How to Interact With a Mature Sun Conure

The sun conure is a loving, inquisitive, happy, friendly parrot that bonds fiercely with its owner and thrives on attention. Sun conures enjoy the company of other conures but they can also crave interaction with their favorite people. They can learn to talk over time and with persistence. They especially seem to enjoy listening to humans speak. They are quite fond of imitating sounds, such as whistles.

Things You'll Need

  • Treats
  • Fruit
  • Vegetables
  • Shower perch
  • Bird mirrors
  • Bird bells
  • Bird swing
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Instructions

    • 1

      Offer the new adult conure a treat to gain his trust. At first simply hold the treat through the cage bars. A piece of fruit or tiny vegetable is ideal. You can also purchase parrot treats. Speak softly to the sun conure as he reaches for the food. Offer words of encouragement. Once the sun conure takes the treat from you praise him for being such a good bird. Stay beside the cage while your sun conure eats the treat.

    • 2

      Let the sun conure out of his cage to climb on top of the cage and watch you from a distance. Spend a great deal of time in the same room with your sun conure going through basic everyday tasks. Speak to the bird throughout the day in an encouraging voice. Your bird will learn to adore listening to you and a relationship of trust will quickly be formed.

    • 3

      Hold a treat out to your sun conure while he sits on his cage. When the bird takes the treat offer praise. Once he takes the treat without reservation, try to reach out and gently stroke his chest. If the bird allows this contact, gently nudge him at the base of his legs and say, "Up." If a bond has formed, an adult sun conure will generally step onto your finger. Simply hold the sun conure for a while and talk to him. Stepping onto your finger shows that your sun conure trusts you.

    • 4

      Walk around holding the sun conure once he readily steps up onto your hand. Show him around the house. Soon your sun conure will begin to climb your arm and might even sit on your shoulder. Continue to try touching your sun conure's chest but move around his body now. Soon the sun conure will let you touch all parts of his body. Sun conures especially enjoy having their beaks and feet played with.

    • 5

      Purchase a wide variety of bird toys. Sun conures love to swing, so purchase a swing for inside the cage and one that you can hang from the doorway in the house. Swing your little bird and he will have a blast. Purchase bells and teach your sun conure to ring them. First you ring one, and then show your sun conure how to pick up the bell. Sun conures are excellent mimics and will readily ring the bells right alongside you. Sun conures also adore looking at themselves in a mirror.

    • 6

      Take the sun conure into the shower with you once he is completely tame. Make sure the thermostat is set to at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit so the bird does not catch a chill. Mount a suction cup parrot shower perch in the shower. Set the sun conure on the shower perch and turn the water on. Sun conures adore shower mist and they especially enjoy showering with their favorite person.