Copyright © September 2001 - 2008 All rights reserved.
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This page was last updated on: January 17, 2008
Pet Potential of the Fiery-Shouldered Conure
Background Information
I currently own 2 breeding pairs of the Fiery-Shouldered Conures. I got my first pair of first generation bred in Canada, young, hand fed birds, when the imported value price was $1400 ( US $921 ) in March 1999. The male was born in February 1999 and the female was born in September 1998. I exchanged a breeding age pair of Red-Sided Eclectus ( value $2000 Canadian - US $1316 ). The breeder I traded with decided to send me a couple of clients that ended up buying a couple of hand fed birds. Which made up the difference in price value. My second pair is parent reared, aviary bred and is straight from the UK through the importers at the cost of $950 ( US $625 ). When I purchased this pair in November 1999, I was told that they were eighteen months old.
After acquiring my 2 pairs of conures, they went into quarantine again for 60 days and basic tests were run and health checks given, which they passed before being placed in the breeding facility. The quarantine is directly in my main living area, the laundry room on the first floor. We have steam heating, which there is no air exchange at all, into the breeding room.
Aviary Set-up
My breeding aviary is indoors on the first floor of my house separated by a double brick wall from the main living area. It is 22 feet wide x 28 feet long. You can only get in this room from 2 outside entrances. Both have a small foyer with closed doors opening into the bird workshop. From the workshop, you can proceed through another closed door with a window in it to the breeding facility. It is covered with a semi-closed mini blind, so that we might check on the birds without them knowing it. Before entering the aviary we change our shoes and put on the aviary shoes before servicing our birds. The room is painted white with clay coloured trim and from the ceiling we have hanging spider plants and other types of plants placed throughout the aviary for privacy and to help clean and humidify the air. The floor is covered with blue, grey & white industrial tile. Off in one corner is a small bathroom with a large sink for cleaning our utensils, dishes, trays, perches and other things. We also have storage shelves for our paper towels, toilet paper, disinfectants, soap, candler, utensils, dishes, water bottles, etc.
We have 4 banks of double 4 foot fluorescent lighting, consisting of Vita lights and cool whites, which are set on timers. Banks 1 & 3 come on 15 minutes before and goes off 15 minutes later than the second set of lights. This we hope sort of stimulates sunrise and sunset. We also have 2 sets of double 4 foot fluorescent lights, placed separately throughout the aviary. We first painted the light bulbs yellow and then painted them blue and use them for our night lights. When these lights come on in the evening it creates a wonderful, peaceful soft green glow throughout the whole room. It reminds me of being at the edge of the forest in the evening with the moon casting light over the leaves in the canopy above, bathing the forest below in a greenish glow. They are also on a light sensor. The night lights come on within a minute of the others going out. We have installed through the months of October through to May, a humidifier going 24 hours a day. A radio is on a timer too, for the birds all day long, on a channel that has soft music playing. This we find, makes the birds calmer, when my husband and I are in the aviary working together and we can talk to our hearts content without disturbing them. We have a hepa filter placed in the room to help filter the air. The aviary is sweep a couple of times a week and the floor disinfected twice a month.
Cage Set-up
We place three separate cages on top of each other, which is then sitting on top of 2 x 4's pine wood frame with quality swivelled castors attached at the four corners on the bottom of the wood framework to MAKE A TRIPLE DECKER CAGE UNIT. All the cages are made out of 100% galvanized wire of 14 gauge with 1 inch square spacing. We have 3 triple decker conure breeding cage units. The cage sizes are 24 inches x 28 inches x 48 inches, 24 inches x 28 inches x 72 inches and 24 inches x 28 inches x 52 inches. There is galvanized sheet metal dividers between the stacked cages with metal trays placed on top. When the trays which are lined with newspaper are out for cleaning, the birds in the upper level cannot see the birds below. Plus, if the birds above defecate, the metal sheet stops it from going into the next cage and we can easily wipe it up. When the trays are out being cleaned and the paper changed, we have hanging wire guards that are attached to the bottom of the front of the cage, to keep the birds in. All cages are covered on top, back and one side with galvanized metal sheets for privacy. The other side of the cage, is a BUMP OUT SECTION, where the nest box goes in the top part of the wire bump out section and underneath the nest box is where the stainless steel dishes are placed in a WIRE THREE SECTION FEEDING SECTION which is attached to the inside of the cage. Easy access from the outside and a guard hanging down with a spring attached to keep it tight, so the birds cannot push the dishes out. This is really handy when the birds are breeding and into protecting their nests and chicks, they cannot reach you to bite when giving them fresh food and water. With the bump out, the birds cannot defecate into their food and water since the perch is so far away from the feeding station. Our pairs have access to toys and a swing at all times. We have one to two natural perches of various widths. One is placed up high near the nest box opening and the other is at the opposite end, placed lower in the cage.
