Product Description
Conures, which belong to the parrot family, come in several species, and are available in many sizes and colors. This book advises on selecting, feeding, caging, health care, and understanding the conure’s body and vocal language. Written by breeders, trainers, and veterinarians Barron’s Pet Handbooks present expert advice on feeding, health care, housing, breeding, and all other important aspects of pet care. They are filled with vivid color photos and instructive line art. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Worth reading
I think this book was an excellent source of information.I learned a lot of great little things and tips.I just bought a Nanday conure a little over three months ago and this book has really helped me out. I would definitely recommend it to any conure owner (or future one.) Enjoy :)

excellent resource on getting to know your conure
After researching many books, I chose this to help in getting to know my conure. He/she? (waiting for DNA results to determine the sex)is still at the pet shop, waiting for the perfect cage to arrive before I can take her home. Meanwhile I am "boning up" on all the important info - what foods are best, how to choose an avian vet, how to introduce to other pets, training tips, and many other useful topics. In a few days I get to bring her home. I can't wait! I know that this book will help immensely as we get to bond and know each other.
TIP: NEVER feed avocado or chocolate to your conure or other birds.

Great Book
Book was very good and informative.Order received very quick - within 5 days.Thank you.

good introductory stuffbut not enough solid info
This is a nice book for someone who is THINKING about gettin a conure.There is plenty there about different kinds of conures, what kind of behavior to expect, what type of cage to get, etc.Unfortunately, if you already have one, there isn't enough solid, testedinformation on things like symptoms and behaviors, things that are keys to understanding what your bird needs. I was hoping to see something on how to get rid of bad behaviors, how to properly interact with the bird to avoid them, but found very little on that.I'd also like to see some in-line references to other reading material - instead I ended up spending barely an hour reading this book and put it away with almost as many questions as I had before.

EXCELLENT & COMPLETE MANUAL FOR FIRST TIME OR EXPERIENCED CONURE OWNERS
This is a great manual for any conure owner. I own several books regarding conures & this is the only one I like so much it has prompted me to share my feelings in regards to its contents!

Contains great, practical, need to know, want to know, should know info for novices & pros alike. This book contains info on everything from selecting a conure to feeding (including highlighted, bulleted lists of treats & danger foods), health & hygiene (including how to clip wings & nails), cage sizes/accessories, living w/ Conures, behaviour & training.

I lived on a farm growing up & worked for a veterinarian who specialized in exotics (we saw & treated a lot of birds) so I consider myself to be relatively knowledgable about most animals & I was still quite impressed with this book! ... Read more

Product Description
Learn how to care for these lovable birds, including feeding, housing, grooming, and fun activities that appeal to their playful nature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Dolly
An informative little book for a beginner Conure owner. Wish I had read this book before I bought the Sun conure..Beautiful bird but what a loud call!!!!! Did not realize there are several different Conures with different traits.

Excellent Book
If you have a bird - you need this book.It has information for everything you need.I received a pamplet at the pet store - what a joke! They should give this book w/ every purchase.

Great Book
This book has a lot of information about conures.I like the fact that its just about conures instead of all parrots as conures are alittle bit different in the way they act.My blue-crown is the second conure I've had.The first one, a white-eyed conure, lived for 24 years.I purchased this book so that I can keep up with illnesses, wing clipping, etc.I would recommend this book to anyone who has or wants a conure.

Getting a good start!
Conures by Carol Frischmann gives a good basic start for the new pet conure owner. This book provides guidance to the individual who is selecting a conure as a pet as well as someone who has just brought home their first conure.

Conures is a visually appealing book that is graphically well-laid out and easy to read. Key information points are set up in table formats that are excellent for a quick reference. A lot of practical information is packed into this publicaton along with suggestions for how to learn more beyond the topics covered within its pages.

It provides a range of basic information for the new pet owner which includes diet, health care, grooming, toys, housing and training. I especially like the tips for how to help children care for and interact with the conure since so many times these birds are chosen as pets for families with children. By giving ideas of specific activities and interactions by age, parents can oversee a level of involvement with the bird that is appropriate for their children.

