Sun conure parrots are one of the most striking pet birds imaginable. A blaze of orange and reds, sun conures are a cockatiel sized parrot that have all the attitude and playfulness of a large macaw.
Sun Conure Appearance
Approximately twelve inches in length, a sun conure's body shape closely resembles that of a macaw. The chest and head are a mix of orange and yellow, with yellow and green wings. Tail feathers are a mix of green and blue, and the flight feathers are a deep blue. Sun conure beaks are black, and they have a pronounced white border around their eyes.
As juveniles, sun conures have less yellow and orange coloring and more green. Over the course of their first year of life young sun conures slowly gain their brighter colors.
Sun Conure Behavior
Sun conure behavior belies the parrot's small size. Clownish and inquisitive, sun conures can be little charmers. Because of their bold nature, proper sun conure training is essential—a novice parrot owner could easily find a sun's personality too much to handle. Suns, like other parrots, need firm guidelines that are enforced gently but consistently.
Much like their larger cousins the macaws, sun conures love to interact with humans and be where the action is. They're well known for crawling into their owner's shirts to fall asleep.
Perhaps the most endearing aspect of sun conure behavior is their tendency to play and sleep lying on their backs. This habit can also be a little unnerving—more than one new sun owner has panicked seeing their little parrot lying motionless on the cage floor, only to discover that the bird is just asleep.
Sun Conures and Noise
Sun conures are loud. A sun has a very shrill, piercing call, making it inappropriate as an apartment bird despite its small size. Acting as the family watchdog is common sun conure behavior: the little parrots are known to raise the alarm when anyone approaches the house.
A sun conure who doesn't get the attention he wants can scream for attention, which can become habitual. Many sun conures are surrendered to rescue sanctuaries because owners couldn't tolerate the noise. If you are considering a sun conure as a pet it's advisable to spend some time with one first to get a feel for just how loud they are.
Sun Conure Diet
Sun conure diet should include variety to prevent boredom. While sun conures will eat formulated pellets your conure will be healthier if fed a wide variety of healthy food. Fresh vegetables, including green leafy veggies provide nutrients that pellets and seeds lack.
Sprouted seed is much better for conures (or any parrot) than dry seed. Fruit and nuts can also be offered. Most sources recommend dividing a sun conure diet up as follows:
- 45 percent vegetavles
- 5 percent fruit and nuts
- 50 percent seeds and grains.
A sun conure diet can include most healthy human food, and your parrot will enjoy sharing treats with you. Be sure, however, to avoid chocolate, caffeine, and other toxic parrot foods.
Sun Conure Lifespan
With proper care and diet a sun conure can live anywhere from 25 to 30 years. Choosing to live with a sun conure is a long-term commitment, and as with all parrots it's best to be sure you're capable of devoting that much time to a bird before buying a sun conure.
Sun Conure Breeders
While sun conures are available through pet stores, many people prefer to buy their pet through sun conure breeders. The key, of course is to find reputable bird breeders. Prices for sun conures range from $250 to $350 from breeder.
Alternatively, you may be able to adopt a sun conure from a parrot rescue. Be aware, however, that rescued birds may have behavioral problems that are best handled by experienced bird owners.
 |
 |
