Adopted a 2.5 year old Parrotlet. Advice needed.

[CarlyB]

Hi guys,

So yesterday a friend got in touch and just happened to mention that her friend is having to re-home his parrotlet due to his partner not liking the bird around the new baby, but was having no luck finding someone to take the bird on. I asked a few questions and before I knew it she was delivered to my home and is now settling in, in our crazy household . I didn't even get chance to speak to my husband first.

Anyway I'm told she is 2.5 years old, female and was hand tamed but has now regressed due to the lack of attention since the new baby has come along. She is blue in colour and seems very inquisitive.

We were told to feed her parakeet food which we already have due to having a cockatiel named Freddie (a crazy character on his own) and egg mix? I'm not too familiar with egg mix so advice on this would be very much appreciated. They also gave us a lamp, because apparently she needs the vitamin D? Again, any advice would be much appreciated.

Tips on how to get her hand tamed again would be much appreciated and also would like to get her talking, if that's possible. We've had our cockatiel for just over a year and we've managed to get him imitating the Addams family song, a little of the final countdown intro and he says hello pretty boy and hello freddo.

I understand that it's going to take time and patience but we are bird novices and have only really had got interested in them when we had Freddie from a family friend who breeds budgies and cockatiels. I do have her cage near Fred's so they can get acquainted but she's not that bothered . Fred on the other hand has serenaded her a few times over the past 24 hours .

Waffled a bit there but any advice and tips you guys can give is much appreciated.

Thank you for reading

 

[Keetie!]

What a beautiful baby girl!

 

[sunnysmom]

She's a cutie. It's good for all birds to get Vitamin D from sunshine. Since most don't or can't, a full spectrum light is often used instead. I'm not aware of a parrotlet needing an egg mix. (I fostered one for awhile so have some experience with them but not a ton.) My parrotlet ate mainly pellets and vegetables with some seeds more as treats/reward. He also really loved fruit. One thing to keep in mind is that parrotlets think they're big. LOL. They have pretty big personalities in a little body. Much feistier than a cockatiel, and more playful. Mine loved to toss a little wiffle type ball with a bell around his cage.

 

[Hermesbird]

She’s so cute! Looks like my baby’s who’s only a year right now.
My best advice would be lots of patience when trying to get her used to your hands again. If she was people friendly I believe she will come back around once trust has been established. Just keep things at her pace. Try dropping a treat when you walk by or if she will come to you for millet and other seeds that she favors, only for interaction so she makes the positive connection.
And yes they are feisty little birds so be careful when letting her out with freddie.
And as far as diet fresh veggies and fruit along with pellets and seeds. I have one bowl for pellets and another for nurtiberrys

 

[Budgie33]

We were told to feed her parakeet food which we already have due to having a cockatiel named Freddie (a crazy character on his own) and egg mix? I'm not too familiar with egg mix so advice on this would be very much appreciated. They also gave us a lamp, because apparently she needs the vitamin D? Again, any advice would be much appreciated.

I'm more familiar with budgie diet, but I do know that parrotlets are somewhat similar. One thing I noticed when I was researching about parrotlet diet a while back is how pellets aren't exactly recommended. This one breeder, who had a 24 year old parrotlet, told me that the vast majority of his diet was chop with some seeds mixed in.



To get your bird to eat veggies, there are a few things you can try:

• Hang some leafy greens (Kale, chard, beet greens, etc.) with a clothespin
• Chop up some vegetables very finely and mix in seeds
• Chop up some vegetables very finely and mix in a type of fruit
• Chop up some vegetables very finely and mix in sweet potato
• Start out by giving sprouted seeds and slowly work up to veggies
• Try giving your bird broccoli - It looks pretty seed-like
• Some birds like fresh chop better than frozen chop

Indie's favorite fruits and veggies are broccoli, carrot, and strawberry (She goes crazy for any chop with strawberries in it)



I make my own seed mix with organic, fresh (I like to buy "sprouting seeds" since they are usually freshest) steel cut oats, tri-color quinoa, amaranth, millet, barley, buckwheat, black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, etc. I mix in these seeds with my chop so if she wants the seeds, she has to eat some chop.