It is very difficult to have a book that covers all aspects of care for a pet parrot, but this book does cover the basics very nicely. If the new conure owner follows the direction provided, they will be headed the right direction for the enjoyment of owning a healthy, happy pet bird!

Conures by Carol Frischmann - GREAT!
Conures (Animal Planet Pet Care Library) is a great book. Full of good and helpful information. I sat and read it cover to cover. I am now going back and highlighting the information that really stood out. This book is great for overall information and detailed day-to-day care and interaction. I would recommend this book to anyone who owns or plans to purchase a conure for a pet/companion.Excellent resource. ... Read more

Product Description
Your Happy Healthy Pet



The authoritative information and advice you need, illustrated throughout with full-color photographs--now revised and redesigned to be even more reader-friendly!

Outgoing, cheerful, inquisitive little acrobats, conures are entertaining companion birds. They're small in size, but big in personality. This guide helps you make your conure a part of your family, with information on:
* Choosing your conure
* Creating a safe, stimulating home for your bird
* Everyday care, including feeding and bathing
* Clipping your conure's wings--why, when, and how
* Training tips, from getting your conure comfortable with you to potty training to teaching tricks such as Ride in the Wagon, Nod Your Head, and Play Dead
* Teaching your conure to talk


Conures are often cuddly and almost always wonderfully affectionate, so you'll get a lot of love from your little feathered friend! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

I brought this for a friend for his first pet parrot.
I brought this for a friend after he got his first pet parrot.Parrots can be very demanding and aren't like anything like having a cat or a dog.I thought he needed some basic info and this book was very good.He really appreciated it.

The most comprehensive book on conures
Although this book does not have the answer to a lot of questions conure owners may have it is by far the most comprehensive book on these birds. ... Read more

Product Description
These small members of the parrot family are intelligent and sociable by nature, and make very popular pets among bird lovers. The titles in BarronÂ's Complete Pet OwnerÂ's Manuals series make great introductions to the pleasures and duties of pet ownership for inexperienced and soon-to-be pet owners, as well as for older children having their first experiences with pet care. Attractively illustrated and filled with helpful information, these books advise on purchasing, housing, feeding, health care--and where applicable, grooming and training pets. Each book is individually written by an expert--a trainer, breeder, veterinarian, or other animal specialist. BarronÂ's Complete Pet OwnerÂ's Manuals cover every popular dog and cat breed, as well as bird varieties, hamsters and other small caged animals, fish varieties for aquarium hobbyists, terrarium pets, and even exotics, such as reptiles, amphibians, and scorpions. All books have 70 or more color photos plus instructive line illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Overview of Conures
I've now read several books on Conures, and I must admit that I enjoyed this one the most.Some of Galye Soucek's advise seems unconventional, like buying cages without seed guards because the guards are more of a mess to clean up than your floor.Other advise seems pretty standard in various parrot books.The book is well illustrated, with many pages of pictures of various colorful Conure species.There are even photos of the some of the more rare Pyhurra Conures, which is usual.Other conure books feature the Green Cheeked Conure, while having little to say about the other Pyhurra varieties.The Species Section is the only area that I think could use expansion.While many books offer physical descriptions of the birds, this one included, there is little offered as to the birds personalities and they varry significantly.I do not bring this up to disparage the book in any way--it's just something I think could be expanded upon.

I would reccomend this book to anyone considering a Conure as a pet.It offers solid, down to earth information.

Good Intro Info
This had good basic information for someone new to ownership of a conure. Quick and enjoyable reading. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Outdated information
This book was probably good for the time it was written (1981, according to the copyright), but it is really substandard in light of nearly 2 decades of further research into bird behavior.The first half of the bookis about choosing a bird, caging and nutritional requirements, and grooming(wing and nail clipping).The remainder of the book is a cursory look atbasic taming (of wild-caught birds, which isn't really an issue sinceimporting birds has been outlawed for several years), and a briefexplanation of how to train.If you want a good resource for training,you'd be better off with a more current book on behavior modification (tryMattie Sue Athan's books, for example).This book is mis-titled, andshould not pretend to be a real "training" book.On the brightside, it has quite a few wonderful pictures of conures.

