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Conures comprise a large group of relatively small parrots. These birds are extremely colorful, with long, multi-colored tails and bodies. They’re friendly and often like to clown around in their cage. It’s not uncommon to find them engaging in behaviors like hanging upside down or dancing!
Regardless of what animal we add to our family, we often want to take our pets home as young as possible in order to maximize our time with them, while still making sure they have spent enough time with their parents. If you are thinking about getting one of these birds but are unsure about how old they should be when you bring them home, the general rule is that a conure should be at least 12 weeks old prior to being brought into a new home.
Optimal Age to Bring Home a Conure
Most experts recommend waiting until a conure is at least 12 weeks old to bring them home. By this time, your bird should be weaned and able to properly regulate their temperature and won’t require any special care, though some birds can take as long as 6 months to be ready. It’s best to let the bird set the pace; a longer weaning time sometimes results in a more closely bonded bird.
With the bird weaned, you can take them home. Outside of their smaller size and slightly altered diet to promote strength and growth, your new conure will be similar to an adult and will require the same basic care.
What If My Conure Is Still Weaning?
If your chosen bird is still weaning, it’s best to exercise patience and wait until they are weaned. It’s not common for a conure to take an exceptionally long time to completely wean, but it does happen in certain circumstances.
Adopting the conure too early might result in stress for you, your new pet, and your pet’s parents. Therefore, it isn’t advisable to adopt a pet that isn’t ready to be taken to a new home.
Birds that have been hand-raised by a breeder can be brought up while they’re still being weaned, if you’re up for the challenge of hand-feeding them. However, please be mindful that hand-rearing a bird is a massive commitment, and mistakes often lead to a pet bird that doesn’t thrive. It is therefore best to let a professional caretaker wean the bird for you.
Fun Facts About Conures
- Conures are among the most popular pets in the United States.
- Not all conures will mimic sounds or learn.
- Conures can be temperamental and can get destructive if you don’t give them enough attention.
- Conures usually only take one mate and are extremely family-oriented; however, they aren’t monogamous.
- Conures lay their eggs in existing tree hollows that they modify with their sharp beaks.
- Many wild conures often make lifelong friends with other conures before they become adults.
- A conure is born bald, with no feathers.
- Conures will post guards to alert the flock of danger, and they have different calls for different purposes.
Summary
In most cases, you will want to wait until your conure is eating solid food before taking them home. Waiting will mean that you don’t need to worry about feeding formula to them and weaning them yourself, which can be stressful for you and the bird, especially if you are inexperienced with baby birds. It may also interfere with bonding time with your pet. Most conures will be ready in about 12 weeks, but some can take as long as 24 weeks; each bird is different.
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Featured Image Credit: rutpratheep0, Pixabay