Nest boxes
My nest boxes are made out of 1 inch pine wood from the mill, planed smooth on one side. The smooth side is the outside of the nest boxes. Keeps me from snagging my clothes on it all the time. The dimensions are 12 inches deep x 12 inches wide x 24 inches long ( horizontal ). They are screwed together, so if a section is chewed too much. We only have to replace the one piece of wood. We place in the middle of the bottom of the nest box A 2 X 4 DIVIDER to make two even compartments. Then, the compartment farthest away from the nest box opening ( it is by the inspection door ) we use three - 1 inch x 2 inch by whatever length pieces nailed just under the inspection door and the back and the side until touching the 2 x 4 divider. They use these small pieces of wood to chew when sitting on the eggs and chicks and tend to leave the nest box alone. We sprinkle Sevin Powder along the bottom of the nest box to kill any bugs that might hatch from the moist pine shavings. Then, we pile pine shavings up to the bottom of the nest box inspection door and none under the other compartment under the NEST BOX OPENING. The conures when they go to nest, dig into the pile of shavings and make a deep depression, the excess shavings go into the other compartment under the opening. I usually take all the pine shavings that they threw out, to the other side and put them back in the original place. I do this 3 or 4 times. This really seems to stimulate them to breeding mode with all this digging and preparing the nest, plus giving them my soft food mixture a few times a week as they do this. Then, they proceed to lay their eggs in the darkest part of the box under the nest inspection door. When it is near the hatch dates, we spray water into the nest box opening were the excess shavings are and this creates the humidity they need for hatching out the eggs. They also have access, a few times a week to fresh clean bathing water in a low dish placed in the middle of their cage.
Diet
For all our birds we use in each cage three stainless steel ½ pint dishes. One for the ROUDYBUSH PELLETS which is available at all times, one for water and one for their soft foods and treats. Pellets and fresh water twice a day, plus in the evening, either a peanut, almond or walnut and on alternating days one teaspoon per pair, a mixture consisting of Hagen Tropican Gourmet Parrot treat, mixed with pumpkin seeds and dried pasta in shapes and different colours of wagon wheels, radiators, etc. They just love the different shapes. In the breeding season, no seed mix is given. They get more almonds than other nuts because of the higher calcium factor. The soft food is given twice a day which I make up fresh each time. I put a small amount of soft peanut butter ( 1 tsp. to 1 cup of filtered water ) in warm water and mix well until slightly dissolved. The peanut butter gives the mixture a very slight peanutty taste. Then I proceed to put in Roudybush Breeder Pellets and a small amount of spirulina. Mix well. Just enough spirulina to make the mixture slightly pale green. The breeding pairs are always bouncing up and down waiting for this mixture and will only eat the pellets when the soft food is all gone. The peanut butter is a great source of protein and helps put a little fat on the chicks. They are well plumped! The spirulina has so many health benefits and great antioxidants to help with the stress of feeding chicks and helps build up their immune systems and when the chicks feather out, they have an iridescence and vibrant colouration of the feathers. Everyone always remarks on how pretty and healthy the babies look.
My Breeding Experience
The first pair to breed for me about five and half months after I got them were "MICHELLE"& "PERRIE" the imported parent reared pair from the UK, at the age of twenty four months. In a temporary cage of 2 feet deep X 2 ½ feet high x 3 feet wide made from 16 gauge galvanized wire with ½ inch x 1 inch spacing, in a metal boot box 10 inch x 10 inch x 4 inch for the top of the boot and the foot part was 10 inch x 10 inch x 17 inch long. Nest box opening 3 inches. This is a spare cockatiel nest box. Inside laid on the bottom of the nest box was a 1 inch piece of hardwood, which we sprinkled Sevin Powder across the wood. Then we proceeded to put in 3 inches of pine shavings and along the sides a couple pieces of pine wood for chewing. There was one natural multi-branch across the widest part, at the back of the cage near the top with a toy on the far left side. A wood and toy swing at the front of the cage on the right hand side. The nest box was attached to the outside of the cage in front of the swing, the opening facing away from the swing. A small perch in front of the opening and a natural branch halfway down on the left side of the cage going from the front to the back. Closer to the bottom of the cage at the front was the conure feed station consisting of a 3 stainless steel ½ pint dishes. Newspaper was laid on the galvanized trays and changed every other day as needed.
