I've adopted two parrotlets

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I've adopted two parrotlets - help!
Topic Started: Sep 19 2007, 03:18 PM (449 Views)
Deleted User	Sep 19 2007, 03:18 PM Post #1
Deleted User	Hi, I found this site by chance. A neighbour asked if we would take these two little male birds as they have no more room and have some babies hatching soon. The way they spoke these birds were quite young, that they had bred. I asked what they were, he said celestial parrotlets. Having never heard of them - eek. i know, sorry! - I asked how hard to look after, he said "oh, just feed them". They were very sweet and we have no other pets, plenty of room and I'm at home all day so I agreed. He gave us a carton of food and the cage too. I get them home and do a quick search on internet and up it all comes about parrotlets! How i have acquired actual mini parrots with the personalities to match. How they like attention, different fruit and veg, wing clipping, training, possibly talking. I now feel a bit peeved with this neighbour to say the least - especially as I asked the partner in passing and it turns out the birds were actually bought as babies and are now two years old! I feel quite sorry for them. Unfortunately they don't appear to have been handled - and I mean AT ALL. The man has "just fed them" literally - and just on parrot food which is FULL of those black sunflower seeds, in fact that is all they appear to eat. They don't appear to ever have had any toys. I don't know whether the neighbour has actually even looked into how to properly care for the breed or if he did know and purposefully didn't let on. He did say they were kept in the shed with other canary cages and etc. so i don't think they have had any type of interaction. He says they are both male - they do have the blue wing bits but don't have any noticeable blue near their eyes at all. Anyway the past care is irrelevant now because they are now mine to look after and I would like to care for them properly. Has this man "spoiled" any chance of them showing their true personalities? I can't believe it reading about them on here and other sites - how they are supposed to interact as part of the family! Poor things appear to have really missed out and have had diddly squat stimulation of any kind for two years :( I've been trying to put in fresh food (which they've obviously never had before) but they haven't touched even a tiny bit. I've hung up a millet spray and a budgie treat to try tempt them but nothing so far. I've only had them since Saturday - they would go nuts if I had to put my hand in but they are slowly getting a bit better. They do cock their heads if I talk and coo to them - which I automatically do ALL the time! They will chirp if I'm in the room and I do make sure I "chirp" back! Am I on the right lines? Also I'm a bit confused with the fresh food - how big can they manage or do I cook it and mash it? I've never kept birds before but I would like to try bring these two "up to scratch" parrotlet wise. I've looked into bird toys for them, rope and wood ones, ladders etc. and will get them asap. Hopefully going to get a new bigger cage and give this one back. Has anybody any idea on how to start introducing things like touch, food, toys etc.? They just sit up on a perch all day at the moment and they deserve a bit better. Thanks
Deleted User


kevinp	Sep 19 2007, 03:24 PM Post #2
Administrator Posts: 6,047 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: October 7, 2006 How many Parrotlets do you have I have one Parrotlet What types Celestials What colours One green Other Birds ? Budgeries four off I live in a mess of my own making !!! My name is I'll give you a clue	Hi phoenix, first things first parrotlets are quite often kept as aviary birds with no human intervention, apart from feeding. or just as breeders with no interaction. I do think he should have told you the truth about them, that they are 2 years old. anyway as for the future it seems they have come into your care and you want to make their life better which is great :) well done. I would certainly change their food to start, i get mine from a company called Double Dutch and they get feed a Cockatiel Mix and a Parrot mix both of these foods are ideal for the parrotlets. you don't have to order from there but it will give you some idea of the type of foods we feed.I also give mine a soak mix which is in the feeding section, as for vegs i give mine a stalk of broccoli a slice of apple and a slice of corn on the cob, i have tried other stuff but they always seem to prefer this. they can also have millet they do not seem to get addicted to this like budgies would if given the chance, plus parrotlets can have more as they will tend to burn this off very quickly, you will also find that they eat a lot of food for their size. As for toys they have probably never seen any so they will not know what to do with them. i tend to give mine lolly stick toys that i make as these can be easily broken and chewed to pieces, which i always tell them they are good boys for breaking. Training, this might well take you some time as they will not be used to hands, as you have found out, just make sure that when opening or putting your hands into the cage you go as slow as possible and no sudden movements. parrotlets are very quick to learn and will soon figure out that you and your hand mean good things are coming. Here is a link to Parrotlet training you've only had them a couple of days now and they will be a little un settled about the changes, but i do believe that with patience and time they might well become tameable. once they have settled and are not scared stiff of your hands you will be able to start training them one at a time. hope this helps, welcome to the forum and ask as many questions as you want kev :)



bonnie	Sep 19 2007, 04:07 PM Post #3
Co Admin Posts: 14,044 Group: Co Admin Member #73 Joined: March 10, 2007 How many Parrotlets do you have 0 Other Birds ? YNA GCC. Cockatiel I live in Pennsylvania My name is Bonnie	Kevin will give you excellent advice as well as many others who have parrolets. Welcome to the forum and I'm so happy you have rescued these two from what seems like a loveless home.



