Anyone own a sun conure?

Question

I am really considering buying a sun conure, I never even knew that they existed until I saw one at the pet store about 3 months ago. It was the sweetest bird I have ever met, it was really young, but had no fear and actually would approach everyone that came up to its cage and beg them to hold him. Then about 2 weeks ago I saw another one at a different pet store and it was just as sweet. Is this the norm for the sun conure? I dont know much about buying birds, all my knowlege is in dogs. I know to never buy a dog from a pet store, is it the same with birds? Also, the ones at the pet store cost between $500-$750 and I have noticed people selling baby ones in the newspaper for $200, what should I look for when buying from a private citizen. Any info would be appreciated, I am relatively new to the "bird world"

Everyone has given me great answers so far, thank you very much. I did not know they were loud, thanks everyone for letting me know. I own a house and live by myself so it wont be a poblem. I have another question though, how do I tell if they have been weaned properly??

I usually pick my own best answer, but this is the first time I honestly cant decide. There are a few answers that are great so I am going to let the voters decide. Thanks again for all the help, I am very excited to go get myself a sun conure. Thanks.

Answer 1

Don't buy a bird from a pet store. For one thing, pet stores' prices are DOUBLE what you will pay for a bird from a private breeder. Also, getting a bird from a private breeder, you'll usually know EXACTLY how old that bird is, how it's been raised, what it's been eating, how socialized it is.

I've got 3 caiques. When I started looking for my first one, I found one in a local pet store for $1500. I researched private breeders and got TWO birds for that price, INCLUDING shipping (and yes, you can get a bird shipped to you, via major airlines, for about $100 -- and the breeder you buy from arranges that part of the transaction).

Go through a private breeder. And don't limit yourself to your immediate area.

A little word of warning about sun conures -- they're one of THE most beautiful conures you'll ever see when they grow up, but they are LOOOOOOOOOUD!!!! And they are very vocal -- which means they can go morning, noon and night. Not cockatoo-screaming, wallpaper-peeling loud, but they have a shrill screech that most people are not prepared for.

Answer 2

Pet stores & breeders all depend on the area. We have fantastic pet shops here & some breeders i wouldn't go anywhere near, so have a look around & decide for yourself which is best in your area.

For selling babies, this goes for ALL sellers, shops & breeders. You need to be sure they're fully weaned, look healthy & the breeder or person selling is willing to let you see the area they're being raised in, the parents or family, aviary, basically to make sure it's clean & there are no infested, sick looking or dead birds around. As much as everyone on hear loves to hammer pet shops, some breeders aren't that crash hot either.

If your bird isn't weaned properly make sure you can take it back. An unweaned parrot can end up with psycological issues.

If the seller isn't willing to answer some questions or getting annoyed or impatient with the questions you should avoid them. If the answers don't seem right avoid them.

Sometimes, but not all the time, you do get what you pay for so if you can find other baby sun conures around try & compare health, size, behaviours, social skills etc before deciding.

Oh & do you know how loud they are? They can be pretty ba which is why there are SO many in rescue. Their means of all comunication is to scream in an aweful high pitch tone & there is very little you can o about this as it is natural for them, & it can be continual through the day. Have understanding people living with you, great neighbours, ear plugs & you will be fine.

Answer 3

It really depends on what you consider noisy and what your NEIGHBORS consider noisy and how thick (or thin) your apartment's walls are. I've got three birds (not conures, though -- caiques) and I live in an apartment. I've had these birds for nearly 5 years, they are NOT quite as noisy as a sun conure, and I've never had a complaint yet. Before I got my caiques, I had a Quaker parrot who was as noisy as all three of my current birds combined -- and I had no complaints about him, either. The only reason I don't have him anymore is he died at the age of 13 years -- and then I got my three caiques. Have you ever thought of a pionus? One of my caiques came from a breeder who also raised white-capped pi's. I've been told they're wonderful apartment birds and have even sweeter personalities than most conures.

Answer 4

I have had my SC, Clyde, for 15 years. They are beautiful, smart, and can be very sweet and affectionate.

I will warn you about them, they are extraordinarily LOUD. Trust me, I wouldn't trade my Clydie for the world but if you live in an apartment or with roommates, I wouldn't get a sun conure. Many suns end up in shelters because people don't realize just how loud they can be at the pet store. Also, that sweetness you observed is true of conures WITH the right training and taming. Untrained or abused sun conures can be very aggressive. Even Clyde will bite from time to time and it is enough to draw blood.
Also, they can be affectionate however when they reach sexual maturity at about age 2, they usually choose only one person to be affectionate with. This is normal behavior since they choose only one mate for life in the wild. Again, this is fine if you live alone but if you live with others, they may be the target of some vicious posturing and/or bites, especially if you have children.
Don't get me wrong, he is the most wonderful pet that I have ever owned and beautiful and I love him to death but I just want to warn you about the pitfalls of having a parrot...especially since SC's can live up to 30years...it is quite an investment.
If you do end up buying one, they can run about 500-700 dollars. Try and buy one from a reputable breeder...you can find them in the classified ads of bird magazines or online. I would advise against getting a baby sun conure if you are new to birds. Babies need alot of hand training and feeding which can be a hassle if you aren't used to them. Also, shelling out the extra 3 or 400 dollars for a young, hand raised/hand tamed sun is worth it since the work is pretty much already done for you. Good luck in whatever you decide!

Answer 5

Buy Conure

Answer 6

Look at the bird on my shoulder. That is a sun conure. Don't buy one from a pet store, they want way to much. I got mine from a flea market and only paid $200.00 for it. Another good place to get one is from a bird show. He's really a good little bird.

Answer 7

I have a red masked sun conure. His name is Chico and he is very sweet. I can only speak from my experience with Chico, but he has attached himself to me. When my husband gets him out of his cage, he is constantly looking at me and trying to figure out how to get to me.

They are very comical and if you wear glasses they will try to pick them off of your face. They do require quite a bit of out of cage time. But they are happy to just sit on you shoulder while you are on the computer, reading or watching TV. My will say a few words , but they are kinda mumbled. He loves to click with his tongue when I snap my fingers to a song and whistle and he and I will bob our bodies up and down in a dance.

When I cough, he will cough, when I laugh, he laughs. This gets really funny, because it's hard to stop laughing them.

Be careful if you are drinking or eating something when they are on your shoulder or arm as they will try to take a sip or bite. They won't hurt you , but it could be harmful to them.

They are wonderful pets. I too think you should buy from a breeder. Local if possible. That way you can visit and see what kind of environment they come from and how friendly they are.

Go for it. I think you will love it.