Jenday Conure

Minimum cage size for a single bird is 91 x 61 x 61 cm (36 x 24 x 24 in), and bigger is always better because they are active climbers and flyers; a flight or aviary is ideal. Bar spacing should be 1.3 to 1.9 cm (0.5 to 0.75 in) to prevent head entrapment, with horizontal bars on at least some sides for climbing. Fit multiple natural-wood perches of varying diameter (never all-sandpaper perches, which cause foot sores), plus a cluster of destructible chew toys, foraging toys and a bird-safe rope or ladder. Line the tray with plain paper or newspaper (avoid scented, clumping or cedar/pine shaving substrates, which can irritate the airways). Provide separate stainless-steel dishes for pellets, fresh food and water, and place the cage against a wall in a busy family room but out of direct draughts.

Staple: a formulated pelleted diet should make up roughly 60 to 70 percent of the daily intake (an all-seed diet causes obesity, fatty liver disease and vitamin A deficiency and shortens life). Supplement daily with a wide variety of fresh vegetables and leafy greens plus smaller amounts of fruit (dark leafy greens, capsicum, carrot, sweet potato, broccoli, squash and berries are excellent for vitamin A). Offer seeds and nuts only as a small treat or foraging reward. Provide a cuttlebone or mineral block. ALWAYS AVOID: avocado, chocolate, caffeine (coffee, tea, cola), alcohol, onion, garlic, salty and fried foods, fruit pits and apple seeds, and anything containing xylitol; all are toxic or dangerous to parrots. Separately, never expose the bird to fumes from overheated non-stick (PTFE/Teflon) cookware, which are rapidly fatal to birds; keep the bird well away from the kitchen when cooking.

Comfortable ambient temperature is about 18 to 29 C (65 to 85 F); healthy acclimated birds tolerate a little either side, but this is a tropical species that is NOT cold-hardy. Keep night-time temperatures no lower than about 16 to 18 C (60 to 65 F) and shield the cage from cold draughts and sudden swings. The greater risk in a warm climate is overheating: keep the bird below about 30 C (86 F), out of direct sun through glass, and watch for heat stress. Humidity around 40 to 60 percent suits them; provide regular bathing or misting opportunities, which also supports feather and skin health. Give 10 to 12 hours of predictable darkness for sleep each night (a cage cover helps) and 10 to 12 hours of daylight. Full-spectrum/UVB avian lighting is beneficial for vitamin D3 synthesis, calcium metabolism and mood if the bird has no access to unfiltered natural sunlight; position any UVB lamp per the manufacturer's distance guidance.

Highly social flock birds that must not be kept in isolation with no attention. A single bird will bond intensely to its human family and needs several hours of daily interaction plus supervised out-of-cage time; a lonely Jenday screams and plucks. They can be kept as a bonded pair or small group, which provides company (though paired birds may tame less readily to people). The sexes look identical (monomorphic), so DNA or surgical sexing is the only reliable way to determine sex. Introduce new birds slowly and quarantine any newcomer for at least 30 to 45 days with an avian vet check before contact.

This is a busy, curious, chewing parrot that needs constant novelty. Rotate destructible toys (soft wood, palm, paper, cardboard, vegetable-tanned leather), foraging and puzzle feeders that make the bird work for food, and shreddable items. Offer daily training sessions (target training, recall, simple tricks) for mental exercise and bonding, plenty of supervised flight or climbing time, and safe branches to strip. Foraging opportunities and social time are the single best defence against boredom-driven screaming and feather plucking.