About Parrotlets...

History
Parrotlets are a group of the smallest New World parrot species, In the wild, the parrotlet's range extends from northwestern Mexico through South America as far as Northern Argentina and Paraguay. These miniature parrots in the wild travel in flocks from 4 to over 100 birds. They form lifelong and tight pair bonds with their chosen mates. In their range, they inhabit subtropical open grasslands and lightly wooded areas and are often seen on the ground, where they forage for seeds. The most important foods they require are berries, fruits, young leaf buds and shoots, grass seeds, grain and insects.
The Pacific Parrotlet (the one raised by most) was introduced into the United States around the first part of the 19th century. He has become a very popular pet to raise these days because of his size. They have a stocky build and a broad tail, much like the lovebirds of East Africa and fig parrots and pygmy parrots of Australasia. With a healthy diet, much exercise and active environment, the Parrotlet has a life expectancy of 20 to 30 years.

General
The parrotlet belongs to the second smallest group of all parrots. It is smaller than a parakeet and quieter than some of its raucous cousins in the parrot world. Also known as "pocket parrots," these small birds are true parrots in every sense of the word.
Its inability to scream makes it a favorite avian companion for people with nearby neighbors. The Parrotlet has a huge amount of confidence and a large personality in a small package. They are rambunctious, playful, bold, clownish, fearless and determined. The Parrotlet has a great intelligence and can possess a very large vocabulary. The hand raised birds will give it's owner hours of enjoyment. Parrotlets are commonly known as playful birds that enjoy chewing as much as their larger Amazon counterparts. Parrotlets must have ample opportunities to play and exercise to prevent boredom. Parrotlets keep themselves busy when left alone for several hours, so long as they are provided with an array of chewable and destructible toys to play with. Natural chewable perches are a good idea.
When their keepers return home, they often greet them with lovely chirps and whistles to let them know they want attention. They can mimic speech with a somewhat impressive vocabulary though their voice is very small. Males mimic better than females. They can be very territorial inside their cages and may try to bite if a human reaches in, even to feed them. They consider the cage to be their territory. But the same bird, when outside his cage, can be very affectionate - flying over to land on your shoulder, eating out of your mouth, and cuddling in your pocket. They do not seem to know how tiny they are, and may not be afraid of cats or dogs.Whoever coined the saying "good things come in small packages" probably had a Parrotlet as a pet. In spite of their small size (approx 4" long), these little balls of energy have all the personality and character of their larger cousins, the Amazons.

Special
These hand-fed birds become completely devoted companions who enjoy spending time with their owners. When the owner returns from work, they will chirp welcome greetings and expect to come out to ride around in a pocket or hide in their owner's hair.Parrotlets are quite comical either playing with toys or hanging upside down and they absoluately love to chew. Normally, he will be quite content being able to stretch his wings and fly in an 18"x 18"x 30" cage.

Speech/Learning
They can learn more than 10–15 words and can "whistle" songs well. They have about the same speaking and whistling capabilities of a cockatiel. They are also very good learners for commands such as "step up", "kiss-kiss", "step down", and other small commands. Many can be coaxed into 'playing dead' over time, and with much practice lie on their backs on command. Some parrotlets can learn advanced tricks, but not as advanced as a Macaw or an African Grey.

Diet
The Parrotlet enjoys many different kinds of fruits, nuts and vegetables and is very versatile when it comes to diet. It is important to know what type of food may be toxic before giving it to your bird. Bee pollen (which can be found in dandelion greens) and vitamins are also essential to their diet to ensure good health and build up a strong immune system. Cuttlebone is also necessary as it provides calcium and keeps a sharp beak.

top