Pros and cons of your conures

[d_hoover18]

Hey everyone,

My name is Dan and I actually just joined this week and posted in the new members forum and got some awesome information from other members. I wanted to post in the conure forum being as I'm leaning more towards getting a conure than any other parrot (I currently do not have a feathered companion).

I was hoping many of you could tell me what type of conure you have along with your likes and dislikes of sharing your life with these wonderful creatures so that I can take in some valuable information before making the big decision.

Thank you so much for your time!

 

[YSGC]

Hi Dan, and welcome.

I'm in my 60s and have had birds most of my life.
My companion parrot is up there with the greatest joys of my life!
I've had, budgies, cockatiel, Yellow-Nape Amazon, Congo African Gray, Green Cheek Parakeet, Parrotlet, Senegal, and now a Green Cheek Conure named Pico.

Each bird has been better than the last!
Why? In a word, ... me! (Sorry if that sounds arrogant.)
The more you learn the better (actually, happier) your bird will be.

In addition to research, direct experience with parrots has taught me so much.
I second the suggestion that you volunteer at a facility taking care of parrots.
No matter how intelligent, willing, accommodating, and loving you are, much of what a companion parrot needs is not obvious.
For the sake of all the birds I've had I wish I knew at the beginning what I know now.
But you gotta start somewhere.
Good for you wanting to learn learn learn before you select your breed and get your bird.

With new bird-people I always suggest this 26 minute video that IMO is a great introduction to what you are getting yourself into.
If you still want a parrot after this video, good for you, and start deciding on which breed is a good fit into your flock.
Though much of what she says are reasons to not get a bird, seeing the love and companionship she shares with her fids are 11 million reasons to get a bird.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ijo1w39wjY"]11 Reasons NOT To Get A Parrot | BEFORE GETTING A BIRD WATCH THIS! - YouTube[/ame]

I'll post more later.

 

[Jen5200]

Well, I think conures are great birds (I may be biased....I have 4 lol). I’ll put the caveat on mine that I got them all as adults at different times. Baby and Tango (sun and GCC) are very close and share a cage (2 females). Stanley and Bindi have their own cages and neither are friendly with other birds. Mine are all on a pellet diet, they eat chop twice per day, and get seeds/treats in small quantities.

I have 2 green cheeks - one normal color and one pineapple. They both tended to be nippy/bitey when I got them and we worked through establishing boundaries and they’re normally pretty darn respectful with their beaks now. Stanley is a cuddler and likes scritches. Tango is not a cuddler, but will permit head scratches when she wants them. Tango loves to ride around on my shoulder whenever she’s out of cage and is an avid flyer in the house. Both green cheeks love toys, play like crazy and amuse themselves on play stands and in their cages, they’re very curious about everything and mine love to learn little tricks. Stanley says a few words. Neither are particularly loud. I love them both very much!

I have 2 sun conures as well. Baby and Bindi are both very cuddly and would rather spend their out of cage time snuggling with me. Baby likes to fly and do tricks, and will sometimes play on the play stands or preen on a perch in the sun. Bindi is a complete velcro bird and if she’s out, she’s on me. Baby sometimes plays with toys, Bindi is not a fan of them - she’ll chew on wood toys but that’s about it. Bindi tries to talk. They both tend to get a bit hormonal if given spaces to hide in their cages so we avoid that. Suns are LOUD by most people’s standards (I don’t have close neighbors so no issue here). Mine are very affectionate with people and have never had any issues with biting.

Not sure if any of this is helpful - but feel free to ask if there’s anything else that you’d like to know

 

[Sunnyclover]

I have 4 different types of Conures and will list from largest to smallest: Nanday, Sun, Green Cheek and a Black Capped.
It's hard for me to say many pros and cons because it's mostly pros and also it's about the individual itself not the type of bird. All are able to be handled and cuddled and we're easy to tame and train for the most part (i say that because one has mental issues).
One huge difference in them is the Nanday and Sun can scream really really loud sometimes but as they're happy and nearly always have what they want and need they only scream occasionally.
The Green Cheek and Black Capped are very quiet and will only really really scream if the other 2 get them going. And if they do scream it's like a poke in the arm as opposed to a punch in the face. Lol.

Oh and none of my Conures are "nippy" or really bite.

 

[YSGC]

I've had my hand-raised conure, Pico, almost 4 years.
While adopting a parrot is wonderful for the bird and the human I think that's best left to humans with more parrot experience.
For a bird-noob getting your first bird directly from the breeder a week after weaning is IMO ideal.

Spending time in a cage at a pet shop is no better for a bird than it would be for a human baby.
Parrots are very intelligent and emotionally-fragile creatures.
Every day a companion parrot needs hours of attention and interaction from a human who is well trained on these birds.

