Posts
Showing posts with label Breeding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breeding. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
CD of Parrotlet Sounds
Hello I was wanting to know if there is a difference in the sounds on the cd's the one for a cd player and the one for the computer? I can see that one is a hour long and the other is two hours. Do they have any sounds of babies on them I would like to use the sounds to try to help my single pair of parrotlets breed. Any suggestions would be helpful... Thank you for your time.
Hillary :)
Dear Hillary:
Thank you for your email. I'm not really sure what you are asking so I will simply explain. I've bred parrotlets for more than 30 years and it has been my experience that they breed better when they can hear one another but not see each other. This is part of their instinctual nature in that they are part of a flock but because of their aggressive and territorial natures, which will result in attacking other parrotlets or even their partners, my CD's offer the best option for breeders of single pairs to promote this breeding instinct.
Yes, one CD is an hour and the other is two but they are on continuous loops so they just play over and over. This is the only difference. After all, these are recorded sounds of over 100 pairs of parrotlets - various species, various ages, males, females, pairs and offspring. This is exactly what these birds would be hearing in the wild.
As for suggestions on breeding parrotlets, I have written 3 books (the most recent is The Parrotlet Handbook by Barron's and is available on my website at Parrotlet Ranch, I also have a lot of information on my website. I also write a blog, have a FB page for Parrotlet Ranch, give speaking engagements all over the country as well as internationally and am a co-founder of the International Parrotlet Society and their journal editor which has the most up to date information on parrotlets that can be found anywhere particularly with regard to newsgroups and chat rooms.
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
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Parrotlet Adoption. Life Span
Hello! My name is Joanna. I am a student that very much misses having animals around. My roommate feels the same way and we are looking for an animal that we could have at this stage in our lives. Neither of us has ever had birds before, but we have been doing a lot of research and we are intrigued by parrotlets. We like everything we have read about them and are quite certain we could be good owners. Our only problem is that their lifespan is very long. We would like to be able to say that we will be able to adapt our lives to anything to keep the bird, but we are not sure if we can definitively make this statement. We are more interested in adopting an older bird then and are wondering if you might have any available for adoption. Or if you don't, we would be greatly appreciative if you could point us in the direction of someone that might. Thanks so much!!
Joanna
Dear Joanna:
Thank you for your email. As someone who has bred parrotlets for 30 years, I can tell you they don’t live as long as they used too. The average lifespans of most parrotlets these days is less than 10 years. 15 is considered quite old these days. I can’t think of any other parrot that has a lifespan of that length – all other ‘parrots’ (not cockatiels or budgies or even lovebirds) live at least 20 years or more.
As for me, I don’t adopt birds. I know people like to use that term but legally I am not a non-profit shelter that adopts, I am a proud breeder that raises high quality birds that have been conditioned and adapted to be excellent pets. Only non-profit organizations such as the International Parrotlet Society offer an adoption or placement program. With IPS, you must be a member in order to adopt and must agree, sign and adhere to the terms and conditions by which you adopt a bird.
I always have a waiting list for birds so I never have older birds available for sale.
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
________________________________________
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Unwanted Breeding
Hi Sandee,
Hopefully you can offer some needed advice. I recently adopted a bonded pair of parrotlets from a rescue here in NC. The two birds (5 &6) have had several different homes over the last 5 years and I knew that I could provide a stable place for them. The day after I got them home I had an egg. That was about 10 days ago. Now I have 5. I don’t want to breed the birds and was told by the rescue to “addle” or “shake” the eggs vigorously to keep them from hatching.
Here is my dilemma: Up until yesterday only the female was exhibiting cage/food aggression, now it’s both of them. When the male is out of the cage he is good for a while then will just bite down hard for no reason. I am not reacting, just putting him down. I don’t take him out of the cage, he comes over to me. I’ve been practicing positive reinforcement but he seems to just like to test the waters. Usually it’s my fingers he goes for. He’ll just walk right over and “chomp!”
Question 1: This nesting/hormonal/aggression should end after the hen has gotten bored of sitting on the eggs, right?