For pellets, I recommend Harrison's High Potency Super Fine. Indie loves 'em and she was super easy to convert since they are seed-like.

Tips on how to get her hand tamed again would be much appreciated and also would like to get her talking, if that's possible. We've had our cockatiel for just over a year and we've managed to get him imitating the Addams family song, a little of the final countdown intro and he says hello pretty boy and hello freddo.

Once you've converted her to a healthier diet, "junk foods" (Millet spray, straight seeds, nuts, nutriberries, etc.) will have a higher value. You can put these in your hand and let your hand sit at the door of the cage (Not inside, that way you are not intruding in her personal space). Another trick is to just leave the cage doors open, and since you are the only thing she knows on the outside she might come to you (Indie does that to my dad).

Target training is also a huge help.

 

[Hermesbird]

One thing I noticed when I was researching about parrotlet diet a while back is how pellets aren't exactly recommended. This one breeder, who had a 24 year old parrotlet, told me that the vast majority of his diet was chop with some seeds mixed in.

That’s interesting. Hands down a bowl of seeds is my favorite

 

[Sparkles99]

Congratulations, CarlyB! I have no advice, but your bird is adorable.

(And I like your new avatar, Hermesbird.)

 

[Gigibirds]

Oh my goodness! Wow, congrats on your first parrotlet! I love the lil guys (I've had mine for more than 3 years already.....sweetest bird I have EVER had) They probably meant egg food (hard-boiled egg mixed with dry breadcrumbs and sometimes vitamins/vegetables) when they said egg mix. You don't need a lamp - just take her out in the sun sometimes. Also about teaching her how to talk.....parrotlets, especially female ones, are terrible talkers. So you probably won't get very far with that, but hey, you taught your cockatiel so well, so maybe you can do it with your p'let, too! I'm not sure what you mean by parakeet food, but just pellets and a few seeds as treats + daily greens and, of course, water, is a good diet. For taming she might be a little nippy, so you need to be REALLY patient and don't react when she bites. But if she was already tamed then things will be easier - once she settles in you can resume her training, and she should pick it up fairly quickly, but they bite shockingly hard!! Parrotlets are sassy, feisty, hilarious and really sweet when they like you! Congratulations, and good luck with your new girl!
It was so kind of you to take her in!
p.s. I've noticed that parrotlets tend to LOVE rope perches, so you could consider getting one for your girl.....also that perch that she is on in the picture is too big for her teensy little feet!

 

[Sparkles99]

Really? I've heard that no perch is too wide in diameter only too small. Just ordered a bunch of wide perches, consequently.

 

[CarlyB]

What a beautiful baby girl!

Thank you

 

[CarlyB]

She's a cutie. It's good for all birds to get Vitamin D from sunshine. Since most don't or can't, a full spectrum light is often used instead. I'm not aware of a parrotlet needing an egg mix. (I fostered one for awhile so have some experience with them but not a ton.) My parrotlet ate mainly pellets and vegetables with some seeds more as treats/reward. He also really loved fruit. One thing to keep in mind is that parrotlets think they're big. LOL. They have pretty big personalities in a little body. Much feistier than a cockatiel, and more playful. Mine loved to toss a little wiffle type ball with a bell around his cage.

Thank you.

 

[CarlyB]

Thank you all for your tips and advice. I have read that their bite is quite painful and they have big personalities. She will fit right in with my crazy brood lol.

Her previous owners gave me food that they had for her which I think is a parakeet seed mix (Sunflower, Groats, Buckwheat, Plate Millet, Canary Seed, Micronised Barley and Paddy Rice) I have also put a millet spray in her cage but she doesn't seem that bothered, but I have noticed her throwing her seed out of her dish.

