Parrotlets

Abstract

Tiny, terrific and talented, parrotlets are quickly becoming very popular among people who want all the personality of a big parrot in a small, quiet bird. Parrotlets are adorable, intelligent, playful, sexually dimorphic, and make wonderful pets when handfed. They can learn to talk, need little space, are easy to breed and care for, and are incapable of screaming.

Relatively unknown until a few years ago, parrotlets are rapidly becoming one of the most popular parrots in aviculture. They are also one of the world's smallest species and are often confused with lovebirds. Being true parrots, however, they are most closely related to the large Amazons. There are actually three different genera of parrotlets: Touit, Nannopsittaca and Forpus, all of which are found in either Mexico or South and Central America. Parrotlets from the genus Forpus are the only ones bred in the United States.

These little parrots are various shades of green with patches of yellow, gray, and blue which identify the species. Identification of the male of a species is made upon the particular shade and location of blue he possesses. The females are more difficult to identify so close attention must be paid to small details such as subtle changes in the shades as well as the distribution of yellow and green feathers.

Parrotlets kept as single birds make the best pets. Ideally, the young parrotlet should be placed with its new owner at six to 10 weeks of age. They are weaned and their bonding instinct is strongest at this time. However, this does not mean that older birds do not make wonderful pets - they can. If the parrotlet is placed in a loving and caring home, it will quickly become a member of the family. Females more often than males can become "oneperson" birds. However, the younger the bird is adopted and the more people handle it, the more likely it is to tolerate all people. Since many species of parrotlets are rare, only Pacific, Greenrumped, and Spectacled Parrotlets ought to be sold as pets.

Pet parrotlets are usually bundles of energy, spending hours swinging, climbing and playing with lots of toys which their cage should accommodate. Ropes, ladders, leather chew toys, bells, beads and Olympic rings which are particular favorites. They are amazing acrobats and often play with several toys at once. They can also be taught to use a playpen but they must be monitored as they will often come looking for their person. Being intelligent and fearless, their natural curiosity can get them into trouble if they are not supervised Parrotlets, particularly hens, should be at least a year old before they are allowed to breed or they can become egg bound and die. Males who are too young often do not provide enough food for the hen and the babies which are then abandoned or destroyed. Young pairs can be kept with one another until they go through their first molt, then they should be separated until they are at least 11 months old. It is not uncommon to have handfed birds begin laying as young as seven months - which can be disastrous.

The birds breed best when there are more than one pair in the facility and they can hear but not see each other. Pairs can be separated by wood barriers, foliage, burlap or even cardboard between the cages. Handfed birds generally make the best parents as they are not as sensitive to stress and are used to people. Be careful, however, handfed birds have no fear of people and, females especially, will inflict a painful, bloody bite if given a chance. Parrotlets also have a much deserved reputation for not letting go onceĀ· they latch on. When removing babies, a piece of cardboard can be used to hold the hen back as she will not usually leave the box the way males do. Females have been known to attack babies as they were being pulled so the utmost caution must be used.

A single parrotlet should have a cage no smaller than 18 inches tall, 13 inches wide and 14 inches deep. Most species breed well in a minimum cage of 18 inches tall, 24 inches long and 24 inches deep. Cages should have pull out trays with grates to keep the birds off the bottom. They can also be bred successfully in three- to six-foot-long flight cages. Both Mexicans and Yellow-faced breed much better in flights than in small cages. Not surprisingly, many breeders feel their birds are in much better condition and have more production with large flights. Food and water should be placed so they are not soiled by droppings. Natural wood perches of varying sizes must be sturdily attached to the cage. Infertility can sometimes be traced to wobbly or unstable perches.

Breeding pairs should have nest boxes that are six inches wide by 10 inches tall and seven inches deep, which should be hung on the outside of the cage and filled with about two inches of untreated pine shavings. Boxes should be placed on the front of the cages so when the birds look out, they only see the inside of their cage. Some birds, particularly Greenrumpeds, are fond of throwing the nest material out of the box so be sure to keep it replaced. Babies can develop crippling orthopedic problems if left on the bare floor. Conversely, sometimes birds will bury their eggs and lose them in the shavings. Mexican Parrotlets seem particularly prone to this habit. If this is the case, remove the shavings a little at a time until the problems ceases or try using heavier shavings. In any case, by checking nest boxes daily, you will he able to monitor the pairs and deal with any problems as they arise. Also, following a routine will teach the birds to tolerate your interference.

Use open food dishes as parrotlets often will not stick their heads into a dish with a hood and can starve. Water should he provided in a glass tube fountain. Often, parrotlets use their water dishes to bathe in and will splash out all of the water. If provided with a canary-sized bath, they will play and splash until they are soaked. Parrotlets will also bathe in wet spinach or lettuce by rolling every inch of their body on the wet leaves.

Parrotlets are extremely active birds and require a great deal of fuel. Gram for gram, they eat more than a macaw. Pairs feeding babies will often consume three times the normal amount of food.

Handfed parrotlets should be introduced to a wide variety of foods while young. A good-quality small hookbill or Cockatiel seed mix should be fed. A large hookbill seed mix can be provided, however, parrotlets are unable to crack open the nuts often contained in these mixes. They can also be fed a commercial pelleted diet, although parrotlets require some seed in the diet - particularly breeding pairs. Fortunately, they will usually eat both seeds and pellets, unlike most parrots. Whether fed seeds or pellets, they still require fresh fruits, vegetables and greens daily. Breeding pairs also need sprouted seed, egg food, cooked beans, whole-grain breads, potatoes, rice, and pasta which should be fed several times a week. Fresh water, mineral block, and cuttlebone should be available at all times. Vitamins....

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