It may take a while, but try to find a local breeder.
Ideally you'd visit him/her when the chicks are being raised.

About the choice between a Senegal and a Conure you asked about ...
Both are wonderful parrots!!!!
My last bird was a hand-fed Senegal we got from a breeder when weaned (ideal).
My SO took no interest in him, and he was strongly bonded to me.
Then one day my SO picked him up and his preference immediately switched to my SO.
He wouldn't attack me and was friendly with me if my SO wasn't home, but when he was home the bird had to be with him or his world would come to and end and we and our neighbors heard about it.

A similar thing has also happened with my current conure, Pico, but the strength of obsession is a bit lower - and the green cheek's screaming can't match the dB level of the larger Senegal.

Perhaps this difference of behavior is reflective of the breeds, or maybe just these two individuals.
Just one data point, but since it is the same flock maybe it helps.

I find my conure to be a much better talker than my Senegal was, but again it could just be the individuals.

Please take your time with your species selection.
Good luck.

 

[FlyBirdiesFly]

Kermit, my 2 year old green cheek, is a wonderful bird. He usually loves cuddling and getting head scratches, but sometimes he’ll make it clear that he’s not in the mood. He’s very affectionate and bonded to me, and he spends a good portion of his time on me while he’s out of the cage. Kermit is a very skilled flier and loves flying around the house. He is incredibly nimble as well and some of his favorite pastimes are hanging upside down, doing acrobatics and squeezing through tiny cracks at the top of doorways. He likes playing with toys inside his cage but when he’s out he’s usually more interested in me. Kermit is only loud when he does his contact calls, which is usually just when I first put him in his cage and leave the room. Kermit always demands to be the center of attention. He will actively chase my other birds off of me if I’m paying attention to them instead of him. He is always interested in anything you’re doing. I guess you could call Kermit a little bit “nippy”, but that is just because he’s communicating his feelings. He’s definitely not an “aggressive” bird.

 

[RemiBird]

I have had budgies and cockatiels in the past. Now I have one green cheek conure.
I miss my cockatiels very much. They were very sweet and docile.
However, my green cheek has more of a "parrot" feel.
He is definitely more challenging to train than budgies and cockatiels. He can be nippy and stubborn, and territorial. Has no problem chasing my dog off of the couch. He is also picky about veggies but loves fruit. (my cockatiels loved vegetables)
The pros - he loves to cuddle and get scritches. He is curious and loves to be with his chosen people. (does not care for my husband but loves me and our son). He is funny and pretty quiet compared to budgies and cockatiels.
He can be moody, so you really have to read his behavior or you're going to get bitten. However, I have had him for almost a year, and his biting has reduced tremendously as our bond grew (when I first got him, my hands were scarred, lol).
I can tell you one thing - my first birds were budgies and cockatiels, and I purchased them all as babies. My green cheek was a two-year old rehome. It just feels so much more rewarding to get a rehome bird and give him a good home. But it's not for everyone. Definitely for people with more bird experience.

 

[LaManuka]

I agree with pretty much all of the above. Unfortunately I lost my GCC named Baci to pancreatitis last year. He was the love of my life and my heart bird. I wonder if that’s the only drawback of the species, there’s just something about the way GCCs seem able to so completely take over one’s heart - to lose a beloved one is devastating...

But don’t let that put you off. I would not trade one day with my baby Baci for anything in the world. Each individual bird’s personality will vary of course but with proper love, care and attention a relationship with a GCC is hugely rewarding. There are no guarantees with GCCs as with anything in this life but if you let the bird choose you, I’m pretty sure you’ll have a wonderfully loving little friend (just watch those hormonal times they can get crazy!)

 

[d_hoover18]

You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for all of your wonderful information. I was really leaning towards a sun or jenday but now I think I am leaning towards a GCC. I've done most of my researching on Suns and Jendays (also Senegal but they are now in 4th place for me) mostly because I'm looking for an affectionate bird, one that wants to just spend time with its human(s) but also one that will let anyone (for the most part) be able to handle and interact with the bird. I don't want to say that we have a lot of company come to the house because its mostly my parents and brother and my girlfriends parents and sister. This is why I would like a bird that an get along with anyone.

I also plan on harness training the bird because I feel bad leaving my pets and would love to take it with me anywhere I can.

I have a couple more questions...

My girlfriend and I have a dachshund. Her name is Stella and we are the loves of her life as well as her being ours. She is a cuddle monster and always wants to lay with you. In all of your experiences with birds and dogs, how well do conures get along with dogs?

