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- ABOUT GREEN-CHEEKED CONURES | Maranatha Aviaries
green-cheeked CONURE: SPECIES PROFILE The humble green-cheek is a very popular pet bird, for good reason. We might be a little biased, but we think they are so pretty darn spectacular! The size of a cockatiel with the personality of a macaw and full of mischief and crazy antics. They are highly social, generally quiet, great with children and brilliant fliers. They are very fast learners, and can even learn to say a few words and tricks. Although they are not overly noisy, their infrequent alert calls can pose problems to people living in apartment complexes. They are more chatty than screechy. If you want a tiny shoulder companion who is always up for snuggles, a conure might just be the right pet for you! COMMON NAMES Green-cheeked conure, green-cheeked parakeet, green-cheeked parrot SCIENTIFIC NAME Pyrrhura molinae 10 inches (26cm) and between 60 and 80 grams aDULT SIZE LIFE EXPECTANCY With adequate diet, care, health, stimulation and love, your green-cheeked conure can live up to 25-30 years. However, most live only 10 years, due to owner neglect. This is why it is imperative to learn and grow our knowledge about avian care. ORIGIN AND HISTORY The Green-Cheeked Conure is native to South America, living in the forests of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. In the wild, they tend to live in large flocks of 10-20 birds. Colours and markings Green-cheeked conures are monomorphic, meaning both sexes have identical colouring. They naturally occur as 'green/natural' and 'yellowsided' in the wild, but there are a multitude of new colours that have been developed in captivity. They are characterised by their vivid colours: red tails, green and blue wing feathers, black head plumage and bare white rings around their eyes. Some colours that are bred in captivity are: pallid (cinnamon), pineapple, opaline (yellowsided), parblue (or more commonly referred to as turquoise), turquoise yellowsided, turquoise cinnamon, turquoise pineapple, and even pied, violet (single and double factor) and dilute. To learn more about the different colour mutations, read here . housing requirements Conures, by nature, are very inquisitive, playful parrots. They need to have adequate room to play, forage, fly/flap and explore their surroundings. For birds, this is usually a cage or enclosure, which becomes your bird's "safe place". Their cage should provide sufficient room to freely spread both wings. Choose the largest cage you can afford and that will fit well in your space. A cage recommended to house a green-cheeked conure should be at the very least 60x60x60cm, but recommended 80x90x55cm with between 15-19mm wide bar spacing. A cage with a playtops and doors with locking mechanisms are an advantage. Select natural branches to use as perches, as these provide different thicknesses, textures and enrichment to promote foot health. Conures love to chew and should be given ample toys for the sole purpose of destroying and keeping them occupied. We purchase all our toys from Unique Beaks Handmade Bird Toys which are made with bird-safe natural dyes, stainless steel, plastic, wood and accessories. You can find them on Facebook here. Items such as pony beads, paddlepop sticks, paper, untreated pine, paper straws, wax-free cupcake liners, and finger traps make great toys for inquisitive beaks to shred. Some metals, such as galvanised steel, lead, and zinc can cause metal poisoning, so it is best to use stainless steel wherever possible. Feeding your conure a balanced, nutritionally dense, varied diet is imperative to maintaining healthy physical and mental wellbeing. This should consist of a base diet of formulated pellets, low-fat seeds, sprouted seed, vegetables and a small amount of fruit. For more details on diet and nutrition for your parrot, read about it here. diet and nutrition common health problems Conures are known to be susceptible to feather plucking. This could have medical causes, or it could be contributed by boredom, or lack of mental stimulation (handling, variation in routine, not enough/any toys). Annual (or more often if required) checkups are highly advised to ensure your parrot is in best health, as diagnosis and treatment of any disease or illness can be given earlier rather than later. Diseases known to affect conures include: Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD: An incurable viral disease. Symptoms: regurgitation, crop impaction, poor appetite, weight loss, weakness, muscle wastage), Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease. (PBFD: An incurable, contagious viral disease which attacks feather follicles, beak and claw tissue. Symptoms: damaged and deformed feathers, claws and beak, cracking and peeling of the outer layers of the claws and beak, lethargy, vomiting/diarrhoea) Beak malocclusion (Misaligned beak ie. scissor beak. Can be caused by beak injury/trauma. Symptoms: beak not lining up properly when closed) Aspergillosis (A sickness from exposure to mould spores. Symptoms: severe difficulty breathing, decreased/loss of appetite, frequent drinking and urination, cyanosis (a bluish coloration of mucous membranes and/or skin), sudden death) Here are some avian vets in South East Queensland whom we have good dealings with and feel confident enough to recommend. There are others in the southern corner, however we would not recommend them. THE EXOTICS VET Dr. Vanessa Harkess BVSC (Hons I) MANZCVS (Avian Health) 22 Ashmole Road, Redcliffe QLD Phone: (07) 3060 2112 Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 5pm, Closed Sunday and Monday https://theexoticsvet.com/ BRISBANE BIRD VET Dr. Adrian Gallagher BVSC (Hons) MANZCVS (Avian Health) 248 Hamilton Rd, Chermside QLD Phone: (07) 3359 2233 Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9am to 5pm, Tuesday and Thursday until 7pm, Weekends closed https://brisbanebirdvet.com.au/ BRISBANE BIRD & EXOTICS VETERINARY SERVICE Dr. Deborah Monks BVSc (Hons), Cert Zoo Med (RCVS), ECZM Diplomate (Avian Medicine), FANZCVS (Avian Medicine and Surgery) 191 Cornwall Street, Greenslopes, QLD Phone: (07) 3217 3533 Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30am to 6:00pm, Saturday 8:30am to 12:00pm, Closed Sundays & Public Holidays https://bbevs.com.au/