The eggs were laid on May 4, 6, 8, 10, 13, 2000 for a total of five eggs. The chicks hatched on May 28, 29, 30 and June 1, 2000. The fifth egg was infertile. We close banded them around the 14th and 15th day with the size P coded bands. The imported pair would leave the nest box upon inspection. We raised in total three chicks. There would have been a fourth, but I used him under a pair of blue quakers to be fostered which they did a much better job than the actual parents. He was well stuffed. The blue quakers let their first baby die. The fiery-shouldered was four days old and was a pretty good chirper when I placed him under the blue quakers. I went in the morning to take him out after a couple days of fostering, just before the next blue baby quaker hatched and he was slightly squished with a full crop. He had just died. He had tripled in size and was bigger than his older siblings. But apparently I didn't know that quaker babies lay flat on their fronts with their head sticking out from under the parents. The fiery-shouldered conure babies sit up to be fed. So this explained why he died. It was my first time breeding quakers and they were blues at that and first time breeding the fiery-shouldereds. The blue quakers were doubled the value of the fiery-shouldereds. I sometimes use cockatiel chicks which are very vocal to use for teaching first time parents if they let their own chicks die. But at that time, there were no cockatiel chicks to foster out, only the fiery-shouldereds. The blue baby quaker that hatched, they did raise.
Then around the middle of May 2000, I noticed that my hand fed female "FIRELLA" was chasing her mate "Ferrari" around the cage and he was trying to get away from her. At this time, "Firella" was 20 months old and her mate "Ferrari" was only 15 months old. So I decided to put up the 12 inches deep x 12 inches wide x 24 inches long nest box ( horizontal nest box ) made from the 1 inch pine wood. They are in the largest bump out conure triple decker cage unit, which measures 24 inches x 28 inches x 72 inches long. This pair is situated in the bottom cage of the triple decker. I find that any hand fed conures will breed quite well in a bottom cage which is only situated 6 inches off the floor.
The first egg was laid on June 2, 2000, then the next eggs were laid June 4, 6, 8, 13, 15 and 17, 2000 for a total of 7 eggs in their first clutch. The only egg to hatch was on July 5th. When candled, all other eggs were infertile. The first 4 eggs were infertile. It was the 5th egg that was fertile and the last 2 eggs were also infertile. This chick turned out to be female and weaned into a very nice hand fed companion pet. She was close banded at 12 days of age with a size P coded band. The female "Firella" would not leave the nest box when I would try to check out the eggs and chicks. With the eggs, I could lift her up and see if they were fertile. But once she had a chick, it was a different story. She would get all fluffed up and try to bite me. So I had to wait until she left the nest to feed before banding the chick. Exactly 3 weeks after this chick hatch, this pair proceeded to lay another clutch. I had just took the chick out 1 day before and had cleaned the nest. "Firella" was then 22 months and "Ferrari" was 17 months old. They laid on July 26, 29, August 2, 4 and 6, 2000 for a total of 5 eggs in this clutch. The first chick to hatch was on August 22, then 25 and 28th. The first and the last eggs were infertile. They were close banded at 13 and 14 days of age with size P coded bands. We raised in total, 3 chicks from this clutch. They were showing signs of going to nest again a couple of weeks after I took the chicks out. So I took the nest box down to give them a rest and to let my male mature enough to fertilize all the eggs for the next time.
"Ferrari" the hand fed male I noticed was very calm and tame throughout the whole procedure of nesting and raising the chicks. He would still come to the front of the cage when his mate was in the nest, for me to talk to him. He would even let me touch his toes.
I also noticed that the hand fed pair had fed their chicks much better than the imported pair. The chicks from the hand fed pair had fuller crops whenever I inspected the nest.
So for the year 2000 from 2 pairs, we had in total 17 eggs in 3 clutches with 9 eggs being infertile, 8 fertile eggs with a total of 8 chicks hatched and 7 hand fed chicks weaned in total, of which 2 turned out to be female. All chicks have been placed in a pet situation.
