Questions

[FluffyParrot]

I Have a sun conure, and I have a few questions.
1. Is it ok to leave Sun Conures in humid weather for a long time? (an hour or so?)
2. Walk in Finch Aviary by Cages by Design would this aviary be alright for my Sunny?
3. Also, he has been molting for about 2 months, I'm worried if that is too long?

 

[Jez]

I can answer #2...
That looks great! Just make sure the bars are close enough that your Sun Conure can't fit his head in between them - email them and ask the bar width and also the thickness. Looks very nice though, I would definately consider that if I got a Conure and had the money!

Oh and #1 - I think it would be fine - but wait for AD or TextDot or someone who owns a Conure and knows more about them.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

1) Heat and humidity are far less of a worry than cold (depending on where you live). Conures in the wild live in central and south american - think rain forest. If it's just natural humidity and something a human could tolerate then conures would be fine if not loving it. So unless you're referring to putting them in a sauna there'd be no problem at all.

2) That aviary looks great, pricey though. You can ask for bar spacing as Jez suggested, but if they're in the aviary business and they say it's for finches and small parrots it'd be just right for conures.

3) This depends... when they are young their molting seems to take longer. I doubt that what your seeing is a sign of trouble. They are continuously growing new feathers and loosing the occasional one. Molting just refers to major bouts of many feathers being replaced at once. Do you have pictures of him so we could judge better? Also how old was he? And what is he eating? A good diet is always important, but especially so during molts.

 

[FluffyParrot]

Thank you for answering, I really needed to know those things, since this is my first parrot. Sunny is almost one year old, his birthday is July 14..and Sunny eats Pretty Bird (TM) Daily Select for Medium birds if you really wanted to know.

 

[Jez]

2) That aviary looks great, pricey though. You can ask for bar spacing as Jez suggested, but if they're in the aviary business and they say it's for finches and small parrots it'd be just right for conures.

True,
Then I would just make sure it's not so thin your Conure can bite through it - but I wouldn't really worry about that.

 

[ermanie]

I have a Congo African Grey who is 8 months old. When will she finally stop molting? I have had her for a month...

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Ah ... did you read this thread?

Are you sure it's a molt? Is she dropping a lot of feathers over a short period, is she just loosing some here and there, or is she plucking out feathers?

Then never "stop" molting per se. They grow fresh feathers throughout their life and are always shedding older feathers. If you have photos it would be handy to see if it is normal or if there should be a concern.

 

[dakisgirls]

#1: Parrots are great in humid conditions- but if it is hot then make sure he has plenty of water and he isn't ouside for too long.

#2: That is not too long for molting!

 

[Tumbala's Girl]

Ok so how cold is too cold? I ask because we have an air conditioner in our bedroom and I like to go in there to read or do Sudoku and get away from the kids for a little bit. Tumbala is a little clingon and wants to be with me at all times! But I do worry about him getting too cold while he's hangin' with me in the bedroom! I also worry when we are sitting in the living room sometimes because it will get chilly in the evening with the window open and the fan on but I'm the only one that thinks it's cold. My husband says he's comfortable so I just cover up but I can't get Tumbala to get under the cover with me.

Also while we are on the subject of hot and cold...I was wondering if the temperature of his feet mean anything. Sometimes it's seems like they are really warm to me.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

I don't think either of those situations would be too cold. The main time temperature is an issue is at night when they are left alone for a long period of inactivity. If he is cool he can move around more or find cover to stay warm, but odds are if you are okay with the temperature then so is he.

Their foot temperature is actually one of their important thermoregulation mechanisms (they don't sweat at all, and don't shiver much - if they do actually shiver, not just ruffle feathers, then they are likely already sick). Their bodies regulate blood flow to exposed areas to control body temp. You will likely find that if his feet are really warm his beak also will be too.

I do help out a bit when I can: if Auggie's feet are really warm I give him a spritz of water and he usually enjoys that, if his feet are really cold then I cuddle up more to keep him warm.

The feet are a great birdy thermometer - and it is perfectly normal to see drastic changes in the surface temperature of their feet depending on whether they are trying to retain or release heat.

 

[classic57]

I have a couple of questions myself. I'm thinking more and more about buying that adorable pearly conure in the store. He goes nuts when I go to visit him, and it's so hard to leave him there! He was playing on his plastic chain toy tonight, climbing all around and flipping upside down, but when he saw me he stopped and got down and came right up to the front of the cage and started bobbing his head. When I went to leave, he squawked loudly as if to say, "Hey, don't leave!" and he started trying to tear up the bars on the bottom of the cage, he wanted out so badly.

1. Specifically, what temperature range is good for him? I like to keep the house cool during the winter, so I need to know how cold is dangerous for him. I'll get him a happy hut to help him stay warm, but I need to know where to keep the thermostat set once the heat comes on.

2. I'm reading conflicting information about peanuts. Are they really bad for them or what? Or is it just the mold issue? Because I see peanuts listed as ingredients in some foods. What about unsalted pistachios in the shell? It seems to me it would be great beak exercise for him to pry them open, to get a tasty treat inside.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Ah, you have been chosen by a conure - you're in for it now!