My last question (for now) is... Are pellet stoves safe for birds? We have a pellet stove that heats our house. For those not familiar with pellet stoves, they burn wood pellet fuel, its all natural compressed wood with no additives. You can either burn hardwood pellets, softwood pellets or a mixture of the two. Sometimes you can smell a smokey burning wood smell when the pellets first light, but its very subtle and doesn't last long.

We are also looking into getting a vented propane heater for the basement but I am not so concerned about that because it will be vented outside.

Thank you all!

 

[T00tsyd]

Syd was 14 weeks old when I met him. He lived with a single Dad and a toddler determined to smash him under a toy and if that didn't work then opening the doors to the garden seemed a good idea. The Dad had bought Syd as a pet for his son and soon realised it wouldn't work.

Apart from a couple of budgies as a child I had no experience at all. I would recommend hours and hours of reading here, it is the thing that has got me and Syd to where we are today. They say parrots choose their owners and so it was for us. Syd settled very quickly and several bites later I am improving my body language skill no end. He rarely bites now.
He's funny, a real character and busy. Like a child he will glance in my direction if he sees something and isn't sure he's allowed to eat those flowers, chew those blinds, poop there, and has learned the word no, except like a child he chooses if he obeys. He has learned several words and even manages to use them in context which amazes me.

He loves his fruit although at first hated veg and got very deft at aiming it at me when first introduced. Now he trusts me enough to try most things. Trust is the one thing that truly amazes me. It took work it's true but now I get the feeling that he would trust me with just about anything, even if he doesn't really like it. When considering a parrot I knew a big bird would scare me and at first I expected to stick with budgies but this little man is a friend. We really interact. I didn't expect it. It has been a real surprise, an honour and pleasure to live with him. I just hope he feels the same way - he seems to - most of the time!

 

[YSGC]

With what you burn for heat be sure to get a carbon monoxide alarm.

Dogs and conures?
In my case, yes Pico got along fine with our two 15 pound dogs, but use common sense.
For instance, never leave them together when the dogs are feeding, having a treat, or are chewing a bone.
Birdie may try to take a bite of whatever the dogs are eating.

Know that parrots and dogs both establish pecking orders within their group and it doesn't matter that they are different species.
They still do this.

Pico was the alpha-animal and the alpha-dog was not please but did submit.

The day we brought Pico home I sat on the floor with him and my SO sat on the other side of the room with the two dogs.
Pico made a beeline and charged the dogs and scared them.
They ran away to another room.
Pecking order established!
Over time the dogs warmed up to the bird, but still, I always kept a watchful eye when they were together.

 

[d_hoover18]

Thanks YSGC!

Our dachshund would never do anything she knows she should not be doing. She is by far the smartest dog I have ever known. Do I think she would attack a bird when I get one? I have absolute faith that she wouldn't, however I will be sure to never leave the two of them alone together.

As for the carbon monoxide alarms I actually have one up already. But I will be putting one right outside of the room the bird will be in, along with some smoke alarms.

 

[Rudustin]

I have a Golden Conure. He is six months old and absolutely the most affectionate and well behaved bird I have ever owned and I am seventy years old this year and have had from cockatiels to a Hyacinth Macaw and Green Wing Macaw. I have had endless years of experience with larger birds for the most part and now I have my cute little one named Muffin. The only drawback is that they are very expensive if they are hand raised. So I couldn't actually recommend that this kind of conure should be your first bird because they are rare to find and as said earlier in this thread this bird is the best I have ever owned because I am so much more experienced than I was years ago. I have more time on my hands to be with my parrot companion and I have less of a social schedule and work schedule in this senior time of my life. I can also take my Golden to work with me. I think that is a great advantage for me to be able to take him with me to work. He has a portable cage that he likes and he loves being around people. To me there are no disadvantages that I can think of but I am in a position to be able to attend to my pet because of less time restraints. After cleaning and taking care of two macaws for 27 years Muffin is a breeze to take care of and the noise factor is so much more tolerable. Good luck in your journey to have a bird companion. Just remember that it is a commitment of long standing. Parrots are as intelligent and resourceful and they become a family member like your dog that can be at times annoying but the pluses in my opinion far out weigh the annoyances

 

[EllenD]