If my hand fed pair were a little older when first started and the imported pair fertilized all the eggs and I hadn't foster out 1 chick, we would have had a total of 17 chicks in the 3 clutches. To me, this would have been excellent production. But I am very estastic with what I ended up with.
This species will double and even triple clutch in one year if the chicks are taken out for hand feeding. But, I only recommend just 2 clutches a year with at least a 6 month rest after the 2nd clutch.
I would conclude that this species of pyrrhura conure can be very prolific and can also be very easy to breed if the right conditions are met, especially when they are hand fed pairs. I would say that in no time at all, that this species will be established, quite well in Canada and the USA and will probably become well-known as a pet, as the green-cheeked conure species is now.
PET POTENTIAL OF THE FIERY - SHOULDERED ( DEMERARA ) CONURE
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My first Fiery-Shouldered Conure chicks were hatched at the end of May 2000. The parents were feeding them fine, but, not as good as I thought they would. It was their very first clutch. Also, they were housed in a temporary cage, which was beside the feeding station. So there was a lot of disturbance, when it came to feeding time twice a day for our other breeding birds. So I decided to take the chicks out around the middle of June 2000. They were currently 19, 18 and 17 days of age. I had noticed that they were smaller than my Green-Cheeked Conures for their age and their white down was not thick, but sparse. I placed all three close-banded chicks in a tall square plastic ice cream container, which the bottom layer consisted of one inch pine shavings and the top layer consisted of one inch aspen shavings. All three chicks were cuddled up together. I then placed them in my prewarmed, disinfected, cleaned nursery hospital #3 brooder at a temperature of 90 degrees F. They seemed to be quite comfortable with this temperature. In this brooder, is a special tray for water, which I immediately filled up. I also place a small jar of water by the chicks to help keep the humdity level up. About every four to five days, I lowered the temperature down by one degree. By the time they were at 85 degrees F, they had enough feathers on to put them in a clear plastic container with shavings and a wired lid, partially covered with a dark heavy towel and placed on the nursery counter. The chicks could see out the front of the container. They huddled together near the back. Once they got used to everything, then the chicks started coming to the front of the container. When they did this, I placed a small multi-coloured wood ladder shaped into a semi-circle for perching near the front of the container. When I saw them starting to pick up the shavings. I placed a small dish of Hagen Tropican High Performance Cockatiel Granules in with them by the perch. When they started perching and picking at the granules and were always at the front of the container and had all their feathers on. Into the weaning cage they went.
At this age, I handfed only three times a day. I personally like to use the monoject 412 syringe with the catherer tip. This tip is way too long though and I like to cut the tip off, until it is under one inch long. Because of the jagged edge after cutting, I will file it down until it is very smooth and no sharp edges can be felt. At this age, I find that the chicks will take just about half a syringe which is approximately six cc's. The formula is made thinner when younger and as they grow older, I thicken it up somewhat.
I used Hagen Breeding Mash/Hand feeding Formula to feed my chicks. I took the syringes and measure out the required filtered water for three chicks and placed it in a heavy based thick edged glass and microwave for twenty seconds. Then, I took a two cup pyrex measuring cup and fill with about three quarters full with water and put in the microwave for one minute and twenty seconds long. While the water is being warmed. I took a clean spoon and measured out the formula powder into the warmed water and mixed throughly until I got the desired thickness that I wanted. Which, when on a spoon, will barely fall off. Then I placed a small amount of "Prozyme" which are digestive enyzmes into this mix. Mixed throughly and waited for about a minute and then mixed again. The enyzmes have thinned the formula considerably by this time, to the thickness that I wanted to feed. If it was too thin, I added just a very small amount of more formula powder to thicken it up. If it was still too thick, then I added a small amount of filtered water, until the desired thickness was achevied. In the last feeding of the day formula, I also added a very small amount of smooth peanut butter ( to help them go through the night better ) and a pinch of spirulina until the formula was slightly green. By this time, the formula had cooled considerably and there were no hot spots at all. Then, into the syringes, the formula went and then the syringes, into the warmed measuring cup of water, which was about 108 to 110 degrees F. The formula inside of the syringes, is two to three degrees cooler. This is then placed on a warmed mug warmer or hot plate, which keeps it at a very stable temperature.
I find that the enyzmes really help put good weight on the chicks. The enyzmes break down the formula into an more digestable form, so that the chicks can utilize the nutrients more efficiently. Which, then puts more weight and size on the chicks. At weaning time, they may lose some of that extra weight, but I find that by the time they are all finished growing up, that they put that weight back on and then some.
