Patagonian Conure...?

[Sterling1113]

I have NEVER heard the name before, but I absolutely love the look of the bird, they're HUGE for conures!
I was wondering if anyone here has experience with one and could give me some insight?

 

[Conureloverforlife]

Well I don't have any insight for you but I had to look them up when I saw your post because I'v never heard of them either. They are very beautiful, and their eyes are amazing! Are you planning on adopting one?

 

[riddick07]

There is actually one member that I know has one. They posted pictures awhile ago and the bird was quite beautiful and much different than all the other conures I had seen!

 

[RavensGryf]

There is a greater and a lesser Patagonian. Im sure it's the lesser that I've seen before. I've read before that they are extremely loud (even for conures), and I've heard they have more of a tendency to pluck for a conure.

 

[Mekaisto]

.
They are loud, but they are very gentle and clever.
I have only ever met two, so I can't really speak for the species as a whole.
They were very friendly birds, who loved to just hang around with people and be involved with the family.

 

[thekarens]

I've met one at our local shop. It's very sweet, but LOUD

 

[Birdman666]

I fostered one about a decade ago. Interesting birds.

They are semi-nocturnal.

They are cliff dwellers, and they have big old feet made for digging.

Other than that, they are just happy go lucky conures...

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Ive been around 2 [super sweet ] . Hear they can be very loud also

 

[Sterling1113]

Ahaha so it seems the decision is unanimous that they can be LOUD!
Does anyone know what "kind" of loud it is?(I.E. Like a Sun Conure, shrill and piercing, or more like a low-tone, just high volume?)
I wasn't thinking of adopting one until I saw a breeder here in Texas also specializes in Patagonian. It doesn't specify whether it's greater or lesser, but it definitely caught my eye. And the fact that the only person I've seen that sells them lets them go for $345, which is right around average for a Sun Conure in these parts.
Of course I don't want to go and adopt a bird I know nothing about, but the fact that they seem rare or difficult to come across makes it really tug at my curiosity! Haha. All the things I can find about them online is the generic paragraph about most conures, "can be loud/playful/great pets/loves to socialize/can be nippy" etc.

Honestly I was surprised to wake up this morning and see my thread had gotten replies overnight! Hah
They're so cute too. <3
I love love love green on a bird. Eclectus, Alexandrine, GCC, White eared conure, they're so pretty!

 

[Birdman666]

Pattys are really good birds. They are semi-nocturnal, so they will stay up later than most. It's normal.

The bird I had wasn't especially loud. Her calls were not pleasant, but she didn't vocalize as much as my little birds did. She was more in line with my macaws. Goes off a couple of times a day. Feeding time, happy to see you time, evening treat time.

Otherwise she was fairly quiet, and very trainable.

My foster bird did not pluck, was quickly trained not to bite, self-entertained well and was quickly adopted out...

She also liked to burrow and play under a small baby blanket. That bird was big on Peek-e-boo... more macaw like, than conure like in a lot of respects.

 

[Sterling1113]

That's actually really cool. I love Macaws, but I'm absolutely *terrified*of the size! I'm just very jumpy and I would hate to stress out a bird because I can't hold still! haha.
I've been looking at some Mini Macaw species, particularly the Severe Macaw because they're smaller in size but still have the attitude of a Macaw.
My two conures usually put themselves to bed(go into their nest box) around 10, even if the cage door is open like it usually is, and I'm up till 12-1 a few nights a week just being restless, so I feel like if I happened upon a Patagonian we'd be best of friends.

I might have to do some more research and find out more about these guys and how they live. (Cage, diet, general stuff.)
They sound awesome, in my opinion.

 

[Birdman666]

My least favorite macaw of all of them is a Severe!

I've met one or two that were sweethearts.

The rest were really one person birds. They are very prone to that.

If you get one SOCIALIZE IT AROUND STRANGERS FROM BIRTH...

(I AM BIASED ON THIS ONE, AS A SEVERE MACAW VERY NEARLY REMOVED MY LEFT THUMB. SO CONSIDER THE SOURCE.)

 

[Sterling1113]

Birdman: Oooof. That sounds tough. Any other suggestions? I looked at the Hahn's but they're more difficult to find anywhere near me, and for some reason I didn't really click with one. Maybe if I had ever met one personally I'd feel different, but for now I stay "meh" toward them.
And some of the other mini macaws have one heck of a price tag.

(Who knows, I might end up falling in love with a Patagonian. )

 

[Birdman666]

Birdman: Oooof. That sounds tough. Any other suggestions? I looked at the Hahn's but they're more difficult to find anywhere near me, and for some reason I didn't really click with one. Maybe if I had ever met one personally I'd feel different, but for now I stay "meh" toward them.
And some of the other mini macaws have one heck of a price tag.