I currently have a male Yellow-Sided Green Cheek, I got him as a hand-raised baby when he was 13 weeks-old, and he'll be 3 years-old in May...He's extremely bonded to me, and with me he's the most affectionate, cuddly, snuggly little bird in the world. I easily Recall-Trained him to come to me whenever I call him, he loves baths, he eats EVERYTHING, and he loves to go out and about on his Aviator Harness...As far as other people handling him, THAT'S A NO-NO!!! But that's what you're going to get with most-all Parrots of any species, that's why it's advised that you DO NOT allow people who come over to your house and who do not live in your house to handle your Parrot, regardless of the species. It's not good for the Parrot, and it's also usually not good for the people, because sometimes the bird gets stressed and anxious, especially when their owners pass them around to strangers, that's just not good, and sometimes they become extremely aggressive with strangers and actually attack/dive-bomb them...You don't know because each individual bird is different, but when you talk about wanting a Parrot who "gets along with everyone" including people coming over to your house, that's something that you are probably going to have to accept as not happening, especially with strangers that are not a part of the bird's Flock...And again I'll say this as a warning, no matter what species of parrot you end-up getting, you are going to have to be ready to accept the fact that they very-likely will bond closely to one person in your house more than any other, it's pretty much guaranteed that this is going to happen, and as far as everyone else who lives in your house, it can go any number of ways, you just won't know typically until after the bird goes through it's first Puberty, as they do often change who they are bonded to closely in the house, who they tolerate or actually like in the house (usually when their "chosen person" is not at home), and who they absolutely do not like in the house...A lot of the time when they're young babies they love everyone, or they love just one person and bond closely with one person, and then after puberty that all changes...I've also known a lot of people who live with their significant-other or spouse where their parrot was closely-bonded to one of them for the longest time and then suddenly the bird switched it's bond to the other person and suddenly hated their former person...So the bottom-line is that no matter what species of parrot you get, you need to be totally ready for the possibility that they will only bond with one-person closely and may not like anyone else in the house, or any other number of combinations of possibilities. It's just what you have to willing to accept when you bring home a parrot...And Conures are known as being "1-Person parrots" who are extremely affectionate with one person and no one else...So just make sure that this will be okay for you and everyone else in your home BEFORE you bring any parrot home...You just don't ever know what you're going to get...

****I've said this a million times and so have many other long-time members of this forum, and I'll say it again and so will they, because it may save the life of a bird every time we say it, or it may fall on deaf-ears, but at least we said it and we tried: When it comes to OTHER PETS who live in a household and where a new Parrot is brought into their home, whether we're talking about a Dog, a Cat, a Ferret, a Monkey, a Pot-Bellied Pig, it doesn't matter, if they are larger than your Bird and/or they are a natural-predator of Birds, no matter how well-behaved and well-trained they are, you NEVER KNOW how they are going to behave and react around a new Bird. Period. They all possess natural, innate drives that their owners might never have seen before and that they have never displayed before in the presence of a Bird or other type of pet, so you just cannot say "My Dachshund would never do anything she knows she should not be doing" with regard to your new Parrot. Period. Myself and every other member of this forum could not begin to tell you how many times we have heard someone come to this forum who is planning on getting a bird and who has said exactly the same thing about their own dogs. And then months later they come back to the forum asking about how to find the nearest Avian Vet or they post a photo of their Parrot with a horrible injury asking what to do about it, or they sadly post that their new Parrot died because they refused to believe that their dog would ever do anything like they did...And trust me, I'm a life-long dog lover as well as parrot lover, I have owned, bred, and hand-raised parrots since I was 6 years-old (started breeding/hand-raising at 16), and I'm now 39, and I've always had at least one dog in the house, usually two dogs like I have now...You just need to have a very healthy respect for the fact that every dog, no matter how intelligent, well-behaved, well-trained, etc. can at any time react to your bird and kill them...And as you well-know Dachshunds are natural hunters, just like my very intelligent and well-trained Australian Cattle Dog is a natural herder. And those instincts are still present, whether you've seen them or not in your dog. So just remember that, and please do not just assume that your dog would "Never" do anything she shouldn't be doing, because all bets are off in this particular situation...

And just another point to make, you're talking about parrots like Sun/Jenday Conures and Senegal Parrots who have beaks large and strong enough to bite off a finger like it's nothing at all if they want to, and a Green Cheek Conure can easily take out a Dachshund's eye with one little peck, so you need to also worry about the welfare of your dog as well, because they also always possess the ability to attack and seriously injure your dog...Green Cheeks tend to be very nippy, especially as babies, and any parrots who have gone through puberty have hormonal-periods where they are just grumpy, nasty little buggers who will just suddenly reach over and bite anything that is bothering them, and my Shar Pei has actually sustained a good sized chunk out of one of his many skin-rolls, courtesy of my Green Cheek suddenly flying down out of nowhere, taking a chunk out of his neck wrinkle, and flying right back up onto my shoulder...Even after all my experience I still sometimes forget that Parrots are not at all domesticated creatures and they are also capable of doing anything, even when you've had them for 30 years and they've never done it before...So you have to protect all of your pets in both directions from each other.