The peanut butter, which has a higher protein and fat content, is placed in the last feeding of the day. This helps keeps the chicks satisfied and contented until the next feed. I always made sure that they were totally empty in the morning. The spirulina is very benefical and helps build up the immune system and gives such a vibrant shine and colouration to the feathers.
When I took the chicks out to hand feed the first time, there was no feeding response and sometimes, they just sat there and looked at you. Or sometimes, they tried to back up away from you. I then held them in my left hand. I leaned very close to look at them and started talking softly to them. Then, I took my right hand and gently stroked the sides of the beak on both sides and under their chin and top of their head. Meanwhile, talking all the time. Then, I concentrated on rubbing both sides of the beak and squeezed ever so gently at the small bumps on the sides of the beak. The beak opened up and I took the syringe to the right handside of me out of the warmed water and placed it in the mouth and proceeded to feed the chick from the right side of the beak going towards my left. Meanwhile, I am still talking to the chick. It only took about fifteen seconds to feed in total. I felt the crop, to make sure there was enough formula in it. I only like to see the food in the crop not to go any higher than the top of the crop. No food was seen along the side of the throat. After feeding, I held the chick in my hand and continue rubbing around the cheek area. Then, I placed the chick back into his container and proceed with the next chick.
After a few days, the chicks open their beaks for me, when I put a slight pressure on those bumps and I don't have to do all of the above. But, I always take the time to stroke their head, cheeks, beak, chin and snuggle them up to my face or chest, give kisses on their body ( no salvia on my lips ) and totally enclose my two hands around their bodies I feel that this helps in the taming/bonding process. Also, when weaned and until they go into their new homes. I still continue this process.
WEANING
They were fully feathered between four and a half to five weeks of age and did not need the heat anymore. At five weeks of age, they were put into the weaning, galvanized wire cage of twenty-four inches deep by twenty-four inches wide by eighteen inches tall with half inch by one inch spacing. A dowel perch ( easiest to disinfect ) is placed about three inches off the bottom of the galvanized tray. The tray is lined with newspaper. I also place in their cage the small wooden semi-circle ladder which they are familiar with. There is a small swing and two different toys attached to the sides of their cage. A small low to the ground ceramic dish is placed on the tray with the granules in it.
The first thing the Fiery-Shouldered Conures did, was to start climbing up the wire cage. They climbed everywhere. Then, they came back down and started walking in very short steps around the paper and then climbed onto the semi-circle ladder. They also tried to climb up on the dowel perch, which was funny to watch. They put their beak on it first, then a foot and then the other foot grabs the perch and the next thing you see, is a conure hanging upside down with his two little feet still attached to the perch. They hung on for alittle while, looking alittle confused. Then with their heads and bodies swinging back and forth, building up momentum, they try to grab the perch and try to swing themselves up, with no success. The oldest one did make it on the second try. But, the youngest two did not. In a day, they were all perching on the dowelling just fine and I took out the semi-circle ladder.
When the Fiery-Shouldered Conures were initially placed in this weaning cage. They stopped picking at the granules for a few days, as they were in a totally new environment. A whole new world had opened up for them. There was so much more for them to do, new sights, louder sounds and they could see more activity in the room. They also had a different perspective, than when sitting on the counter in their container. They were also beside other hand fed birds in other cages who were their new neighbors.
They started picking at the granules again, after a few days had pass. This is when I introduced a small low to the ground ceramic dish of water. Curiosity overcame them and they just couldn't resist to find out what it was all about. They couldn't see anything in this dish at all. They started to perch on the side of the dish and then put their heads down into the dish. The surprised look on their feathered faces, as their beaks touch the water was comical. The heads were thrown back up quickly and they almost lost their balance. While at the same time, shaking the water off. Then, curiosity strikes again and down they go again, more slowly this time. Their little tongues sticking out and touching the clear liquid. They straightened back up. Savoured the flavour of the water in their beak and decide, that, heh, this is not too bad and down they go again. But, this time for a drink of water. They have now learned to drink water. After the discovery of this wonderful substance. They found out that you can bathe in it as well. Which is also a funny thing to watch as the three Fiery-Shouldered Conures are perched on this three and a half inch dish trying to bathe all at the same time. Which didn't work out at all. But, they were smart. They started to take turns. One conure would bend down for a dip and then come up. Then instantly, the next one was bending down. He came up and the third would go down and do the same thing. This would go on for several minutes. I just had to contain myself from laughing. What a sight! It reminded me of several of those glassbirds with their bottoms filled with coloured liquid, feathers on top of they head long necks and long beaks. You put a glass of water in front of them, push the heads down and they would go bobbing back and forth for a long time, while periodically touching the water.
