The Joys of Conures in Aviculture ~e conure group of parrots has byOa/eR. Thompson very colorful Qenday, Sun) and are l'b~en taxonomically broken into Canyon Country, California very commercial, while others are major groups, Aratinga and Pyrrhura, basic green in coloration (Olive- with five to six minor groups. They are throat, Nanday, Brown-throat, etc.). Nanday, Nandayus; Golden-plumed, from the large 17 inch Patagonian Although not as popular, many of the Leptosittaca; Yellow-eared, Ogno- Conure to some of the small eight and less colorful conures need to be repro­ rhynchus; Patagonian, Cyanoliseus; a half inch Pyrrhura conures duced or they may die out in captivity Austral and Slender-billed, Enicogna- (Painted). in the upcoming years. The Cuban, thus; and the extinct Carolina Para- Hispanolian and White-eyed are in keet, Conuropsis. There are many Choosing a Conure very low numbers and need to be subspecies within these groups, but I When choosing a conure for breed- worked With. Of great importance to will mainly discuss the avicultural ing purposes, there are several consid- aviculture is a project begun by the aspects ofthose species in captivity. erations to make. Almost all conures Arizona Seed Crackers Society. They have the ability to make shrill calls, so have begun a Halfmoon (Petz or Natural History the noise factor is important. The Orange-fronted) Conure breeding Conures come from the New World, Pyrrhura conures, being smaller, consortium. They must be com­ ranging from Mexico, Central America have a less annoying call than does mended and their concept followed and throughout South America. They the Aratinga group. Generally, for other parrot species in the private have a great diversity in their habitats. domestic reared conures sound off to sector. These range from the tropical rain for­ a lesser extent than their Wild-caught ests to dry savannas. Temperatures counterparts. Sex Determination throughout these habitats range from Price is also a factor. Conures range Many parrots do not show external just below freeZing to over the lOO°F from the high-priced Golden Conure differences in the sexes and this mark. Elevations range from sea level to many reasonably priced (±$150) includes the conures. It was not until to over 11,000 feet. Nests consist of species in both the Aratinga (Peach­ the 1970's that accurate sexing large and small hollows found in fronted, Petz, Dusky, etc.) and Pyr­ became a wonderful tool for avicul­ trees, active termite mounds and rock rhura (Green-cheeked and Maroon­ ture. Later, chromosomal sexing was crevices. These parrots range in size bellied) groups. Some conures are added. These methods replaced the FREE CATALOG AVAILABLE CALL OR WRITE: 2765 Main Street Telephone (619) 585-9900 Chula Vista, CA 91911 Fax (619) 420-1426 RX-2 The Exotic Bird Breeder's TX-7 The Favorite Incubator Of AICU Animal Intensive Care Unit Favorite Incubator Schools, Hobbyists & Breeders • Solid State Temperature Control • Preferred and Used by Tens of • Hospital Unit for ill or Injured Birds • Preferred By Top Breeders Around Thousands of Bird Breeders, • Nursery Unit to Hand Raise Young The World Schools and Hobbyists World Wide Birds • Unparalleled Visibility with Impact • Total Visibility Polycarbonate Dome • Large LED Temperature/Humidity Resistant Polycarbonate Domes • Improved Turner Power Motor Read Out • Whisper Quiet Fan Motor • Solid State Temperature Control • Veterinarian Designed and Tested • Improved Turner Power • Unique Humidity Control • Audio and Visual Alarm • Unique "Wall of Air" Design On All • Adjustments Can Be Performed • Provides Safety and Security Four Outside Walls Without Opening The Incubator. • Easy to Clean and Sanitize • Outside Water Bottle • Highly Reliable Mercury • Filtered Air • Thermal Wafer Overtemp Back Thermometers • Oxygen/Nebulizer Adaptable • CSA Approved • CSA Approved afa WATCI-II3l1W 39 The large Slender-billed Conure does not belong to the Aratinga genus ofconures. It, along with the Austral Conure, is basicallygreen in coloration and needs attention byAmerican aviculturists. old n1ethods of sexing conures. The Maroon-bellied Conure and the Green-cheeked Con-ure are two very Although not 100 percent accurate, popularPyrrhura conures both with aviculturists andpet owners. the males of many species of Aratinga conures (Mitred, Sun, ]enday, Peach­ fronted and Orange-fronted) have either a larger body size, more mas­ sive upper mandible or added (or intense) coloration on parts of their bodies. There are three reliable ways of sexing parrots: (1) Laporoscopic sexing is a tech­ nique where a laporoscope is placed through a small incision on the left side of the bird and the gonads can be observed. This should be done by an experienced avian veterinarian. (2) Feather sexing is done via a blood feather, and a lab then deter­ nlines the chromosomes. (Available through Avian Genetics Sexing Labor­ atory, Marc Valentine, 6551 Stage Oakes Dr., Suite 3A, Bartlett, TN 38134; phone 901-388-9548.) (3) Blood sexing is where blood is removed from a parrot's toenail and a The Painted Conure, one ofthe Pyrrhura conures, is especially desired by aviculturists lab then detennines the chroo10somes because ofits striking coloratt'on andpatterns. It is somewhat more difficult to reproduce from this sao1ple. (Available through than the more com,mon Green-cheeked andMaroon-bellied Conures. 