 

[YSGC]

I've posted this before but this is for the new OP.

I suspect, when it comes to socializing a parrot, my experience with Pico is unusual.
Starting the day I got him, freshly weaned, I took him out of the house daily.
He immediately took to meeting new people and sitting on their shoulder to visit with them.

Obvious I size up the person for suitability and explain what to expect, and what I expect them to not do.
I say things like, move slowly, talk gently, and no hands near the bird, etc.
Some people are fearful or just don't seem comfortable, so for them it's a no-go.
No children.
I also make sure Pico is not hungry, has just pooped, and is in a good frame of mind for this, etc.
It's easy to tell when you get to know your companion parrot.

In every encounter Pico has been the perfect gentleman, and every person has been very respectful of the bird.
Even though before the encounter I tell them not to touch the bird, they are often so enamored of Pico that they can't resist the urge to pet him.
I watch the person closely for a hand to come up anywhere near the bird - then I gently touch it and say, no hands please.
Every person has happily complied.
If I got a buck for every me & Pico selfie out there, I'd be rich!

Everyone has been respectful, charmed, and delighted with the experience.
Most say they have never interacted so intimately with a bird before.
Several say we've just made their day, or "I needed that!" - which is why I usually mention that video, "11 reasons to not get a parrot".
Pico and I could easily contribute to the problem of poorly-informed people rushing out to buy a parrot - which often ends in disaster for the parrot and the humans.

After literally hundreds of shoulders he's done nothing but cuddle, nibble on hair and check out earrings and necklaces.
If the necklace is too delicate that person is a no-go, but I'll just tell them he isn't very social and leave it at that.

Obviously what we do is not without risks, and it's not for every parront or every parrot.
... but I have to say, Pico has brought so much joy to so many people, and to me, not to mention his obvious delight in meeting new humans.
As always YMMV.
Things could go wrong, so this requires an experienced and laser-focused parront.

 

[RemiBird]

My dogs stay away from the bird. The older dog is blind and slow, and he really has no interest in the bird. The younger one showed interest in the beginning, but soon learned that the bird is the boss. So now, there is peace in the house. Everyone is staying away from each other. Sometimes, Remi will chase the dog away if he is too close to his comfort zone. I always watch them closely though. Remi's beak is just too powerful and I am worried about him hurting the dogs.
But 99% of time, everyone is happy and peaceful.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Probably more than you ever wanted to know about Rickeybirds, butttttttttt...

http://www.parrotforums.com/conures/77615-patagonian-conure-tutorial.html

Good for you for reaching out and researching.

 

[OneHorseRanch]

I read someplace that you've just got to love the "brat". Ignore the bad and overly praise the good. Or find ways to disciple the bad without loosing your bird confidence in you. I love my Green Cheek "Sheldon", but he can be loud. It's trying to figure out what he wants is the hard part. Most of the time he's very loving and comical. Some days I think he'd be better someplace else but then I think of how much I'd miss the little things he says and does. Sheldons a two person bird: my daughter and I. He gets protective when others show up. He puffs up and "*****es" under his breath. He's more of a Macaw in a Green Cheek body.
Have fun on your search.

 

[EllenD]

Just to add something about taking your new bird, whatever the species, out of the house and out and about with you...First-off, it is a wonderful thing to be able to do on a regular basis (when the weather/outside temperature permits of course), for both your bird and for you. It's great to get them outside for some fresh-air and sunshine as much as possible, and it's also nice to be able to take them on shopping trips with you, while you're running errands, going on car-rides, etc I take my Senegal, my Green Cheek, and my Quaker out and about with me almost every day from late-Spring through early-Fall, when the temperature in Central Pennsylvania permits me to do so. And I'm working with my Cockatiel now so that she can hopefully go out and about with me as well, now that a long-time wing injury she sustained as a young baby has finally healed completely and she is no-longer disabled and can now fly again...It's just a very fun, healthy thing for everyone involved...

****THAT BEING SAID, you need to decide whether or not you're going to want to take your new bird out and about with you (or outside of the house at all on a regular basis), and decide it now, BEFORE you actually bring one home, so that you can start with his/her Harness-Training immediately, from day 1; the earlier you start their Harness-Training, the more-likely they will be to fully accept allowing the Harness to be put on them, as well as accepting wearing it for a long period of time without constantly chewing on it and being bothered by it. Some parrot breeders actually start Harness-training their babies at a very young age, long before they are fully-weaned, so if you're lucky enough to find a baby bird who's breeder did this, then that's wonderful. But chances are that you'll have to start your new baby on it's Harness-training as soon as you bring him home if you want them to accept it soon, as it usually takes at least a couple of months to get them to accept putting it on and actually wearing it.