Question 2: I don’t want to separate them, they’ve been together for years and sleep next to each other, preen, chat and get along fine. I don’t want to cause other problems. Help?
Question 3: Is there a good chance that this will only happen once a year? Or, even better, stop?
PS: I don’t have a happy hut, nesting box, cuddle toy, anything like it. The hen decided her food dish was a good spot. No, it wasn’t empty.
Thanks for your input,
Kim
Dear Kim:
Thank you for your email. It sounds to me like these birds are acting perfectly normal for two Pacific parrotlets that are a bonded breeding pair. Parrotlets are very territorial and aggressive especially when they are a bonded breeding pair. You have to understand that Nature designed these birds to protect themselves and their offspring from predators. Pacifics come from a very dry, desert-like area and they have to compete for food and nest sites not to mention everything preys on them including other birds. I always say parrotlets have to be tough because they come from region where spiders are bigger than they are. Just because we humans take them into our homes and ‘love’ them like feathered kids doesn’t mean they give up that instinct. They are not domesticated birds like budgies or cockatiels but are still very much wild animals. That is why offspring have to be pulled for handfeeding and imprinted upon. Otherwise they would be just as wild and unhandleable as their untamed cousins in the wild. Even if they are hand-fed and imprinted, unless they are placed in a pet home upon weaning and constantly interacted with by humans they revert to their wild natures. Again, it is how they were designed to help the species survive in very harsh conditions. Even hand-fed socialized pet parrotlets are aggressive and territorial with their cage – that behavior never changes. If these birds were pets, would act this way in defense of their territory.
Parrotlets are either pets or breeders. They are not both. They either imprint and bond with humans or with other parrotlets. These birds are half way finished with their lives and are a bonding breeding pair doing what Nature designed them to do – procreate. While anything can happen, I would be money you will never be able to tame them, never be able to handle them, never make them into pets as we humans define them. They can live perfectly happy lives breeding and producing offspring as God and Nature designed them to do. I never can understand why people think that is such a terrible thing. Had we not interfered with them, that is what they would be doing. I think its appalling a shelter would allow them to keep breeding and then kill the embryos rather than placing these birds in a breeding environment so they can do what they were supposed to do. As for your question about stopping them breeding, short of separating them, that isn’t going to happen until they are physically unable to produce.
Wish I had better news for you but to me, it really is about the birds. They can live the rest of their lives quite happily without any human interaction other than feeding and cleaning going on to produce offspring as Nature intended. The question is can you live with that. If not, I would recommend placing these birds with a breeder who can attend to their needs and make them comfortable until they are no longer able to produce chicks.
Hope this helps and best of luck to you and your birds.
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
________________________________________
Hopefully you can offer some needed advice. I recently adopted a bonded pair of parrotlets from a rescue here in NC. The two birds (5 &6) have had several different homes over the last 5 years and I knew that I could provide a stable place for them. The day after I got them home I had an egg. That was about 10 days ago. Now I have 5. I don’t want to breed the birds and was told by the rescue to “addle” or “shake” the eggs vigorously to keep them from hatching.
Here is my dilemma: Up until yesterday only the female was exhibiting cage/food aggression, now it’s both of them. When the male is out of the cage he is good for a while then will just bite down hard for no reason. I am not reacting, just putting him down. I don’t take him out of the cage, he comes over to me. I’ve been practicing positive reinforcement but he seems to just like to test the waters. Usually it’s my fingers he goes for. He’ll just walk right over and “chomp!”
Question 1: This nesting/hormonal/aggression should end after the hen has gotten bored of sitting on the eggs, right?
Question 2: I don’t want to separate them, they’ve been together for years and sleep next to each other, preen, chat and get along fine. I don’t want to cause other problems. Help?
Question 3: Is there a good chance that this will only happen once a year? Or, even better, stop?
PS: I don’t have a happy hut, nesting box, cuddle toy, anything like it. The hen decided her food dish was a good spot. No, it wasn’t empty.
