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Hello,
I was wondering if a Pacific Parrotlet can be just as nice and gentle as a Green Rumped? Or if a Green Rumped will like to come out of it's cage and be with me just as much as a Pacific would. I am having a hard time deciding on which type and not really sure of the real differences in temperment. Is it true the Green Rumped won't nip? And how can you tell if it is a good baby or not in temperment? Or is that not possible...
Thank you,
Apryl
Dear Apryl:
Thank you for your email. All birds are individuals and you cannot determine an individual bird’s personality or pet quality based solely on its species or even sex. A bird’s individual personality, how it was imprinted (socialized and handled as a young chick) and the training it receives from its owner are the biggest determining factors in how a bird is going to behave. Pacific parrotlets are the most popular pet parrotlets in the world. There are literally tens of thousands of them kept as pets and that includes being owned by children, older adults and the handicapped. Green Rumps, like all birds (or all animals for that matter) certainly DO bite any anyone who claims otherwise clearly doesn’t know what they are talking about. Parrotlets are not domesticated animals like puppies or even cockatiels or budgies and they will not act in their normal manner around strangers. This is a survival instinct ingrained in them by Nature in order to help them survive. Therefore, the judgment about which particular bird is right for you is best left to the breeder, which is why it is SO important to find one that a) has enough experience to be able to judge a parrotlet’s personality and b) is honest enough to match each bird’s personality with the appropriate owner.
Best of luck and I hope this helps!
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com
Join the International Parrotlet Society, – the World’s Largest and Oldest Parrotlet Organization www.internationalparrotletsociety.org
A Chattering Bird Builds No Nest.
Camaroonian Phrase
Showing posts with label Parrotlet Personalities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parrotlet Personalities. Show all posts
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Friday, June 17, 2011
Parrotlets & Children
i would like a blue,yellow or green and is there a difference in male or female for temper. i do have a 3 and a 9 year old who love birds as well what are the rough prices for the birds i would love to have a parrotlet my brother had one when i was about 12 and i was the only one who could hold it without getting bit. can it break skin ? our last bird was a green cheek conure we loved him
and he was a great addition to our family. what is your input i have been looking into these birds for a couple years and i feel like the info i find is all the same.so i am open to anything and looking for any info you can give me.
thank you for your time
chris young
Dear Chris:
Sorry for the delay in responding, I have been incredibly busy these days.
Birds, like people, are all individuals. While one can make general assumptions, no one can predict the personality of a particular bird just based on species, color or sex. It really depends on the birds’ own personality, how it was raised and socialized and how it was trained. So what you really need is a breeder who has experience with birds, spends a lot of time with them and honestly evaluates each bird to place it in the right home. That being said, I find that males tend to be more gregarious than females and therefore you have much less chance of them becoming ‘one-person’ birds.
If your brother had a parrotlet, then you know how tiny and fragile they can be. Indeed, a parrotlet is smaller than the tail on the conure so they are not birds that can withstand a person being very physical with them. Therefore, I always am much more concerned about the welfare of the bird when it comes to interaction with young children. While a parrotlet can break the skin, a child can squeeze, throw, step on or otherwise injure or even kill a parrotlet in an instant. This would be more devastating for a child than getting bitten so it is something to strongly consider before a parrotlet comes into a home. It is for this reason I often recommend a larger bird such as a conure or even a cockatiel for small children. They are larger, easier to handle, are domesticated birds so they have a more even temperament and not as fragile as a 4” parrotlet. However, you know your children and their needs as well as your ability to supervise the kids when they are with the bird but it something that should be seriously considered.
I have written 3 books on parrotlets and also have a blog, website (www.parrotletranch.com) and a Facebook page for the Parrotlet Ranch so I have a ton of information out there. I am also available to answer questions, as time permits. If you would like to have your name placed on my waiting list, just let me know. I don’t take deposits and work on a first-come, first-served basis. Right now, my list is at least 4 months long.
