How to Adopt a Sun Conure in the United States | PetzLover
To adopt a sun conure in the United States, apply to a parrot rescue or a shelter that places birds in your area, expect an application, a care class, a home visit and often a foster period, and pay an adoption fee, for example $300 for a conure at Phoenix Landing or a $200 placement fee at Foster Parrots. Before you apply, be sure your home can live with the noise, because that is a common reason sun conures need new homes.
Adopting an adult lets you hear exactly how loud the bird is and how it behaves before you commit. With a lifespan of up to 30 years in captivity (PetMD), it may still have decades ahead of it.
Key points
- WebMD notes that some owners take on a sun conure for its colors and rehome it because they cannot cope with the constant loud noise.
- Phoenix Landing charges $300 for a conure and takes at least a month, with a care class, home visit and two-month foster period; Foster Parrots charges a $200 placement fee.
- Foster Parrots will not place highly vocal parrots with renters or people who share walls, so check your lease first.
- PetMD says bored sun conures can start screaming and feather-plucking, so plan for daily attention and exercise.
- Book an avian vet exam within 7 days, as VCA Animal Hospitals advises, and keep the bird apart from other birds until then.
Why do sun conures end up in rescue?
Sun conures are striking birds, and that is part of the problem. WebMD says people sometimes take on a sun conure because of its beautiful colors and then rehome it because they cannot cope with the constant loud noise. PetMD describes shrill, harsh and repetitive screams and says the birds get noisier without enough attention and exercise.
- Noise: the Merck Veterinary Manual says larger Aratinga conures, including the sun, have a piercing voice when they scream.
- Boredom: PetMD warns that bored birds can develop screaming and feather-plucking.
- Long life: up to 30 years in captivity (PetMD), so many birds outlive their owner's plans.
None of this means an adopted sun conure is a problem bird. It means the right adopter is someone who has already accepted the noise.
Is an adopted sun conure right for your home?
| Question | Why it matters for a sun conure |
|---|---|
| Can my neighbors and lease live with loud calls? | Foster Parrots will not place highly vocal parrots with renters or people who share walls |
| Is someone home most of the day? | PetMD links lack of attention to more screaming and plucking |
| Do I have room for a large cage? | PetMD advises at least 30 inches wide and 30 inches deep, and the largest you can fit |
| Am I hoping for a talker? | Merck says larger conures are not known for their talking ability |
| Can I commit for decades? | PetMD gives up to 30 years in captivity |
If several answers are no, a quieter Pyrrhura conure, which Merck calls relatively quiet, may suit you better.
Where can you adopt a sun conure in the US?
- Parrot rescues: Phoenix Landing serves Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, North Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida; Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue adopts only within California.
- Sanctuaries: Foster Parrots in Rhode Island places some birds with guardians in New England.
- Shelters and directories: some animal shelters take in birds, and Petfinder and Adopt a Pet list adoptable birds by location.
- Listings from owners and rescues: you can browse sun conures for adoption on PetzLover and save a search to get alerts about new ones.
Rescues usually place birds only in their own region, so start close to home and ask to be put on a waiting list for a sun conure. If an owner offers you a bird directly, how to take in a rehomed sun conure lists the questions to ask.
How does sun conure adoption work, and what does it cost?
Phoenix Landing's process is typical and takes at least a month from application:
- Fill in an application about your home, your experience and the bird you hope for.
- Attend a free core parrot care class.
- Have a home visit and interview with a volunteer, in person or by video.
- Work with a coordinator to meet suitable birds, and say honestly how much noise you can take.
- Foster the bird for about two months.
- Sign the adoption agreement and pay the fee.
- Adoption fee: $300 for a conure at Phoenix Landing, which says its fees do not begin to cover its costs; a $200 placement fee at Foster Parrots. The Vet Desk gives a typical conure adoption range of $25 to $1,000 or more (January 2026).
- Set-up: typically $260 to $1,600 or more, including a cage at $70 to $1,000, unless the bird comes with one.
- First avian vet check: typically $50 to $200 before tests.
Breeders charge more: The Vet Desk says sun conures often cost $500 to $700. Running costs are the same either way.
How do you help an adopted sun conure settle in?
VCA advises an avian vet exam within the first 7 days; the Association of Avian Veterinarians has a Find-a-Vet search. Keep the bird apart from your other birds until it is cleared. PetMD lists Pacheco's disease, polyomavirus, PDD and chlamydiosis among common sun conure illnesses, and the CDC warns that birds can carry psittacosis without looking sick.
- Keep the rescue's diet and routine at first, then move toward pellets as at least 60 to 70 percent of the diet, as PetMD advises.
- Give daily time out of the cage, toys to chew and forage, and a bath; the World Parrot Trust notes that sun conures enjoy bathing.
- Watch the feathers: PetMD lists feather plucking among reasons to call your vet.
- Keep windows and doors closed when the bird is out, and stay in touch with the rescue.
Rescues and owners placing a bird follow how to list a sun conure for adoption, so expect careful questions. If you decide on a chick instead, read how to buy a healthy sun conure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to adopt a sun conure?
Phoenix Landing charges $300 for a conure and Foster Parrots a $200 placement fee, and The Vet Desk gives a typical conure adoption range of $25 to $1,000 or more. Add a cage and supplies if the bird does not come with them.
Why are so many sun conures given up?
Noise is a common reason. WebMD notes that some people take on a sun conure for its colors and rehome it because they cannot cope with the constant loud noise.
Can I adopt a sun conure if I live in an apartment?
Sometimes, but it is hard. Foster Parrots will not place highly vocal parrots with renters or people who share walls, and PetMD warns that sun conures may not suit noise-sensitive owners.
How long does sun conure adoption take?
At Phoenix Landing it takes at least a month from application, then a foster period of about two months. Other rescues may be faster or keep waiting lists.
Will an adopted sun conure bond with me?
Give it time and a steady routine. Let the bird set the pace of handling, and offer daily attention and exercise; PetMD says sun conures get noisier without them.
What should I do if the adoption does not work out?
Contact the rescue first; most adoption contracts ask you to return the bird. Never release a sun conure outdoors.
Helpful guides
Pet for AdoptionHow to List a Sun Conure for Adoption in the United StatesTo list a sun conure for adoption, describe its voice, plucking, diet and health honestly, set criteria that fit a loud parrot, charge a modest fee, screen with a home visit and sign a contract with a return clause.
Pet for SaleHow to Buy a Healthy Sun Conure in the United StatesBefore you buy a sun conure in the US, hear the bird call, buy a captive-bred, weaned chick with a closed band and DNA certificate, and expect typical prices of $500 to $700 for a normal sun.
Pet for SaleHow to Sell Sun Conures Responsibly in the United StatesSell sun conures by weaning and banding every chick, recording its hatch date, DNA sex and vet check, describing its loud voice and juvenile colors honestly, and meeting buyers in person.
Pet for RehomingHow to Take In a Rehomed Sun Conure in the United StatesTo take in a rehomed sun conure, ask why the owner is giving it up, hear it call, collect its band, vet and diet records, quarantine it and book an avian vet exam within 7 days.
Pet for RehomingHow to Rehome Your Sun Conure Responsibly in the United StatesRehome a sun conure by first asking an avian vet about screaming or plucking, then choosing a rescue or private home, disclosing its noise and health honestly, asking a modest fee and handing over in person.