Is A Sun Conure Right For Me?

Sun conures are small, vibrantly colored parrots native to Northeastern South America. With their bright yellow plumage accented by orange and green wings and tails, sun conures have endearing personalities that make them popular pet birds. However, their loud screeches and need for lots of attention mean they are not the right fit for every owner. Read on to learn more about what it takes to properly care for a sun conure and decide if getting one is the best choice for you.

Sun Conure Background and History

The sun conure (Aratinga solstitialis) is one of the smaller conure species, with an average length of 11 to 13 inches and weight between 80 to 120 grams on average. Their bright coloration and energetic nature have made them increasingly common in the pet trade.

Sun conures originate from tropical areas in Northern South America, including Guyana, Suriname, and Brazil. They thrive in warm, humid environments and as highly social birds, they live in large, noisy flocks in the wild.

While not currently endangered, wild sun conure numbers have decreased in recent decades due to habitat loss and trapping for the pet trade. Fortunately, captive breeding programs help supply pet stores while taking pressure off wild populations.

Common Personality Traits

When raised properly and given ample attention, sun conures develop charming, playful personalities. They bond closely with their owners and eagerly perform tricks and tasks for praise and treats.

However, these intelligent parrots easily grow bored and destructive if neglected. Without proper training, they often scream loudly and chew household items. Setting aside at least 2 hours a day for supervised playtime and interaction is key to having a pleasant pet sun conure.

Care Difficulties and Common Health Issues

Caring for sun conures requires research and preparation for first-time parrot owners. Since they live 25 to 30 years with proper care, bringing one home is a long-term commitment. Common health issues pet sun conures experience include:

• Feather plucking
• Respiratory infections
• Obesity
• Vitamin A deficiency
• Exposure to household toxins like Teflon

Working closely with an avian veterinarian helps provide your bird preventative care and quickly treat any issues.

Housing Requirements

Sun conures should be housed in the largest cages possible to give them room to move and play. The minimum recommended is 20 inches wide by 20 inches deep by 30 inches high. Place multiple perches at different heights made from natural wood branches rather than dowels to avoid foot sores.

Their enclosures should contain several food and water bowls so items don’t easily get soiled plus a variety of toys they can shred, toss, and chew on. Rotate new toys in regularly to prevent boredom. Sun conures also need 10 to 12 hours of darkness each night for healthy rest.

Accessories Needed

Essential accessories for a sun conure include:

• Cuttlebone for beak conditioning and mineral intake -Varied perches and several food/water bowls
• Shreddable toys containing wood, cardboard, bells etc.
• Play stand for out-of-cage interaction
• Water spray bottle for bathing opportunities

Place the cage in a room the family spends much of their time together in so the sun conure doesn’t feel isolated.

Grooming and Cleaning Needs

Sun conures generate a lot of powdery dander from their feathers that collects on cage surfaces. Thorough cleaning is essential to prevent buildup that could lead to respiratory issues. Replace food and water daily, clean droppings from perches/cage floor daily, and do a full disinfecting weekly.

To keep their coat shiny and feathers healthy, sun conures need bathing opportunities 2 to 3 times a week either by spraying them gently with lukewarm water or placing a shallow bowl in their cage. Trim overgrown beaks and nails as needed every 4 to 6 weeks.

Ideal Diet and Nutrition

Feed your sun conure a balanced diet containing:

Pellets and Seeds

Make up 60 to 70% of total food intake

• High quality brand with variety of nutrients
• Organic when possible with no artificial preservatives

Fruits and Vegetables

Comprise around 30% of diet

Examples: kale, carrots, apples, melon, berries

Minimal Proteins and Starches

Only special treats in small amounts

Examples: boiled eggs, pasta, rice cakes

Avoid avocados, chocolate, caffeine as these are toxic to birds. Use stainless steel food bowls cleaned frequently to prevent bacterial growth. Having filtered water available reduces heavy metal/contaminant intake.

Exercise and Play Requirements

Energetic sun conures require substantial daily exercise and play opportunities outside their enclosure to thrive. This prevents obesity, aggression, and self-harming behaviors like feather plucking.

Minimum Recommended Exercise Times

• 60 minutes supervised playtime outside cage
• Several hours of social interaction/training

Ideally, your sun conure would spend evenings relaxing with family members able to provide mental stimulation and physical activities. Make sure any area they have access to is fully bird proofed by removing hazards.

Enriching Toys and Accessories

In addition to classic toys containing wood, bells, and shredder parts, engaging a sun conure takes creativity. Rotate new home-made and store bought toys weekly to prevent boredom. Consider puzzle feeders allowing them to work for treats. Some enjoyable activities include:

• Tower of cardboard boxes to shred
• Paper bag tunnels
• Cardboard maze with treats hidden inside
• Bird-safe blocks, balls, skateboards etc. to manipulate

Noisy Vocalizations

A huge consideration before adopting a sun conure is their incredibly loud, shrill vocalizations. In nature these help them communicate across long distances within large flocks. Pet sun conures often scream or make other loud, grating sounds needing to be mitigated to prevent problems with neighbors in apartments or condos.

When left alone for long periods, sun conures cries can reach 80 to 90 decibels. Attempting to ignore attention-seeking noises may increase them, while rewarding good behavior helps shape quieter habits. Other methods to reduce excessive vocalizations include:

Training Techniques

• Positive reinforcement via clicker training
• Distraction with toys when noises start
• Maintaining predictable daily schedule

Environmental Enrichment

• Having TV or radio on for background noise when alone
• Placing cage in busy family room
• Providing companion parrot

Unfortunately, even a well-adjusted, content sun conure will make quite a bit of noise at times. People highly sensitive to loud shrieks or who lack time for parrot-proofing and training should carefully reconsider getting one.

Attention and Bonding Needs

Craving frequent interaction and mental challenges, sun conures easily grow anxious, depressed, and destructive if deprived of attention. Their high intelligence requires activities beyond just food and shelter.

Ideally, family members can commit substantial time daily toward:

Socialization Priorities

• Minimum 2 hours supervised playtime
• Active training sessions & puzzle toys
• Quiet cuddling while watching TV, reading etc.

If everyone works full time, adding a second parrot may help provide companionship while you’re away. But nothing can fully replace the level of bonding and attention sun conures need from their human flock.

Realistically assess if your family’s schedules and energy levels can meet this parrot’s social nature. Bored sun conures left alone in cages much of the time tend to develop behavioral problems.

Costs of Sun Conure Ownership

When considering bringing home your first sun conure, understand it involves sizeable upfront and recurring expenses. From a large cage to quality foods to vet bills, properly caring for this parrot is an investment.

Some average costs of sun conure ownership include:

Purchase Price

• $400 to $800 depending on age and pedigree

First Year Expenses

• $1000+ for cage, accessories, veterinary exams

Annual Care Costs

• $400+ for food, toys, supplements
• $200+ for annual checkups/lab work

Emergency vet visits for illness/injury often cost $500+ per incident. Exotic pet insurance helps offset unexpected vet costs that can otherwise quickly add up.

If the commitment of 10+ years caring for an energetic, vocal yet affectionate sun conure still appeals to you, take time to find a responsible breeder and continue researching their enrichment needs.

Finding a Reputable Sun Conure Breeder

Since sun conures are still wild-caught for the pet trade in some regions, finding responsibly captive-bred birds remains crucial to supporting sustainable practices that protect delicate species.

Avoid purchasing sun conures from stores that fail to provide background on their breeders. Seek out breeders who:

Ethical Breeding Traits

• Focus on temperament
• Keep parents and babies in enriched environments
• Conduct proper health testing for issues like psittacosis