Hope this helps and thank you again for your patience.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
Owner, The Parrotlet Ranch
and he was a great addition to our family. what is your input i have been looking into these birds for a couple years and i feel like the info i find is all the same.so i am open to anything and looking for any info you can give me.
thank you for your time
chris young
Dear Chris:
Sorry for the delay in responding, I have been incredibly busy these days.
Birds, like people, are all individuals. While one can make general assumptions, no one can predict the personality of a particular bird just based on species, color or sex. It really depends on the birds’ own personality, how it was raised and socialized and how it was trained. So what you really need is a breeder who has experience with birds, spends a lot of time with them and honestly evaluates each bird to place it in the right home. That being said, I find that males tend to be more gregarious than females and therefore you have much less chance of them becoming ‘one-person’ birds.
If your brother had a parrotlet, then you know how tiny and fragile they can be. Indeed, a parrotlet is smaller than the tail on the conure so they are not birds that can withstand a person being very physical with them. Therefore, I always am much more concerned about the welfare of the bird when it comes to interaction with young children. While a parrotlet can break the skin, a child can squeeze, throw, step on or otherwise injure or even kill a parrotlet in an instant. This would be more devastating for a child than getting bitten so it is something to strongly consider before a parrotlet comes into a home. It is for this reason I often recommend a larger bird such as a conure or even a cockatiel for small children. They are larger, easier to handle, are domesticated birds so they have a more even temperament and not as fragile as a 4” parrotlet. However, you know your children and their needs as well as your ability to supervise the kids when they are with the bird but it something that should be seriously considered.
I have written 3 books on parrotlets and also have a blog, website (www.parrotletranch.com) and a Facebook page for the Parrotlet Ranch so I have a ton of information out there. I am also available to answer questions, as time permits. If you would like to have your name placed on my waiting list, just let me know. I don’t take deposits and work on a first-come, first-served basis. Right now, my list is at least 4 months long.
Hope this helps and thank you again for your patience.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
Owner, The Parrotlet Ranch
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Color Mutation Parrotlets' Personalities
Sandee-
I read that the blue mutation of Pacific Parrotlets have gentler dispositions than original greens, and that the yellow Pacifics are particularly feisty. Do you find that the color mutations have any identifiable personalities traits linked to them? Or do you think people are taking experience from maybe one or two Parrotlets they have known, and making a generalized statement?
Thanks for your help,
Kathleen
Dear Kathleen:
Thank you so much for your email. This is an excellent question and I really appreciate you asking it.
I’ve kept and bred parrotlets for almost 30 years and have bred hundreds and seen thousands. I preface my answer with that fact because I do believe the less birds you have the more ‘sure’ you are of their behavior. The longer you keep birds and the more you have, you realize that they are all individuals and that, just like with people or dogs, you can’t make generalizations about individuals based on generic information. Most people who have a bird and its sweet will make that statement about all of them that are like that. If you have a blue or a dilute (formerly yellow) and it’s a wonderful bird, it is human nature to attribute its pet quality on physical characteristics. That really isn’t true. The best pet birds are the ones who personalities lend themselves to enjoy the company of humans, whether or not they have been strongly imprinted (i.e., ‘socialized’), how they are trained and how they are kept. Those things have a far greater influence on behavior than species, sex or color.
I do believe that is part of why people think that certain mutations are ‘sweeter’ than normal birds (although good luck trying to find any Pacific parrotlet that doesn’t have some mutation gene in its background). However, I do have a theory that mutations are often considered ‘sweeter’ because in the wild they do not survive long enough to develop much of a survival instinct. They are aberrations of Nature and it is inherent in Nature to have survival of the fittest. A blue or yellow parrotlet is going to stick out like a sore thumb in a place that has predominantly green foliage and therefore are much easier to prey upon than a normal green parrotlet. That is if the parents don’t kill them when they are in the nest. Therefore, I don’t believe these birds survive long enough to either develop a more aggressive nature which is needed to survive in the harsh environment where Pacific parrotlets are found nor do I believe they have much of an opportunity to breed even if they make it to maturity. After all, in the wild, like breeds with like. If you are green, you are not going to gravitate naturally to a yellow or blue bird. Nature doesn’t design birds that way – if so, hybridization would be rampant in the natural world. In captivity, of course, those instincts go out the window when mature, adult, healthy birds of the opposite sex are paired together. Just ask anyone who has a male and a female as pets and they end up breeding. Nature designed the need to perpetuate the species first and foremost.
