Though budgerigars are often called parakeets, especially in American English, this term also refers to any of a number of small parrots with long flat tails. The budgerigar is found throughout the interior, drier parts of Australia and has been there for over 5 million years surviving in the inlands there. The name “Budgerigars” is derived from Australian aboriginal term: “Betcherrygah”, which basically means “good to eat”; it was then abbreviated to “budgie” — which has become the common name of this small parrot. The Budgie is one of the most loved parrots anywhere and they are great ‘starter’ pets. Many of us I am sure know of someone who has a budgie. They are smart, affectionate, and beautiful coming as they do in a wide spectrum of color variations and many varieties. They are intelligent and social animals and enjoy the stimulation of toys and interaction with humans as well as with other birds. In captivity, budgerigars live an average of five to eight years, but are reported to occasionally live to 15 if well cared for. The cage you choose should be able to accommodate several perches and toys, food and water dishes — in addition to leaving space for the budgie to fly from perch to perch, often cages are way too small and this can lead to problems. Budgerigars can be taught to speak and whistle tunes. In fact, they are believed to be the best talkers of all birds. They can learn to pronounce hundreds of words and phrases.
Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus, nicknamed budgie)
Posted in Parrot Information.
Totally Organics Napoleon’s Seed
We all know about the Napoleon syndrome, and parrots are no exception when it comes to having members of their family thinking they are much bigger and better than they actually are. To give your small ‘Napoleons’ like cockatiels, parakeets, parrotlets a fighting chance, Totally Organics ‘Napoleon’ seed is the best source of the nutrients they need and made using as little processing as possible. This was the nutrients already in the seeds are kept intact for maximum nutritional value. This product can be given to birds dry, soaked or even sprouted. In the wild small hook bills would feed at ground level and therefore be eating more seeds than their larger counterparts. These seeds would invariably be already germinated i.e. fed with water or humidity from the surrounding forest. Totally Organics’ ‘Napoleon’ seeds when soaked replicate this highly nutritious function. Soaking needs to be done for 5-8 hours usually. This product contains Oat Groats, Millet, Flax Seeds and Canary Seeds. There is another version of seeds from Totally Organics and this is called the All- in- one Seed Mix. These can require 10-12 hours of soaking and a rinse through with a little apple cider vinegar. The ingredients in this product are all human grade, and are Barley, Rye Berries, Spelt, Kamut, Buckwheat, Millet, Milo, Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin Seeds and Rice.
Posted in Parrot advice, Products for Parrots, Uncategorized.
Umbrella Cockatoo (Cacatua Alba)
The Umbrella Cockatoo or White Cockatoo, is endemic to the islands of Central and Northern Moluccas Islands - Bacan, Halmahera, Tidore and Kasiruta - in Indonesia. Umbrella cockatoos are classified as vulnerable, although not endangered. This medium-sized bird appears, at first sight, to be a white parrot with brown or black eyes and a dark grey beak. It has a head crest which although normally recumbent, will be extended when the bird is surprised, this crest has a semicircular shape (similar to an umbrella, hence the name.) The undersides of the wings and tail have pale yellow/lemon color, which dramatically flash when they fly. Umbrellas can live up to, and perhaps beyond, 80 years in age. They are very social, needing a lot of interaction and attention. For the peace loving owners amongst us the Umbrella Cockatoo can be very loud and their calls (a very loud screeching noise) can be heard up to three miles away. If noise and attention levels are not of concern, hand-reared umbrella cockatoos can make great pets if you are prepared to put in the effort. They are sociable, intelligent and clever at learning tricks and being good students in parrot training. They will imitate human speech, but are not good independent talkers. Another problem with Umbrella Cockatoos, when they are allowed out of a cage, is a fascination for destroying furniture. Umbrella Cockatoos require the largest bird cage available at least 3′ x 3′ x5′ and need to be out of their cage as much as possible. They are not an easy pet to keep and require a lot of time, devotion and understanding from their caregivers. Be warned!
Posted in Parrot Information, Parrot advice, Parrot training, Products for Parrots.
Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao)
The Scarlet Macaw is a large, colorful parrot. It is native to humid evergreen forests in the American tropics, from extreme eastern Mexico locally to Amazonian Peru and Brazil, in lowlands up to 500 meters. It has been widely extirpated by habitat destruction and capture for the pet trade. Formerly, it ranged north to southern Tamaulipas. A full-sized macaw can become quite heavy and reach 96 cm in length. More than half of this is the pointed, graduated tail typical of macaws.The plumage of a Scarlet Macaw is mostly scarlet, but the rump and tail-covert feathers are light blue, the greater upper wing coverts are yellow, whilst the upper sides of the flight feathers dark blue, as are the ends of the tail feathers. The undersides of the wing and tail flight feathers are dark red with metallic gold iridescence. This is quite a rainbow of colours and what makes these birds so attractive, especially in flight. There is bare white skin around the eye and from there to the bill. The upper beak is mostly pale horn in color and the lower is black. There is no difference in the sexes, and the only difference between ages is that young birds have dark eyes, and adults have light yellow eyes. Macaws need plenty of room in a cage, and long periods of exercise outside of it. A parrot playgym and large bird cage will prevent them taking a liking to and destroying your furniture. These birds as pets are not for the faint or half-hearted enthusiast, they are high maintenance and any owner must be prepared to learn all that there is to know about their upkeep and the environment that they will undoubtedly need.
Posted in Parrot advice, Products for Parrots.
Parrot Wrapz
Many humans are fashion conscious so why not a parrot? Everyone wants to look their best for the special party or event, and sometimes we all need to cover up if our skins are not behaving as they should. A new Parrot Wrapz, is the way to go for all your bird’s fashion needs. I suspect pretty soon a couture business for wealthy parrots that require wrapz will blossom to complement the many wrapz in pret-a-porter collections, the choice of most. These off the peg fashion articles come in a range of styles and fabrics. These Parrot Wrapz are also made with comfort in mind and with an eye to addressing the problem of plucking which occurs mostly around the chest area, precisely where the wrapz cover. Alternatively if your parrot has already begun to pluck itself for whatever reason, the soft and gentle lining of the wraps can minimise irritation. Parrot Wrapz come in all sizes, although perhaps the little birds like Lovebirds may be swamped by them. Fabric designs range from the quirky (baseball, basketball, money prints) to the sexy (leopard or other fur skin) and even camouflage prints for the combat parrot. These fashion items are fun and also utilitarian. They are what every well-dressed parrot is wearing this season. So hurry down to your nearest fashion show or listen out for details of Parrot Fashion Week.
Posted in Parrot Information, Products for Parrots.
White Bellied Caique (Pionities leucogaster)
These fun-loving little parrots are not common in the US, with less than a dozen so far being found there. They are native to South America, particularly Bolivia, Brazil and Peru, and they like sub-tropical or tropical moist lowland forests or even muddy swamps. They are though extremely sociable. They can call loudly in flocks when in flight. The White-Bellied Caique measures around 23cm and generally its plumage is green, with a, you guessed it, white belly. They have bluish primary feathers, a horn coloured beak and pink or grey feet. The sexes look identical. They live for about 30 years. White-Bellied Caiques are captivating pets, outgoing, acrobatic and lovable in personality, and they are trusting, even being able to be taught to lie on their backs in the palm of a hand. They are great for households containing children, who I am sure would love to take these birds out for the outings they so much love. If you have taken your children to shows where parrots have been entertaining audiences chances are those birds were White-Bellied Caiques. These delightful birds however, can be noisy so homing one in an apartment may lead to trouble with close neighbors. Such screaming does not necessarily mean that they are frightened or stressed as often the sound can be one for ‘attention’ only.
Posted in Uncategorized.
Aviator Harness and Leash
Just like we as humans will weaken and our muscles fall into atrophy without exercise, a parrot with its million+ year evolution as a flighted bird will do the same but how can we ensure our valued pets don’t escape? Well, a Flight Harness and Leash is the best answer. There are many on the market including the Aviator Flight Harness and Leash. These products enable you to go for a walk with your parrot, and of course for your parrot to fly around its local area and freely explore the surroundings for itself. Most harnesses are adjustable and can be utilised to fit birds of all sizes and breeds, although some are not recommended for Parrotlet or Lovebirds. They fit on the front to enable perching and on the back for walking. All suits come with detailed instructions for fitting and introducing your parrot to harness training and in a variety of colours. The Aviator Harness and Leash has been developed over twenty years, and comes in a one-piece design, which is one of its eight patent claims that are currently pending. This particular Harness and Leash also comes with a DVD, showing installation instructions, teaching your bird to love the product and to fly with it and also some positive personality changes to expect.