At five to five and a half weeks of age, they discovered the art of flying. They have a twelve foot wide by twenty foot long room to perfect this ability. It is amazing, how the first flight of each bird is well planned it seems. They seem to know were they are going and how far. It is slightly clumsy. But, by the third flight, they are sailing through the air perfectly, turning corners and landing with perfection on my shoulders or head.
By six to six and a half weeks of age, the Fiery-Shouldered Conures were eating the granules quite well. They were starting to cut back in the amount of their food at each feeding, usually consuming around four cc's.
By six and a half to seven weeks of age, I noticed that they were starting to refuse my offering of the syringe of warm tasty formula more and more. They were then cut back to two feedings a day with a third feeding oftered to them if they wanted it.
This is also the time, that I started the progressive wing clip on each chick. I intially took off the first three primary flight feathers on each side and then gave them a few days of flying. This helps to build up the breast muscle and gives them more strength in their wings. Then, a few days after this, I cut off two more primary flight feathers on each side. Now, it is getting very difficult to fly, but they can still do it. By doing it this way, the clipped birds learn to flap their wings vigorously in their cages on a consistent basis, once weaned and for the rest of their lives.
Now they are seven to seven and a half weeks of age and they profusely refuse the formula even more. The granules are disappearing at a faster rate. By this time, they are down to one or one and a half feedings a day of around three cc's.
By eight to eight and a half weeks of age, they are finally weaned and their wings clipped to what is appropiate for the species. Between six to seven flight feathers on each side. I waited about one week after this, to make sure, that they were eating well on their own. Before going into their new homes.
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BY Darlene Johnson of LITTLE DARLINGS
Copyright © September 2001 - 2008 All rights reserved.
BY Darlene Johnson of LITTLE DARLINGS
Copyright © September 2001 - 2008 All rights reserved.
BY Darlene Johnson of LITTLE DARLINGS
Copyright © September 2001 - 2008 All rights reserved.
I currently breed the GREEN-CHEEKED, PAINTED and FIERY-SHOULDERED CONURE. Working with these 3 species as hand fed babies, I have found that the fiery-shouldered conure is my favourite as a hand fed pet. They are a very sweet natured bird, with a gentle disposition, that I fine quite calm, generally quiet, confiding, intelligent, sometimes mischievous, occasionally clownish, very attentive and craves human contact. I have found them to be quite the cuddle bug whether they are male or female. One of their favourite pastimes is to snuggle right under your chin for long periods of time. Where you can rub their feathers with your chin and scratch their head and cheeks with your fingers. They seem to be quite content to stay there. They also enjoy cuddling right up against the face. You can use your nose and cheek to caress their feathers around their head and body. They constantly want to be with you and bounce up and down on the side of the cage asking to come out. They enjoy to have their whole body surrounded by your hand as you stroke their feathers and give them little kisses on their beak, cheek, head or body ( lips closed and no salvia on the lips please ). When in/on your hand, they listen so attentively to everything you have to say and keep cocking their heads from side to side as you speak. They are quite content to be on your shoulder to cuddle next to your neck, to sleep, relax, play, preen and hide in your hair. They really love all the parrot toys that we humans love to wear on our bodies. For instance, like earrings ( big favourite ), eyeglasses, necklaces, buttons, watches and rings, etc. I prefer not to wear these toys, when they are on my shoulder and give them other appropriate things for them to entertain themselves with. I have noticed that you can almost do anything with them, they are so trustworthy of humans and feel very comfortable with us. They truly become a member of the family.
This is a bird that seems to know that they are VERY PRETTY UNDER THE WING and do not mind you demonstrating this fact to any or all that is interested in seeing. I hold my babies in my hand and say the word " pretty" in long drawn out form and at the same time I stretch out their wing and pull upwards for all to see and can hold this position for quite a while. I keep talking to them all the time as I do this. The babies don't even move. I really think they know that they are so beautiful there and are proud to show off the gorgeous colours. They do not seem to mind it at all.