So, to answer your question, I don’t believe, based on my experience, that color mutations per se are sweeter or make better pets. I just believe the statement is attributed to human interpretation of a very limited personal experience and the fact that Nature didn’t give these guys the instinct needed to survive in the wild. That doesn’t make them ‘sweeter’ it just makes them less inclined to use survival skills (like biting) when being handled.
Hope this makes sense and thanks again for the question.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com
Join the International Parrotlet Society, – the World’s Largest and Oldest Parrotlet Organization www.internationalparrotletsociety.org
A Chattering Bird Builds No Nest.
Camaroonian Phrase
I read that the blue mutation of Pacific Parrotlets have gentler dispositions than original greens, and that the yellow Pacifics are particularly feisty. Do you find that the color mutations have any identifiable personalities traits linked to them? Or do you think people are taking experience from maybe one or two Parrotlets they have known, and making a generalized statement?
Thanks for your help,
Kathleen
Dear Kathleen:
Thank you so much for your email. This is an excellent question and I really appreciate you asking it.
I’ve kept and bred parrotlets for almost 30 years and have bred hundreds and seen thousands. I preface my answer with that fact because I do believe the less birds you have the more ‘sure’ you are of their behavior. The longer you keep birds and the more you have, you realize that they are all individuals and that, just like with people or dogs, you can’t make generalizations about individuals based on generic information. Most people who have a bird and its sweet will make that statement about all of them that are like that. If you have a blue or a dilute (formerly yellow) and it’s a wonderful bird, it is human nature to attribute its pet quality on physical characteristics. That really isn’t true. The best pet birds are the ones who personalities lend themselves to enjoy the company of humans, whether or not they have been strongly imprinted (i.e., ‘socialized’), how they are trained and how they are kept. Those things have a far greater influence on behavior than species, sex or color.
I do believe that is part of why people think that certain mutations are ‘sweeter’ than normal birds (although good luck trying to find any Pacific parrotlet that doesn’t have some mutation gene in its background). However, I do have a theory that mutations are often considered ‘sweeter’ because in the wild they do not survive long enough to develop much of a survival instinct. They are aberrations of Nature and it is inherent in Nature to have survival of the fittest. A blue or yellow parrotlet is going to stick out like a sore thumb in a place that has predominantly green foliage and therefore are much easier to prey upon than a normal green parrotlet. That is if the parents don’t kill them when they are in the nest. Therefore, I don’t believe these birds survive long enough to either develop a more aggressive nature which is needed to survive in the harsh environment where Pacific parrotlets are found nor do I believe they have much of an opportunity to breed even if they make it to maturity. After all, in the wild, like breeds with like. If you are green, you are not going to gravitate naturally to a yellow or blue bird. Nature doesn’t design birds that way – if so, hybridization would be rampant in the natural world. In captivity, of course, those instincts go out the window when mature, adult, healthy birds of the opposite sex are paired together. Just ask anyone who has a male and a female as pets and they end up breeding. Nature designed the need to perpetuate the species first and foremost.
So, to answer your question, I don’t believe, based on my experience, that color mutations per se are sweeter or make better pets. I just believe the statement is attributed to human interpretation of a very limited personal experience and the fact that Nature didn’t give these guys the instinct needed to survive in the wild. That doesn’t make them ‘sweeter’ it just makes them less inclined to use survival skills (like biting) when being handled.
Hope this makes sense and thanks again for the question.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com
Join the International Parrotlet Society, – the World’s Largest and Oldest Parrotlet Organization www.internationalparrotletsociety.org
A Chattering Bird Builds No Nest.
