Pineapple Green Cheek Conure (Expert Opinion)

Last Updated on March 11, 2024 by Ali Shahid

Pineapple green cheek conure also known as pineapple conure is a cinnamon-opaline combination mutation of the green cheek conure. As a result of breeding cinnamon-green cheek conures with yellow-sided green cheeks, they produce a very beautiful color combination. Based on its name, this mutation resembles ripe pineapples.

Pineapple Green Cheek Conure

Pineapple green cheek conure is a mutation of green cheek conure, resulting from the crossing of cinnamon green cheeked conure and opaline green cheeked conure. Approximately 10 inches in length, the pineapple green cheek conure weighs between 60 and 80 grams.

The distinctive red and yellow feathers of these birds make them visually appealing. The heads of these birds are yellowish brown and have yellow sides. Wing feathers are lime-green and the chest and abdomen are characterized by bright red and yellow feathers.

The fact that they are friendly does not mean that they are not known to bite. Early training is necessary to break them of this behavior. Furthermore, they are shy too, although they warm up more rapidly than cinnamon greens. Continue reading to learn more about this rare green cheek mutation.

Overview of Pineapple Green Cheek Conures
OriginSouth America
Common NamesPineapple Conure, Pineapple Green Cheek Conure
ColorsPale lime green wing feathers, Red-yellow Chest, Light red tail, and tan-colored head
Size8-10 Inches
Weigh80-100 grams
PersonalityFriendly, docile, acrobatic, comical, children and beginner friendly
Talking AbilityNot a good talker, but can mimic some words
Noise LevelCalm, and Quiet
Clutch Size4-6 eggs
Incubation Period23 days
LifespanMore than 20 Years
Price$600-$1000

Origin and History

The green cheek conure, also known as the green-cheeked parakeet, is a popular parrot found throughout Central and South America. Pineapple coloration is an unusual pattern of feather coloration in the green cheek conure.

Generally, the Green Cheek Conure exhibits dark green plumage with splashes of red and blue on its abdomen, wings, and tail. Nevertheless, researchers discovered two different types of green cheek mutations during the 1980s, cinnamon and opaline.

In the course of breeding opaline Green-cheeks and cinnamon Green-cheeks, people decided to mix them up a bit. In this way, the Green-cheeked Conure developed the first combination mutation, the “pineapple mutation.”

The name of this bird was given to it by Steve Garvin of California. As a result, he continues to use strange terminology to describe mutations.

This mutation is a cinnamon opaline, not a pineapple mutation. As both mutations are sex-linked, they have been able to occur only through a process known as “genetic crossover.”

Interestingly, this crossover appears to be more common in male birds with two sex-linked color mutations. In the U.S. aviculture, this beautiful bird is referred to as the pineapple green-cheeked conure because of its yellow and red chest.

 Size and Appearance

Pineapple Conures are considered to be a small species of conure, reaching a height of approximately 10 inches in adulthood. Pineapple Conures weigh between 60 and 80 grams as adults.

Since Pineapple Conures are mutations of Cinnamon and Yellow-sided Conures, both of their colors are dominant. Opaline mutations result in irregular color patterns in the colors that they affect.

The color patterns of the chicks may appear similar, but they will never be identical.
Cinnamon mutations interfere with the production of melanin (pigment). In the process, darker colors like black and red become muted.

Cinnamon mutations usually result in lighter skin and eye colors as well. As for the Pineapple Green Cheek Conure, this cinnamon mutation turns the black head into tane or pale brown. It also imparts a light red color with tones of orange or beige to the plumage.

Generally, green cheek conures have yellow sides and a tan head. The back feathers of these birds are lime green in color, just like those of cinnamon conures, and the chest area is decorated with bright red and yellow colors. Their lower beak feathers are usually reddish-orange.

Also, their cere is colored with red. Similar to Yellow-sided Conures, its tail feathers display a halo effect and range from light red to maroon in color.

Like Cinnamon Conures, they have ruby-red eyes. Legs are colored light pink. Since they are monomorphic, it is nearly impossible to distinguish between male and female pineapple green cheek conures. The only way of identification is DNA Sexing.

Temperament

Pineapple Green Cheek conures are popular among bird enthusiasts due to their small size, beautiful colors, and charming personalities.  As pets, they provide their owners with affection, playfulness, and enjoyment.

In contrast to sun conures, these birds do not cause disruptions or nuisances. Compared to most birds, they are generally regarded as being well-behaved. They can be shy at first, but soon they will warm up to you. They are easy to handle and maintain.

I consider pineapple green cheek conures to be good family pets and suitable for beginners. Additionally, they are known to be easy to train and to learn quickly. However, they are not known for their ability to speak, but their strong personalities will compensate for this.

Generally, they are very quiet, so you will not have to worry about birds constantly making noise in your home.

Pros and Cons of Pineapple Green Cheek Conures as Pets
ProsCons
Visually AppealingNot a noisy bird Friendly and Calm TemperamentSuitable for Families with Children Ideal for Beginner bird ownersA little ExpensiveMay be Difficult to find Susceptible to Some diseasesCan Easily get bored if left aloneNot a good talker

Speech and Vocalizations

Generally speaking, Pineapple Green Cheek Conures do not emit a great deal of noise. It is not known that they are noisy and they will not disturb your landlord.

Pineapple green cheek conures don’t have a good ability to talk. As their voices are deep and rough, they have difficulty mimicking words and phrases. Nevertheless, they can learn basic sounds and dialects from humans.

