How to House a Conure

Selecting the Cage and Its Contents

Choose an appropriately sized cage. You want to give your conure the biggest cage possible so that it has a greater range of motion. As a minimum measurement, choose a cage that is 24 in (61 cm) wide by 24 in (61 cm) deep by 30 in (76 cm) high. The cage bars should be spaced about ⁄2 in (1.3 cm) to ⁄4 in (1.9 cm) apart. At least two sides of the cage should have horizontal bars to encourage the bird’s climbing instincts.

Insert perches for the bird. Include several perches of different widths and materials inside your conure’s cage. This will help your bird exercise its feet, move around the cage more freely, and even prevent arthritis. Provide a variety of lengths and sizes to keep your bird interested and engaged. Each perch should be at least 9 in (23 cm) long and ⁄2 in (1.3 cm) in diameter, for proper gripping. Place one perch up high for roosting, and at least one down low near the food and water dishes. You may also want to include some swinging perches to help your bird stay active and content.

Include a variety of toys. Toys will help keep your conure entertained and happy while it is home inside its cage. Provide a variety of toys for your bird so that it can choose different ones to play with at various times. Choose some foraging toys, puzzle toys, and ladders to keep the bird both physically and mentally active. Try to also pick some shiny toys with bells or mirrors to entertain and engage the bird.

Positioning the Cage

Place the cage somewhere off the ground. To do so, you can place the cage on a table, or on a bird cage stand. This will keep your conure’s cage closer to eye level and away from the ground. It will also help keep your bird’s cage away from heat vents or air conditioning pathways. If the cage is located on the ground, it will be subject to possible drafts that could affect the health of the bird. It could also be more easily knocked over or moved around. Keep your conure’s cage out of doorways and other busy pathways that could potentially lead to the cage being knocked over. Try not to keep the cage above eye level. Doing so will encourage your bird to feel dominant, which could lead to behaviors like biting.

Maintain an appropriate temperature. Conures can be kept at normal indoor room temperatures. The cage should be located in a room that is an average indoor temperature – not below 65 °F (18 °C) and never above 9 °F (−13 °C). It’s important to keep them away from heating and cooling vents that could drastically change the temperature near their cage.

Keep the cage in a quiet room. Conures require a quiet place to sleep at night. They can easily be kept up by loud noises and not get enough sleep, which can negatively impact the bird’s health. If you must place the cage in a louder part of the house, consider getting a smaller cage for the bird to sleep in at night that you can move to a quieter location.

Caring for the Bird Cage

Clean the cage and perches weekly. This includes removing all of the newspaper or other bedding at the bottom of the cage. It should be completely removed and replaced once per week. The perches should be removed and rinsed with a gentle soap and water, or washed in the dishwasher. Wipe down the exterior of the cage once every week. Perform a more thorough disinfecting of the bird cage once every 6 months. Hose the entire cage down and replace any old perches or food dishes that are looking worn or dirty. Be sure to use a bird-safe disinfectant.

Clean the food and water dishes daily. If not cared for properly, food dishes can become moldy and harmful for your conure, so it’s important to clean them out every day. This will help keep your bird safe and healthy. Even just a quick rinse out in the sink is better than nothing. But try to use a gentle soap and warm water to clean them more thoroughly. Dry the dishes completely before placing them back inside the bird cage.

Cover the cage at night. Use a large cotton cloth (probably a folded bedsheet) to cover your bird’s cage at night. Birds need a solid 10-12hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, and covering their cage helps them feel safe and sleep through the night. Do not cover the bird’s cage to avoid interacting with it or to fix behavioral problems – like screeching. This will only make the problems worse.