Females as hand feds, I find are more love sponges than the males. They are the sweetest, gentlest, cuddliest, most affectionate and quietest birds, almost like female cockatiels and cockatoos. Sometimes, I even wonder if the females have a voice or not because they seldom use it. They make soft little noises and only once in awhile a squawk. Females can talk but are not big talkers. I find that the females are more acceptable of other humans, as well as their favourite person.
Males as hand feds, love to be petted, have their head and cheeks scratched and cuddling under the chin is important to them. They become real sweeties, when they are with their humans. Males tend to become really attached to their favourite human and will tolerate other humans. The males tend to be the ones that have the greatest talking ability and also because they are the most vocal. They can start talking as early as 5 months of age.
My oldest male that I have bred, when he was 7 months old and a breeder friend of mine has him as a pet, learned to speak perfect lineolated parakeet and is also starting to mumble now, sounds like a telephone conversation is going on in the distance. She hasn't heard any words yet, but they are coming. She has owned a pet green-cheeked conure before, but finds she prefers the fiery-shouldered instead. In her own words, "They're a hoot!"
One of my breeder males " FERRARI " who was born in Feb. 1999, who I finished hand feeding, is still one of the sweetest birds I own in the Pyrrhura species. I have not handled him since he was weaned and to this day, he still comes to the front of his breeding cage every time he sees me and wants me to talk to him and give him a kiss and touch his toes. He is also one of the quietest and gentlest male conures I have ever known.
The chicks at night really enjoy sleeping in a Kleenex box lined with thick paper towelling. Around the age of 8 - 9 weeks they will not dirty their bed. It is so cute to see them sleeping there with their tails sticking out of the box and their heads and bodies covered by the towelling. They also enjoy being on their backs any time through out the day. I find them tussling together or just laying there contentedly contemplating on what to do next or playing with a toy in their feet.
They seem to enjoy all different types of toys that you can put in their cage and in their play area. Whether it be hanging toys, foot held toys, swings, home-made toys, whatever you can imagine they seem to like. Just remember that it should be parrot safe toys for them. It does not take them long to start playing with a new toy.
This is a species that really enjoys bathing on a daily basis and does it with such enthusiasm. They will totally drench themselves from head to toe and immediately start the process all over again until they are soaking wet with water dripping off their feathers from every part of their body. When they shake their wings and body, you are sprayed with many tiny droplets of water. When they hear a vacuum or running water from the faucet they get very excited and want to have a bath. They also can be so romantic, in a sense that they really enjoy going every night for a midnight, moonlight swim. I tend to hand feed my chicks each night just after midnight. We have a lamp on the nursery counter that is turned on and the 4 night lights scattered throughout the nursery in each of the 4 corners. Then, the overhead fluorescent Vita lights are turned off and also their radio. This gives the room a vision of moonlight streaming in. The baby cages are right beside this counter. All the hand feds weaned and unweaned come down off of their perches for a midnight snack when I start to hand feed. I always put fresh water in the cages at night because of this late midnight feeding. The fiery - shouldered chicks, after they are finish having a snack, see the fresh water as an invitation to go for a swim in their water bowl. It is very comical to watch when the whole clutch tries to do this around a 3 inch dish. The chicks are all perched on this dish and everyone tries to bathe at the same time. They then figure out that this doesn't work and will proceed to take turns. One will bend down and splash, come up for a breather and then the next one with proceed to bathe and so on and so on. Until all are completely and thoroughly drenched! The room is kept warm, so they do not catch a chill as they sleep for the night. The lamp is turned off ( the moon goes to sleep ), after the last hand feeding of the day.
When it comes to the diet. They are most willing and not too picky to try anything that you offer them. They enjoy a wide variety of foods. They bounce up and down and run back and forth in the cage when they see you bringing their treats! They seem to have a zest for various types of food and will eat it with pure enjoyment.
When well socialized, the fiery - shouldered can keep themselves entertained in their cages quite well, for long periods of time. Especially, when there is an abundance of toys to choose from. Also, when you are unable to have them out of their cage. They are quick learners and can adapt to many different situations, because of their calm demeanour. They also can learn to do various tricks.
I would say in my opinion, that the fiery - shouldered conure has one of the best pet potential of the 3 Pyrrhura species that I breed. They have such wonderful qualities and personalities that are so irresistible, which come in such a small bundle of feathers. Once these birds get out in the companion bird market and people experience living with these naturally sweet and loving creatures. I am sure that they will be just as popular or even more popular than the green-cheeked conure.