kevinp	Sep 19 2007, 04:14 PM Post #4
Administrator Posts: 6,047 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: October 7, 2006 How many Parrotlets do you have I have one Parrotlet What types Celestials What colours One green Other Birds ? Budgeries four off I live in a mess of my own making !!! My name is I'll give you a clue	bump



BUUZBEE	Sep 19 2007, 05:00 PM Post #5
www.conurecrazy.com Posts: 5,348 Group: Full Members Member #7 Joined: October 19, 2006 How many Parrotlets do you have 3 What types Pacifics What colours Blues Other Birds ? 3 Conures, 2 Turq's, 2 Bourks, 35+ Budgies, bourks & turq's I live in Sunny So Cal My name is Anna	Welcome to the forum Phoenix. Congrats on your new pair. p'lets seem to be good a "mouthing" things, so try putting some brocoli spears around the cage, thru the bars. They will probably mouth it and decide, hey this tastes good! I have a males & female that I got for breeding about a year ago. I havent decided 100% if i will breed them. They are totally in love with each other, not at all me! LOL They have a nice large cage for them to play and fly in, but I know they will never be hand tame like my conures. So even if you cant get them to be social with you, as long as they have a nice big home to fly around in and be happy birds, then your giving them a lot more than they had at their previous home!



Gardengail	Sep 19 2007, 05:09 PM Post #6
Staff Member Posts: 12,746 Group: Staff Member #25 Joined: January 18, 2007 How many Parrotlets do you have 1 What types Pacific What colours Blue Other Birds ? Severe Macaw and 2 Timneth Greys I live in Upstate New York, USA My name is Gail	Welcome Phoenix! I'm sure with alot of patience and love you will have them eating out of your hands in no time! I really hate hearing stories like this...it would be so much better if the person you got them from was honest about it. But sounds like a happy ending! Good luck. Keep us posted on their progress and we alway welcome pictures here!! :)



Nickie	Sep 19 2007, 06:01 PM Post #7
Parrotlet Freak! Posts: 2,625 Group: Full Members Member #249 Joined: June 26, 2007	Welcome to the forum and I am SO happy that you got these little guys. You have gotten some great advice and I want to wish you luck with your new babies!!



DansNan	Sep 20 2007, 07:51 AM Post #8
Member Posts: 104 Group: Full Members Member #413 Joined: September 4, 2007	Hi and welcome to the forum. I'm a new - and a surprise - parrotlet owner and you've come to the right place for advice. All the advice and help given is second to none - and every one's really nice too. Well done for taking these two on, but have patience. Inca, one of my girls actually ate a bit of millet from my hand yesterday - then flew off of course - but this has taken over two weeks of constant chatting and patience. Slowly slowly is the best advice I can give at the moment, it does pay off. O and discovered mine like raspberries yesterday too!



Deleted User	Sep 20 2007, 11:25 AM Post #9
Deleted User	Thanks everybody. They do talk to "mummy"! a lot! I've bought the broccoli and some cuttlefish bone thing. They seemed to settle in very quickly at least by the end of the first night. The man said they'd sit for a few days stunned but they were up and chirping very quickly. One appears to be a bit cheekier than the other, a bit more interested. They still not even looked at anything I've put in, but there's plenty of time. I get replies to "mamma's birdies" and I've had little strokes of feet and tails through the cage. :wub:
Deleted User


Gardengail	Sep 20 2007, 01:51 PM Post #10
Staff Member Posts: 12,746 Group: Staff Member #25 Joined: January 18, 2007 How many Parrotlets do you have 1 What types Pacific What colours Blue Other Birds ? Severe Macaw and 2 Timneth Greys I live in Upstate New York, USA My name is Gail	That's great!!! You sound like you're in it for the long haul! lol! I'm glad you "rescued" those two from a sure life of no love or attention... ;)



bonnie	Sep 20 2007, 02:11 PM Post #11
Co Admin Posts: 14,044 Group: Co Admin Member #73 Joined: March 10, 2007 How many Parrotlets do you have 0 Other Birds ? YNA GCC. Cockatiel I live in Pennsylvania My name is Bonnie	With time, patience and a lot of love I think your going to have a wonderful and happy pair. Everything responds to love and a gentle touch in time. :wub:



butterflygirl	Oct 2 2007, 07:17 PM Post #12
parrotletaholic Posts: 194 Group: Full Members Member #508 Joined: September 9, 2007	welcome to the forum and well done for researching about them and inroducing new foods and a healthier lifestyle..you are right you carnt just 2feed2 parrots! you will get a lot of advice on this forum! a little tip on introducing new food sprinkle(if solid) or drizzle(if liquid) the parrots fav food onto the new food,it may not even eat the new food but at least he has had a liitle taste of it.hope it helps



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