***You absolutely cannot take your bird outside without it either wearing a Harness or being in some type of cage, carrier, or backpack-carrier like a Pak-O-Bird. AND EVEN IF YOUR BIRD'S WINGS ARE CLIPPED, THEY CAN STILL FLY AWAY AND GLIDE FOR MILES AND MILES, SO CLIPPING YOUR BIRD'S WINGS IS NOT A WAY TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THEM OUTSIDE WITHOUT WEARING A HARNESS!!! Yes, I am "screaming" this at you, because I cannot begin to tell you how many people have lost their birds, usually forever, because they thought it would be fine to take them outside because their wings were clipped and they couldn't fly or gain and altitude when inside of the house...What's not obvious to a lot of new bird owners (and some long-time bird owners as well unfortunately) is that birds with clipped-wings who cannot gain any altitude inside of the house can easily fly off of your shoulder outside and take-off with the breeze/wind currents, and then suddenly they are gone, out of sight and often found 10 miles away a week or two later! I just recently helped a family in the San Diego area who had a 12 year-old son who had wanted a Cockatiel for years and who they finally purchased one for, from a breeder who hand-raises their babies, try to find their new bird...They got their son a little hand-raised, just-weaned baby Cockatiel, a beautiful female, for their son's 12th birthday, and their son fell in-love with her immediately, and had her for just 6 days when they lost her. They had taken the baby Cockatiel to an Avian Vet the day they picked her up from the breeder's home for it's very first Wellness-Exam (they had been waiting for months on a waiting-list to get a baby from this breeder for their son), and the Avian Vet had clipped the baby's wings at their request...As the father told me, they had planned on using the 2-3 months the bird would not be able to fly to work with the bird on things like Recall-Training, on going in and out of it's cage on-command, and on Harness-Training, so that once her wings had grown back-in they could let the bird fully-flighted and be able to take her out and about with them on a regular-basis on her Harness...But 6 days after bringing her home they allowed their son to take her outside into their fenced-in back yard without a Harness on and without being inside of a cage/carrier, because they mistakenly thought that since the bird's wings were clipped and she could not fly at all inside of the house, that it would be fine to take her outside...And after only a few minutes of being outside on their son's shoulder, a wild bird landed on the top of their fence while chirping; this startled their baby girl and she suddenly took-off from their son's shoulder, and to their surprise she flew up into the air and was just totally gone, out of sight. They searched for her for hours, even after dark, trying to use the "contact-calls" they had been working on in the 6 days they had her, but they could not find her...They did everything possible to find her, they followed every little bit of advice I could give them about putting "Lost Bird" ads up online all over the place, calling every local Vet office, Rescue, Shelter, Pet Store/Bird Store, etc. to inform them, and they had 1,000 color posters with the bird's photo on them printed-up and they posted them EVERYWHERE within 20 miles of their house...And they never found her. And their son was and still is totally crushed and very much traumatized by it...So that's why a clipped-bird does not equal safe to take them outside without a Harness or without being inside of a cage/carrier...

Most people like to train them to accept and wear a Harness, and the most popular and safest Parrot-Harness that most of us here and elsewhere both use and endorse is the "Aviator-Harness". It's the easiest Harness to put on them, it's very easily adjusted once on them, and it allow them to not only land-safely by slowly gliding to the ground, but it also allows them to be able to fly at the end of the included Leash while you run along side of them with the Leash attached to your wrist. So we typically recommend that you buy an Aviator Harness and start your new bird's training immediately...The Aviator Harnesses come with a DVD that has a very detailed, all-inclusive tutorial on how to get them to accept putting the Harness on and then also wearing the Harness, from the first step of just placing the new Harness in or on your bird's cage for a week or two, so that your bird becomes acquainted with it and knows that it's not of any danger to them, through each, individual step of getting them to accept putting it on, and then getting it on all at once and getting them to accept wearing it and leaving it alone while they are wearing it...It does typically take them at least a couple of months to fully-accept, but the younger they are when you start their Harness-training, the easier and quicker it will go for you...And a Green Cheek Conure wears a size "Extra Small" Aviator-Harness, so if that's what you decide on then you'll know what size to order...Actually my Green Cheek, my Cockatiel, and my Quaker all wear a size "Extra Small" Aviator Harness, as do Suns and Jendays I believe, and my Senegal Parrot can also fit into the size Extra-Small because they have so much adjustment, but he can also fit into a size "Small" too if it's adjusted to it's smallest fit...When you go to order an Aviator Harness (I think Amazon, eBay, and Chewy are the cheapest places), there is a sizing-chart that will tell you what size fits each species of Parrot...

