How to Care for a Green Cheek Conure

The green cheek conure ("Pyrrhura molinae") is a playful and affectionate parrot native to Bolivia. Its attractive green body consists of blue flight feathers and a maroon tail. This bird is the smallest of the conure species, measuring 10 inches from tip to tail. It is extremely loyal to its owner. Hence, you must take appropriate care of the bird, devoting time and attention to it, or the bird may suffer from behavioral problems.

Things You'll Need

  • Cage
  • Food and water bowls
  • Grinding perches and lava blocks
  • Wide-bottom bowl
  • Toys
  • Seeds, pellets, fruits and vegetables
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Instructions

    • 1

      Provide a cage that is 18-by-18 inches wide and 24 inches high with a half-inch bar spacing. The spacing between the bars will prevent the bird from getting its head caught between the bars and injuring it. The size of this cage is large enough for the conure to hang upside down and swing from side to side.

    • 2

      Place food and water bowls inside the cage, as well as a couple of perches, since green cheek conures enjoy climbing and performing acrobatics.

    • 3

      Provide grinding perches and lava blocks inside the cage for the bird to grind its beaks and nails against and trim them naturally.

    • 4

      Keep the bird engaged and active with a variety of toys. As it enjoys chewing, you should provide the green cheek conure with toys made from soft wood. Also include shiny, unbreakable and colorful toys that produce sounds.

    • 5

      Provide a variety of foods in your conure's daily diet. Feed it a mixture of seeds, pellets, vegetables and fruits such as chopped broccoli, dandelion, spinach, kale, apples, bananas, papaya and mangos. You should also feed it protein in the form of eggs, chicken, turkey or beef.

    • 6

      Bathe the green cheek conure daily. Use a shower spray to mist it or provide it with a wide-bottom bowl of water to bathe on its own.

    • 7

      Exercise patience and positive reinforcement if you are teaching the bird to perform tricks and to talk. These birds can be taught to speak a few phrases, use their feet to wave, spread their wings and dance.