People usually start looking up conures when they’re deciding whether one will suit their home: an apartment with close neighbours, a busy household with kids, or a quieter place where a bird’s daily calls will feel loud. The decision matters, because a conure is not a short-term pet. It’s a clever, active parrot that needs time, space, and steady routines for decades.
Conures can be affectionate and entertaining, but they’re also demanding in very ordinary ways: they need safe housing, a balanced diet that isn’t built around seeds, daily out-of-cage time, and an avian vet you can actually reach when something seems off. The sections below focus on what’s practical in real homes—noise, diet, enrichment, health red flags, and the long commitment.
Conure snapshot (quick facts)
- Size: Small parrots; most commonly kept conures are roughly 25–33 cm long (species varies).1, 2
- Weight: Typically around 60–130 g depending on species (and individual build).3
- Colours: From mostly green (e.g., green-cheeked conures) to bright yellow-orange (e.g., sun conures).1
- Temperament: Intelligent, social, and busy; can become nippy or noisy if bored or mishandled.2
- Diet foundation: A formulated pellet base with vegetables and smaller amounts of fruit; seeds are best kept as treats, not the main meal.2, 4, 5
- Lifespan: Commonly 15–25+ years; some individuals reach around 30 years with excellent care (species and husbandry matter).1, 2
- Habitat: Conures are native to parts of Central and South America, but are widely kept as companion birds worldwide.1
Why people choose conures (and why some don’t)
A well-kept conure is a small, bright presence that spends the day climbing, chewing, watching, and calling out. Training tends to come naturally when you keep sessions short and reward-based. Many learn simple words or household sounds, though “talking” is usually not their main talent.2
The trade-offs are predictable. Conures are built for movement and noise: the same energy that makes them engaging also means they rarely thrive as “cage ornaments”. And some species, especially sun conures, are famously loud—sharp, repetitive calls that carry through walls.2
Common pet conure types (Australia)
Green-cheeked conure (green-cheeked parakeet)
Often chosen for smaller homes because they’re generally quieter than many other conure species. They’re compact, active, and can be very interactive with daily handling, but they still need structure and consistent boundaries to avoid developing bitey habits.6
Sun conure
Bright yellow and orange, and hard to ignore. Sun conures are social and playful, but they’re also known for loud, shrill calls. If noise is your main concern, this is the species to think about carefully before you commit.2
Jenday conure
Similar in size to a sun conure and also lively and vocal. Temperament varies bird to bird, but the general pattern is the same: they do best with daily interaction, training, and plenty of chewing and foraging outlets.
Temperament and behaviour: what “social” looks like day to day
Conures are flock birds. In a home, that usually translates to a strong preference for being near people, seeing what’s happening, and having predictable contact every day. When that need isn’t met, boredom can show up as screaming, repetitive pacing, or feather-destructive behaviour.2
They can suit families, including homes with older children who can learn calm handling. Supervision matters. Small parrots can be injured quickly by rough hands, and bites happen most often when body language is ignored—pinning eyes, flared tail, lunging, or sudden stillness before a snap.2
Training and enrichment (how to keep a conure steady)
Training is less about tricks and more about safe handling: stepping up, accepting brief restraint, and moving calmly between cage and play areas. Reward-based methods (tiny treats, praise, attention) work best, and short sessions done often tend to beat long sessions done rarely.2
Enrichment isn’t optional for conures. They’re wired to forage and chew, and they’ll practise those behaviours on your skirting boards if you don’t give them better options. Useful staples include:
- Foraging toys and puzzle feeders (food hidden in paper, cardboard, or purpose-made toys)
- Chewable materials (bird-safe wood, shreddable paper toys)
- Rotation of toys to keep the cage from feeling “solved”
- Daily supervised out-of-cage time for movement and social contact2
Housing and environment
Cage size and setup
Choose the largest cage you can fit and safely manage, with appropriate bar spacing (small enough that the bird can’t get its head through). Conures climb constantly, so horizontal bars, multiple perches, and a layout that encourages movement make a real difference.2
Perches should vary in diameter and texture. Natural branches are useful for foot health, and placing perches so droppings don’t fall into food and water dishes reduces daily mess and risk.5
Placement and household hazards
Put the cage where the bird can see household life without being trapped in chaos—away from cooking fumes, draughts, and direct blasting sun through glass. If you’re setting up a “bird room”, ventilation matters as much as space.
