Conure vet

Diet for Conures

Feeding a variety of foods is both enriching, enjoyable and stimulating for your pet conure.

Do not assume that your bird will choose the healthy alternatives usually as with people the opposite.

Feed the first  5 food groups EVERY SINGLE day.   It is possibly negligent to feed an almost exclusively seed diet!.

1. Seed – limited to 1/3 of the diet - Sprouted seed is best.
2. Pellets – made for conures
3. Fruit see list below 
4. Vegetables – especially dark green e.g: peas, corn, chili, broccoli, capsicum, carrot, spinach. NO AVOCADO!
5. Low fat, Low Sugar and Low salt human foods - 
6. occasional Nuts
7. Fresh grass especially the seed heads are enjoyed.
8. Occasional small amount of boiled egg or Cooked meat
9. Occasional beans

Dry seed is usually high in fats, low in vitamins like vitamin A,D,E,C  low in minerals like Calcium, Low in protein

A formulated diet provides a good nutritional base, and  so does usually not require the addition of vitamins or minerals. However it does not contain the nutrients that are found in fresh vegetables, fruits, grains, and seeds

A predominantly seed diet often results in a shorter life, less than ideal immunity and health, poor feathering, respiratory disease, fatty liver and diabetes.  The best diet for a Conure includes pellets, fruit and vegetables and smaller amounts of nuts, seeds and cooked meat. 

Bird Baths:
   Your conure will enjoy a bath! The personal hygiene of a conure often includes a morning bath to keep their plumage glossy and beautiful.

Because of the conure's susceptibility to Conure Bleeding Syndrome (CBS), it is recommended that a conure's diet should contain foods high in calcium and Vitamin K.

From the  green cheek conure website we have copied/adapted the following:  http://greencheekconure.net/2011/12/green-cheek-conure-diet.html

A Good Green Cheek Conure Food List Includes: as a percentage basis

• Fruits making up  20 percent of diet (kiwi, mango, oranges, bananas, limes/lemon juice, strawberries, pears, wild berries, papaya, apples, and grapes)
• Vegetables upto  50 percent of diet (leafy greens, kale, broccoli, mashed potatoes, cilantro, carrots, peas, corn, green beans, pinto beans, lima beans, and celery, but NOT avocado)
• Pellets as 20 percent of diet (vetafarm pellets, Zupreme, or Harrison’s Pellets)
• Dry seed mix as 7 percent of the bird’s daily diet
• Nuts as 3 percent of a conure’s diet (nuts like peanuts, cashews, pistachios, and almonds are all high fat, but also high in protein and vitamin E – a necessary vitamin in a captive bird’s diet)
• Dairy sparingly, as a treat, or sharing.
• Boiled meat (yes, even poultry!) sparingly, for a protein supplement.

Conure Bleeding Syndrome 

What is Conure Bleeding Syndrome?

Conure Bleeding Syndrome is a serious and poorly understood condition affecting conures and other psittacine birds. It causes spontaneous bleeding and bruising from various parts of the body, often without obvious abnormalities on standard clotting tests. Because bleeding can be severe or life threatening, any bleeding conure should be assessed urgently by an experienced avian veterinarian.

Owners concerned about bleeding, bruising or weakness in their bird should arrange an urgent examination with our avian veterinary team here: Bird Vet Melbourne Appointments.

Symptoms of Conure Bleeding Syndrome

Conure Bleeding Syndrome can cause bleeding beneath the skin which appears as bruising, bleeding within muscles, inside the digestive tract, within the respiratory system and into body cavities. Owners may notice visible bruising, blood in droppings, breathing difficulty, weakness, lethargy or collapse. Sadly, some affected birds may pass away suddenly if treatment is not provided quickly.

If your conure is bleeding, bruising, extremely weak or collapsing, please contact our emergency bird hospital immediately through Bird Vet Melbourne Emergency Services.

Why is My Conure Bleeding?

Conure Bleeding Syndrome is most commonly reported in Sun Conures, Jenday Conures, Nanday Conures and other Aratinga species. While not every bird in these species develops the condition, they appear to be more commonly affected than other parrots.

What Causes Conure Bleeding Syndrome?

The exact cause remains uncertain. However, several factors are believed to contribute.

Nutritional deficiencies, including vitamin K deficiency, calcium imbalance, vitamin C deficiency and seed-based diets may increase the risk of bleeding. Infectious causes, such as viral, bacterial, or parasitic diseases, may trigger episodes. There may also be a genetic susceptibility in some species or bloodlines. Environmental toxin, including rodent poisons, heavy metal exposure and mould toxins, are also suspected contributors.

Many affected birds have a history of poor or seed-based diets. For more information on correct bird nutrition, please visit our Healthy Bird Diet and Nutrition page.

Diagnosing Conure Bleeding Syndrome

Diagnosis focuses on stabilising the bird while ruling out other possible causes of bleeding. Blood testing including complete blood count, biochemistry, clotting assessment and infectious screening is commonly performed. Imaging, such as radiographs and ultrasound, may help detect internal bleeding or fluid accumulation. It is important to understand that many birds with CBS may still have normal clotting test results despite visibly bleeding, which makes diagnosis challenging.

Treatment for Conure Bleeding Syndrome

Most birds require hospitalisation and gentle handling to reduce stress. Treatment may include oxygen therapy, fluid therapy and blood transfusions in severe anaemia. Vitamin K1 is commonly administered. Antibiotics may be prescribed if an infection is suspected. Vitamin C and calcium supplementation may also be recommended depending on the individual case.

Long term management focuses heavily on correcting nutritional deficiencies. Birds are usually transitioned to a high-quality formulated pelleted diet, with suitable vegetables and fruits, while eliminating all seed diets.

Our veterinary team at Bird Vet Melbourne has extensive experience in managing bleeding disorders in parrots and conures.

Prognosis

Some mild cases recover successfully with treatment and nutritional improvement. Birds suffering from severe bleeding have a guarded to poor prognosis. Early veterinary treatment significantly improves the chance of survival.

Prevention

Prevention focuses on maintaining correct health and nutrition. Owners should feed a high quality pelleted diet, provide fresh vegetables and appropriate fruits, avoid seed only diets, ensure adequate calcium intake, schedule regular veterinary health checks, minimise stress and screen new birds for infectious disease in multi bird households.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my conure has Conure Bleeding Syndrome?

Owners should watch for bruising, blood in droppings, weakness, lethargy or breathing difficulty. Any unexplained bleeding requires immediate avian veterinary examination.

Is Conure Bleeding Syndrome fatal?

It can be fatal in severe cases, particularly when bleeding is extensive or treatment is delayed. Birds with mild bleeding often recover well with prompt treatment.

Can Conure Bleeding Syndrome be cured?

Many birds recover successfully with appropriate treatment and supportive care. Long term dietary correction is essential to help prevent recurrence.

Summary

Conure Bleeding Syndrome is a complex and challenging condition seen in conures, particularly Sun, Jenday and Nanday conures. Prompt veterinary assessment, supportive treatment, nutritional correction and careful follow up care are essential. Any conure showing bruising, bleeding, weakness or unexplained illness should be seen by an avian veterinarian as soon as possible.

Author

Written by
Bird Vet Melbourne Avian Veterinary Team
Experienced veterinarians providing expert medical care for parrots, conures and all avian species in Melbourne.

Important Clinical Note

This information is provided for educational guidance only and does not replace a veterinary examination. Any conure showing bleeding, bruising, breathing difficulty, weakness or sudden illness should be seen urgently by an avian veterinarian. If your bird is unwell, please book  an appointment at bird vet Melbourne.