with safe material and are fun. Plus petco and petsmart carries some of their products.