Crimson Bellied Conure Information
Crimson Bellied Conures are a rare conure that originate from the Amazon Rainforest of South America, in Bolivia and Brazil. They are considered to be a vulnerable breed and are rare to find in the U.S. as pets. The Crimson Bellied Conure is a colorful bird with a bright red belly (once they reach maturity). They also have bright red coloring on the inside of their wings. The back, outer wings and thighs are mostly green, the wings have some turquoise/blue coloring on the bottom half, and there is some of this coloring on the upper back. The head, neck, and chest are white and grey with some green patches for cheeks and some light blue on the forehead. They stand around nine inches tall with white eye-rings. They are known to be very lively and friendly while being pretty quiet for a pet bird. They often form strong bonds with owners and are a cuddly, affectionate bird. Ellen likes to crawl in my shirt and tuck herself against my chest with just her head hanging out of the collar in my shirt.
Lifespan: Anywhere from 15 to 25 years given the proper care.
Speech & Vocalization: Crimson Bellied Conures have soft and more pleasant vocalizations compared to other conures/birds. They make a great apartment bird. They make frequent chirps when they are having fun and sometimes will mimic sounds they hear around the house. They can learn a few words if you work with them. Both of my Crimson Bellied Conures say “pretty bird”. They do not have a very clear speaking ability but when they talk you can definitely tell what they are saying. I have found the best way to teach them to talk, is to repeat a word or phrase very slowly over and over to them, broken up by syllable. They learn from listening and watching your lip movements. When they learn to talk they repeat it back to you much faster, so saying it to them slowly while training will make it more understandable once they repeat the word or phrase back to you. I taught Ellen (my female CBC) how to say pretty bird within two months of having her. Once I got Eddy (my male CBC) a couple years after getting Ellen, he picked up saying “pretty bird” from her which I thought was very fascinating. Birds consider you as their flock mate and want to communicate with you.
Tricks/Training: Crimson Bellied Conures are very smart little birds and can most certainly learn some tricks if you spend the time. Teaching your CBC tricks will not only be fun but is also a great way to stimulate their minds. I have taught Ellen & Eddy to spin, dance and go potty (in a basket when I have them out for play time). Once they perform a desired action, reward them with praise and treats (I like to use grape or apples as they love them). For the potty training, I got a little basket with a handle and would place them on the handle every 12-15 minutes and say “go potty” and reward them and put them back on my shoulder or finger once they went. They learned this pretty quickly. Birds poop about every 12-15 minutes so as long a you are consistent with this, they can definitely be taught to “go potty” in a specific area when out with you. I also have harness trained them, so they can go outside with me, while staying safe. In order to do this successfully you have to start exposing them to the harness and putting it on them when they are young. I have “The Aviator Harness & Leash” which you can find on Amazon or at your local bird store. The harness also comes with a DVD on how to use and train your bird with it.
Feeding: All my baby birds begin handfeed around two/three weeks old. Around 4 weeks they were introduced to Roudybush Pellets, some seed, sprouts, fruits and vegetables. I would recommend keeping them on this diet as this is what they are used to and in my opinion is a great diet for your feathered friend. I use Roudybush Mini Pellets, which you can get online or at your local pet/bird store. For seeds I use a mix made by Higgins called “Sunburst Gourmet Blend (food and treat in one!)”, that is specifically for conures which also has dried fruits and vegetables in it as well as some pellets. I would recommend giving your birds a variety of fresh fruits & vegetables daily. You can also make a chop and freeze it and give them a little each day. I also give my CBCs a cuttlebone for minerals/calcium and Avianplus Vitamin and Mineral Supplement which I sprinkle on their fruits and vegetables once a week.
*Chop Mix I Use: cooked navy beans, anasazi beans, small red kidney beans, macaroni, butternut squash, zucchini, summer squash, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, sweet potato, beets, carrots, bell peppers, kale and coconut chips.
(This is just an example of a chop mix I like, there are plenty of recipes online and you can even buy premade frozen chop at some bird stores.)
As far as fruits my CBCs love grapes, apples, strawberries, blueberries, melon and oranges. They also like cooked eggs, I usually give them scrambled eggs a couple times a week which is a great source of protein for them.
Fresh, clean water for your birds is very important as they tend to bathe in their water bowls and dip their food into it. I give fresh water at least once a day. Cleanliness is important as bacteria can build up and make your birds sick.