Conures 101

Name: Conure

Personality: Though there are many species of conure, they're generally all social, active, playful, intelligent and always ready to engage, according to Animal-World. Many are also quite cuddly.

Grooming: Nails and beak might need to be trimmed, and you'll need to clip their feathers if you want to discourage flying. Otherwise, conures take care of most grooming themselves. Regardless, they do enjoy a bath, says Animal-World, and will preen and preen and preen when finished.

Common Health Issues: These are hardy birds, resistant to disease, with a lifespan of around 25-30 years, according to About.com. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that they're far more sedentary in captivity than in the wild, so it's important to keep a close eye on their diet. And, like many intelligent birds, they're prone to feather-picking if not given enough attention and socialization, says Animal-World.

Training Tips: Training a conure to talk requires quite a bit of skill, according to Pet-Parrots.com, but teaching them to be handled and do tricks is certainly possible. Minimize distractions, use positive reinforcement, and remain patient and calm.

Best For: Conures will do best if kept in a busy area with lots of interaction, according to About.com; the more that's going on, the more entertained they will be. You'll need to spend a good amount of quality time with your bird to keep it happy and healthy. If the bird is well-trained and children are mature enough to properly handle it, a conure can be a great family pet.

What Conure Owners Say: Barry D. Miller and his partner in Guttenberg, N.J., own a conure, and he tells Paw Nation, "We can't say enough about what extraordinary pets they make. Besides their incredible beauty, they're extremely friendly, affectionate and loyal to their owners. As for outsiders, like friends and visitors, it's another story! They'll screech, lunge and possibly attack anyone they don't know."

"What we especially love about [our conure] is his curiosity; his delight in joining us for meals; his mimicking of our laughter and squeaking doors; his love of kissing and preening us; and his willingness to be tickled. He's not a good talker, but he certainly communicates with us," Miller continues. "When he wants to go to bed, he carries on and screams non-stop, until we put him back inside his cage and cover it up."

It's not all kisses and cuddles, though. "Usually when we're in plain sight, he stays quiet and keeps busy at his food dish, playing with his toys or preening himself. However, when we're on the phone, listening to music or watching TV, he starts up like an alarm clock that cannot be shut off easily," says Miller. "He also makes a lot of mess with his food. We let him sit on a perch outside his cage and within minutes, the floor is covered with seeds and fruit."

Tags: birds, conure, conures, parrots, pet bird, pet conure, PetBird, PetConure