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Conference 7.286::pet_birds

Title:Captive Breeding for Conservation--and FUN!
Notice:INTROS 6.X / FOR SALE 13.X / Buying a Bird 900.*
Moderator:VIDEO::PULSIFER
Created:Mon Oct 10 1988
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:942
Total number of notes:6016

722.0. "Need info on maroon-bellied conures" by ATSE::LEVAN (Living in a Gemini dream) Thu Aug 13 1992 19:14

A friend of mine, who has had a number of parakeets in the past and is currently
bird-less, is considering buying a maroon-bellied conure. He's 1 year old, 
domestically raised, has had 1 owner and is currently for sale (with cage) for 
$300. The pet shop told her that his former owner (who is a friend) sold him 
to them because he has a new (human) baby.

I've seen several notes on other types of conures in here, but none on this
particular kind. He is green with dark red feathers on his belly and tail. Can
anyone share any info on the maroon-bellied conure? 

So far he seems to fit the general description of conures. When we went to the 
store he was friendly to all of us, but markedly preferred my friend - being 
very affectionate and really seeming to bond with her. She was thrilled,
naturally. He's already won her heart, but she's holding on to her wallet
because $300 is more than she wanted to spend. 

She did want a bird a bit larger than a parakeet, but not too much larger.
She is looking to buy 1 bird for companionship. She works fulltime but is home
most evenings and weekends. She needs a bird that can amuse itself when she's 
gone, but will be friendly and playful when she's home.

Her main concern from what she's read on conures so far is the screeching they 
are noted for. But she also read or heard that the maroon bellies are on the
quite side. So far we haven't heard a peep out of this little guy. The pet shop 
personnel told her they haven't either. She's been in to see him several times, 
spending well over an hour holding him and playing with him. I have a feeling 
that he'll start screeching after she buys him and he feels 'at-home' in her 
place - and when he is NOT getting her undivided attention (like when she's 
sleeping! :-) Maybe I'm being a cynic. The way I've seen her treat birds over 
the years is let them be free, to carry them around the house with her and so 
forth. She's very loving and attentive. So maybe they would work out. Then again
if he screeches all day while she's at work and the landlady downstairs hears 
him she'll have a fit.

So - any info on maroon-bellied conures would be welcome!

	Sue 
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722.1"I Love Conures!!"SWAM1::MOONEY_SAWed Aug 19 1992 15:2437
    I have two conures, a dusky headed conure and a green cheek. The green
    cheek and the maroon-bellied conure are almost identical in every way
    and unless you look very carefully, you can't tell them apart.
    
    Anyway, to give you some insight on my little green cheek.  His name is
    "Beeker".  I have had him since he was 4 weeks old and as bald and ugly
    as you can imagine. Not a feather anywhere!!  He is just a character!
    In to everything and is such a little lover!  I always read about the
    conures being so noisy and loud and my two conures are not like that at
    all!!  The Dusky does "the call of the wild" only when we first come
    home from work (because he wants out of his cage) and when he is
    outside around the wild birds.  Otherwise no loud noises!  Both of my
    bird talk, talk, talk.  I think it is because we got them both very
    young and they are around us all the time. In fact it's a hoot, because
    my Dusky "woos" the green cheek and since he only knows human words and
    noises for affection, it almost sounds like a porno movie!!
    
    Both of our birds love to get under the covers and "root around" like
    pigs.  They will actually sleep under the covers. The Dusky lays down
    on his belly as flat as can be! Anyway I could go on and on, I just
    adore these birds and I have had nothing but pleasure from both of
    them.  The little green cheek is quiet and talks the most right when
    you put him to bed.  He eats anything we do, especially apples, grapes,
    bread or pasta.  Prefers safflower seeds, but will eat the most of the
    seeds in the mixture for small hookbills.  He says, "Beeker", "Kiss",
    he makes "kissy noises", loves to get under your hand, and sit on your
    head and preen.  He hops when he gets excited, and will snuggle your
    neck in a minute.  He is a joy!  Now if anyone wants to know about
    "Duskys", I could go on an on about ours!
    
    One last thing, I live in California, and the price of these birds
    directly from the breeders, is far less than what I have read in notes.
    Our Dusky was $175, and our Green Cheek $135.
    
    Hope this information helps you.
    
    ...Sandy...
722.2My new 'nephew' the conureATSE::LEVANLiving in a Gemini dreamFri Aug 21 1992 15:3032
Thanks, Sandy, for sharing the info on your conures.

My friend bought the maroon-bellied conure (.0) and he's just WONDERFUL - 
friendly, playful, inquisitive and affectionate - but not particularly
noisy. He and my friend have become quite close. He's friendly to all of us 
who've met him, but you can tell he's 'her baby'. She's really glad she got
him and doesn't regret the $300 she spent (it does sound like a lot of money,
but she can afford it and she's very happy with her new companion).

So far the bird mostly makes soft, low noises that sound like a cross between 
chirps and squawks - kinda cute, actually. He hasn't talked, but I think he'd
like to. He hasn't woken my friend up with any screeching. When she puts him
back in his cage for the night and covers it up he's silent until she lifts
the cover and greets him (either early or late) the next day. 

We did hear him protest one night when we had been playing with him for hours 
and then all adjourned to the living room and left him alone. He let out a 
number of loud squawks, so my friend went and got him. I think she's going to
spoil him that way, but she figures he's alone all day and some nights, so it's 
only fair that they be together constantly when she is home. Apparently when she
has been home alone all day she's left him in another room off and on without 
any screeching. So I think it's just the extrovert in him complaining when he's
left out of a party! (Being an extrovert myself, I can empathize :-). But I do
wonder if she'll regret being wrapped around his little 'claw'! She brings him
to the dining table too, and one of these days I bet she'll want to have a 
romantic or private dinner 'sans conure' and she won't be able to shut him up!

So far she hasn't decided on a name for him. We've tossed a lot of them around
and it got pretty silly afer awhile ("This is my Conure, Chuck Conure"). I hope
she decides soon; he feels like a member of our extended family already.

	Sue