Posted in Parrot Information, Parrot advice, Parrot training, Products for Parrots.
Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus)
The Eclectus Parrot, is a parrot native to the Solomon Islands, Sumba, New Guinea and nearby islands, northeastern Australia and the Malaku Islands (Moluccas). It is unusual in the parrot family for its extreme sexual dimorphism of the colours of the plumage; the male having a mostly bright green plumage and the female a mostly bright red and purple/blue plumage. The first European ornithologists to see the thought they were of two distinct species. Large populations of this parrot exist in Papua New Guinea where they are sometimes considered pests for eating fruit off trees. Their bright feathers are also used by native tribes people as decorations. The upper mandible of the adult male is orange at the base fading to a yellow towards the tip, and the lower mandible is black. The beak of the adult female is all black. Adults have yellow to orange irises and juveniles have dark brown to black irises. The upper mandible of both and male and female juveniles are brown at the base fading to yellow towards the biting edges and the tip. Eclectus Parrots are one of the more popular birds kept in captivity. They can become obese easily and have a tendency towards muscle spasms, toe tapping or wing flipping. Fortified foods can sometimes cause severe itching leading to skin and feather damage. They prefer calm environments and are sharply susceptible to changes in environments. Eclectus Parrots make a variety of sounds including, soft gong tones, coos and whistles, and comic squeals, they are good speakers but can scream if frightened.
Posted in Parrot Information, Parrot advice.
Flight Suits
You wouldn’t want a human baby of yours to go crawling or running around all the time with no diaper protection. Pretty soon your’s and the baby’s environment would be a mess and you wouldn’t think very kindly of your baby and their mess, even though it’s what comes naturally to them. So why would you compromise in the same way with your pet parrot? That’s where the Flight Suit comes in. Of course in its cage a bird will soil the bottom of the cage and even occasionally it’s tent, perch or teepee, but all of those things are washable. Each flight suit has a leash attachment option and has Velcro fastenings for ease of operation and wearing. Not so your best Chinese silk cushions or your new sofa. Flight suits are the best and most comfortable way to collect your birds ‘poop’, whilst enabling it to be free to fly around your home. Flight suits are made of durable and washable fabric and are stretchy and flexible enough to fit your bird. The ‘poop pouch’ keeps the offending material away from the bird and away from your clothing if you are carrying the bird. For the thorough parrot parent flight liners or birdie diapers are also available. Many people recommend introducing a flight suit to a very young bird as they seem more amenable to new things and they quickly become habits.
Posted in New parrot supplies, Parrot advice, Products for Parrots.
Peach Face Lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis)
The Peach faced Lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis), is also known as the Rosy-faced Lovebird, and is a species native to arid regions in southwestern Africa like the Namib Desert. There are frequent escapes from captivity and large feral populations dwell in Arizona and London. The bird is aloud and incessant chirper, they are very sociable animals and often gather in small groups in the wild. They eat throughout the day and take frequent baths. Their colouring can vary widely among the population but females are generally darker and greener, while males are smaller and brighter. Lovebirds are known for their apparently romantic sleep positions in which they sit side-by-side and turn their faces in towards each other. In next making females are well noted to tear raw materials into long strips, to twist tie them onto their backs, and fly long distances back to make a nest. The Rosy-faced Lovebird is a small bird, only on average 17–18 cm long with a wing length of 106 mm and tail length of 44–52 mm. Peach or Rose-Faced Lovebirds are mostly green with a blue rump. The face and throat are pink, darkest on the forehead and above the eye. The bill is horn coloured, the iris is brown and the legs and feet are grey. Young birds have a pale pink face and throat, a greenish fore crown and crown, and the beak has a brownish base. It is important to Peach-Faced Lovebirds to have enough room in their cages, and the cage should have narrow spaced bars and a perch as the birds are prone to arthritis in their feet. Lovebirds are very playful, love to be the centre of attention and will even perch on a human’s shoulder.
Posted in Parrot Information, Parrot News.