A Good Source for Conure Behavior Information.
This was a good book, however there was more a theatrical feel for the type of training that was covered.Also, it didn't really cover many types of training, more accurately, it suggesting what could be done--oftentelling you ways of playing up natural instinctive behaviors, versestraining new behaviors.Philosophically I didn't agree with much of theapproach used, but as with many things, it is how you view yourrelationship with your companion bird.A good addition to your library inany event.These birds are complex and all of the information you can findshould be read.

the book is excellent and very helpfull on how to deal with
excellent book! It gives you a lot of good advice to train your new bird pet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Basic Information, Little More
This book seems a little outdated and is a slim volume.The photos are colorful and well done.For someone who knows nothing about Conures and parrot species in general, it may be a good place to start.I found the explanatiion of Taxonomy to be beyond the the average pet owner needs or even wants to know.The book had a clinical, scientific feel to it, but did little to explore the joys of owning one of these highly intelligent and affectionate birds.If your budget can only afford one Conure book, you should pass this one up.For those collecting books about these faciniating parrots, it's a good addition to your parrot book library.Those wishing to start breeding their own Conures will find the section on breeding helpful, it provides a good overview of the process and is something that is hard to find in most books about particular parrot species.

Good book, but a little too basic
It is a good book, but I was expecting something more complete and "in detail".

Right to the point
Conure lovers... you need this book.Excellent information on the daily needs and common sense thoughts about conures.No pitty pat information, just good ole fashioned reading which will really help one increase thier knowledge surrounding these birds.

Great book!
Don't be fooled by this book's small number of pages.Great information on care, feeding, breeding, and even some updates on the taxonomy of conures.This book is up to date and accurate.I'd recommend it for advanced or novice conure keepers. ... Read more

Product Description
Olive Parrot Shares Her Birthday is the ideal book to read aloud to your bird, as a bedtime story, or justduring "quality time".Everyone with a companion bird (and anyone who loves birds!) should own this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Fantastic gift for any occasion
Olive Parrot Shares her Birthday is a real find.It is one of those rare children's books that combines clever humor with a compelling and exciting storyline, allowing an adult to enjoy it as much as any child.It serves to bring out the child in an adult while challenging a developing youngster with its clever puns and twists of fate.The book is also beautifully illustrated and bound with such high quality materials, that it looks and feels as good as any coffee-table glossy.Olive Parrot would make a truly magnificent birthday gift, but it is also a fantastic gift for any occasion.A classic in the making.

So Much to Love
I must also be a bird since I just loved reading the book, looking at the illustrations, and laughing at so many references to adult culture.The idea is so clever and so well written that it's fun over and over again, not to mention the brightly colored and detailed pictures. What a fun gift for a birthday at any age.

Olive is an instant classic
This book has it all.Kids will love the gorgeous illustations, the "happily ever after" tale that is neither trite nor too predictable, and most of all, the lyrical flow of the prose.Grown-ups will enjoy the jokes thrown in just for them and will find a story that wears well with each and every reading.Olive is definitely NOT (just) for the birds!

So Much Fun
I recieved this book as a birthday gift from a very good friend that always has great taste in gifts.He hit his peak with this purchase.I enjoy this book every time I pick it up. The story made me feel good and enjoy an adult birthday.The art work is fabulous and comical.If you have a big friend or little friend with a birthday this will be the perfect gift.

People and pets alike!Terrific!

Received as a gift from a bird-lover friend, I read this wonderfully funny and witty tale to my small children and my dog Jegs.They love the characters and the whimsy of the tale.They usually laugh at loud (especially Jegs).

Like Bugs Bunny cartoons, it appeals at all levels of development - arrested or not - with sophisticated charm. My wife and I have shared it with our family on multiple occasions and it remains fresh and funny.

