Nanday Conures

The Nanday Conure is considered to be the most popular companion bird among the Conure species. They are also one of the most beautiful and colorful parrots on the planet. The Nanday Conure is a gorgeous parrot with a black head that extends along with the cheeks and throat and resembles a cap. The remainder of their body is green, the throat and breast are blue, and the feet are actually red.

Native to Mexico and Central America to the Caribbean Islands and South America the Nanday Conure is considered to be a very sociable parrot. They're also extremely adaptable and acclimate very well to any new environment. Nandays are generally responsive to training and socialization - both are an integral part of a Nanday Conure's day if the owner wants to have a relatively problem free existence with their Conure.

The Nanday Conure, while a fairly noisy bird particularly in the mornings and evenings, does well in captivity. They are social by nature and able to live with a single owner or a large family with pets and children. Nanday Conures do need a lot of attention from their families and a lot of time outside of their cage each day. This interaction can take many forms from playing and hanging out to training. In fact, the majority of behavior issues that arise with the Nanday, biting, screaming, and feather plucking, arise because they're bored or something is missing from their environment. Any behavior problem can be eliminated through regular training sessions. Screaming tends to be the Nanday Owner's most common complaint and this is easily eliminated or prevented with regular training.

Growing to a length of 12 inches and living 20 years or more, the Nanday Conure is extremely intelligent and can be taught sounds and words as well as tricks. They're extremely hearty birds who deal with very little medical issues. Some medical concerns include: respiratory infections, Candidiasis, diarrhea, goiter or thyroid gland enlargement, Pacheco's Disease, psittacosis, and Salmonella.

Regular visits to the avian veterinarian, clean cage environments and an optimal diet will go a long way toward keeping a Nanday Conure healthy. An optimal diet will be based on organic pellets and supplemented with a daily serving of fruits and vegetables. Regular exercise and training are also a vital component of a happy and healthy Nanday Conure.

Optimal care of a Nanday also includes providing a cage large enough for their playful personality, stainless steel is best. It is also important to place the cage in a location that receives natural sunlight, is free from drafts and is close to the center of your household action.

Social, active, and intelligent the Nanday Conure can become easily bored. A cage chock full of interesting toys will help curb any behavior problems and keep your Nanday busy and stimulated. Make sure you have enough toys and perches in their cage to keep them busy and occupied when you can't be around.

One particularly quirky habit Nanday Conure owners find is their strange habit of sleeping on their backs. They're also fairly acrobatic. Combine that with their intelligence and willingness to train and a Nanday can learn some pretty fun tricks.

Plan to spend up to four hours a day with your Nanday. Yes, this species needs that much attention. Besides, who wants a bird that just sits in their cage? It's much more fun to have an interactive bird like the Nanday. Due to the outgoing nature, Nandays quickly get used to their owners and the bond will naturally form. But, because they may bond with one member of the family, they can get a bit ornery if they are upset or are not given enough attention and stimulation. Regular training and socialization will help to eliminate this problem.

Nandays also need plenty of sleep, a diet rich in nutrients, and an abundance of your time. Regular training sessions are the key to a bird that is both well socialized, adaptable, and problem free.

It's absolutely vital that you teach your Nanday Conure who's boss right from the start!

If you have a Nanday who's being a bit stubborn and difficult, and not always wanting to obey you all it might take is to real him down off his high horse is for you the owner to start being consistent.

Sometimes it honestly just boils down to you putting your foot down and saying No! You're not getting what you want until you've earned it. Let's have a little give and take here right?

I'm running into this same type of ‘Ego Trippin' Cockatiel that I'm Working with right now.

He's an absolute angel the second he comes out of his cage. He'll let me pet him all over his head, step up 100% of the time I ask, and even fly to me when he wants to be with me... But he'll beat his wings at me HARD the second I touch his cage.

So what I've had to do is be a little more stern with him which isn't always enjoyable for either of us in the beginning. This means I have to teach the Cockatiel I'm working with that flapping his wings at me in an aggressive tone, with his beak open and hissing... is NOT going to make me go away.

Instead what needs to happen is I need to use the Power Pause technique. I need to hold my ground until the bird's behavior calms down. The second it calms down, I'll want to ‘click' my clicker and take several steps back from the birds cage.

It'll take a few days for the bird to realize that calming his behavior is the ONLY acceptable behavior, but it works 100% of the time. I offer a free video http://www.birdtricks.com/PowerPause where you can see exactly how this is done.

So the next time your Nanday Conure tries to boss you around, make sure you quickly find a way to let him know that he has to play by your house's rules.

Make him perform a trick before he get's what he wants, or use the Power Pause technique, but make sure you make your bird do SOMETHING on your terms, before you give into his demands again.

Cuz you don't want one of these feathered creatures calling the shots in your home - TRUST me!