Thanks for your input,
Kim
Dear Kim:
Thank you for your email. It sounds to me like these birds are acting perfectly normal for two Pacific parrotlets that are a bonded breeding pair. Parrotlets are very territorial and aggressive especially when they are a bonded breeding pair. You have to understand that Nature designed these birds to protect themselves and their offspring from predators. Pacifics come from a very dry, desert-like area and they have to compete for food and nest sites not to mention everything preys on them including other birds. I always say parrotlets have to be tough because they come from region where spiders are bigger than they are. Just because we humans take them into our homes and ‘love’ them like feathered kids doesn’t mean they give up that instinct. They are not domesticated birds like budgies or cockatiels but are still very much wild animals. That is why offspring have to be pulled for handfeeding and imprinted upon. Otherwise they would be just as wild and unhandleable as their untamed cousins in the wild. Even if they are hand-fed and imprinted, unless they are placed in a pet home upon weaning and constantly interacted with by humans they revert to their wild natures. Again, it is how they were designed to help the species survive in very harsh conditions. Even hand-fed socialized pet parrotlets are aggressive and territorial with their cage – that behavior never changes. If these birds were pets, would act this way in defense of their territory.
Parrotlets are either pets or breeders. They are not both. They either imprint and bond with humans or with other parrotlets. These birds are half way finished with their lives and are a bonding breeding pair doing what Nature designed them to do – procreate. While anything can happen, I would be money you will never be able to tame them, never be able to handle them, never make them into pets as we humans define them. They can live perfectly happy lives breeding and producing offspring as God and Nature designed them to do. I never can understand why people think that is such a terrible thing. Had we not interfered with them, that is what they would be doing. I think its appalling a shelter would allow them to keep breeding and then kill the embryos rather than placing these birds in a breeding environment so they can do what they were supposed to do. As for your question about stopping them breeding, short of separating them, that isn’t going to happen until they are physically unable to produce.
Wish I had better news for you but to me, it really is about the birds. They can live the rest of their lives quite happily without any human interaction other than feeding and cleaning going on to produce offspring as Nature intended. The question is can you live with that. If not, I would recommend placing these birds with a breeder who can attend to their needs and make them comfortable until they are no longer able to produce chicks.
Hope this helps and best of luck to you and your birds.
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
________________________________________
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
How Many Parrotlet Clutches? Preventing Breeding.
Hi Sandee
My name is Dena. I have only recently been breeding Parrotlets, not for profit, just for fun. I have been told that you will answer parrotlet questions when people write to you, Sooo, here's hoping. I have an adult American white male and a blue female. They have had 2 clutches this year, one in March, the other in May. I pulled the babies from the second clutch last week to hand feed them, that is going well. I removed the nest box from the parents thinking this would discourage breeding for a while but unfortunately I see he is breeding her several times a day. My first question is, should I throw the eggs away this time or is it safe to let her have a third clutch at this time? They had 4 the first time and 5 the second time. I am not an indiscriminate breeder and I want to do what is best for my adult birds. Also, Do you know any other ways to discourage breeding short of separating them? They screem constantly when they are separated. I would appreciate any advice you can give me. I have read several of your books and I think you are the Master of parrotlets and their breeding. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. Sincerely. Dena
Dear Dena:
Thank you for your email.
Unfortunately, when you place two adult birds together and provide them with nutritious food, a secure place to live and a nest box, they will do what Nature intended and they will breed. With some pairs, simply removing the nestbox will stop them from breeding; others you need to separate them. Yes, it is inconvenient for us to listen to them call to one another for a few days but eventually they will stop. I know people think they are suffering emotionally but I’ve never heard of a parrotlet dying from being separated from a mate. I have heard them dying because they just keep breeding and breeding. It is much more important for them to rest – if they are allowed to continue breeding indiscriminately, the hen will deplete her body of calcium and she can become egg-bound or worse such as having a collapsed uterus. It will also shorten her lifespan as well as her breeding life. Hens that have more than 3 clutches a year generally only produce for 3 years while hens that are managed with restricted breeding will continue breeding until 7 years or more.
