Should I get two green cheek conures?

[Becca1]

Hi everyone!
I’m brand new here, sorry this might be a long one. Today I put down a deposit for two green cheeks. They are thought to be male and female, 2 1/2 years old. Together since they were baby’s but from different parents. They are silly tame, happy to be held, flipped over and have scritches. Everything I have dreamed of!

Now I know I can handle noise on a personal level. We have temporarily kept budgies for a family member before. I just don’t want to drive my neighbours crazy, they didn’t complain about the noise of the budgies but they used to call for around a hour in the morning and it gave me a lot of anxiety that they were secretly annoyed. Most things I’ve come across say they tend to be pretty quiet, it’s just the morning/evening calls I’m worried about and how long they could go on for.

I’ve got myself in a bit of a panic now. I truly want to bring them home. Can anyone reassure me? Or any different recommendations? Is a male/female pair worse than one conure? Or would a same sex pair be a better idea?

Any advice would be much appreciated, and I know all birds are individuals and can be completely different noise wise.

Thanks,
Becca

 

[Laurasea]

green cheeks aren't that loud in my experience. Mine rarely do an alarm call when something scary is seen, otherwise mine are pretty quiet. So that my experience. I thinkn2 is fine, makes for happier birds. Just take care not to breed. No nests.
I would not break up a pair! They get along that's fantastic. But if you split them and only took one there us no way to know if they would get along with a different ggc. Plus its cruel to split a bond

 

[noodles123]

Have you considered the risk of breeding/mating (this is serious). I am hoping they are DNA sexed. Having 2 will often make it harder for you (as the human) to bond. They may be cool now, but you have to think about how sexual maturity will impact their behavior and spur on a massive drive to bond and mate (babies are always "chill" in comparison and much quieter). While you don't want a sexually confused bird who thinks YOU are his/her mate, you also will likely struggle more if your bird already feels he/she has a mate bond with another bird...Then there is the risk that at puberty, they may stop getting along and require separate cages, out of cage time etc--- the same is true if they get along too well and try to mate.....There are myriad health risks for mating birds (especially females) and it is NOT simple as it may seem..I am not saying you can't get 2, but if you do, I would not do opposite sex.


I'd not do opposite sex...that is ASKING for trouble (even if they are related, they may either hate each other or try to mate). Then you have a whole issue with inbreeding (not to mention egg-binding potential, hormonal screaming, cage aggression etc)

 

[noodles123]

