Birds Coo
Scientific Facts
| Common Name | Green Conure |
| Scientific Name | Psittacara hypochlorous |
| Origin | Northern Mexico up to southern Texas and stretches its population to southwestern Nicaragua up to the Middle American isthmus |
| Habitat | Gallery and deciduous woodland, scrub, and on the edge of the forest. They avoid humid lowland forest. They build their nests in different holes of the tree, whether in an urban area or in a pristine forest or woodland edge. |
| Diet | Various fruits, corn, and seeds |
| Size and Weight | 32 cm in length with an adult weight of about 270 grams. |
| Life Span | 22 years but if they are caged in captivity, they can live up to 30 years |
Physical Appearance
The green conure is characterized by its entirely green body with yellowish chest feathers. It has a long and pointed pale bill. It has orange feathers on the throat and head. The adult has red-orange eyes while juveniles have brown eyes. It has a yellowish-green underside that matches red marks on the head and throat.
Subspecies
1) Red-throated Conure (A. rubritorquis)
It is endemic to Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras. It looks just like the same with the green conure; it’s just that red-throated conure is characterized by its orange-red forehead and throat with a yellow/orange shade in the cheeks and neck. They have brown-grey eye rings that match their orange eyes. It has an average size and weight of 9-11 inches or about 28 cm long.
2) Pacific Conure (A. strenua)
This is a bird that originated in a small area in western Nicaragua and has distribution in northern Nicaragua along the Pacific slope of Middle America to Mexico. It is known as a bird of the lowlands that is locally at least 2600 meters. It has a bodily color of olive green with yellow underwing and underparts. Like the green conure, it also has red feathers over its head and neck with orange eyes.
3) Socorro Conure (A. brevipes)
This conure species are inhabitants of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. It has an overall body part of green that is more characterized by its bluish suffusion on the crown and has a red throat and sides of the neck. It also has darker green underparts without any hints of color.
Where it is Seen?
The green conure is endemic to northern Mexico up to southern Texas and stretches its population to southwestern Nicaragua up to the Middle American isthmus. They have a nesting site in Nicaragua that lies within El Chocoyero – El Brujo Protected Area, where there are no treats until the juveniles learn how to fly. There are also sightings of green conure in the Iberian peninsula, and it is believed that the occupants in this area are just the escaped birds from captive owners that had returned to the wild.
Habitat
The green conure favors gallery and deciduous woodland, scrub, and in the edge of the forest. They avoid humid lowland forest. They build their nests in different holes of the tree, whether in an urban area or in a pristine forest or woodland edge. They are usually detected through their screeching calls.
Behavior and Temperament
Green conures are a known talker that can even surpass the vocabulary of larger parrots. The male green conures are only capable of talking, that is why if you obtained a male green conure, make sure to have a talk time even though they do not actually speak human’s language. They have good eyesight that has the ability to see all the colors. Like other conures, they love interaction and socialization.
In captivity, they show off their playfulness by means of messing and tumbling things around. One of their distinct behaviors is that they can fall asleep on their backs with their that sticking straight out, making them look like dead. When they used to grow up socializing, they can be tamed easily, and they can go with strangers out of curiosity. In captivity, they require more time outside of their cage to fully develop their mental and physical well-being.
Behavioral Problem
1) Excessive Chewing
Chewing is innate to parrot species where they use their beak to create a nest in a tree hollow or the chewing action when they eat, which is an indication that your bird’s beak is in healthy condition. However, in the wild, since there is no actual tree that they can chew, give them toys or natural wood branches to refrain them from chewing unnecessary things in your house when you let them out. You should be able to teach them what are the things that they can only play around for them to avoid destroying your things.
2) Biting
Like other animals, biting is a form of defensive mechanism to them. Wild green conures have a higher chance of becoming aggressive. They love to explore what their beaks are capable of doing; that is why in captivity, it is important to guide this undesirable behavior.
3) Noisy
Conures are known for being a naturally noisy bird species because they express different kinds of emotions that they feel through loud screams, may it be excitement, happiness, loneliness, and boredom. It may upset neighbors or your housemates, especially if they are placed indoors.
4) Feather Picking and Self-mutilation
Feather Picking and self-mutilation are usually due to behavioral problems caused by boredom, stress, and sexual frustration. As soon as your bird learns this behavior, it can no longer be unlearned; that is why when you notice unusual behavior from your bird, take it immediately to your veterinarian. This behavior is usually triggered if your bird is lonely and bored; that is why it is always important to make them feel that they are not alone by playing with them, or you can have them in pairs.