Males can also suffer from exhaustion if they are constantly feeding the hen and chicks. Many males do not eat as much as they normally do when they are feeding a clutch so they can starve to death or develop a stress-related illness. This can be passed onto the hen and chicks and you can lose not only your male but the hen and babies as well.
The physically exhausting part of breeding for a hen is producing the eggs. That is what depletes the body of calcium and causes the stress which can result in birth-related such as egg binding and prolapse of the uterus. There is no point in removing the eggs at this point since the most dangerous part of breeding is over for her. If you remove the eggs at this point, she may just start her cycle all over again since this is what would happen in the wild. After all, again, Nature designed these birds to survive in the wild and we cannot undo that instinct just because we keep them in captivity. Instead, we have to manage them in order to protect them and ensure they are healthy and strong and produce healthy offspring. Again, its not about emotion or ‘what the birds want’ it is about instinct and biology.
If they were my birds, I’d let them finish out this clutch then either take the box down or separate them for 2-3 months. Again, it may be difficult but no one said breeding birds is easy or fun. In fact, I give a very in depth presentation on how hard it is to breed birds – the decisions that have to be made, the sacrifices we as breeders have to make and the amount of work, resources, time and money that are involved. It isn’t easy nor is it always fun but if you want to be serious about breeding – and that has nothing do with making money – it has to do with the ethical considerations when breeding birds.
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
My name is Dena. I have only recently been breeding Parrotlets, not for profit, just for fun. I have been told that you will answer parrotlet questions when people write to you, Sooo, here's hoping. I have an adult American white male and a blue female. They have had 2 clutches this year, one in March, the other in May. I pulled the babies from the second clutch last week to hand feed them, that is going well. I removed the nest box from the parents thinking this would discourage breeding for a while but unfortunately I see he is breeding her several times a day. My first question is, should I throw the eggs away this time or is it safe to let her have a third clutch at this time? They had 4 the first time and 5 the second time. I am not an indiscriminate breeder and I want to do what is best for my adult birds. Also, Do you know any other ways to discourage breeding short of separating them? They screem constantly when they are separated. I would appreciate any advice you can give me. I have read several of your books and I think you are the Master of parrotlets and their breeding. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. Sincerely. Dena
Dear Dena:
Thank you for your email.
Unfortunately, when you place two adult birds together and provide them with nutritious food, a secure place to live and a nest box, they will do what Nature intended and they will breed. With some pairs, simply removing the nestbox will stop them from breeding; others you need to separate them. Yes, it is inconvenient for us to listen to them call to one another for a few days but eventually they will stop. I know people think they are suffering emotionally but I’ve never heard of a parrotlet dying from being separated from a mate. I have heard them dying because they just keep breeding and breeding. It is much more important for them to rest – if they are allowed to continue breeding indiscriminately, the hen will deplete her body of calcium and she can become egg-bound or worse such as having a collapsed uterus. It will also shorten her lifespan as well as her breeding life. Hens that have more than 3 clutches a year generally only produce for 3 years while hens that are managed with restricted breeding will continue breeding until 7 years or more.
Males can also suffer from exhaustion if they are constantly feeding the hen and chicks. Many males do not eat as much as they normally do when they are feeding a clutch so they can starve to death or develop a stress-related illness. This can be passed onto the hen and chicks and you can lose not only your male but the hen and babies as well.
The physically exhausting part of breeding for a hen is producing the eggs. That is what depletes the body of calcium and causes the stress which can result in birth-related such as egg binding and prolapse of the uterus. There is no point in removing the eggs at this point since the most dangerous part of breeding is over for her. If you remove the eggs at this point, she may just start her cycle all over again since this is what would happen in the wild. After all, again, Nature designed these birds to survive in the wild and we cannot undo that instinct just because we keep them in captivity. Instead, we have to manage them in order to protect them and ensure they are healthy and strong and produce healthy offspring. Again, its not about emotion or ‘what the birds want’ it is about instinct and biology.