The ability of these parrots to speak is dependent on the amount of time and effort they devote to learning new words from their owners. When owners take advantage of this strategy, their parrots are more likely to be able to converse effectively.

Breeding

Pineapple green cheek conures can be bred in two ways. Firstly, cross Opaline and Cinnamon cheeks. The second method involves crossing two pure pineapple green cheek conures.

Pineapple Conures breed between the ages of one and three years. A female pineapple may reach maturity at about seven months of age, but it is recommended that they not be allowed to breed until the end of their first year. They might suffer health complications as a result of such early breeding.

Pineapple Conures breed during the summer in their natural habitat, which corresponds to February. In captivity, Pineapple Conure owners can observe a certain level of breeding behavior during this period.

In general, females are more likely to spend their time hiding in nest boxes than males. The males and females both regurgitate food to each other and nip at one another beneath the middle back area. When Pineapple Conures get these signs, they’re ready to mate.

Typically, this species has clutches of four to six eggs except for larger clutches from time to time. In the Pineapple Conure, both males and females are responsible for sitting on the eggs for a period of 22 to 25 days. In any case, if neither parent sits on an egg within 10 days of laying it, it won’t hatch.

Pineapple Green Cheek Conures Diet

The pineapple conure requires a balanced diet to remain healthy and live a long time. A pineapple conure’s diet should consist of 50-70% pellets, which are formulated to meet nutritional requirements.

The remainder of their diet should consist primarily of fruits and vegetables. Choosing colorful fruits and vegetables is better than choosing pale products, such as lettuce and celery.

As the seasons change, wild conures consume numerous varieties of seeds. Nevertheless, a diet that consists solely of seeds has a high-fat content and a low nutrient content, making a parrot prone to nutrient deficiency.

Likewise, pineapple green cheek conures search for their favorite seeds in their seed bowl, most commonly sunflower seeds. Despite their high-calorie content, they contain very little calcium and vitamin A. As part of a balanced diet, pineapple green cheek conures should only be fed a few nuts per day.

Pineapple Green Cheek Conure Caring

If possible, make the cage large enough for the birds to fly around, since exercise is essential to their performance. Pineapple green cheek conures prefer high places to escape the ground, so they need plenty of perches to land on inside their enclosure.

When adopting a Pineapple Conure, you will need to figure out what size cage is best suited to the bird’s size. These playful creatures would be comfortable in a space that measures 22-24 inches square and 30 inches high.

The minimum distance between metal bars should be 1/2 – 3/4 inches, so they can fly safely. In addition, pineapples love climbing high and if they can’t crawl through a cage with tight wires, they may get injured.

Toys should be provided in pineapple green cheek conure enclosures. You should provide wood toys, swings, bells, hide-and-seek toys, chewing toys, mirrors, and ladders for the children to play with. Ensure that old toys are replaced and that any cage damage is repaired.

Provide your bird with sufficient water for bathing and maintain a clean environment by removing and replacing litter regularly. As a general rule, your bird should be bathed once a week at the very least. 

They will likely enjoy bathing more and wish to do it more frequently as they become accustomed to it. Train them and teach them a few tricks, which will also keep them energized and entertained. A well-cared captive pineapple green cheek conure has a lifespan of 20-30 years.

Potential Health Issues

To remain healthy and happy in captivity, Pineapple Green Cheek Conures require a great deal of interaction and enrichment. Bored or lonely birds may begin picking at or plucking their feathers.

The pineapple conure is prone to feather picking, which may result in the loss of feathers and the development of bald patches, leading to baldness. The main reason for feather picking is boredom, therefore, it is important to keep your bird entertained at all times.

There is also the possibility that the bird’s diet is insufficient to maintain its health. Generally, conures are also susceptible to proventricular dilatation disease. At present, there is no effective treatment for this disorder, and it is still unclear as to what causes it.

The Pineapple Conure may also be affected by the following diseases:
Psittacine beak and feather disease
Malocclusion (misalignment) of the beak.
Conure bleeding syndrome
Plyoma Virus
New Castle Disease
Pacheco’s Disease 
Parasite Infections
Psittacine beak
Feather disease
Psittacosis Aspergillosis

Exercise

Even when kept in captivity, pineapple cheek conures should enjoy some form of exercise to maintain their active lifestyle. Make sure you provide your birds with as much time outside of their cages as possible.

Additionally, the bird can burn some energy during training, allowing it to burn off excess energy. 

Where to Adopt or Buy a Pineapple Green Cheek Conure

Pineapple Green Cheek conures can be purchased from a variety of sources, including breeders and animal shelters. It is also possible to obtain a free bird from a person who is unable to maintain the bird. You can purchase them from the online store Goldencockatoo for a price range of $4600 – $1000.

You can also get a pineapple green cheek conure from Parrotstars.com, leesexoticbirds.com, and Everythingbirdsonline.com within the same price range. They are all trustworthy breeders or online vendors.

Before adopting the bird, make sure you interact with it enough and take it to the veterinarian if necessary.

Conclusion

Pineapple Green Cheeked Conures are an appealing, easy-going choice for those who are new to bird keeping or are intending to get one for the first time. They are among the easiest breeds of birds to own- easier than any other subspecies of parrot.

Author

  • Ali Shahid

    Ali Shahid is a veterinarian by profession and an animal lover. He loves to give expert opinions about different animals. He has worked in top organization of birds like Bigbird Feed and Poultry Research institute. He loves birds, especially parrots and has great experience in different parrot farms.

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