What Is the Life Expectancy of a Sun Conure?

A sun conure lifespan is 15 to 30 years in captivity. In the wild, they may only live five to 20 years. It is important that you are prepared to make a long commitment before you decide to bring a sun conure into your home. Be sure to find a reputable breeder or rescue, as importing these birds is illegal.

Sun conures are members of the parakeet family and the parrot order. Adult sun conures are about 12 inches long with bright orange and yellow coloring and black feet and beaks. Juveniles are green in color and transition to their adult coloring between 6 and 12 months of age. Set up your sun conure for a long, healthy life by providing proper care.

To live to their full conure bird lifespan, your sun conure will need a safe habitat. Her bird cage must be at least 36 inches tall and 20 inches across to give your bird enough room to move. She will likely attempt to leave, so make sure the bars are close enough together that she won't get her head stuck. Clean her habitat regularly.

Feed your sun conure a commercial pellet food. These are balanced diets that offer the nutrition your bird needs. You can offer fruits and vegetables as well to supplement her diet. You can feed her nuts as a treat, but avoid too many, as they have too much fat. Make sure she has fresh water available at all times.

Sun conures are intelligent, social, and playful birds. Leaving a sun conure in his cage with no interaction will result in a very unhappy and destructive bird. Boredom and lack of socialization may also cause your bird to start picking his feathers.

You can train your sun conure but make sure to use positive reinforcement, as they don't respond well to any type of scolding or negative feedback. Make sure he has at least three hours outside of his cage to play and climb each day. Sun conures prefer to have a companion to play with. This exercise is not only important for your bird's mental health but also helps him maintain a healthy weight.

There are some health conditions for which to watch that may limit your bird's life span. If your bird shows any signs of illness or injury, such as lethargy or loss of appetite, be sure to take her to an avian veterinarian right away. Regular checkups can help to catch problems early.

Some medical conditions to which sun conures are prone include viral diseases, such as psittacine beak and feather disease and proventricular dilatation disease. Other diseases include fungal conditions, like aspergillosis, and bacterial infections, like psittacosis. Sun conures may also suffer from beak malocclusion. This is a condition in which the jaws don't line up properly. This can be a congenital problem or may be the result of an injury.