Dont use scented products or chemicals/fumes in your home (even things that smell nice to us(smoke, perfumes, air freshener, standard cleaners, vaping, burning food, incense, cigs,candles (scented or non,glue,paint, window sealing kits, polishes,aerosol sprays etc can harm your bird's sensitive respiratory system (which is dif from mammals'). Using products that heat or are heated which contain Teflon/PTFE/PFCs -very very dangerous. These off-gas and can kill a bird in under 5 minutes. Teflon/PTFE/PFOA/PFCs are most commonly found in the kitchen (pots, pans, cookie sheets, drip trays, air fryers, popcorn poppers, baking mats, crock pots, toasters, toaster ovens, popcorn poppers, waffle irons, electric skillets etc.They can also be found in space-heaters, curling irons, blow-dryers, straighteners, heat lamps, heat guns, irons, ironing board covers etc.These fumes have killed birds through closed doors and on separate floors of a home, so you should replace your cookware with stainless steel, cast iron or ceramic. You may be thinking-- well, I have used them before and my bird is fine, but they kill very inconsistently and it depends on what you are cooking, the age of the pot/pan, the specific bird etc.There was a member who lost many of her birds from a pan she had literally used for years...then one day, her husband cooked an egg (without burning or overheating) and many of them died, while the rest showed signs of respiratory distress.
You will need an avian-safe cleaner to use within your home (both on the bird cage, but also, around the house). Again, chemical cleaners cannot be used in the home unless avian safe. F10 SC (the yellow/clear concentrate) is a great, avian-safe disinfectant. Other (less effective) options include products such as "poop-off", white vinegar + water, grapefruit seed extract + water, baking soda etc. Peroxide is also fairly safe for disinfecting places like your bathroom, but you do not want your bird to come into contact with it.Some foods are toxic to them--avocado, coffee (even decaf), caffeine, rhubarb, alcohol, onions/garlic/leeks/chives, mushrooms etc. Salt is also very bad for them, as is most human food. They love it, but it's not healthy.They should not just eat seed--you will want to feed lots of washed fresh vegetables. Fruit is fine in moderation, but too much can lead to obesity and behavioral issues due to sugar. I feed my bird a mix of high-quality seed (no sunflowers, no peanuts) and pellets (in addition to fruit/veg). ECCLECTUS PARROTS SHOULD NOT EAT PELLETS. Fruit pits are toxic, as are apple seeds. Corn cob and certain nut shells (if swallowed in big pieces) can cause blockages, so you should be very cautious if you give your bird nuts in the shell. Peanuts can harbor aspergillosis, and should be avoided altogether (even they you often see them marketed towards parrots).It is important to make sure that your bird's toys and cage are made of safe metals. Stainless steel is safest. They can get metal poisoning from playing with or mouthing objects made of unsafe metals.
They need a set amount of sleep each night (10 hours on a schedule) and the largest cage you can manage with lots of different perches. You want to avoid the totally smooth/round ones as they can lead to a condition called bumblefoot. Never place a cage near drafts and never allow cool air to blow on a bird. They are sensitive to drafts and any temperature shift greater than 10 degrees can cause a shock to their system.
They need lots of safe toys and safe wood to chew. Not all wood is safe, so don't just assume you can give them any kind you want. Pressure blasted or chemically treated wood (e.g., lumber and many other types of wood from the hardware contains toxic chemicals or are cut from trees that are naturally toxic.
They hide illness and so you have to watch them to make sure they are eating normally and pooping normally etc. You should try to find an avian vet (certified avian) if at all possible and take your bird AT LEAST 1 x yearly for an exam. An avian vet is NOT the same as an exotics vet who sees birds--- so if a certified avian vet is available within a few hours of where you live, you will want to set up care.
All parrots can easily confuse the relationship with their human for a sexual one. You don't want this to happen, even though it seems sweet at first. Stick to petting on the head and neck only (the rest is sexual) and do not allow your bird to play in shadowy places, like boxes or under furniture, as these spaces are similar nesting sites and are hormonal triggers. NO SNUGGLE HUTS/TENTS!
Food and water should be replaced daily--- wash the containers daily. Never leave wet food out for more than a few hours (as it can lead to bacterial growth). Never try to medicate a bird via drinking water and never add vitamins to water. Vitamins can be over-dosed easily and harm a bird. Plus, when you add things to water, it makes it impossible to know how much they have gotten and it also encourages bacterial growth. Sometimes it can prevent them from drinking adequately if they don't like the flavor of whatever it is you added. Citrus and fruits high in vitamin C should be given in extreme moderation because they can cause "Iron Storage Disease" (for a cockatoo, 1 small tangerine slice 1-2 times a week was okay, according to my vet).
These birds have the intelligence of 3-4-year-old human, but they are wild animals (not domesticated like dogs). This means that they see the world (and humans) in a very unique way and so you must learn about their behavior in order to prevent problems (screaming, plucking etc). They need lots of time out of their cage daily and a lot of interaction (at least a few hours-no fewer than 3-4 daily). At the same time, you don't want to spend TOO much time with a bird of they will become overly dependent and not know what to do with themselves when you go to work etc.
Finally, baby birds are ALWAYS sweet compared to adult birds. When your bird hits puberty, expect that it will exhibit some annoying and problematic behaviors (much like a teen). A through knowledge of behavior and setting expectations at an early age will make your life easier when that time comes, but do prepare yourself and expect that things will not always be so smooth-sailing. Think about a baby human compared to a teen...
Here is an excerpt from another post (which you may want to reference when shopping/ calling about Teflon:
The most insidious is the Teflon/ptfe/pfoa/pfcs because you have to call the company to verify that anything that heats or is intended to be heated does not contain these substances ("PTFE free" doesn't mean PFC free and so there are a lot of marketing gimmicks out there to make people buy what seems like healthier cook-ware, even though it still contains a version of the same chemicals). Also-- these chemicals can be woven into fabric, mixed into metal during the moulding process, applied as a powder, applied as a clear-coat, or mixed with a colored coating. You cannot assume that you will be able to identify them visually, so, when you call, you must provide all abbreviations and full names + spellings of each chemical compound (and then they usually give you "the run around" for a week or so IF they ever answer your questions at all---because sometimes it's a "trade secret"). It's all very sketchy and DuPont (manufacturer of Teflon) claims that off-gassing only occurs at really high temperatures, but there have been numerous documented/scientific and anecdotal reports of birds passing away at temperatures in the 300 F range (and again, it kills through closed doors and on different floors).FYI- Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) A perfluorinated compound (PFC) Teflon (a common brand-name of non-stick cookware containing these chemicals)
10- 12 hours nightly for sleep, so if you get up at 6 and make a bunch of noise, you will wake the bird up (even if they are still covered). If they wake up at 6, bed should be between 6-8. You want to keep it around the same time if possible (because that's how it is in nature).
OH-- something I didn't mention in my last post-- stainless steel is really one of the only safe metals for them. Research the heck out of your cage and make sure that if it uses a powder-coating it is truly non-toxic. Birds can get metal poisoning from playing with sketchy toys (many made in China do not adhere to best practices) and just mouthing things like money, bolts, locks etc can cause toxic impacts...A man I know allowed his bird to play with un-used toothbrushes and there were small copper bits -this nearly killed his bird even though the bird didn't actually swallow the pieces.

 

[T00tsyd]

I'll be honest Syd can be mighty loud if - he wants something he can't have, he is warning about something he considers dangerous, I leave the room and forget to tell him in detail where I am going and why and how long I will be. In the morning and evening he usually just chunters practising all his words and making up new ones while looking out the window and watching the wild birds outside. Your two at 21/2years are a bonded pair. Don't split them for no other reason than they would be miserable, but do you want them to breed? Are you keeping them caged together? I guess you have to think how you will deal with that.

 

[Orin2017]

I can say that if you bought only one, it would call to you everytime you leave the room, loudly. If you bought two, perhaps that wouldn’t happen because the bird’s partner is right there. But I’ve never had two conures, only one. So take my two cents with a grain of salt.


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[noodles123]

I can say that if you bought only one, it would call to you everytime you leave the room, loudly. If you bought two, perhaps that wouldn’t happen because the bird’s partner is right there. But I’ve never had two conures, only one. So take my two cents with a grain of salt.


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That is sort of true, but you can't know that 2 will get along (or keep getting along at puberty). The bigger risk would be mating and bonding difficulties....disease is huge too when combining 2 birds in one home...even if housed in different cages.
It also makes it much harder to form a bond when there is another bird in the picture and both come home at the same time...if the other bird is established and a new one is brought in, you risk not only disease, but jealousy and shifts in your current bird's behavior.



I can leave my cockatoo (depending on the time of day and what she is doing) and she will not scream even though she is overly obsessive when it comes to being with me...and U2s are SCREAMERS. The flock calling instinct is strong, but with some training and use of key phrases etc it can be reduced (but not eliminated). She still screams and wants to be with me all the time, but it doesn't happen every time I leave the room.