Camaroonian Phrase
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Personalty Differences, Noise Factor, Shipping, Waiting List
Hi Sandee,
I am interested in a hand-fed male parrotlet.
I've read that Pacifics tend to be more feisty/stubborn with the exception of the blue mutation. I've also read that Green Rumped and Spectacled are also more mellow than Pacifics in general. Could you compare/contrast the temperament (in general of course, I understand each individual bird is different) of blue Pacifics, Green Rumped and Spectacled please? In addition, how do the noise level and tame-ness compare across all three?
I understand you have a waiting list right now - could I ask how long it is? Last but not least, what is the cost of shipping?
Thanks,
Joseph
Dear Joseph:
You are right in that when it comes to parrotlets that all birds are individuals and that it’s more nurture than nature when it comes to personality. These birds are not domesticated animals like dogs and cats or even budgies or cockatiels – species that have had hundreds of generations to domesticate them and have their personalities become more predictable. Parrotlets are still very much wild creatures acting on instinct rather than ‘designed’ by humans through selective breeding. Therefore, “imprinting”, the process by which wild instincts are over-come by socialization and human interaction, is much more important than species.
I always tell people parrotlets are not like breeds of dogs where a poodle has a much more different personality than a pit bull but are more like standard poodle vs. a miniature poodle vs. a teacup poodle. That being said, generally speaking, Pacifics tend to be more outgoing and bold. Green Rumps tend to be much more timid and shy and Spectacles, are somewhere in the middle. Outgoing but not so stubborn as Pacifics but not timid like Green Rumps. I don’t really see much personality differences in the mutations although generally speaking people consider them ‘less aggressive” although I don’t believe that is a correct assumption. Pacifics do not originate in the rainforest or jungle but come from a very dry almost desert–like region where they not only have to compete for food and nesting space but are preyed upon by everything from reptiles to other birds. I believe that since Nature weeds out the mutations because they are a genetic anomaly they do not develop a survival instinct like normal Pacifics. People misinterpret this lack of a survival instinct as ‘sweetness”. Same thing with the Green Rumps and Spectacles that come from regions that are lush and tropical and there are plenty of places to nest and find food. Again, these are generalizations not hard and fast rules. I have seen very aggressive Green Rumps and very sweet and gentle Pacifics. Also, Pacifics are the most popular pet parrotlet in the world and are owned by small children, the elderly and people with disabilities. It really depends on the individual bird’s personality, how it was raised and socialized and dealing with a breeder that will honestly evaluate their birds and match them with the prospective owner’s desires for a pet.
As far as ‘noise’ factor is concerned, that is even more nebulous. I always say that noise is in the ear of the beholder. All species of parrotlets tend to be ‘quieter’ as far as volume level from other hookbills. Indeed, canaries and budgies are louder volume wise. However, parrotlets chirp and chatter and tend to chirp and chatter all day long. Some people find this pleasant and appealing, others do not. I know I have a problem with the location calls of male cockatiels and would rather listen to a macaw screaming at full volume but again, that’s my individual preference. Other people are different. I always recommend that people go listen to a parrotlet before they purchase it as only you can determine if you are annoyed by their calls.
I always have a waiting list and right now it will probably be at least 4 months before I would have birds available depending on what you want. I spent the last 2 years caring for my mother who died of cancer and have only recently set my birds up. The Pacifics are breeding but again my list is at least 4 months out. The Spectacles will take longer and it would probably be 6 months or so and the Green Rumps have shown no sign of any interest in breeding so I’m not even taking names for those. I work on a first-come, first-served basis and do not take deposits. If you are on my list, about a month before the bird is weaned, I will contact you. If you want it, great, we will make arrangements. If not, I just move on down my list. Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee I will have a bird available by the time you want it as I have no control over the birds’ breeding nor whether or not a bird will make a good pet. If it isn’t pet material, I will not sell it as a pet.