Diet and nutrition (what to feed, and what to stop feeding)
Most conure diet problems come from one familiar bowl: a seed mix that’s easy, tasty, and nutritionally incomplete. Many veterinary resources recommend a formulated pellet as the main food, with vegetables and smaller amounts of fruit, and seeds reserved for training or occasional treats.4, 7
A practical daily balance
- Pellets: around 60–70% of the diet for many pet conures.4, 7
- Vegetables and greens: offered daily (a wide mix; darker veg is usually more nutrient-dense).5
- Fruit: smaller amounts than vegetables (fruit is sugary; think “side dish”, not “main course”).5, 7
- Seeds and nuts: best kept limited, often as training rewards.7
Foods to avoid (important)
Some common household foods are toxic to parrots. Avoid at minimum:
Feeding routine
Many people feed pellets and vegetables in the morning, refresh vegetables later if needed, and use seeds/nuts only for training. Remove fresh foods before they spoil, especially in warm weather, and change water daily.4
If you’re converting a seed-addicted bird to pellets, do it gradually and monitor weight. Sudden diet changes can lead to a bird quietly eating less than you think.5
Grooming and routine maintenance
Bathing is part of normal feather care for many conures. Some prefer a shallow dish; others like gentle misting. Regular bathing supports feather condition and can make moulting periods easier to manage.8
Nails and beaks usually stay in shape when the bird has the right perches and safe things to chew. If nails become sharp or overgrown, ask an avian vet or experienced groomer to show you safe trimming—quicking a small parrot can bleed more than people expect.
Health and lifespan: what to watch, and what to prevent
With good husbandry, many conures live well into their teens and twenties, and some reach around 30 years. Poor diet, chronic stress, and lack of movement tend to shorten that arc dramatically.1, 2
Common problems seen in pet conures
- Obesity (often tied to seed-heavy diets and low activity)7
- Feather-destructive behaviour (a sign, not a diagnosis; may relate to boredom, stress, skin disease, pain, or other medical issues)
- Respiratory illness (birds hide early signs; changes in breathing, voice, or energy deserve prompt attention)
- Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), a serious viral condition; prevention and biosecurity are crucial when introducing new birds.8
Preventative care that actually helps
- Find an avian vet early and book routine checks (don’t wait for the first emergency).
- Weigh weekly on kitchen scales at the same time of day to catch slow weight loss or gain.5
- Keep the cage clean, especially food and water areas, to reduce infection risk.
- Quarantine new birds and discuss testing with your vet before introducing them to an existing bird.
Final thoughts
A conure is small enough to fit on your shoulder, but it lives on a bigger scale than many people expect. It needs daily attention, steady training, and a diet built around pellets and fresh foods rather than seed. If noise is a deal-breaker, choose species carefully—and be honest about your walls, your neighbours, and your mornings.
When the match is right, a conure becomes a bright, observant companion: always climbing, always chewing, always listening, and always present.
References
- WebMD: Sun Conures—Characteristics, lifespan, and care
- PetMD: Sun Conure Care Sheet
- Green-cheeked parakeet (Pyrrhura molinae) overview
- PetMD: Small Conure Care Sheet
- Animal Welfare League Queensland: Bird care (diet, pellet conversion, weight monitoring)
- Green-cheeked parakeet in aviculture (temperament and relative noise)
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Feeding conures
- PetMD: Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD)
Veterinary Advisor, Veterinarian London Area, United Kingdom