If they were my birds, I’d let them finish out this clutch then either take the box down or separate them for 2-3 months. Again, it may be difficult but no one said breeding birds is easy or fun. In fact, I give a very in depth presentation on how hard it is to breed birds – the decisions that have to be made, the sacrifices we as breeders have to make and the amount of work, resources, time and money that are involved. It isn’t easy nor is it always fun but if you want to be serious about breeding – and that has nothing do with making money – it has to do with the ethical considerations when breeding birds.
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
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Female Parrotlet Odor
Can anyone tell me if female parrotlets have a distinct odor? I have a 2 year old female that emits a skunk like odor. Is this common?
Thank you.
Parrotlets, like all parrots do give off a musty order. In females it can be more pronounced if her hormones are in flux, she is breeding or during a molt. However, it is not a strong odor per se but some people are more sensitive to it. It is a genetic thing in people not something that has to do with the bird.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
Secretary International Parrotlet Society
Thank you.
Parrotlets, like all parrots do give off a musty order. In females it can be more pronounced if her hormones are in flux, she is breeding or during a molt. However, it is not a strong odor per se but some people are more sensitive to it. It is a genetic thing in people not something that has to do with the bird.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
Secretary International Parrotlet Society
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Parrotlet Breeding Life Spans
I have a breeding pair of pacific parrotlets. They have produced several clutches and
I was wondering how long you can breed them. In other words, how old is too old
to continue breeding provided they have a varied diet, lots of calcium and minerals.
They are a tamed pair and I can hold them and they even watch TV with us but yet once a year they will breed for me. I don't want to harm them in anyway by breeding them when they are too old.
Thanks for your response.
Sincerely,
Lorna
Thank you for your email. I have bred parrotlets for almost 30 years so I am well aware of their breeding life spans based on my own personal experience. Generally, females don't last as long as males. Most hens, if well managed, can last up to 7 or 8 years of age although most start slowing down around 5 years. Males can produce offspring until they are in their teens. As for slowing them down, Nature usually takes care of that as they usually become less and less interested in breeding as they age. Females often produce infertile eggs and when they have produced 3 infertile clutches, then they are usually past the age of breeding.
Hope this helps!
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
Secretary, International Parrotlet Society
I was wondering how long you can breed them. In other words, how old is too old
to continue breeding provided they have a varied diet, lots of calcium and minerals.
They are a tamed pair and I can hold them and they even watch TV with us but yet once a year they will breed for me. I don't want to harm them in anyway by breeding them when they are too old.
Thanks for your response.
Sincerely,
Lorna
Thank you for your email. I have bred parrotlets for almost 30 years so I am well aware of their breeding life spans based on my own personal experience. Generally, females don't last as long as males. Most hens, if well managed, can last up to 7 or 8 years of age although most start slowing down around 5 years. Males can produce offspring until they are in their teens. As for slowing them down, Nature usually takes care of that as they usually become less and less interested in breeding as they age. Females often produce infertile eggs and when they have produced 3 infertile clutches, then they are usually past the age of breeding.
Hope this helps!
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
Secretary, International Parrotlet Society
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Plucking Parrotlet Pair
Hi,
I have to say that I read your blog and it is very informative. I have two parrotles-one male and the other female. For the first year I had them they were fine and caged together. They are very bonded together and close. Both are around 2 years old and I got them at 10 months old. After a year the male started plucking the female around the neck and on the back. I had to separate them and I only separate them during the day when they don't play together or eat together. At night I don't separate them because they call for eachother and the male finds it hard to settle down and sleep without the female-as they snuggle together. I tried more shredding toys, more playtime, and it seemed to help the plucking problem a bit, but I still cannot keep them together during the day. Do you think it is bordom, hormones? Or both maybe. they play together during the day when I can watch them and they have a ball together. They are really two peas in a pod and love eachother otherwise. I put their two cages close together. I also give them plenty of fresh food, they like quinquoa, sprouts, and I give them Goldenfeast, and Volkmans seed-no pellets. Any advice would be appreciated. I just love them so as they are such sweet adorable birds. The avian vet seems at a loss as I don't think they are that knowledgable about parrotlets I have to say.
