Sun Conure - inside or outside?

[oceanaussi]

I've got Stormy in a cage and I put a blanket over him at night time (over the cage). He also has a birdie bed in his cage where he sleeps in.

Can I have him outside all year round or should I take him inside at night during winter? What are the temperatures he feels comfortable at?

[avinet]

My pet birds are inside birds all the time, except on a nice day when one of us is home we will move their cages outside for a while.

If your home is in an area where snakes can be found then I would suggest that Stormy's cage is only outside during the day when you are home to keep an eye on things. A good sized snake would be able to get in the cage and swallow a Sun Conure.

I also don't cover cages at night - my birds are out partying in the family room until it is time for me to go to bed when I try to persuade them it's time for the party to stop So it is lights out as soon as they are back in their cages - usually around 11pm.

cheers,

Mike

[Karen]

Y'know, I watched a movie yesterday called The Librarian (Noah Wyle) - great movie - anyway in one scene there was a Sun Conure and I got so excited! He was only in it for a few seconds Anyway he was in the Amazon and from what I've learned from documenataries, it's pretty much tropical all year round.
How cold does it get in winter where you live? I guess if it doesn't get really cold he should be okay. Just keep an eye out for mice as they like the warmth of the blanket.

[vankarhi]

I am like Mike........my pet birds are inside birds. I do have front and back verandah's and they do get to go spend time out on them depending on weather/heat and the direction of the sun (as to whether they spend time on the front or back verandahs). If it is stinking hot during the night here during our worst part of summer I have been known to leave the birds on the verandah as it is cooler usually than inside the house. But I like my pets to be inside with us (as we speak Erik is on my shoulder.... BB is in a cage in the lounge room, Takoda and Tilly are in the dining room while Stephen is on his lap top in there and Friar Tuck is also in the dining room.......but FT is covered up as he is only a baby.

If I know I am going to be awake late (usually in bed by 9.30....obviously not tonight though. lol) then I have also been known to cover my birds if they look like they would rather be sleeping.

[oceanaussi]

Thanks for your replies! I'm just a bit worried in regards to temperature. I live west of Brisbane in the mountains and we can get frost at night so I was thinking of taking him inside during winter. I'm just not sure what sort of temperature range a Sunnie likes.

Of course Stormy is part of the family! That's why he's outside with us! In the moment I'm spending the whole evening inside as I don't want Stormy to fly off but as soon as he's accustomed to the harness he'll be out with us. I've got a QLDer with a large veranda which goes all around the house and that's where Stormy has his cage, the dogs have their beds and even we have an outdoor bedroom, kitchen, lounge and dining area. I sit outside on the laptop, I eat outside and I sit outside and watch TV, read or just sit and listen to nature. We hardly ever spent any time inside other than for sleeping (and that only in winter in summer we sleep outside as well as it's too hot inside) so we want our animals to be with us.

There probably are snakes around but before they would get upstairs the dogs would have them. Same goes for cats or other animals, the dogs know who belongs to the family doesn't get eaten but anybody else game enough to step food on the yard, might not be so lucky.

I've read that parrots need 10-12 hours sleep so I always tucked Stormy in earlier. We normally get up at 4.30/5 am and go to bed at 9ish (except tonight as I watched a movie and Stromy was asleep on my tummy). Would that be enough sleep?

[avinet]

I would suggest that given your lifestyle and house arrangement that Stormy's cage follows you. if you are inside because it is cold then his cage is inside. If you are outside because it is hot then he is outside. Sun Conures will cope with the cold temperatures we get in SE Qld, including some frosts, but he is going to feel happiest and secure having his cage inside if you are inside.

Feathers are a pretty good insulator and birds can handle cold temperatures without problems - as long as they stay dry.

cheers,

Mike

[avinet]

Feb 2, 2009 23:03:12 GMT 10 oceanaussi said:

I've read that parrots need 10-12 hours sleep so I always tucked Stormy in earlier. We normally get up at 4.30/5 am and go to bed at 9ish (except tonight as I watched a movie and Stromy was asleep on my tummy). Would that be enough sleep?

That's plenty of sleep - this 12 hours of sleep needed is a bit of a myth with parrots. If he gets the same as you then that is fine. Parrots in fact spend an appreciable amount of time overnight awake and even when asleep it tends to be a "one-eyed sleep". It is not a good survival practise to be fast asleep all night when you are vulnerable to being eaten while perched on a branch. If they did sleep all night we would have no birds and lots of very fat pythons around Queensland.

If you get to spend the night next to the roost of a large flock of parrots such as Corellas or Rainbows you soon realise that they don't get much sleep overnight judging from the noise from them.

cheers,

Mike

[oceanaussi]

Thanks Mike! Sound like I have a strange lifestyle... Coming from Germany I enjoy being outside as that wasn't possible over there.

I normally don't have Stormy in the cage when I'm around. I take him out and he comes with me except for walking the dogs (not yet), mowing the lawn and stuff like that. He's got as bowl of food and water in every room, in case he gets hungry or thirsty. So he's definitely with us, just not necessarily in his cage.

Good to know about the sleep to! Now Stormy will be allowed to stay up longer with us! There's always a place he can go to for a rest if he feels like it.

Funny you say that about the Corellas or Rainbows - one of the reasons I put a blanket over the cage was that people were saying Sun Conures are loud and I didn't want Stormy to wake up the neighbours. Now Stormy has been with us for a week and you can't even hear him among the 50 Corellas, 20 Sulphur Crested, 10 Kookaburras and 100 Lorikeets which visit my place and the neigbours places every morning at 4 am and in the afternoon... ;D

[Karen]

That's so true Mike. Especially when the moon is rising. We usually hear flocks of birds flying around in the moonlight at all hours of the night - they don't do so quietly