We give it maximum stars (Jegs too). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

out-of-date
Although it's been moderately updated in the 1990s, this book is still out of date and of minimal use for a first-time conure owner, let alone a 3-year veteran like me.The book will help you to identify the types of conures out there, but is no longer accurate about which particular species you are likely to find in the companion bird world. The photographs are obviously from the 1970s and some of poor quality.The book still assumes a largely seed-diet, or a home-made blend of fruits, vegetables, breads, monkey-chow, etc., rather than the various pelleted diets available which can be supplemented with fresh foods regularly.It talks about wild-caught birds, when no one should have a wild-caught rather than a domestically bred or rescued bird these days.Overall this was a disappointing book and I can't recommend it at this date in 2003.We need a new book on conures with good health, diet, behavior, and tips for raising these birds.You'll do better with a book less specifically on the conure.Diane Grinwold's -Cockatiels for Dummies_ book is one of the best I've seen--avoiding heavy emphasis on breeding rather than companion birds, covering a range of behaviors and early best practices, and resisting the urge to fall into cutesiness like the Sally Blanchard books.Before you bring home one of these birds, read widely in books and on the web, use common sense (there's lots of mistaken information out there), find a good Avian vet and ask some questions, talk w/ breeders and other pet owners.

Help
I am looking for information also on pategonian parrots.I have a 1 year old that I have had for about 6 months. I have not bought this book but would like to know if it has the information I want

Entering into a life of a Conure
Please HELP!I am a new owner of a 3month old Pategonian Conure which is VERY rare in South Africa and I urgently need some info on training, feeding, its naure, its history etc. PLEASE can someone out there assistme. This would be much appreciated as I only got him today and am not ableto find any info regarding 'my baby'. Kind regards, Karen email:hoho@global.co.za ... Read more

Product Description
This is our ninth set of Happy, Healthy Pet titles. Like the others, they are books that pet owners can turn to for the essential information they need to raise a happy, healthy pet. All books contain information on:

• feeding
• grooming
• housing
• health care
• what to expect from the pet
• basic training

Customer Reviews (10)

Please Read This Book Before Buying a Pet Conure!
This is a great intro to Conures for people who are thinking of adopting one. It gives a write up on 25 different species of Conures. It gives a nice over view of what Conure species might be right for you by mentioning noise levels and habits like prone to chewing or feather plucking. It is pretty good in mentioning the responsibilites that come with bird ownership.I think this is important for everyone to know before getting a bird of any kind!The book did get into all kinds of care items to from medical to feeding to grooming and even some tricks & games training.

My favorite part was learning that some Conures will actually sleep on their backs in their food dishes! (HAHA) Other good tips included how to administer meds if you have a sick bird. It gave me some good basic tips.

Things I didn't agree with is not kissing your bird on it's beak and feeding it some low-fat dairy (I don't give my birds any dairy) but to be fair the book did say only a tiny bit because they lack the enzymes to digest dairy. As for the beak thing, I understand the point about human siliva being bad for birds but I certainly don't slobber on my birds!

Overall, I would recommend reading this book if you are thinking of getting a Conure, you just got a Conure and you need to know what to do, or you have one and just can't get enough info on them. It is somewhat basic for any of you that are already experience bird owners though.

Note:Consider visiting a local bird rescue if you are considering a pet bird!

Not the best Conure book at Amazon...
When I bought this book, I also purchased Conure books by Anne Watkins and Matthew Vriends.GUIDE TO CONURE is not the best of the three, in my opinion. However, that said, if this is the book you can find then get it and use it.The book is a hard back whereas the others are soft covered books (if that matters), and Rach covers all the basics regarding food, shelter, health issues, etc. In fact, you could use much of the material in her book for any bird's care.She also includes a nice section on the various types of Conures and sections on Conure health that cover issues of concern to this species in particular as well as things to beware of if your Conure is a "free-flight" bird.