Shelley
Dear Shelley:
Thank you for your email. Actually, the behavior of your birds is quite normal and one of the reasons I never recommend getting two parrotlets of the opposite sex and keeping them in same cage unless you are going to breed them. You take two healthy adult birds of the opposite sex give them good food, a secure environment and they will do what Nature designed them to do – which is breed. Your male’s behavior is what most breeders of parrotlets refer to as ‘foreplay’ but since your birds are not set up for breeding, they are behaving abnormally. This can result in continued feather destructive behavior or worse things like aggression which can lead to injury or even death. The calling to one another is bonding and what all flock members to – after all, birds are flock animals and they do call to one another when they roost at night. This is about survival and safety in numbers not emotional bonding that we humans like to think it is.
So you have decide what you want to do with these birds. If you want them to stay pets, then they will have to stay in separate cages and when out together be supervised. If you want them to breed, you will lose them as pets and you will need to set them up for breeding and leave them alone. Unfortunately, parrotlets are not domesticated birds like budgies or cockatiels – they are very much wild animals whose behavior is influenced by instinct not behavior that has been influenced by human imprinting. As for this being parrotlet behavior, absolutely not true. This is true for almost all species of parrot – if these were two adult macaws, it would be the same thing.
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
I have to say that I read your blog and it is very informative. I have two parrotles-one male and the other female. For the first year I had them they were fine and caged together. They are very bonded together and close. Both are around 2 years old and I got them at 10 months old. After a year the male started plucking the female around the neck and on the back. I had to separate them and I only separate them during the day when they don't play together or eat together. At night I don't separate them because they call for eachother and the male finds it hard to settle down and sleep without the female-as they snuggle together. I tried more shredding toys, more playtime, and it seemed to help the plucking problem a bit, but I still cannot keep them together during the day. Do you think it is bordom, hormones? Or both maybe. they play together during the day when I can watch them and they have a ball together. They are really two peas in a pod and love eachother otherwise. I put their two cages close together. I also give them plenty of fresh food, they like quinquoa, sprouts, and I give them Goldenfeast, and Volkmans seed-no pellets. Any advice would be appreciated. I just love them so as they are such sweet adorable birds. The avian vet seems at a loss as I don't think they are that knowledgable about parrotlets I have to say.
Shelley
Dear Shelley:
Thank you for your email. Actually, the behavior of your birds is quite normal and one of the reasons I never recommend getting two parrotlets of the opposite sex and keeping them in same cage unless you are going to breed them. You take two healthy adult birds of the opposite sex give them good food, a secure environment and they will do what Nature designed them to do – which is breed. Your male’s behavior is what most breeders of parrotlets refer to as ‘foreplay’ but since your birds are not set up for breeding, they are behaving abnormally. This can result in continued feather destructive behavior or worse things like aggression which can lead to injury or even death. The calling to one another is bonding and what all flock members to – after all, birds are flock animals and they do call to one another when they roost at night. This is about survival and safety in numbers not emotional bonding that we humans like to think it is.
So you have decide what you want to do with these birds. If you want them to stay pets, then they will have to stay in separate cages and when out together be supervised. If you want them to breed, you will lose them as pets and you will need to set them up for breeding and leave them alone. Unfortunately, parrotlets are not domesticated birds like budgies or cockatiels – they are very much wild animals whose behavior is influenced by instinct not behavior that has been influenced by human imprinting. As for this being parrotlet behavior, absolutely not true. This is true for almost all species of parrot – if these were two adult macaws, it would be the same thing.
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
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Keeping & Breeding Green Rumps
I truly thank you for your kind offer to answer questions about Green Rump Parrotlets. You must understand that I’m not an amateur at this sort of thing. I’m 64years old and have been breeding birds of one type or another, off and on for about 55 years. I have worked with everything from pigeons and poultry to endangered species of South America. As a matter of fact, when I was living down there in Paramaribo, Suriname, I was seriously working with Purple Honeycreepers (or as they were called there, Yellow-legged Honeycreepers) and several types of Oryzoborus and Sporophila (Seedeaters), Euphonias and not so seriously with some macaws and parrots.