***Also, just an FYI, as mentioned above already, when you take your bird out in-public, you just have to expect that people are going to walk-up out of nowhere and touch them, even if you tell them not to, and often times without even asking you if they can or saying a word. And you should always say "No" when asked by someone if they can touch them/pet them, because you never know how your bird is going to react, and the last thing you want is for your bird to bite a perfect stranger, especially if you decide on a Sun, Jenday, Senegal, etc. That's not to say that a Green Cheek, Cockatiel, even a Budgie or Parrotlet cannot give a really bad bite, trust me they can, especially the Green Cheeks, but a Sun/Jenday, a Senegal, etc. can take a finger right off with one bite if they want to. And unfortunately we all know that even if someone just walks-up and touches your bird without asking you if they can, if your bird bites them badly, they are likely to blame you and your bird, rather than blaming themselves. And this can get very ugly legally if your bird happens to bite them badly enough that they require stitches or even worse, if they happen to take-off a finger...And for the people who do ask you first, it's just not a good idea, even if your bird is very well-trained and doesn't bite, because #1 you can't EVER know that your bird isn't going to bite, just like your dog, and #2 it's typically too stressful for your bird in the first-place to be touched by someone they don't know...Parrots are very different than dogs, cats, rodents, etc., because they are not domesticated animals, and they bond closely with one person or one small "flock" of people they live with if you're lucky, and that's it. So it's best to just ask people to please not touch them out of their safety as well as the birds.

 

[YSGC]

... ****THAT BEING SAID, you need to decide whether or not you're going to want to take your new bird out and about with you (or outside of the house at all on a regular basis), and decide it now, BEFORE you actually bring one home, so that you can start with his/her Harness-Training immediately, from day 1; the earlier you start their Harness-Training, the more-likely they will be to fully accept allowing the Harness to be put on them, as well as accepting wearing it for a long period of time without constantly chewing on it and being bothered by it. Some parrot breeders actually start Harness-training their babies at a very young age, long before they are fully-weaned, so if you're lucky enough to find a baby bird who's breeder did this, then that's wonderful. But chances are that you'll have to start your new baby on it's Harness-training as soon as you bring him home if you want them to accept it soon, as it usually takes at least a couple of months to get them to accept putting it on and actually wearing it.

***You absolutely cannot take your bird outside without it either wearing a Harness or being in some type of cage, carrier, or backpack-carrier like a Pak-O-Bird. AND EVEN IF YOUR BIRD'S WINGS ARE CLIPPED, THEY CAN STILL FLY AWAY AND GLIDE FOR MILES AND MILES, SO CLIPPING YOUR BIRD'S WINGS IS NOT A WAY TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THEM OUTSIDE WITHOUT WEARING A HARNESS!!! Yes, I am "screaming" this at you, because I cannot begin to tell you how many people have lost their birds, usually forever, because they thought it would be fine to take them outside because their wings were clipped and they couldn't fly or gain and altitude when inside of the house...What's not obvious to a lot of new bird owners (and some long-time bird owners as well unfortunately) is that birds with clipped-wings who cannot gain any altitude inside of the house can easily fly off of your shoulder outside and take-off with the breeze/wind currents, and then suddenly they are gone, out of sight and often found 10 miles away a week or two later! I just recently helped a family in the San Diego area who had a 12 year-old son who had wanted a Cockatiel for years and who they finally purchased one for, from a breeder who hand-raises their babies, try to find their new bird...They got their son a little hand-raised, just-weaned baby Cockatiel, a beautiful female, for their son's 12th birthday, and their son fell in-love with her immediately, and had her for just 6 days when they lost her. They had taken the baby Cockatiel to an Avian Vet the day they picked her up from the breeder's home for it's very first Wellness-Exam (they had been waiting for months on a waiting-list to get a baby from this breeder for their son), and the Avian Vet had clipped the baby's wings at their request...As the father told me, they had planned on using the 2-3 months the bird would not be able to fly to work with the bird on things like Recall-Training, on going in and out of it's cage on-command, and on Harness-Training, so that once her wings had grown back-in they could let the bird fully-flighted and be able to take her out and about with them on a regular-basis on her Harness...But 6 days after bringing her home they allowed their son to take her outside into their fenced-in back yard without a Harness on and without being inside of a cage/carrier, because they mistakenly thought that since the bird's wings were clipped and she could not fly at all inside of the house, that it would be fine to take her outside...And after only a few minutes of being outside on their son's shoulder, a wild bird landed on the top of their fence while chirping; this startled their baby girl and she suddenly took-off from their son's shoulder, and to their surprise she flew up into the air and was just totally gone, out of sight. They searched for her for hours, even after dark, trying to use the "contact-calls" they had been working on in the 6 days they had her, but they could not find her...They did everything possible to find her, they followed every little bit of advice I could give them about putting "Lost Bird" ads up online all over the place, calling every local Vet office, Rescue, Shelter, Pet Store/Bird Store, etc. to inform them, and they had 1,000 color posters with the bird's photo on them printed-up and they posted them EVERYWHERE within 20 miles of their house...And they never found her. And their son was and still is totally crushed and very much traumatized by it...So that's why a clipped-bird does not equal safe to take them outside without a Harness or without being inside of a cage/carrier...

