Green Cheek Conure FAQ.

Green Cheek Conures are members of the Pyrrhura genus, the second largest genus of conures. As with all Pyrrhura conures, Green Cheeks are smaller than their Aratinga counterparts.

Green Cheek Conures are small parrots, averaging about 10 inches long and weighing about 60 to 90 grams. This is roughly the same size as a Cockatiel. Because they are relatively small, they can be housed comfortably in smaller homes or apartments.

This type of conure has a black beak, dark brown eyes surrounded by white eyerings, and, of course, green cheeks. Some also have varying amounts of green or green-blue above their eyes. The chest is a scalloped grey and the body is dark green. The flight feathers are cobalt and their tail is maroon. While some of these birds have a completely maroon belly, others just have patches of this color and others may not have any at all.

Members of this genus are not able to be sexed visually and the most accurate way to find out whether you've got a little boy or girl is to have them DNA or surgically sexed. It is said that females have a more rounded head and body.

Green Cheek Conures make wonderful pets. They are able to be apartment birds as well as house birds, are often good with families, and are good for knowledgable beginners and experienced bird keepers.

This conure has a huge personality for such a small bird. They are smart and interactive and love to play. If not in the right situation, green cheeks are more prone to behavior problems than are budgies or cockatiels.

These birds are incredibly cuddly, though this depends a lot on the individual bird. My particular bird loves to cuddle before bed time and often refuses to sleep if he doesn't get this necessary interaction. They love their heads and necks rubbed. Some may even allow you to pet their bellies or backs, but this should be avoided as it can be sexually stimulating.

Green Cheeks love to play and a variety of toys should be available at all times. I keep my cages stocked with objects to climb, bells to ring, paper to shred, and wood to chew. I've often had a wooden toy be shredded to toothpicks in hours.

Aside from a variety of toys, they love to climb and hang on things. Many can be taught to hang from a finger. They will often hang from your hair or make a nest on your head. They will often climb up your pants, shirts, and even inside your shirt!

While all of this may sound wonderful, Green Cheeks have gotten a reputation for being a bit nippy. I've lost some skin and blood on occasions where I was pushing to get my bird to do something he didn't feel particularly inclined to do. This can often be overcome by ignoring the bite and reinforcing that biting does not make the offending action or person go away.

These birds aren't nearly as destructive as Cockatoos or Macaws, but I wouldn't recommend leaving your grandmother's antique hutch nearby. They will chew wood, shred paper, and figure out a way to get their beaks around pretty much everything else.

Green Cheeks aren't nearly as needy as Cockatoos, but they do require daily attention and socialization. If you don't have the ability to provide adequate out of cage play time, it's probably best that you not own a parrot.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that they can own a parrot and replace socialization with their human with a mate gotten at the same time. While the bird may enjoy this, it is much less likely to bond to you and will often bond more strongly to the companion.

It is possible to add a second bird after the first, though it's important to be aware that the birds may love or hate eachother. In cases where the birds hate eachother, the birds need to be kept apart. And while you thought getting a companion was going to get you out of spending a lot of time with your bird, now you have to spend twice the amount of attention.

As with all parrots, there is a slight risk that these birds become one person birds. This is much less likely with proper socialization and interaction with everyone in the home. Most well socialized birds do have a favorite person, but they won't lunge at your significant other any time they get near.

A well socialized conure also makes a wonderful family pet. They often don't mind a lot of activity and may even enjoy it. They do tend to go through a nippy stage, so interaction with children should be carefully monitored until the child is able to confidently handle the bird on it's own.

As with all conures, they can be loud. But they are not nearly as loud as the Aratinga conures. My green cheek very rarely screams, but when he does, it's definitely heard. The tonal properties and frequency aren't nearly as bad as a Sun Conure. And because these birds tend to be quieter than other conures, they do make acceptable apartment pets.