Breeding and Reproduction
During the breeding season, they are seen to be in the holes of the trees together with their pair. The females have the ability to lay 3-4 eggs, which will be incubated by both parents so the male and the female can take turns in searching for food. It is already a pattern that after the breeding season, they form a large communal roost.
Diet
The green conures feed on various fruits, corn, and seeds. They are often considered as crop pests because they are fond of staying in the flock when they eat, especially in agricultural crops. Those green conures who live in the USA also enjoy feeding on palm groves.
Size and Weight
The size and weight of green conure do not differ significantly. Their size is about 32cm in length, with an adult weight of about 270 grams.
Life Span
On average, the green conure has a lifespan of 22 years, but if they are caged in captivity, they can live up to 30 years. There are a lot of contributing factors that may influence their lifespan.
Common Disease/Illnesses
1) Polyomavirus
This is an infectious disease that infests most aviary, especially juveniles because they haven’t produced enough immunity against this disease. It is fatal because it directly impacts the antibodies in their body that slowly weakens their immunity. The healthy the bird is, it is less likely that it will be affected. Research shows that this disease impacts the juveniles more than the adults because the juvenile’s body is still weak. When one bird has polyomavirus, it can be transmitted to other birds immediately, but good thing it is not transferable to humans. A way to avoid the disease to spread is to separate or quarantine the bird that looks weak immediately.
Among the parrot species, the conure species are the ones that are more prone to polyomavirus. There is no cure for this disease, but there is a vaccination to be given before the bird develops its wings to ensure that the immunity of the bird to fight this disease is sufficient. These are the symptoms of polyomavirus diarrhea, dehydration, vomiting, loss of appetite, swollen abdomen, and sudden weight loss. Do not wait for a few more days before taking it to a veterinary or before taking the bird to quarantine because the disease can be spread in just minutes, so you need to be observant.
2) Pacheco’s disease
This disease that is common to birds is known to be highly infectious and fatal. It is caused by a herpesvirus that can spread easily through the bird’s feces and nasal discharge. It is not contagious to humans, but you may need to be cautious in handling it because you might be a carrier of this disease that can be passed on to other birds immediately.
The most common manifestation of this disease is sudden death. Some bird infested experiences green dropping, tremors, and anorexia. When it is detected at an early stage, it can still be cured through the use of an antiviral drug, but this drug has side effects that can damage the bird’s kidneys in a short span of time. Quarantine is used as the safest preventive measure to avoid the disease from spreading further.
3) Psittacosis in Birds (Parrot fever)
The parrot fever is a highly contagious disease to humans. The disease can be spread through the bird’s urine, feces, and respiratory secretions. The infected bird doesn’t need to have physical contact with another bird or to humans for them to be infested, but the disease is highly transmissible through air particles. It is not fatal to humans, but an infected person may experience flu-like symptoms, but those birds that were infected should be treated immediately because it will make the bird very sick and soon die if there were no actions made.
The symptoms of Psittacosis to birds are difficulty breathing, difficulty digesting the food that leads to vomiting, mucous discharge from nose and eyes, green and watery droppings, and tremors that may twist the head and neck of the bird. As soon as you notice any of the symptoms, take it immediately to the veterinarian for early detection of the disease and so that immediate action is given to the bird, which is the antibiotic treatment to kill the bacteria.
4) Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD)
This viral progressive and oftentimes fatal disease directly affects the nerves of the central nervous system of the bird that supplies blood to the different parts of their body. This disease is also known as the Parrot Wasting Syndrome or the Macaw Wasting Syndrome because its often seen on cockatoos, conure species, parrot species, and macaws species.
When your bird is infected with this disease, expect that your bird will have negative manifestations on their bodies such as swollen muscular pouch near the throat, changes in the consistency of the texture of the droppings, vomiting, weight loss and extreme weakness. It is an incurable disease, but when this disease is detected, the bird is given a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug just to regulate the pain and irritations the bird experiences. There is a special diet given by a veterinarian to infested birds to make their immune system stronger to fight for the symptoms.