Most people like to train them to accept and wear a Harness, and the most popular and safest Parrot-Harness that most of us here and elsewhere both use and endorse is the "Aviator-Harness". It's the easiest Harness to put on them, it's very easily adjusted once on them, and it allow them to not only land-safely by slowly gliding to the ground, but it also allows them to be able to fly at the end of the included Leash while you run along side of them with the Leash attached to your wrist. So we typically recommend that you buy an Aviator Harness and start your new bird's training immediately...The Aviator Harnesses come with a DVD that has a very detailed, all-inclusive tutorial on how to get them to accept putting the Harness on and then also wearing the Harness, from the first step of just placing the new Harness in or on your bird's cage for a week or two, so that your bird becomes acquainted with it and knows that it's not of any danger to them, through each, individual step of getting them to accept putting it on, and then getting it on all at once and getting them to accept wearing it and leaving it alone while they are wearing it...It does typically take them at least a couple of months to fully-accept, but the younger they are when you start their Harness-training, the easier and quicker it will go for you...And a Green Cheek Conure wears a size "Extra Small" Aviator-Harness, so if that's what you decide on then you'll know what size to order...Actually my Green Cheek, my Cockatiel, and my Quaker all wear a size "Extra Small" Aviator Harness, as do Suns and Jendays I believe, and my Senegal Parrot can also fit into the size Extra-Small because they have so much adjustment, but he can also fit into a size "Small" too if it's adjusted to it's smallest fit...When you go to order an Aviator Harness (I think Amazon, eBay, and Chewy are the cheapest places), there is a sizing-chart that will tell you what size fits each species of Parrot...

***Also, just an FYI, as mentioned above already, when you take your bird out in-public, you just have to expect that people are going to walk-up out of nowhere and touch them, even if you tell them not to, and often times without even asking you if they can or saying a word. And you should always say "No" when asked by someone if they can touch them/pet them, because you never know how your bird is going to react, and the last thing you want is for your bird to bite a perfect stranger, especially if you decide on a Sun, Jenday, Senegal, etc. That's not to say that a Green Cheek, Cockatiel, even a Budgie or Parrotlet cannot give a really bad bite, trust me they can, especially the Green Cheeks, but a Sun/Jenday, a Senegal, etc. can take a finger right off with one bite if they want to. And unfortunately we all know that even if someone just walks-up and touches your bird without asking you if they can, if your bird bites them badly, they are likely to blame you and your bird, rather than blaming themselves. And this can get very ugly legally if your bird happens to bite them badly enough that they require stitches or even worse, if they happen to take-off a finger...And for the people who do ask you first, it's just not a good idea, even if your bird is very well-trained and doesn't bite, because #1 you can't EVER know that your bird isn't going to bite, just like your dog, and #2 it's typically too stressful for your bird in the first-place to be touched by someone they don't know...Parrots are very different than dogs, cats, rodents, etc., because they are not domesticated animals, and they bond closely with one person or one small "flock" of people they live with if you're lucky, and that's it. So it's best to just ask people to please not touch them out of their safety as well as the birds.

Ellen, you've posted lots of excellent advice here.
I like and respect you very much, but on this matter my often-posted socializing experience with Pico conflicts with your post.

As I've stated, the socializing Pico and I do is not for everyone or everybird.
But after 50 years of parronting I'm sure that overall it is best for us.
It results in so much joy for others, myself, and most importantly, Pico.
I wish you could be with us when these hundreds of people are introduced to what IMO is this rare and wonderful human-parrot companionship.
It's positively magic.

Could bad things happen?
Sure, there are risks in everything we do, driving a car, eating food that we didn't grow ourselves, or being struck by a freak bolt of lightning.
But we all make many personal risk/benefit choices to have the best life.
Personally I don't buy extended warranties, or any insurance not mandated by law.
The money I've saved over 50 years of this sits in my bank and gives me the peace of mind that others get from insurance.
People just vary, and that's fine.

I try to respect diversity of choice, especially after a person gets very well informed and has long experience in something.
I have opinions too, but I strive to not present them as absolute facts that everyone must accept and follow.