Rach includes a nice long section on cage selection as does Watkins.If you haven't given much thought to the cage you should. Conures can be messy birds and you want to buy something big enough to house your guy made of a substance he can't dismantle that is relatively easy to clean. This means you must think about the cage in terms of space considerations and weight. When the FedEX guy delivered my conure's cage he accused me of ruining his health.There are great cages available, but you should consider the cost of the cage and it's accessories when you buy your bird. Rach's book will help you reflect on these and other issues

GREAT book for a new Conure owner!
I LOVE this book because most other books on Conures put WAY to much focus on breeding, which is good if you are an avid breeder, but can be a pain if you keep, or want to keep, a Conure as a pet. When I was thinking of getting a Conure, I bought one book, it told me SO little, then I bought another, same stuff said, in a different form, THEN I found this book, and that made me deicide on a Sun Conure, I would recommend it to people who are considering getting a bird the most, it tells you what might happen if you get a Conure, it doesn't try to mask the fact that Conures are VERY high need birds, if there is anything wrong with it is that the author doesn't seem to call a bird a he or a she, its weird, but WHO(???) cares, sometimes when I write I make it them problems, and it is understood, so that didn't bother me, but I had to find at least 1 thing wrong with it, and that was all I could think of!
Hope this helps!!!

Every Conure owner should have this book
My family and I have two parakeets and two cockatiels; they are such energetic members of the family and are so loved that we decided to add another bird - you guessed it, a conure.When we brought our Jenday conure home (at 12 weeks old), we had little knowledge of how to take care of a "larger" bird - that is, until we bought and read Julie Rach's fabulous book.It is written in such an easy, friendly style that it's almost addictive to read - and add to this all the up-to-the-minute information on care and proper diet - it's the Conure Bible!We don't hesitate for a moment to say - GO OUT AND GET THIS BOOK!!You and your conure(s) will be glad you did!

Everything about you wanted to know about Conure's and more!
This is a truly informative book. I was leary about buying this book. Some of the other books i bought seemed to be written for idiots, and i was bored quickly. This one answered all of my questions and went into hard to find detail. I highly recommend this to people who own other birds and are already experienced in bird keeping. It is not just the basics, but the odd things that apply to just Conures. BUY THIS! ... Read more

Product Description
This handsomely illustrated book gives you a wealth of information on bird purchase, caging, health care, and much more. Books in the Complete Pet Owner's Manuals series present basic information about pets for new or soon-to-be owners, as well as detailed information for other animal hobbyists. Advice and instruction covers purchase, equipment, general care and maintenance, and much more. Texts emphasize the basics and are easy for all readers to understand, but most titles in this series also presents facts that even experienced owners and hobbyists will find new and useful. All books in this series are filled with high quality full-color photos and instructive line drawings. Length averages between 64 and 104 pages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Informative but Unfocused (Where were the editors?)
If I may, I'd like to start off this review by sharing pertinent background information. First off, birds have been part of my life for 28 years. Birds varieties with which I am personally familiar include Amazon parrot, lovebird, cockatiel, and my all-time favorite, the budgerigar (better known as a parakeet). Second, I have a background as a writer. As a result, what you are about to read in criticism of "Conures: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual", does not reflect exclusively on the author, who is obviously very knowledgeable and competent, but primarily on the seemingly incompetent editors of this reference guide.

The editors of this work, which are not named, have failed to determine the angle (focus) they would like the author to concentrate upon, and hence this highly credentialed ornithologist and zoologist, Dr. Matthew M. Vriends, attempts to cover too much ground in too few chapters. The title page boasts that the reader will learn "Everything about Purchase, Care, Nutrition, and Behavior", but it just doesn't deliver. Instead, the author spends a great deal of time delving into a subject that few bird owners will find useful: breeding.

Initially, the book starts out very simplistically by addressing very basic aspects of bird care that will be of little use to anyone who has ever owned a bird (keep water dishes clean, provide toys, offer your bird a variety of fruits and vegetables, etc.). This is all well and good if the purpose of the book is to educate the pet bird newbie. With minimal transition, however, the author goes off on a tangent on conure courtship practices, which should have been reserved for the appropriately titled chapter, "Breeding South American Conures". Apparently it did not occur to the editors that the average bird owner will not become a breeder, or that if a bird owner opts to breed at all, he or she is likely to seek out dedicated reference material.