5) Giardia
This is an intestinal infection caused by a microscopic parasite that causes abdominal and digestive problems to the bird. It is caused by an unsanitary environment, and if the food and water that are given to them are not clean. A bird that is infested by this parasite shows symptoms of itchiness of their whole body, dry skin that may lead to feather picking, bulky stools, diarrhea, and depression.
The parasites can live in the intestines of the bird for weeks, and it can form cysts that are shed through their feces. When your bird is infested, the disinfection of all the things used by the bird is necessary, such as their toys, perches, water and food bowl, as well as the whole cage. The infected bird should also be given antibiotics to kill the parasites.
6) Malnutrition
The most common diseases or illnesses are usually due to malnutrition. If your pet is enriched with nutrients, it is less likely that they will be infested with different illnesses. Malnutrition leads to lower immunity. Making sure that you are providing your conure with the right nutrients is complicated; that is why you may need to check the bird supplements guide so as to be accurate in giving them a balanced diet.
Aside from the nutrients from their food, they should also be exposed in full-spectrum sunlight. A sign that your pet has a nutritional deficiency is when there is a change in their physical appearance such as feather stress bars, and shows weakness.
7) Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD)
This is a serious disease that affects all the members of the parrot species; that is why it is referred to as the bird AIDS because AIDS seen on humans almost has the same symptoms. Birds that are under two years old are more susceptible to disease, but it can affect all birds at any age. The symptoms of Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease include abnormal feather development, feather loss, abnormalities of the beak, and lesions on their skin. The veterinarian may conduct skin and/or feather biopsy and some supportive care to alleviate their pain.
8) Ulcerative dermatitis
This is a skin disease that can easily irritate the parrot. A sign that they are irritable is when they peck their skin that eventually leads to wounds and breakage. It brings itchiness and stinging sensations. When you see that your parrot has an open wound, make sure to do first aid so that it won’t be infected. There are ointments that can ease irritations. Your bird can be prone to different bacterial infections if this disease is not treated immediately due to the open wounds that they may get.
9) Overweight parrot
When your conure looks fat, it doesn’t mean that they are healthy. Being fat is next to being overweight or obese, which is an unhealthy physical physique for a bird because it can be a cause of different diseases or illnesses. Overweight is due to an improper way of feeding them, may it be the schedule of feeding or the variety of foods that are given to them.
The more healthy options, the less likely that they’ll be overweight. If your parrot’s body is too heavy, they’ll have difficulty moving, restricting them from moving properly. You may need to consult your veterinarian for the list of foods that can be given to them, just avoid sugary and fatty-based diets.
10) Avian Gastric Yeast (AGY) infection (megabacteriosis)
This disease directly infects the digestive system of the bird due to the bacteria and yeast infections; that is why they have difficulty in digesting food, and their body doesn’t have the ability to absorb nutrients. The common manifestation of this disease is through sudden weight loss, making it hard to identify if they are having an Avian Gastric Yeast (AGY) infection (megabacteriosis), especially if it just infested the bird because you will not immediately notice their weight. You may need to observe them carefully. As soon as you see undigested food from their feces or vomit, this is already a sign that they have a problem digesting it. Your veterinary would advise you to give them antibiotics for about a week so as to kill the bacteria and replace the good cells that had been infested.
Preventing Illnesses
There are different points to remember to avoid your green conure from acquiring different kinds of diseases or illnesses. As a breeder, you must instill the value of cleanliness. Most bacterial and pest infestations come from unsanitized housing, so make sure to regularly clean their housing especially that they poop regularly.
It is also your obligation to ensure that they always have a balanced diet to avoid nutritional deficiencies. When your bird has nutritional deficiencies, their immunity against sickness is lowered, making them more prone to diseases. It is also important to be attentive to your pet’s needs. A slight change in their behavior would mean that they feel something wrong in their body, so you must observe them know if they need medical attention.
Captive Breeding
The green conures are committed to those who are able to give their attention and who are capable of guiding their behavior. If you do not have time on a daily basis to play with them, at least place their cage in a place where they see people and where activities are often hosted, such as in the living room. It is also advisable to take them in pairs because conures are prone to stress and depression if they are bored. They are one of the conure species that can be bred in captivity easily as long as their cage is an ideal one with a nest box.
During the first week of their captivation, it is not advisable to handle them frequently, give them time to become familiar with their new environment first so that it would be easier for you to tame them. This is a parrot species that is not complicated to take into captivity, but you still need to make sure that their basic needs are met and that it is a bird species that is more suitable for experienced bird growers. They can be taught tricks easily as long as you have the patience and passion for doing it.
