My personal experience

My first conure was a Dusky conure named Rico. 1 got him when he was about one year old. He was loud at times, especially at sunrise and sunset and when he got excited about something. He was charming and very charismatic. Everyone who knew him absolutely adored him. He would go to anyone and play all day long. He was bonded to me but loved all the family and would kiss and cuddle total strangers! About six months after I got Rico, I adopted a bald Nanday conure that had been neglected and was terrified of humans. I named him Koji, and he and Rico quickly bonded. In the beginning the noise was deafening, but I live in my own home and it was the start of winter, so the neighbors weren't disturbed. Rico stayed bonded to me even though he was now living in the same cage with Koji. To this day Koji is still frightened of people but he is starting to trust me, and will step up onto my finger inside or outside of his cage. I adopted Rico and Koji In 1988.

For our wedding anniversary in 1989, my husband gave me two adorable baby budgies. Rico was absolutely fascinated with them and they became friends. I named them Mickey and Angela. Koji was insane with jealousy and would have gladly sent them to birdie heaven. I didn't hold it against him, because he really couldn't help himself. Rico on the other hand would fly to the budgie cage and give them kisses and say, "I love you." Up until the time that I got my budgies, I didn't know how jealous conures could become.

In the summer of 1990, I adopted a very beautiful pied cockatiel from friends. They had a baby that had colic and Sam the cockatiel screamed when the baby cried and it was driving them insane. Sam had been abused in his first home and as a result was vicious in the extreme. He couldn't be handled at all. In case you haven't noticed I'm a sucker for a sad story. Anyway, Sam joined our little flock. Again, Rico welcomed the new addition with open wings and they too became friends.

Poor Koji hated Sam as much as he hated the budgies. who by this time were breeding. They didn't have too much success. I think they were related. Every day I would let Rico, Koji and Sam out of their cages to play and have dinner with my husband and myself. Rico would feed Koji and would have fed Sam too if Sam had allowed it. I must mention that Sam is not the brightest animal in the world. Koji would dive bomb Sam just to scare him, but never really hurt Sam. Eventually he stopped doing that and they got along.

In the summer of 1991, I adopted a mitred conure from my next door neighbor. He said that the bird had gotten too bonded to its previous owner and had become dangerous as a result. His name is Deetle and he was absolutely gorgeous. A much larger conure than Rico and Koji. He immediately intimidated all of the smaller birds and so I had to keep him In his cage when the other birds were at liberty.

When we first got Deetle he was very friendly towards other people and would go to anyone. Shortly before we got Deetle, we had made a bird room out of a small room off of the living room. As a result of this, the birds saw less people and Deetle bonded very strongly to me. Never having a bird of this size before, I didn't realize what a dangerous situation it could be. Deetle started attacking anyone that was near me. It got so bad that I was the only person that could handle him. I'm not relating this experience to frighten people about conures, just to let potential conure owners that these parrots can and do form very strong bonds to the people that take care of them on a daily basis.

l feel responsible for the direction that Deetle's life took and wish I had done things differently. Conures should be handled by many different people as often as possible. They are very intelligent and lovable parrots and it's very important to keep them socialized. He is not as happy now as when l first adopted him, and until someone courageous comes along to help me, I don't see a solution to the problem.

In October of 1992, I adopted a Jenday conure named Trumbull. His first owner couldn't keep him due to ill health. He was four years old and also very beautiful. When I got him home he lost his mind and became vicious. It took a full year and a lot of blood to tame him and he is now my best bird. These are very sensitive animals and they feel deeply and grieve as well.

In March of 1993, Rico became very ill and died of liver cancer. l was devastated and mad with grief. Poor Koji was beside himself and the only way to console him was with food. I made soft, warm mushy food for all my birds and Koji started to look to me for affection. If I didn't have my little flock to take care of, I would have been in much worse shape.

In October of 1994, I adopted Simon, another mitred conure that lost his home after 13 years. His previous family had a baby and Simon began screaming, and plucking himself. I fell in love at first sight. He is a sweet and affectionate bird that unfortunately was never handled. I was told that he didn't like being touched from the time he was very young, and so his family didn't push it. I've been working with him very slowly and he is improving. In fact, yesterday he stepped onto my hand in his cage for the very first time! He has adjusted to my bird room very well and l can even give him liberty when the smaller birds are out of their cages.

Conures are very intelligent and adaptable parrots and l am constantly being surprised and delighted at their sense of fun and adventure. I have adopted conures that are ten years old and better and they know how to make themselves happy. Koji got over the loss of his mate Rico and has now bonded to my crazy pied cockatiel Sam. I recently had to separate them because Koji was plucking poor Sam. He adjusted to separate cages and they play and preen each other during their daily play time.

Conures can be loud so they are not for everybody. I happen to love the sounds they make and feel that my home is very much alive when they vocalize. Conures also have minds of their own and can be nippy and argumentative. It is of the utmost importance that the family of a conure establishes dominance right away to nip that little temper right in the bud. I would recommend conures to anyone who wants an affectionate, affordable, stimulating. verbal, adorable, beautiful and cuddly parrot. I cannot imagine my life without them.