Conure Care and Feeding
Diet, housing, health and the right no-mess feeder for your conure.
What to feed a conure
A complete conure diet guide, from pellets to vitamin A veg.
Read the diet guide
Pyrrhura and Aratinga species
Conure
Playful, colourful small parrots, from green-cheeks to suns
Behavioral Profile
Mess Potential
High
Low
High
Vocalization Level
Moderate to high
Quiet
Loud
Species Specifications
Size
About 25 to 30 cm long
Weight
60 to 120 g depending on type
Feather Type
Bright green, red or yellow plumage, low dust
Lifespan
Commonly 20 to 30 years with good care
Temperament
Playful, affectionate, bold and full of personality
Origins
Native to Central and South America
Suitable Foods
Formulated pellets as the base, daily fresh vegetables and leafy greens including vitamin A rich veg, small amounts of quality seed, with a little fruit as an occasional treat
Care Level
Beginner to intermediate
Care Notes
Common Feeding Mistakes
The biggest conure mistake is a seed-only diet. It leads to vitamin A deficiency and obesity, two of the most common problems avian vets see in conures. Signs of low vitamin A include crusty nares, mouth plaques and poor feather quality. Build the diet on formulated pellets and offer orange and dark green vegetables like capsicum, carrot, sweet potato and leafy greens. Keep sunflower seed and fatty treats small, and scale the amount to your bird, a green-cheek needs far less than a sun conure.
Habitat Requirements
Conures are active, curious and love to climb and forage, so give them the largest cage you can with plenty of perches, ropes and shreddable toys. They need several hours out of the cage each day and lots of interaction. Provide foraging enrichment to keep their busy minds occupied, keep the cage out of draughts and harsh afternoon sun, and offer safe branches to chew.
Handling & Socialisation
Conures bond closely with their people and thrive on gentle, consistent daily handling. Start early, keep sessions short and positive, and set clear, kind boundaries to prevent nipping. Green-cheeks are quieter and beginner-friendly, while sun conures are louder and more demanding. All conures are clever and enjoy training, tricks and foraging games, and need company to stay happy.