- The Importance of Self Care | Maranatha Aviaries | Brisbane Bird Breeder
the importance of self care As research continues to expand in regards to avian health and nutrition, we see the rise in awareness for feeding a varied diet to your companion parrot. Two of those avenues are sprouts and soaked seed. easily sprouted at home I like the idea of offering lots of options to our birds and seeing what they really like and what they ignore. As when offering anything new, it’s a good idea to be patient and give them time to experiment and maybe even develop a taste for new food items. Our birds are well into their third and fourth decade, and as far as we know, sprouts are an entirely new experience for them both. They ignored all sprouts for weeks, but eventually they grew more interested and now sprouts make up a large portion of their diet. Although sprouting may sound complicated it really takes only minutes. Put some seeds in a jar, wash if needed and soak them overnight, then rinse them twice a day. In a few days, sprouts! Enjoy! WHY SPROUTS? sprouts touted as super foods, miracle foods that cure what ails you (or your bird)! In addition to claims about vitamins, enzymes, proteins, and anti-oxidant potential It is very economical, sprouts can multiply by up to 15 times their weight. Sprouts can be produced all year round but keep in mind that the same rules apply as for successful seed germination in the garden. Just like all other seed, sprouting seed has a temperature range that is best for germination. Avoid very hot or cold periods; temperatures between 20°C - 28°C work best. In winter a heated propagator tray can be helpful. The amount of healthy amino acids goes up during sprouting, as does the vitamin content (notably vitamin C). The mineral content stays the same, but the minerals in question are better utilized, meaning sprouts are more nutritious. Speaking of better utilization: sprouts in general are easier to digest and their nutrients absorbed better. They’re even perfect for weaning baby birds, as they’re softer than dried seeds. okay, but what now? BUY fresh will sprout easier less likely to have mould TYPES OF SEEDS/BEANS THAT SPROUT things that have a similar germination rate mung bean, wheat, oat, whole green lentils, grey striped sunflower, safflower how? Wash the seeds well in fresh water before soaking. Float off any leaf or twig debris. Small seeds that float off are usually not viable. The exception is onion which has to be encouraged to sink. .Soak the seeds for the correct time; do not over or under soak. Over-soaking can kill your sprouts. Good aeration with a plentiful supply of oxygen gives life to the seed, so avoid soaking too much seed at a time and then overcrowding it in the sprouter. Never put the sprouting jar or bag flat to a surface where air cannot reach the seeds; all living things need to breathe. Poor drainage will also cause the seed to rot. Rinse at least twice a day. During hotter weather, rinse more often. Thorough rinsing is important as the water provides the moisture needed to activate growth, it also flushes away waste products and re-oxygenates the seed, but be gentle. If you can’t be at home on hot days, refrigerate the sprouts until you get back. Under-rinsing will cause the seeds to shrivel and die, as will hot, direct sunlight. If seeds start to dry out, soak briefly and then drain well. Only start sprouts if you are available to look after them for the next 3 - 5 days. EQUIPMENT large jar professional set ups with a draining rack RINSE SOAK FEED Start out with small amounts added to their regular diet, adding more as you note your birds eating more of the sprouts over time. Feed any time after the soaking period and use up before they’re putting out green leaves (although that’s not necessarily a bad thing for them). Congrats, you just created a home-grown meal for your parrot – and yourself, if you want. Check your sprouts over one more time to make sure there’s no mold. They should smell fresh and crisp, a bit like when you open a bag of lettuce. ALTERNATIVES prepackaged options more expensive but easier cautions and troubleshooting Another word of caution regarding sprouts and parrots: by creating a moist environment for days at a time at room temperature, you are creating an environment in which other things can grow too. It really helps a lot that 1) you’ve rinsed them well before soaking, 2) you’re rinsing them at least twice a day, and 3) that the seeds themselves are alive and growing. But as you’ve likely heard, sprouts sold for human consumption have very occasionally become contaminated by nasty microbes like Salmonella. fridge will still continue to sprout but slowly due to reduced temperature rinse before feeding
- Before You Bring Your Parrot Home | Maranatha Aviaries | Brisbane Bird Breeder
preparing for your new parrot here do not impulse buy here value transparency here bathing here bathing here bathing here
Blog Posts (6)
- 2023: Let's go!