To illustrate the author's scattered but seemingly entrenched fixation on breeding, the subject is first broached in the second chapter, "Housing, Care, And Management" (regarding nesting boxes), and is visited again in the fourth chapter, "Understanding Conures" (regarding the aforementioned courtship rituals), and again in a dedicated chapter, "Breeding South American Conures". While the subject of breeding is not entirely without merit in a book that touts itself as an all-inclusive guide to conures, at a very minimum the former references should have been grouped with the latter.

Overall, this reference presents a disjointed mixture of simplistic and advanced information with little attention paid to intermediate questions or concerns (paying comparatively little attention to the number of illnesses and environmental hazards to watch out for, for example).

Most notably, the book failed to answer the most basic of question: How long, on average, do conures live?

The second critical flaw is in not advising would-be conure owners to buy a hand-fed or hand-raised conure whenever possible to ensure that the bird will bond with humans, and will not be overly fearful or aggressive (inclined to bite).

The third flaw is that the book advises in the first chapter, "Acquisition of Stock" to turn to the last chapter, "South American Conure Species", for information related to "which types are best suited to be kept as household pets without too many difficulties". Unfortunately, there is very little information in this section to satisfy this promise, and with respect to many species the answers are entirely ignored.

The fourth flaw takes place in the fourth chapter, "Understanding Conures". If it were to remain true to its title, the chapter should have included more on the psychology of conures. The book leaves virtually untouched, for instance, causes or solutions for screaming, how to prevent birds from becoming finger biters (effective training methods), the suitability of these birds around other pets or children, what is considered dangerously hot/cold for an indoor vs. outdoor conure, the dangers posed by bacteria from cats or human saliva, aerosol sprays, air fresheners, nonstick cookware, West Nile virus, etc. (To the author's credit, there is a sidebar on toxic indoor and outdoor plants, however.)

The fifth and last chapter dedicated to "South American Conure Species", contains the final glaring omission. I fully expected to see specific notes on how to identify gender or approximate age -- relevant because my new family member is a Half-Moon Conure that flew up to a neighbor who, in turn, gave it to me -- and yet there were no comments on age determination, and very little sexing information beyond various invasive methods such as endoscopy or DNA testing, which are described in chapter four. Devoting an entire chapter at the conclusion of the book to species-specific information -- which consists mostly of trivia-like tidbits pertaining to native habitats -- while neglecting to mention gender clues such as male vs. female coloration patterns, for example, was a poor judgment call, in my opinion.

In all fairness, a book of this length, at 106 pages excluding the index, cannot be all things to all people.* That reality, in particular, underscores the value of choosing a focus and sticking to it -- yet Barron's Educational Series, Inc. editors failed to target the book to a specific type of reader or market.

None of this is to say that this book neglects to impart valuable information. In fact, it touches upon almost every remaining issue of interest -- from identifying a healthy bird (e.g. healthy conures generally sleep on one foot), to the difference between an outdoor aviary, indoor aviary and a "bird room", to what size of perch is best suited for their feet. Unfortunately, this work misses some of the obvious questions and over-emphasizes some of the matters that are of less interest to non-breeders or new owners. Finally, I found at least one aspect of the author's advice questionable: bathing a bird in dish soap in preparation for a bird show. If you are going to forcefully wash a bird at all, why not advocate less harsh or toxic cleansers, or at least those that are less likely to sting or burn, such as baby-safe products?

In conclusion, I am sorry to note that the Internet is a better resource for information about conures, which is a sad reality because reference book sales will increasingly suffer in this Internet age until, that is, publishers figure out how to offer reference material that is more informative and engaging than the average Website posted by amateurs or volunteer experts. With stiff competition from armchair enthusiasts, often at no cost, publishers must take extraordinary care to ensure that their subject matter is exceptionally well organized, carefully targeted, and clearly written by a professional writer who has anticipated the questions readers will ask so as to avoid the meandering or repetitive style associated with novice writers, be they academic experts who have a tendency to come across as impersonal, overly technical or dry (without proper editorial oversight), or Website-running hobbyists who are often conversational and informal in tone, yet lacking in credible credentials.