Generally most temperatures that we are comfortable in will be safe for them, but they are wired up for life in Brazilian forests... so we do need to be careful on the lower end. I don't know of any specific temperature to recommend though I do have an alternate idea to bumping up the thermostat. I also keep my home pretty cool in the winter but I have a small space heater in Auggie's room that keeps his area warmer than the rest of the house.

If you go this route however be careful about what kind of space heater you use - many of them are very dangerous for birds. I suppose this is not something to sugar coat - most space heaters are deadly due to the vapors they give off. Oil filled radiator type heaters are safe, and I think they give off a more comfortable warmth than other types anyhow (example: Delonghi Advanced Oil-Filled Radiator Heater)

I've also heard many conflicting stories on peanuts. The only danger is the fungus they tend to harbor, but humans are susceptible to the infection as well and most of us eat peanuts. It may very well be that parrots are particularly prone to this infection but I have yet to get any strait answers on this. I get very skeptical when people say something is dangerous but they cant explain why, yet both of my veterinarians who I have complete trust in have encouraged me not to give Auggie peanuts. So, all in all I'm not sure WHAT is wrong with peanuts, but it seems to be more than a warning from the paranoid fringe - who would have our parrots live in a sanitized plexiglass cube and eat only sterilized organically grown pre-ground up foods. I have replaced peanuts, and while Auggie really loved them I have found plenty of options that he enjoys just as much.

 

[Spiritbird]

Aspergillus is the name of the fungus birds can get from peanut shells and it can be deadly. The well known african grey Alex got this fungus from a corn cob bedding that was put down in the cage bottom. He was sick for a long time. I am wondering if the other type of nuts we feed our birds from a shell can harbor this fungus.

Good luck with your conure - sounds like you have much to look forward to. Do your research because it does pay off to be knowledgable about the bird you have.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Yes it is aspergillus, but humans are quite susceptible to this fungus as well - yet no one goes around saying people shouldn't eat peanuts (except for last years recall which was due to a bacteria).

This is like saying never feed a parrot bread because it contains cyanide. If true then why would it be safe for people?

I'm not doubting that peanuts are dangerous (okay, I am a bit - but I'm not encouraging anyone to risk it) but I'd like to know why peanuts are then a no-no for birds but not for us.

Most things that are (reasonably) safe for us but dangerous for birds such as aerosols and air fresheners are easily explained by the difference in their respiratory system. There is not a difference in susceptibility to Aspergillus nor the toxins it produces.

So either 1) we should ALL be avoiding peanuts like the plague if they really do harbor more of the fungus than other things we come in contact with, 2) there is some yet not clarified difference in the pathophysiology of aspergillus in birds and humans, or 3) the warning is overstated.

It may well be number two, but if this is the case why is that information so guarded?

 

[Spiritbird]

Here is a link to a good article on the parrot peanut debate:

Aspergillus Peanuts and Parrots

 

[Tumbala's Girl]

Peanuts? Really? I hadn't heard anythig about peanuts being bad for him! I give him some as treats everyday! The food that was given to us when we got him had peanuts in it! He loves them! He doesn't seem to like pistachios. He'd rather just rip apart the shell. So what did you give Auggie instead of peanuts that he liked? Tumbala seems to be a little picky (so is every human in my house). The first time I gave him some apple to munch he loved it. He's never eaten apples since! He loves banannas but not dried banannas. Sometimes he wants grapes and sometimes he doesn't. But he will always eat banannas, rasins and peanuts. He doesn't seem to want to try some of the different things I've gotten him. But he always seems to want things that aren't good for him. I can't eat Hershey's kisses if he out because he will try to take it out of my mouth. If he can't get any off of my lips he will pull on my lip with his beak and try to stick his head into my mouth (obviously I don't let him do this). The problem is that I let him have a couple bites like the first couple of days we had him before I found out what he couldn't eat...which was probably stupid but I'm trying to learn quickly because I don't want him to get sick. I would feel awful if it was because of something I did wrong because of my lack of knowledge. But in all of the things I read that said "Do not feed these things to your bird"...I never read peanuts. Or Bread for that matter. And I have given him bread because it kept him from trying to eat the bacon that I know is bad for him. (wow...long again. I really need to try and get to the point faster! ) So anyway...Is there a good way to introduce different foods to him? And is there a good list that I can find that tells me everything good and/or bad? Because the last list I read said peanuts...I'm sure it did!

 

[Tumbala's Girl]

Spiritbird, Thanks for the website. It made me feel a little better. The peanuts that I have been giving him are human grade and I have been shelling them for him because he only gets one nut out of the shell and throws the rest down. We are almost out of the food that came with him but I will make sure there aren't any peanuts left in it. I want to work on getting him some pellets because I have read that those are better for him then the regular seed food.

 

[Spiritbird]

Tumbala's Girl You are very welcome for the web link. That is the beauty of a forum such as this one - we can share.