One Saturday while doing the weekly shopping for the family, I came upon an Indian boy selling birds on the sidewalk. The little green parrotlets were fascinating. I asked what they were called and was told they were Guianese Parrotlets. He said, I could identify the males and females by coloring. So I picked a male and a female, and paid the boy about 2 to 3 dollars(US) for the pair. Dump luck prevailed and the pair were on eggs in about 6 weeks. I was seriously working with the other species I had and only bought the Green Rumps because they were cute. I gave them no effort and so it was surely dumb luck.
This time I do not want to rely on dumb luck. I want to know what to do in case the pair I bought three weeks ago are not as willing to reproduce as the wild birds I bought 18 years ago. I have read the things you posted on the web site and think I have a good feel for what is required of me, but still have a few questions. So please allow me to ask the few I still have:
(1) First; in your "Breeding Parrotlets", when you say "Blue Wing" several times, are you referring to Forpus xanthopterygius, rather than the "Blue Winged Parakeet" listed as an alternate name for the Green Rump?
(2) Do you recommend plants (artificial or live) around the cage to create an atmosphere of isolation?
(3) What size nest box is best? The pair I had in Suriname used a deep box (about 6" x 6" x 14").
(4) I have read you suggestions on diet and have but one Question. Is there any fruit or vegies I should not offer? I once lost a pair of Euphonias feeding a fruit that was not native to South America.
(5) The pair I bought appear to be young, and I did not get their age from the seller. Is there any way to tell when they are about a year old?
(6) And finally, how long is incubation?
Well, that is enough for now. I'm sure I will have more questions at some later date. But I just want to do it right this time. And I want to thank you in advance of your answering.
1) I am indeed referring to Forpus xanthopterygius not the erroneous name of Blue Winged Parakeet. Although I do mention Blue Winged Parakeets in my latest book as a previous name for Green Rumps, it is for reference only. The genus of Forpus parrotlets were once called South American lovebirds at one time as well but the nomenclature has changed to correctly identify the birds. Both terms are archaic and incorrect as the birds are neither parakeets nor love birds but true South American parrots, of course.
2) I do not use plants in my aviary but do put barriers between the cages in order to give the birds privacy and cut down on their aggression. However, I would not see any reason not to include plants if you wished.
3) I prefer to use small grandfather-type boxes that are taller rather than deeper or wider. My boxes are 10” tall, 7” wide and 7” deep but the dimensions you use would work as well.
4) Other than avocado, which is controversial, I feed almost any vegetable and fruit. I do recommend feeding a diet higher in protein to Green Rumps and since they feed on flowers, I also provide lory dry powder and been pollen which helps increase protein levels and seems to have an influence on the birds’ tendencies to have problems with beak overgrowth.
5) No. You cannot tell the age once the birds are over 6 months old, unless they are banded of course. They could be 8 months or 6 years. No way to tell by looking at them.
6) 21 days. Same as most Forpus species.
One Saturday while doing the weekly shopping for the family, I came upon an Indian boy selling birds on the sidewalk. The little green parrotlets were fascinating. I asked what they were called and was told they were Guianese Parrotlets. He said, I could identify the males and females by coloring. So I picked a male and a female, and paid the boy about 2 to 3 dollars(US) for the pair. Dump luck prevailed and the pair were on eggs in about 6 weeks. I was seriously working with the other species I had and only bought the Green Rumps because they were cute. I gave them no effort and so it was surely dumb luck.
This time I do not want to rely on dumb luck. I want to know what to do in case the pair I bought three weeks ago are not as willing to reproduce as the wild birds I bought 18 years ago. I have read the things you posted on the web site and think I have a good feel for what is required of me, but still have a few questions. So please allow me to ask the few I still have:
(1) First; in your "Breeding Parrotlets", when you say "Blue Wing" several times, are you referring to Forpus xanthopterygius, rather than the "Blue Winged Parakeet" listed as an alternate name for the Green Rump?
(2) Do you recommend plants (artificial or live) around the cage to create an atmosphere of isolation?
