Sun Conure age difference

[silverblaz3]

Hi, i have a 8 months sun conure male & i recently got a 2 and half month sun conure female from a friend. Both have bonded well and are currently staying in the same cage since 1 week without any issues. As my male will attain breeding maturity earlier, will it try to mate with the female before the female attains breeding maturity. Will it cause any issue. Sorry for the noob question. Any info regarding this will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[LaManuka]

Hi, i have a 8 months sun conure male & i recently got a 2 and half month sun conure female from a friend. Both have bonded well and are currently staying in the same cage since 1 week without any issues. As my male will attain breeding maturity earlier, will it try to mate with the female before the female attains breeding maturity. Will it cause any issue. Sorry for the noob question. Any info regarding this will be appreciated. Thanks.

Welcome to the forums, @silverblaz3, and congrats on your pair of Suns!

While it's good they've become friends already, I'd suggest that you make arrangements for them to be housed in separate cages if you possibly can. Once those hormones kick in at maturity things can often go a bit haywire, as the instinct to breed is hard-wired and can have all sorts of unintended consequences in addition to unwanted breeding, even in the most previously mild-mannered of birds. In the wild your little hen would have plenty of space to escape any unwelcome advances by your rooster, something she doesn't have if they're caged together, even with lots of out-of-cage time. I once had a pair of cockatiels, very placid birds usually, but once the male's hormones were activated he became HUGELY aggressive towards my much older hen, to the point where he would physically attack her for not returning his affections. They always had separate cages, but when the chemicals in his brain took over he'd chase her around the house to the point of exhaustion and I'd have to cage her for her own safety. Your suns can still enjoy plenty of time together outside the cage with supervision, particularly if you want to prevent breeding. But in my experience it's always best to have separate cages for some time-out and/or for sleeping, just in case things get a little "hectic".

Best of luck with your new babies, and I hope you'll post some pics of them too, cos we love baby photos around here!

 

[silverblaz3]

Welcome to the forums, @silverblaz3, and congrats on your pair of Suns!

While it's good they've become friends already, I'd suggest that you make arrangements for them to be housed in separate cages if you possibly can. Once those hormones kick in at maturity things can often go a bit haywire, as the instinct to breed is hard-wired and can have all sorts of unintended consequences in addition to unwanted breeding, even in the most previously mild-mannered of birds. In the wild your little hen would have plenty of space to escape any unwelcome advances by your rooster, something she doesn't have if they're caged together, even with lots of out-of-cage time. I once had a pair of cockatiels, very placid birds usually, but once the male's hormones were activated he became HUGELY aggressive towards my much older hen, to the point where he would physically attack her for not returning his affections. They always had separate cages, but when the chemicals in his brain took over he'd chase her around the house to the point of exhaustion and I'd have to cage her for her own safety. Your suns can still enjoy plenty of time together outside the cage with supervision, particularly if you want to prevent breeding. But in my experience it's always best to have separate cages for some time-out and/or for sleeping, just in case things get a little "hectic".

Best of luck with your new babies, and I hope you'll post some pics of them too, cos we love baby photos around here!

Hi, thanks for the reply, as of now I don't have an additional cage, but I will monitor them continuously till i get another cage. Here is a pic of both of them together. The male is still so green, i doubt whether it is a jenday conure or sunday conure. Can u shed some light on this.

 

[Jexnell]

It will take a few molts for your Sun's to get the adult coloration. Around 2 year mark is when Phoenix was full adult.

20 weeks

After first molt 8 months

2nd molt 1.5 year's

3rd molt over 2 years old

 

[silverblaz3]

It will take a few molts for your Sun's to get the adult coloration. Around 2 year mark is when Phoenix was full adult.

View attachment 55728
20 weeks
View attachment 55729
After first molt 8 months
View attachment 55730
2nd molt 1.5 year's
View attachment 55731
3rd molt over 2 years old

Oh, that's nice to know, any idea how will I know if the molting has started or not.

 

[Jexnell]

Birds typically molt twice a year. Going into autumn they molt the summer feathers for thicker winter ones. Then in spring they drop the thick ones for thinner summer ones. But if you live in an area where it stays the same temp year round then they only do a single molt.

 

[Suzette]

Birds typically molt twice a year. Going into autumn they molt the summer feathers for thicker winter ones. Then in spring they drop the thick ones for thinner summer ones. But if you live in an area where it stays the same temp year round then they only do a single molt.

Interesting and useful information about molting, thank you! I have a Sun Conure and her feathers seem to be dropping here and there. We are in Washington State, so colder weather most of the year. Do you think it's about time for her to start molting? Just wondering. Thanks in advance!

 

[Jexnell]

Interesting and useful information about molting, thank you! I have a Sun Conure and her feathers seem to be dropping here and there. We are in Washington State, so colder weather most of the year. Do you think it's about time for her to start molting? Just wondering. Thanks in advance!

Yes, I lived in Washington state when I had my Sun Conure Phoenix. And this is when he would start his molt as well. A good way you can tell if it's molting is look at it's head. If you see pin feathers, definitely molting.

See all the white pin feathers around his beak. When new feathers first come out they are in a case. The Bird will decase the ones it can. Flockmates or it's mate would do the ones on it's face and head. So it's up to us, if the bird is a solo bird, to get these. Offer water in a bowl for it to bath in every day. And misting helps. They get really itchy during the molt. The water helps a lot with the itching. Don't direct spray water but spray as a mist above the bird and let it fall onto the bird. To remove the case gently pinch off the tip, then roll the rest between two fingures and it will fall apart. Be gentle, in time he will get accustomed to this and move his head around to help you to get to the ones he can't get.

And here is after a good prune session

You can see the remains of the feather cases I removed.