What’s Not To Love

One of my favorite things about parrots is that it is uplifting to look at their beautiful colors and it often raises my mood to watch and interact with them. I’m always amazed at what great communicators parrots are, how clever they are and what big personalities they have, even parrotlets, the second smallest parrot species.

Their beaks don’t move, but they smile; they tell you when they are happy and cozy or when they need something – all without words. They come close to say that they want to engage with you or they back away to let you know they aren’t feeling social. Some parrots sing, some cavech and others snuggle. Sure, some bite and sqwack loudly too!

Parrots always seem happy to be alive, excited to greet the new day and enjoying the world!

Caring For Parrotlets

Parrots can be confusing, please don’t get too perplexed! You have to monitor their environment temperature and conditions; you have to get their diet right and care for their emotional and intellectual needs!

Whew! They are like human children but they can fly and pack a wallop-of a bite!

• 🍃 Temperature & Climate – They are delicate little guys, so they need to be kept somewhere that’s not too hot, not too cold and not drafty. Think of them in the wild, they would go somewhere warmer or cooler as needed. Most parrots are tropical, so they want a comfortable temperature, like you do. They have fuzzy down feathers to keep warm, but they can’t take a sweater off or put one on to adjust, so don’t let their space drop so that you’d need warm clothes or get so hot that you’d want to jump in a pool! 👙
  Generally speaking, the temperature is fine in your temperature-moderated house, just make sure they aren’t in front of an air vent or in a drafty space.
• 🥗 They need to be fed correctly –
  You’ll read that parrots need to be fed primarily pellets and given fresh foods – However, there are over 400 species of parrots! Specifically, a parrotlet does not do as well on pellets! Experts will tell you to give them plenty of fresh foods, seeds and use pellets as a back-up. This is not the case with other, larger parrots like Green-cheek conures. It is important to research a proper diet for your species of parrot, because they are all different – which can make your head spin!
  Fresh foods are (in order of what should be given most): lot’s of fresh Greens (leaves like spinach, kale, chard), Veggies (carrots, sweet potatoes, peas), whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oats) – then, as treats (meaning in limited amounts) fruits- you can also give them cheese – but it’s not ‘natural.’ Parrots don’t hang out with cows and they are lactose-intolerant. Some protein is needed, most say once a week or so, and for this I give eggs.
  Seeds: we offer our parrotlets a variety of seeds – budgie seeds, cockatiel seeds (since they like and can open sunflower seeds, which are in the cockatiel mixes), millet (green millet is supposed to be good for them too) and sometimes canary seeds. Variety is the way of life!
• 🏠 Their home, their space –
  Is there anything better than having a pocket in the world that is all your own? Yes, having someone to share it with!
  Online there are a lot of guidelines as to what size cage a parrot should have according to their size. That should be considered, but the level of their activity and energy should be a larger measure. Some parrots, mostly larger ones, don’t move around much. Parrotlets are like little energizer bunnies, they bounce around! The more room for them to fly from one side of the cage to a branch to their food and then to the other side, the better!
• 🏕️A Tent to sleep in –
  A place to hide, a place to sleep and a place to cozy up, your parrotlet may not use his or her ‘cozy,’ as they are called, to sleep in, but they will often bite at it, climb on it or sit on it. As long as it doesn’t get too scraggly, they are loving it! Be careful, loose strings will tie themselves around feet or will get stuck on your bird. Rope perches can be the same. If you suspect that your parrot is eating her cozy or biting away at his rope perch, remove these! They can be ingesting them, which will result in an emergency visit to the vet, perhaps a surgery and can cause their death. If you prefer natural fiber – hay, wood – use these. Parrots are accustomed to and have no known issues with natural fibers.

Teach Your Parrotlet to speak