(3) What size nest box is best? The pair I had in Suriname used a deep box (about 6" x 6" x 14").
(4) I have read you suggestions on diet and have but one Question. Is there any fruit or vegies I should not offer? I once lost a pair of Euphonias feeding a fruit that was not native to South America.
(5) The pair I bought appear to be young, and I did not get their age from the seller. Is there any way to tell when they are about a year old?
(6) And finally, how long is incubation?
Well, that is enough for now. I'm sure I will have more questions at some later date. But I just want to do it right this time. And I want to thank you in advance of your answering.
1) I am indeed referring to Forpus xanthopterygius not the erroneous name of Blue Winged Parakeet. Although I do mention Blue Winged Parakeets in my latest book as a previous name for Green Rumps, it is for reference only. The genus of Forpus parrotlets were once called South American lovebirds at one time as well but the nomenclature has changed to correctly identify the birds. Both terms are archaic and incorrect as the birds are neither parakeets nor love birds but true South American parrots, of course.
2) I do not use plants in my aviary but do put barriers between the cages in order to give the birds privacy and cut down on their aggression. However, I would not see any reason not to include plants if you wished.
3) I prefer to use small grandfather-type boxes that are taller rather than deeper or wider. My boxes are 10” tall, 7” wide and 7” deep but the dimensions you use would work as well.
4) Other than avocado, which is controversial, I feed almost any vegetable and fruit. I do recommend feeding a diet higher in protein to Green Rumps and since they feed on flowers, I also provide lory dry powder and been pollen which helps increase protein levels and seems to have an influence on the birds’ tendencies to have problems with beak overgrowth.
5) No. You cannot tell the age once the birds are over 6 months old, unless they are banded of course. They could be 8 months or 6 years. No way to tell by looking at them.
6) 21 days. Same as most Forpus species.
Housing Retired Pairs Together
I have a few older pairs of Parrotlets I want to retire from breeding. I have a large outside flight that is 8' X 20' X 8' tall. Can I release them in it together. They have been faithful parents and want them to retire happy. Thanks for your help,
Thank you for your email. It has not been my experience that more than one pair of parrotlets (male and female) should be housed together and that includes birds that may be too old to breed, especially Pacifics, which I assume these are. Green Rumps or Spectacles maybe but not Pacifics. They are too aggressive and territorial and that instinct does not fade with age or time. I had tried to house retired pairs together in large flights although I confess they are not as large as the ones you are proposing – mine were 6’ tall, 6’ wide and 10’ long and were planted and I still had aggression problems. The most dominant pair attacked and bullied the others and no matter how many feeding stations, perches, enrichment items, plants and other things I placed in the flight, nothing stopped their instinct to drive away the ‘intruders’. This is very reflective of their behavior in the wild so I would doubt having a larger flight would make it safer. However, they are your birds and you certainly can do whatever you want to with them but my almost 30 years experience has proved that the instinct that made them such good parents, probably does not diminish when it comes to setting up territory and defending it from others. If you do decide to put them together I would love to know how it works out for you.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
Thank you for your email. It has not been my experience that more than one pair of parrotlets (male and female) should be housed together and that includes birds that may be too old to breed, especially Pacifics, which I assume these are. Green Rumps or Spectacles maybe but not Pacifics. They are too aggressive and territorial and that instinct does not fade with age or time. I had tried to house retired pairs together in large flights although I confess they are not as large as the ones you are proposing – mine were 6’ tall, 6’ wide and 10’ long and were planted and I still had aggression problems. The most dominant pair attacked and bullied the others and no matter how many feeding stations, perches, enrichment items, plants and other things I placed in the flight, nothing stopped their instinct to drive away the ‘intruders’. This is very reflective of their behavior in the wild so I would doubt having a larger flight would make it safer. However, they are your birds and you certainly can do whatever you want to with them but my almost 30 years experience has proved that the instinct that made them such good parents, probably does not diminish when it comes to setting up territory and defending it from others. If you do decide to put them together I would love to know how it works out for you.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
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