40 May / June 1994 Zoogen, Inc., Joy Haverson, D.V.M., ers than do domestic conures. Even Breeding conures indoors is often 1105 Kennedy Place, Suite 4, Davis, though sexually mature, wild-caught very successful. Manipulating artificial CA 95616; phone 916-756-8089.) Both conures often take several years to lighting can often trigger conures to chromosomal sexing methods can be acclimatize and reproduce. Domestic breed throughout every month of the done on baby birds which eliminates conures, however, often reproduce year. Average light cycles range from waiting for the birds' gonads to successfully as early as 18 months to nine and a half to ten and a half hours mature. Laporoscopic sexing, how­ two years of age. Placing visual barri­ in the off season and 14 and a half to ever, has the advantage of allowing ers on the cage sides, back, and most 15 and a half hours during the breed­ the avian veterinarian to observe other of the top is often very helpful. Shad­ ing season. internal parts of the bird. It is often ing the nest entrance and the immedi­ less expensive and one has immediate ate surrounding area is also very PairBonding results. important. As with all parrots, it is highly advis­ The distance between the conures able to allow conures to choose their Housing and their keepers should be maxi­ own mates. It is best to place several Conures are most often maintained mized. Placing cages with the length known sexed birds of the same spe­ in suspended breeding cages. They facing away from human contact is cies in a large cage or flight. This flight range in size from 2' x 2' X 3' to 4' for better than width. All perches should should not contain any nest boxes, small conures and 4' x 4' X 6' to 8' for be above human eye level. but should be filled with plenty of the large conures. Most are bred in Conures can be kept successfully in perches. Whether wild-caught or cages somewhere between these two both indoor and outdoor situations. domestic, it will not take long before suggested sizes. Although I have kept Although the main breeding season some of the birds will begin to bond conures in much smaller cages, I for outdoor conures is in the spring­ together. After bonding has occurred, personally have great reservations. time, they will often produce at other the pair can then be placed in their Long-term reproduction on parrots in times. Many Aratinga conures will own breeding cage that contains a very small cages has not yet been first lay in December when it is still nest box. Almost all conure species researched completely. It is possible very cold in some areas. Many con­ are kept in separate pairs for breeding. that this may promote muscle deter­ ures are triggered by natural rain. Arti­ This is much more successful than ioration, increased infertility, aban­ ficial rain from sprinklers is often used trying to breed them in a colony. Very donment of eggs and obesity in future to simulate natural rain, but this few conure species do well in a col­ generations. usually does not work as birds are ony. I have observed a producing How secure any bird feels inside its triggered by the increased change in colony of the Patagonian Conure but breeding cage is very important. Wild­ atmospheric pressure. Sprinklers are these birds were in a very large flight. caught conures need more security in excellent, though, for cooling aviaries Usually only the alpha or dominant the form of darkness and visual barri- in hot weather. pair of conures in a colony will breed. ~ •••••••••••••••••• • Luv Them Birds, Inc. ~. • "Aviculture Conserves Birds In The Wild" ~ Closed-Banded••Domestic••Hand-reared Baby Parrots •a. Over 100 Species to Choose from I!! Other Products include Syringes, Nutrition Plus Vitamins, Calcium Care, Wheat Grass Powder, Spirulina, Virkon Disinfectant, and more. •~ a. •Plus a full line of Gift Items including Eric Peake T-Shirts • • Complete Product and Bird Price List: Send $.52 stamp to: .. • Luv Them Birds, Inc. C • P.O. Box 0285 Goulds, Florida 33170 Kathleen Szabo C • Phone Hours: 9-4 EST. (305) 258-2373 Fax: (305) 258-4574 & Rick Jordan C •• ~AAAA~••AA ••AA ••A••••AA afa WATCHBIRD 41 Conures do not have to be sexually Diet ment. Incubation may begin with the mature to show signs of bonding, so Carbohydrates make up the majority first, second or third egg, depending young domestics can be placed ofthe diet of conures in the wild.