~ THE WORLD'S SMALLEST PARROT ~ (with the largest personality!)
Parrotlets are well-known for their petite size and "GIANT ATTITUDE"; they consider themselves to be the largest macaw. Parrotlets are quite tiny in reality... about the size of a mouse ...with an attitude larger than life! Parrotlets are adorable and have a sweet chatter for a voice which makes them suitable to most every home or apartment. They are in every way a true PARROT (minus the loud squawking) and their care is very similar.
Parrotlets possess a hearty appetite so don't let their miniature size fool you - they can eat a lot of food! Or at least they can make a BIG mess with it! They need a varied diet of good healthy foods. Please Click Here for information on diet. Parrotlets will also make a BIG mess of their water dish if you allow it. If you use a water dish be sure to clean it at least twice daily and more often if needed. You may wish to consider using a water bottle designed especially for birds. LIXIT water bottles are the brand I use and trust...and I prefer the glass bottles for durability and cleanliness.
Parrotlets, even though they are small birds, require a large cage with which to live. They are active little birds and will keep you entertained for hours if you provide them with an environment where they can show-off their crazy antics! Be sure to provide swings, small boings, ladders, safe toys, safe bells, chew toys and any other apparatus you can possibly afford to give. You will be well rewarded and your pet will be happy and healthy for many years to come. Parrotlets can learn to talk and although it may sound like they've inhaled a bit too much helium, it's very cute and worth your effort to teach them. Repeat a word often – use the bird’s name, say it clear and with feeling and be sure to show them your great excitement when they finally try to talk. With each new word learned, talking gets easier. Please be realistic... some birds don't talk well and some will never talk at all.
Parrotlets, although tiny little beings, they pack a lot of force into that wee body of theirs. They can become nippy if not properly handled and should be handled often to avoid nippy-behavior. It's a good idea to buy a hand-tame bird if you wish to have a pet you can handle. If the bird attempts to nip you it's important that you do not pull away and show fear as this only reinforces their aggression and teaches them to bite you more. Always be gentle and never discipline your bird as this only damages any trust between the two of you. Handle your bird often and be aware that s/he will most likely be territorial and be especially nippy in or near the cage (or other area deemed to be 'territory')
Parrotlets come in many different colors and the male common green parrotlet shows blue coloring on his rump and wings as in the above photo (left). The normal green female (right) shows a deep green in place of the blue. Some breeders will charge more for the males but here at Genesis we don't charge a higher price for males. Males and Females both make fabulous pets! The coloring of the sexes can be seen in other parrotlet colors/mutations as well making it easy to determine sex without a DNA test.
Check to see if your bird has a leg band - it is an excellent method of identification.
American White Pacific Parrotlet (female)
Pastel Yellow Pacific Parrotlet (female)
American White Pacific Parrotlet (female)
Blue Pacific Parrotlet (female)
Pastel Yellow Pacific Parrotlet (Breeding Pair)
Parrotlets come in many more colors than are shown here and the genetics can become rather complex but the basic colors most folks are interested in are Green, Blue, Yellow and White. You may visit The Parrotlet Alliance, Inc. to learn more and see more photos. Also visit: Forpus.com
Parrotlets make wonderful companions, they're generally very quiet with a cheery chatter, they're easy to care for, easy to tame, easy to take with you, great for apartment living, safe for older children, can learn to talk, love to share your dinner with you (just the healthy food please!), live a good, long time...approx. 20 years, they'll make you laugh, some parrotlets love to sleep in those really cute birdie tents, and so much more...... they're truly a perfect pet....
Parrotlets like to have a 'buddy' to cuddle with so if you can possibly have two parrotlets together it will make your bird/s very happy. (they do not like to be kept in groups.... just pairs. Perhaps we could call them, "PAIR-o-lets" ?? ) It's a good idea to get one bird and wait a while before adding the second one. Give enough time for you to bond with the bird and be sure he/she is tame before adding the second one. Spend equal time with them and be sure to handle them every day. They will develop a close bond with one another and if handled often will still appreciate time spent with you.
- They're so ADORABLE - How could you have just one Parrotlet???
PACIFIC PARROTLET QUICK FACTS
DIET: Fresh fruits and vegetables, cooked rice, grains, sprouted seeds, seeds, nuts. LIFESPAN: 20 + years. HOUSING: 18" x 18" x 18" MINIMUM cage with daily exercise or larger cage/aviary. PET QUALITY: Excellent SIZE: Small size parrot approx. 4 1/2" 35 grams NOISE LEVEL: Fair/good talking ability. Very quiet noise level. Good choice for apartments. EXTRA COMMENT: Pacific Parrotlets make excellent pets. They are small and quiet. They are very easy-to-care-for and can learn to talk. Both males and females can learn to talk although not all birds will talk. They are sometimes difficult to understand with squeaky voices. Acrobatic clowns, parrotlets are superb companions. Note that they can be very territorial and become nippy if not handled properly. Children must be closely suspervised when handling all birds.
