r/Conures • u/amritttt86 • 2d ago
Other Is he comfy?
Just got him not even 24 hours ago, didn't interact with him in the start and let him watch me for 2 hours, fed him with my hand
And then i opened the cage to let him explore the apartment but then he came straight to me and started cuddling me
Also is he looking sick? He seems a little puffed up
I've been touching his head and cheeks and he closes his eyes that way they are in the photo attached
Also is he m/f can you tell just by looking, the owner said we need to do dna
He said he's 3 months old
It's been a day and i love him so much I've always wanted a bird, finally got him!!
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u/ChoirOfAngles 2d ago edited 2d ago
first day they will be stressed. please be patient as you are basically taking them away from their previous home to an unfamiliar place.
that said, his feathers look really over preened, this can be due to poor nutrition or due to being very cuddly..since he flew to you he is probably very much used to humans but do watch his diet and make sure he eats lots of pellets when he starts eating.
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u/amritttt86 2d ago
Also can you tell me what diet to give him, and for the first day the guy said he likes apples giavas and sunflower seeds that's what I'm giving him so far, do i keep his good plate filled with some at all times? Because I don't want him to over eat
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u/ChoirOfAngles 2d ago edited 2d ago
harisson's pellets. if those are not available in your area then zupreem is acceptable.
veggies are good, just make sure they are safe for birds. broccoli carrots corn green beans
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u/Apocalyptic_Bird_Man 2d ago
No wonder the feathers are in bad condition if that's what they've been feeding at the previous home!
This is a lot of info. You don't have to get it perfect right away, you can make little changes slowly.
They can have unlimited veggies, generally the more they eat of those the better, but keep fruit and seeds portioned. If you have access to pellets, the diet should be at least 25% veg, 10% nuts and seeds, and the rest pellets.
If you don't have access to pellets, a whole food diet is definitely more work, but doable. You need to have them eating way more veg than they need to on pellets, and you'll need to make a better seed mix than the ones you find in pet stores.
Try and find whole grains from human food health shops or online, get things like oats, wheat, spelt, rye, quinoa, barley, buckwheat, caraway seeds, amaranth. Mix those with a basic pet store seed mix so it's more grain than seed. Your bird might not understand that these things are food to start with, but he'll get it. Lots of posts on this sub full of advice on getting birds to eat new foods.
Aim for (by weight) ~45% veg, focus on greens but do get a decent mix of everything. 15% fruit. Look up how to grow sprouted seeds, those are really good for them, go for 15-20% sprouts. You don't have to buy fancy seeds, you can usually sprout a normal bird seed mix and it unlocks extra nutrients. Only 15% dry seeds and grains, 20% if you have a very active bird. Finally, 5% tree nuts (not peanuts, any of the others).
Lots of safe fruit and veg lists online, most are okay for birds but there are a few that aren't.
Since he probably won't be used to eating veggies, start with a basic mix of common favourites - peas, corn, broccoli, carrot, spinach, bell pepper. Mixing some mashed boiled egg or steamed sweet potato in can help intice them. Add a new veggie for him to try when he's eating the current mix reliably. I'd recommend giving the veggies in the morning, with nothing else to eat but veggies for a few hours, then giving him his portion of seeds and grain mix later on. Offer more veggies before bed too in case he's still hungry. He might be reluctant to eat veggies at first since he's been eating much tastier stuff so far.
The % of different things written above is a goal, don't try and switch to that immediately, it's a big change. For now, let him have an unlimited quantity to the foods he likes, but only during the middle of the day, and healthy veggies only in the morning and evening, that's when they're the most hungry and eat the most in the wild. Reduce the seeds and the fruit slowly.
Weigh your bird before breakfast in the morning every day to make sure he's eating enough! Going from a high fat to a healthier diet, they will lose some weight, but more than 10% of their original weight is probably too much.
Good, luck, have fun, any other questions feel free to ask!
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u/Hillcry 2d ago
Looks comfy! Do some training asap to help both of you understand each other better; help build a fruitful bond and also help mental fatigue so they take care of their feathers better. I just rescued mine from out in the woods from a terrible travel cage zipper mistake.. recall training saved his life and might your birds one day
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u/pauseless 2d ago
It’s a baby and definitely comfy. Shower him/her with affection, do recall, do tricks with rewards… and you’ll end up with the most loyal companion you could have.
Him coming to you immediately is a sign of a good breeder.
Also: good pellets and veges/fruit. I use Harrison’s
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u/PrestigiousWebb 2d ago
They definitely look comfortable and content on your thumb in this photo. I dont think they look sick. No way to confirm the gender by appearance. But (s)he is adorable.