Bottom line? If you want an introduction to specific information about breeding conures, this book will offer more information than you might otherwise expect from its all-inclusive title, "Conures: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual". If, on the other hand, you wish to learn generalized information about training techniques, or the ownership pros and cons of specific conure varieties (including lifespan), look elsewhere.


###

* As of this writing, Amazon's description states that the book is 64 pages, which is incorrect. There are a total of 111 pages in this guide.

Not for the average Joe
I have to agree with most of what's been said here.I have two wonderful hand-reared black-tailed conures as pets - now this species is virtually unheard-of in captivity, so I bought this book on the strength of the 'detailed species descriptions' advertised.What a slap in face!Apparently my birds are simply 'similar to maroon-bellied conures, but ...not as interesting' (exact quotation).The book is written from a breeder's point of view, and a breeder stuck two decades ago for that matter.There is a strangely impersonal tone to the whole book, which some pet owners who don't see their birds as liquid assets may find off-putting.I certainly did.However, the many photos are good, which earns it the extra star.

Dutch aviculturist and bird vet......
Perhaps because of his background as a breeder of various species of domestic (pet birds) and experience as a bird vet, I find Matthew Viends' books tend to slant toward the physical care and breeding birds. He maintains outdoor aviaries, which can be much more of a challenge than a simple cage in a third floor apartment.So, if you only read Vriends you might become overly concerned about health issues and nest boxes.

On the other hand Vriends' books are very informative,including this volume on Conures.He informs the reader about health matters, so that if you do experience a bird who is 'under the weather' you won't panic.

If you are seriously contemplating buying your first Conure, you might want to read Anne Watkins book on Conures and use Vriends book to complement topics dealing with Conure health and feeding issues.

To pellet or not to pellet...Vriends covers this topic and I find it timely as my new Conure (who was formerly owned by a kind lady) is fond of Zupreme Conure pellets (except purple..he apparently does not like grape).You can drive yourself crazy trying to feed your feathered pal all the correct veggies, egg yolk seed mix, minerals, cuttlebone, etc. (and I do this) or you can think about pellets. (My birds get a great assortment of greens and most of them also have pellets with or in lieu of their seed mix.) It is comforting to know that a vet and breeder of Vriends' stature is supportive of pellet use.

Out dated, Breeding orientend.
There is to much focus on breeding Conure's, the info there is about keeping a Conure as a pet is outdated, I would reccomend the book on Conure's by Julie Rach instead!
Hope this helps!

Outdated info., Not informative for captive/handfed birds!
This book was obviously written at a time when most Conures were imported from the wild and not captive bred or handfed.A large portion of this book deals with how to acclimate and taim a wild or unfriendly bird.Furthermore this book is not a good companion for the Conure owner looking to find information on a particular species.Many of the species covered in this book are not even avalible as pets or to be imported into the U.S.When I finally came to the section on the bird I was interested in purchasing all I found were the physical characteristics with nothing about its general temperment as a pet.This was hardly helpful as I knew exactly what the bird looked like but little else.Another topic of no use to me was the detailed information on the breeding of Conures.I am looking for a better source of information and would not reccommend this book to the average pet owner. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Conures by Tony Silva
Quite a nice book to read but so far out of date to really be a waste of time for the breeder or anybody seriously considering breeding conures. The Author had not heard of DNA sexing which is now the considered norm. This fact immediately made the book obsolete as far as I was concerned.

More info
This is a good book in some of it's own ways. I think it should have more info about each of the different conures. I own a pair of green cheeks and they are not rare nor are they expensive. They are the cheapest of theconures. Also they are really sweet and not loud at all. They do get nippyin thier older age. The over all of the book was pretty nice though.