Hey everyone! It’s been a hot minute since I’ve updated the blog, I’m so sorry! WOW it is breeding season again! Feels like I haven’t even really had much of a break to be honest, but the birdies certainly feel quite differently. Lots of hormones going on with the nest boxes going in over the last few weeks. Bring on spring! KEMPSEY AUCTION IN NSW We are proud to announce we will be attending the first Mid North Coast Avicultural Society’s ‘Fly into Spring’ Bird Auction on Sunday the 24th of September, 2023 in Kempsey NSW. This is a great opportunity to get your hands on some awesome breeding pairs, save on freight costs and have a chat. We will have a fair few of our past season babies up for sale, so if you are interested in wetting your feet with mutation quaker breeding and want to have access to genetic support, please come and say hi! The auction will operate under the ‘bid card’ system, and you will be able to walk through and view all the birds before the auction starts at 10:30am. To see what quakers we are taking with us, click here: https://www.maranathaaviaries.com/aviary-for-sale NEW SPECIES ALERT: BOURKE’S PARROTS We are thrilled to have the chance to handraise some gorgeous little Bourke’s parrots this season, in two colours Rosa (opaline) and Cream (fallow). Bourke’s make such great, placid companion parrots in such gorgeous pinks and yellow hues. Their page on the website is in progress! Stay tuned 😁 COLOURS WE HAVE PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR Since we specialise in the less common mutations in both the conures and quakers, it is going to be an exciting season seeing what mutations end up being produced this year. In the green cheeks, we will of course still have our gorgeous single and double factor violets in turquoise combinations (straight, opaline, cinnamon and pineapple), plus the high red pineapples. In the quakers, we are able to produce a whopping 38 different colour combos this season! Of course, there is no guarantee to produce all of them but it certainly makes for a fun wait for those feathers to pop through 😁. There should be plenty of colours to choose from out of our normals, opalines, pallids, pallidinos and inos. Check out our comprehensive colour charts for each species by clicking the buttons below: THINKING OF A NEW FAMILY MEMBER THIS YEAR? Getting a new bird can be a really daunting but exciting experience, and you might be wondering if it is the right time or decision to purchase one. And that’s okay! Take a few minutes to read this article about the realities of owning a parrot. Deposits are now open also to secure your spot for a particular colour you had your eye on, you can flick me an email or give me a call on 0423 470 041. We require a $100 non-refundable deposit to hold a bub for you until it is ready, and will send a receipt confirming your payment has been received. You will be updated at every stage and get plenty of baby pictures while they grow so we can work out the best fit for you and your family. To find out more about buying a bird from us and what is included with your new feathered family member, you can read about it here. AVAILABLE HANDRAISED QUAKERS As of 15/9/23, we have just a few playful quakers left from last season, if you were looking for a bub. Here’s what we have left: 🦜Cobalt Pallid girl 🦜Mauve boy 🦜Blue Pallid boy https://www.maranathaaviaries.com/handraised-for-sale We have some more exciting updates coming shortly, watch this space! Until next time,
- the end of another season
As the weather starts to cool off after a pretty mild Queensland summer, I'm looking forward to a few short months respite following the chaotic hubbub of another breeding season. It's always a joy to raise these gorgeous little feathered faces, and meet so many new clients and wonderful people to take care of them. The last few clutches are being raised now, so if you were still wanting to add a new family member we have just a handful left: (as of 22/2/22) Green Cheeks: Green Pineapple Hen (higher red) Green Single Factor Violet Turquoise Opaline (yellowsided) - awaiting DNA results Turquoise Opaline (yellowsided) - awaiting DNA results Double Factor Violet Green Opaline Cock Quakers: Blue hens Thank you to everyone I've met over the past 6 months, its been such a pleasure to get to know so many new families and match birds to you. Until next time,
- October Update
Happy Spooky Season! 👻👻👻👻 I hope you are well and enjoying this wonderful rain we've been blessed with the last few days. I know my young kids have appreciated the muddy puddles more than I appreciated the mess to clean up! It has been another busy month here, with two clutches of green cheeks, a couple of bourkes parrots and a gorgeous baby quaker baby which weighed a whopping 3.5g at hatch. In the incubator we have a few clutches of quaker eggs developing well; we even got to see the heartbeat in one and the umbilical cord in another! VIOLET & TURQUOISE GREEN CHEEKS Our first clutch of green cheeked conures for 2020/21 ended up with three sf violet turquoise pineapples, three turquoise pineapples and one sf violet turquoise. As of 26/10, all are sold except one violet. GREEN PINEAPPLES We now have a clutch of four high red green pineapples, with a gorgeous amount of orange and red from the belly all the way to the cheeks. They are growing well and are roughly 3-4 weeks old. (26/10: Three available) COMING UP Out in the nests, we have one pair on a clutch of four pineapple babies, and another two on eggs, which will give us our violets and non-violets in green and turquoise pineapple again. If you would like to be placed on our waiting list, send us a message and we will be more than happy to chat to you :) OUR LATEST ARTICLE Thinking of getting a new family member, and not sure if a parrot would be suited to your family? Check out our new article: Is A Parrot The Right Pet For You? For daily updates and pictures head on over to our Facebook Page! Until next time,