Pyrrhura molinae
Green-Cheeked Conure
Green-cheeked conures pack a lot of parrot personality into a small body. They are a popular first parrot, but their beak strength and need for daily attention still surprise many new owners.
PsittacidaeLifespan 10–20 years, sometimes longer with good careCare complexity 3/5Suitable for beginners
At a glance
- Scientific name
- Pyrrhura molinae
- Family
- Psittacidae
- Origin
- Forests of South America, including Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil
- Lifespan
- 10–20 years, sometimes longer with good care
- Adult size
- 26 cm including tail
- Weight
- 60–80 g
- Temperament
- Affectionate, playful and can be nippy when hormonal
- Activity level
- Moderate to high; enjoys climbing and short flights
- Social needs
- High — bonds intensely with one or two people and needs daily interaction
- Intelligence
- Good problem-solver and can learn tricks and a modest vocabulary
- Noise
- Quieter than most parrots but capable of sharp alarm calls
Housing and environment
- Housing
- Minimum 60 x 60 x 90 cm cage with horizontal bars for climbing
- Space requirement
- A bird-proofed room for daily out-of-cage exercise
- Temperature
- 18–26°C, away from draughts
- Humidity
- 40–60%
- Exercise
- One to two hours of supervised out-of-cage time daily
- Grooming
- Self-preening plus regular bathing; nail and beak checks
Diet and feeding
Formulated pellets as the base, plus fresh vegetables, some fruit and limited nuts
Behaviour and compatibility
Chewing, foraging, climbing, contact calling and cuddling with a trusted person
- With children
- Best with older, calm children who understand bite risk
- With other animals
- Never leave unsupervised with cats or dogs
- Training difficulty
- Low to moderate with consistent positive reinforcement
Health
- Feather picking from boredom
- Beak and feather disease
- Egg binding in hens
- Obesity
- Respiratory infections
Needs an avian vet experienced with conures; annual checks recommended
Special care requirements
Non-stick cookware fumes and other airborne toxins are rapidly fatal