How to Care for a Blue-Crown Conure

Conures are generally considered to be a very loud bird, but the blue-crown conure is the quietest of the conures. The blue-crown will grow to about 15 inches and can live for 30 to 40 years if cared for properly. The blue crown is predominantly green with a dull royal blue head. Read on to learn how to care for a blue-crown conure.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Enclosure
• Corn cob
• Food and water dishes
• Perches
• Bird toys
• Full-spectrum light

1. Purchase the largest bird cage you can fit in your home and that is in your price range. The cage needs to be at least 20 by 20 inches at the base and 30 inches tall. The bars should be spaced a half- to three-fourths-inch apart.
2. Cover the bottom of the cage with a thin layer of corn cob as a substrate to make clean-ups easier. You should change this substrate once a day.
3. Affix one water cup and two food cups to the inside of the cage. Fill the water dish with clean, non-chlorinated water. Feed your blue crown conure a mix of commercial pellets, fortified seeds and fresh vegetables and fruits. Change the food and water daily.
4. Place several perches inside the cage. Be careful where you place the perches because if your bird's tail feathers touch the cage bars they can become damaged over time.
5. Give your conure several bird toys to keep entertained with. Rotate these toys around the cage on a regular basis to help keep them more interesting.
6. Locate the conure's cage in an area of your home away from direct sunlight and drafts. If the cage is large enough, you can place it partially near a window. Just remember the bird needs to be able to self-regulate its temperature by moving out of the sunlight at any time of day.
7. Light the cage with a full spectrum fluorescent bulb 14 hours a day to help your conure get the benefits of ultraviolet light.
8. Spend a few hours each day getting your bird out of the cage and interacting with it. It craves your attention and needs this daily time commitment to be totally happy.
9. Clean the food and water bowls as well as the entire cage once a month with a diluted bleach solution. Thoroughly rinse the bleach solution off all items in the cage to prevent the fumes from killing your bird.

Tips & Warnings

• The more space your can provide in the form of a cage the better. The conure will enjoy the extra room to move around, so do not skimp and buy a small cage.
• Avoid feeding your conure avocado, caffeine, chocolate or alcohol as these substances are toxic to them.