(Who knows, I might end up falling in love with a Patagonian. )

That particular bird was a rehab. Severes were frequently dumped because they were prone to becoming one person birds, and biting. They do tend to have tempers.

This particular bird was angry at the world, and had that sharp point on his beak, that enabled him to use it like a scapel.

I took my eyes off him for a split second and he sliced my thumb open right down to the bone... took a bit of flesh with it.

Again, it doesn't mean that these are bad birds, necessarily, it just means that they have these tendencies, and need the extra training... socialize them to the Nth degree.

In my opinion, small macs have larger attitudes than big macs...

A greenwing or a hyacinth doesn't have to PROVE he can protect himself...

A MINI-MAC... on the other hand, often makes a point of it. You're more likely to be bitten by a small one than a large one.

BUT the big ones will see if they can make you jump. If they can, you won't have an easy time picking them up.

They sense fear a mile away. And they OWN you if you are afraid of them, and play with you if they are not.

It just is.

 

[Birdman666]

I fostered a female who came in as a biter... (Wasn't really. She just handn't been handled enough, and was a little shy.)

She was a great little bird.

Just a tad smaller than a red fronted macaw (with bigger feet) and just about as sweet...

NOW, if you really want to go interesting medium sized macaw... they don't get any better than Red Fronts! In many ways, they have the personality of a shy hyacinth. One of my highest recommendations...

But then I'm biased. I have a 12 year old that I've had since she finished hand feeding...

 

[Sterling1113]

I think my thing is I'm afraid of a big beak. And I've seen/experienced how temperamental Macaws can be. That being said, it goes for any bird, however I like to keep my birds flighted given it's in their best interest, and I could see my macaw becoming moody, me flinching(because I'm jumpy to EVERYTHING.) and then being too nervous to pick him/her up if I have even the slightest thought that he/she is gonna try to take a finger off. Until I try something the size of a Galah/Goffin/Illigers/Eclectus I'd rather not gamble with a large bird like a full size macaw(Or just one with a full-size beak!) or an umbrella/mollucan cockatoo.

(It's really hilarious actually, I'm the same way about snakes, but it's the other way around. I'll pick up a large boa or python comfortably and let them sit with me on my arm, but smaller snakes I'm afraid of because they're harder to "read their actions" and I'm more afraid of dropping the snake and it getting lost! I'm getting over it with my Corn Snake and Milk Snake though. Slowly. Lol)

 

[Sterling1113]

***also***
Although I'm not opposed to adoption or re-homing, for my first "large" parrot I'd rather have a chick that was hand-reared and socialized by a professional or take classes on how to do it myself, so I can identify with the bird from a young age and even if it's exceptionally nippy or beaky, I can tell by reading body language before any damage/stress is caused to either of us!

 

[Birdman666]

I think my thing is I'm afraid of a big beak. And I've seen/experienced how temperamental Macaws can be. That being said, it goes for any bird, however I like to keep my birds flighted given it's in their best interest, and I could see my macaw becoming moody, me flinching(because I'm jumpy to EVERYTHING.) and then being too nervous to pick him/her up if I have even the slightest thought that he/she is gonna try to take a finger off.

UNTIL YOU GET OVER YOUR FEAR, THEY WON'T LET YOU... that's what I'm saying.

First of all, my macaws are not tempermental by nature... this is usually a training and socialization issue.

Most folks don't do enough, in my opinion, unfortunately. And a lot of folks don't ever even bother to bite pressure train them. (Those are the folks who have scars!)

They can be made to be defensive based on how you approach them... and if you jump when they do the "bully bird" routine (which they do to test, to see who they can "get" and who they can't...)

They are basically play-ahaulics...

If a large macaw lunges at me, I generally respond to it as an invitiation to wrestle. Then it becomes a game.

If I jump, it becomes a game of can the bird dominate me. The dynamic is completely different based on a simple flinch...

THEY ABSOLUTELY KNOW WHO CAN AND WHO CAN'T!!!

 

[Sterling1113]

I think my thing is I'm afraid of a big beak. And I've seen/experienced how temperamental Macaws can be. That being said, it goes for any bird, however I like to keep my birds flighted given it's in their best interest, and I could see my macaw becoming moody, me flinching(because I'm jumpy to EVERYTHING.) and then being too nervous to pick him/her up if I have even the slightest thought that he/she is gonna try to take a finger off.

They can be made to be defensive based on how you approach them... and if you jump when they do the "bully bird" routine (which they do to test, to see who they can "get" and who they can't...)

I've read up on that and I feel like even though I "know" that the biting won't be an issue as long as I'm not afraid, I might still be jumpy.
And I'd rather not find out the hard way by going out of my comfort zone and getting a bird I feel like I'm not ready for

Another note: Have you ever had any of your birds shipped to you? And if so, what website did you use? I'm looking for recommendations.

 

[Birdman666]

Can't help you there.

Most good breeders know how do shipping arrangements.