Availability-Where to Get One?
The green conure is the common conure species to be taken into captivity. Experts encourage captive breeding to make sure that their population will remain in a stable population. These conure species are often seen on some pet trades. There is always an available green conure if you would search for it on the online pet store or through personal breeders.
How to Take Good Care Parrot as a Pet?
1) Housing
Even though your bird is already in captivity, they must still be given the freedom to fly around. You may let them fly around your house, provided that all parts of the Boise are bird-proof. If you are not yet comfortable freeing them inside your house, make sure that their cage has sufficient space with dimensions of about 1 ½-feet square with ¼ inch bar spacing. They are an active conure species that fly, climb and play, so the largest cage you see, the better. If you are into breeding, make sure that their cage is equipped with nesting boxes. You may need to experiment with the kind of nesting box they prefer. Give them choices, the nesting box that they seem to enter is the one that they prefer.
2) Food
the high-quality feed is a must for your green conure. A strictly-seed diet is a big no-no, as seeds can breed dangerous bacteria over time, and can endanger the life of your parakeet. Instead, a conure diet should include pellets, mixed seeds, and a variety of fresh fruits and veggies. You will also need to provide your green conure with a cuttlebone and mineral block, which offer calcium and other essential nutrients. You may need to consult with your veterinarian about a suitable diet for your conure because there are a lot of health problems that nutritional deficiency brings, such as tumors, bacterial infections, abnormalities, and other conditions.
3) Accessories
Aside from their water and food bowl, you may need to supply your pet with the right kind of toys to keep them entertained, especially if they are alone. They love to explore hollow things, ring bells, toss items, bonk their toys, and they are fond of seeing themselves in the mirror where they are given the impression that they are with another bird. You can also give the chewable items because it will not also serve as entertainment, but it will help keep their beaks stronger.
4) Training
Green conures are smart and can learn tricks fast. Being small doesn’t limit their trainability at all. Go ahead and teach your conure to dunk balls in hoops and put rings on a peg. Your conure can also learn to fly to you, can learn to talk, and can even be taught to do a somersault in your hand.
5) Grooming
Green conures need regular grooming. Their nails and beak grow fast, so it should be trimmed down. You also need to bathe them regularly to avoid different pest and disease infestations caused by the unsanitary environment.
Conservation Status
As of August 2018, the status of the green conure in the wild is the least concern. Even though their population is decreasing, due to an increase in inactivity for trade and agriculture expansion, it is still not an immediate cause to approach the threshold for the vulnerable rating. There some breeding facilities that ensure to add more population of these conures in the wild and that experts suggest to breed in captivity.
FAQ Section
How does green conure behave in captivity?
As long as the environmental conditions are ideal, green conures will still have a cheerful attitude making them an uplifting pet for first-timers. They love human interactions; that is why expect that they will be demanding in seeking attention, and it will be seen through their noise.
Are green conures good pets?
Green conures are at a manageable size, making it a perfect choice if you prefer small birds that will not occupy too much space. Despite their size, they are entertaining, talkative, and loves to mingle.
Do green conure like to be petted?
Yes. Green conures have a clingy attitude. Petting your pet is a way to have an interaction. If you do not know how to train, petting them is the least that you can do so that they can feel your presence.
Can green conure talk?
They have the ability to mimic sounds that they hear. They may not speak clearly than large birds, but they are still trainable.
Can you keep a green conure alone?
It is not advisable to keep green conure alone because they are naturally a social creature wherein they can easily be lonely. You can still keep them alone but make sure that they have a lot of human interaction per day.
Do green conure stink?
These small creatures do not stink because they are known to be clean. Owners need to bathe them regularly so as to avoid diseases and to keep them fresh.
Do green conures love their owners?
Green conures love to spend time with their owners to play. On the other hand, showing to your pet that you have time for them makes them feel special and loved.
How do green conures poop?
They have a good metabolism after eating, expect that they will eat within 5-10 minutes, and they would even poop in their sleep.
Can green conures be potty trained?
Yes, they can be trained to poop in just one spot. They can be potty trained easily because you can easily predict the time when they are going to poop.
Can I leave my green conure for days?
The risk of leaving them alone is due to dehydration and starvation. Avoid leaving them alone for days to avoid these issues.