A good book on the general care and species of conures.
I found this book was very nice to have before I got my Peachfront, it was very informative about the different species and their desirable and undesirable traits.It also helped to decide what cage and supplies to buy.Don't let this be your sole source of information, however, after getting your conure. ... Read more

Product Description
This popular breed of parrot is profiled with special attention to feeding, housing, and health care. There is also advice on how and where to buy a conure. Includes 50 full-color photographs and accurate, instructive line drawings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Conures: Everything about Purchasing, etc....
This book is to helpful in your curiosity about the kinds of conures there are & how to house them but hardly any info. is given on how to understand they're personality or on their habits & how to explore themfurther.

Incomplete information for conures just as pets
This book is a good source for those who are looking for information on basic care and breeding of conures.However, it gives little information on keeping Conures as pets.There are almost no training tips given.

Not a great information source for keeping companion birds.
This is not of great value to the average companion bird owner.It is geared mainly to the individual interested in breeding and setting up a breeding avaiary. There is very scant info on personality andcharacteristics. As most info is for breeding purposes,all cage and carerequirements are written for at least 2 birds. Almost all info is providedconcerning wild caught, or nearly adult-parent reared offspring. As it isso easy to locate a good breeder that hand rears young, this is of littleuse. This book did not meet my needs, but would be useful to a perspectivebreeder of Sun Conures.

My Review
This book is great for those who have just purchased their new conure.There are beautiful illustrations and many colored photos. But the book is mostly about breeding and it contained words that weren't really clear. Itshould have had more tips on training the bird. But other than those, iwould say that it would be a good book to buy.

Photos excellent.Not geared for the pet bird owner.
I am a pet bird owner looking for info about behavior specfic to conures.I felt this book was primarily adressing those who want to get into breeding of birds. The photos were excellent.I have a green eyed conure,she is delightful and while green, the edges of her feathers are rimmedwith a lighter green. She is beautiful and personable, contrary to thebook's opinion of this type of conure. ... Read more

Product Description
Discusses the care and selection of this popular medium-sized parrot. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Focused for the potential breeder, not pet bird owner.
Well written.Very little on conure behaviors and info to help me understand and relate to my bird.Alot of detail on avaries and breeding.Reads well.More color pictures would enhance this book. ... Read more

Product Description
12 x 12 closed, 12 x 24 open. All square wall calendars are 16 month style, so you can start using them from September. The text is in 5 languages: English, French, German, Spanish and Italian. The date grids are sensitive to U.K and European holidays as well as for the U.S.A. Moon phases and horoscope dates are shown on the date grid. ... Read more

Product Description
Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Broad-Tailed Parrots, Conures, Budgerigar, Budgerigar Colour Genetics, Australian Ringneck, Crimson Rosella, Orange-Bellied Parrot, Ground Parrot, Eastern Rosella, Night Parrot, Pale-Headed Rosella, Maroon-Bellied Parakeet, Green Rosella, Swift Parrot, Golden-Shouldered Parrot, Turquoise Parrot, Red-Capped Parrot, Red-Rumped Parrot, Western Rosella, Rock Parrot, Bourke's Parrot, Paradise Parrot, Northern Rosella, Scarlet-Chested Parrot, Pezoporus, Bluebonnet, Mulga Parrot, Psephotus. Excerpt:A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at Crimson Rosella The Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans ) is a parrot native to eastern and south eastern Australia which has been introduced to New Zealand and Norfolk Island . It is commonly found in, but not restricted to, mountain forests and gardens . The species as it now stands has subsumed two former separate species, The Yellow Rosella and the Adelaide Rosella . Molecular studies show one of the three red-coloured races, var. nigrescens is genetically more distinct.Taxonomy Swifts Creek, Victoria, AustraliaThough described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in Systema Naturae as Psittacus elegans in 1788, the Crimson Rosella had been described and named by John Latham in 1781 as the Beautiful Lory , and then Pennantian Parrot . However he didn't give it a Latin name until 1790, when he named it Psittacus pennanti . In 1854, it was placed in the genus Platycercus by Martin Lichtenstein in his Nomenclator Avium Musei Zoologici Berolinensis .Today, the red-coloured races are generally known as the Crimson Rosella , with the alternate names Red Lowry , Pennant's Parakeet , ... ... Read more