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Hi there,
Just wanted an expert opinion on full spectrum lighting for my parrotlet. We live in an apartment and therefore the parrotlet is kept indoors as one of the family. He is in the living area with the family. I have read about the importance of natural sunlight for our bird and I am concerned that the lack of this will have a detrimental effect on him. I don’t know much about what is available and would greatly appreciate any advice you could give me. Thanks
Ann
Dear Ann:
Thank you for your email. Almost everyone that keeps parrotlets in the US keeps them indoors as pets. Even breeders generally do not keep their birds out of doors. There is a lot of controversy regarding ‘full-spectrum’ lighting and the need for it with pet birds that are not breeding. I do recommend it for people who breed their birds as they do need vitamin D to metabolize calcium which is vitally important for breeding hens. However, pet birds, especially males that are an otherwise healthy and balanced diet who also receive vitamins probably do not need it. In fact, it has been my experience over the last 30 years of keeping parrotlets that too much light is the problem and it often leads to prolonged molts, aggression and feather destructive behaviors. Also, I have never heard of a pet bird having an issue because of the lack of full-spectrum lighting. However, if it makes you feel better, you can certainly get one and use it. Light is light so it doesn’t matter which manufacturer you use just make sure it isn’t too close to the cage as it can cause cataracts and eye damage nor turned on for more than 12 hours a day or his hormones will go into overdrive and he can start having the problems I described above.
Hope this helps!
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
Secretary, International Parrotlet Society
Showing posts with label Pet Parrotlets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pet Parrotlets. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Green Rump Pairs
Hello Sandee,
I recently lost my conure at 18 years old. This is the first time in my life I haven’t had a bird and we really miss the presence of a feathered friend. I am contemplating a pair of green rump parrotlets. Is it true they are the gentlest of the parrotlets? If I got them at a young age, would they continue to be close with each other? I knew someone who had a pair of Pacifics and the female decapitated the male so I just want to make sure that doesn’t happen. Also, do you have youngsters from different lines just in case they did breed at some point? It’s not a goal of mine (finding homes is a chore), but certainly a concern that any offspring would be healthy.
Thank you in advance,
Tiffany
Dear Tiffany:
Thank you so much for your email. I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your conure.
There is a big misconception about Green Rumps that they are ‘sweeter’ or ‘more gentle’ than Pacifics and that just isn’t true. They are very timid, very shy birds and many people misinterpret that shyness as being sweet or that they make better pets. Also, as a lifelong bird owner, I’m sure you must be aware that all birds – just like people – are individuals and while one can make generalizations about certain characteristics, the bottom line is that how a bird is imprinted, socialized and trained is a much better indicator of how a bird is going to behave as a pet. That being said, I do have to state that I am not taking reservations for Green Rumps anymore since my waiting list is more than a year long.
As for two birds staying close, that really isn’t something that happens with parrotlets. Parrotlets are either pets or breeders, not both. This is probably what happened with your friend’s Pacifics. You have two healthy adult well-fed birds of the opposite sex kept in a cage together and if they are not set up for breeding, then hormones get out of control and mate killing can happen. I also know that just because the bird was ‘decapitated’ it does not mean that the hen did it. If the dead bird’s feet were chewed up and there is blood all over the cage and perches, then the hen is the culprit. If not, the bird died of something else and the hen mutilated the body. Parrotlets often cannibalize a dead bird – this is an instinct that helps them survive in the wild, both to keep predators away and to consume energy. It’s not pretty but Mother Nature rarely is. It’s what has helped the species survive for millennia in very harsh conditions. In captivity, this instinct is not necessary and is one that often is very upsetting to owners but there are ways to prevent it. Pet parrotlets are best kept as single birds unless they are kept in separate cages. One bird will often become dominant over the other and ‘share’ is not a word in the parrotlet vocabulary. The dominant bird will keep the other from eating, perching, playing, etc., and while they may preen one another or sit next to each other on a perch (again, survival instincts but not ‘love’ or ‘affection’ as many people think) then injury or death can occur. That is why I always recommend that pet parrotlets be kept in separate cages.
I have bred parrotlets for almost 30 years and have written 3 books on them as well as give seminars on parrotlet care around the world. I have always sold unrelated birds to people regardless of whether or not they intend to breed them. I learned a long time ago that instinct is what governs birds so make sure that any pairs sold are unrelated, whether the birds are going to be pets or breeders.
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 recently lost my conure at 18 years old. This is the first time in my life I haven’t had a bird and we really miss the presence of a feathered friend. I am contemplating a pair of green rump parrotlets. Is it true they are the gentlest of the parrotlets? If I got them at a young age, would they continue to be close with each other? I knew someone who had a pair of Pacifics and the female decapitated the male so I just want to make sure that doesn’t happen. Also, do you have youngsters from different lines just in case they did breed at some point? It’s not a goal of mine (finding homes is a chore), but certainly a concern that any offspring would be healthy.
Thank you in advance,
Tiffany
Dear Tiffany:
Thank you so much for your email. I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your conure.
There is a big misconception about Green Rumps that they are ‘sweeter’ or ‘more gentle’ than Pacifics and that just isn’t true. They are very timid, very shy birds and many people misinterpret that shyness as being sweet or that they make better pets. Also, as a lifelong bird owner, I’m sure you must be aware that all birds – just like people – are individuals and while one can make generalizations about certain characteristics, the bottom line is that how a bird is imprinted, socialized and trained is a much better indicator of how a bird is going to behave as a pet. That being said, I do have to state that I am not taking reservations for Green Rumps anymore since my waiting list is more than a year long.
As for two birds staying close, that really isn’t something that happens with parrotlets. Parrotlets are either pets or breeders, not both. This is probably what happened with your friend’s Pacifics. You have two healthy adult well-fed birds of the opposite sex kept in a cage together and if they are not set up for breeding, then hormones get out of control and mate killing can happen. I also know that just because the bird was ‘decapitated’ it does not mean that the hen did it. If the dead bird’s feet were chewed up and there is blood all over the cage and perches, then the hen is the culprit. If not, the bird died of something else and the hen mutilated the body. Parrotlets often cannibalize a dead bird – this is an instinct that helps them survive in the wild, both to keep predators away and to consume energy. It’s not pretty but Mother Nature rarely is. It’s what has helped the species survive for millennia in very harsh conditions. In captivity, this instinct is not necessary and is one that often is very upsetting to owners but there are ways to prevent it. Pet parrotlets are best kept as single birds unless they are kept in separate cages. One bird will often become dominant over the other and ‘share’ is not a word in the parrotlet vocabulary. The dominant bird will keep the other from eating, perching, playing, etc., and while they may preen one another or sit next to each other on a perch (again, survival instincts but not ‘love’ or ‘affection’ as many people think) then injury or death can occur. That is why I always recommend that pet parrotlets be kept in separate cages.
I have bred parrotlets for almost 30 years and have written 3 books on them as well as give seminars on parrotlet care around the world. I have always sold unrelated birds to people regardless of whether or not they intend to breed them. I learned a long time ago that instinct is what governs birds so make sure that any pairs sold are unrelated, whether the birds are going to be pets or breeders.
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, 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
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