Shipping depends on the airlines but generally runs about $100 plus I charge a $50 refundable deposit on the cage and carrier.
Hope this helps.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com
I am interested in a hand-fed male parrotlet.
I've read that Pacifics tend to be more feisty/stubborn with the exception of the blue mutation. I've also read that Green Rumped and Spectacled are also more mellow than Pacifics in general. Could you compare/contrast the temperament (in general of course, I understand each individual bird is different) of blue Pacifics, Green Rumped and Spectacled please? In addition, how do the noise level and tame-ness compare across all three?
I understand you have a waiting list right now - could I ask how long it is? Last but not least, what is the cost of shipping?
Thanks,
Joseph
Dear Joseph:
You are right in that when it comes to parrotlets that all birds are individuals and that it’s more nurture than nature when it comes to personality. These birds are not domesticated animals like dogs and cats or even budgies or cockatiels – species that have had hundreds of generations to domesticate them and have their personalities become more predictable. Parrotlets are still very much wild creatures acting on instinct rather than ‘designed’ by humans through selective breeding. Therefore, “imprinting”, the process by which wild instincts are over-come by socialization and human interaction, is much more important than species.
I always tell people parrotlets are not like breeds of dogs where a poodle has a much more different personality than a pit bull but are more like standard poodle vs. a miniature poodle vs. a teacup poodle. That being said, generally speaking, Pacifics tend to be more outgoing and bold. Green Rumps tend to be much more timid and shy and Spectacles, are somewhere in the middle. Outgoing but not so stubborn as Pacifics but not timid like Green Rumps. I don’t really see much personality differences in the mutations although generally speaking people consider them ‘less aggressive” although I don’t believe that is a correct assumption. Pacifics do not originate in the rainforest or jungle but come from a very dry almost desert–like region where they not only have to compete for food and nesting space but are preyed upon by everything from reptiles to other birds. I believe that since Nature weeds out the mutations because they are a genetic anomaly they do not develop a survival instinct like normal Pacifics. People misinterpret this lack of a survival instinct as ‘sweetness”. Same thing with the Green Rumps and Spectacles that come from regions that are lush and tropical and there are plenty of places to nest and find food. Again, these are generalizations not hard and fast rules. I have seen very aggressive Green Rumps and very sweet and gentle Pacifics. Also, Pacifics are the most popular pet parrotlet in the world and are owned by small children, the elderly and people with disabilities. It really depends on the individual bird’s personality, how it was raised and socialized and dealing with a breeder that will honestly evaluate their birds and match them with the prospective owner’s desires for a pet.
As far as ‘noise’ factor is concerned, that is even more nebulous. I always say that noise is in the ear of the beholder. All species of parrotlets tend to be ‘quieter’ as far as volume level from other hookbills. Indeed, canaries and budgies are louder volume wise. However, parrotlets chirp and chatter and tend to chirp and chatter all day long. Some people find this pleasant and appealing, others do not. I know I have a problem with the location calls of male cockatiels and would rather listen to a macaw screaming at full volume but again, that’s my individual preference. Other people are different. I always recommend that people go listen to a parrotlet before they purchase it as only you can determine if you are annoyed by their calls.
I always have a waiting list and right now it will probably be at least 4 months before I would have birds available depending on what you want. I spent the last 2 years caring for my mother who died of cancer and have only recently set my birds up. The Pacifics are breeding but again my list is at least 4 months out. The Spectacles will take longer and it would probably be 6 months or so and the Green Rumps have shown no sign of any interest in breeding so I’m not even taking names for those. I work on a first-come, first-served basis and do not take deposits. If you are on my list, about a month before the bird is weaned, I will contact you. If you want it, great, we will make arrangements. If not, I just move on down my list. Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee I will have a bird available by the time you want it as I have no control over the birds’ breeding nor whether or not a bird will make a good pet. If it isn’t pet material, I will not sell it as a pet.
Shipping depends on the airlines but generally runs about $100 plus I charge a $50 refundable deposit on the cage and carrier.
Hope this helps.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com
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