Would she eat the veg, greens and fruit if she hasn't been offered it before? The egg mix they gave me is a powdered sort, to be made to a porridge like consistency and mix in seed? I never do this for Freddie so like a fish out of water on that one.

Could I put her outside in her cage on warm, sunny days like I do with Freddie when we sit out the garden. He loves to hear the wild bird tweet and see them fly past. Being in the UK, warm days are few and far between so we like to make the most of it when we can haha.

I need to get some new toys for her cage as I think boredom gets the better of her and she has started chewing her perches. I am also wondering if I should get her a wider cage as hers is tall but doesn't seem very wide. I'd like to get her one similar to Fred's if it's suitable for her.

 

[sunnysmom]

Thank you all for your tips and advice. I have read that their bite is quite painful and they have big personalities. She will fit right in with my crazy brood lol.

Her previous owners gave me food that they had for her which I think is a parakeet seed mix (Sunflower, Groats, Buckwheat, Plate Millet, Canary Seed, Micronised Barley and Paddy Rice) I have also put a millet spray in her cage but she doesn't seem that bothered, but I have noticed her throwing her seed out of her dish.

Would she eat the veg, greens and fruit if she hasn't been offered it before? The egg mix they gave me is a powdered sort, to be made to a porridge like consistency and mix in seed? I never do this for Freddie so like a fish out of water on that one.

Could I put her outside in her cage on warm, sunny days like I do with Freddie when we sit out the garden. He loves to hear the wild bird tweet and see them fly past. Being in the UK, warm days are few and far between so we like to make the most of it when we can haha.

I need to get some new toys for her cage as I think boredom gets the better of her and she has started chewing her perches. I am also wondering if I should get her a wider cage as hers is tall but doesn't seem very wide. I'd like to get her one similar to Fred's if it's suitable for her.

I think wider cages are usually better. And taking her outside in her cage is fine. Basic care, I think is pretty similar with the a tiel and a parrotlet. One thing I wasn't expecting with my foster was how fast he was. So, working on step up/recall I think is really beneficial. I didn't have my foster that long so we were definitely still in the trust building stages but he would disappear when outside of his cage playing. And he was so tiny I was afraid to move for fear of stepping on him. And I just let him out in a smaller room while we were working on taming/training. I'm sure in time that would have gotten better, but just something to be aware of.

 

[CarlyB]

I think wider cages are usually better. And taking her outside in her cage is fine. Basic care, I think is pretty similar with the a tiel and a parrotlet. One thing I wasn't expecting with my foster was how fast he was. So, working on step up/recall I think is really beneficial. I didn't have my foster that long so we were definitely still in the trust building stages but he would disappear when outside of his cage playing. And he was so tiny I was afraid to move for fear of stepping on him. And I just let him out in a smaller room while we were working on taming/training. I'm sure in time that would have gotten better, but just something to be aware of.

I put my hand yesterday just to see her response and was everywhere in the cage. I've read conflicting advice on how to get her to be hand tamed. I obviously won't have her out the same time as Fred. But I do have her cage next to Fred to get them used to each other but was told this is wrong. I was going to leaving her a few days to get used to her new surroundings etc but was also told this is wrong. So just winging it and hope for the best haha

 

[Keetie!]

I put my hand yesterday just to see her response and was everywhere in the cage. I've read conflicting advice on how to get her to be hand tamed. I obviously won't have her out the same time as Fred. But I do have her cage next to Fred to get them used to each other but was told this is wrong. I was going to leaving her a few days to get used to her new surroundings etc but was also told this is wrong. So just winging it and hope for the best haha

I think your instincts are best. Just don't force anything. I used to like to try to be very calm around Blueberry with a soft voice. He liked that. Oh yes...I also praised him for any little thing......I miss him so much!

 

[MR. Mango]

just something to remember is to not let him outside without a harness or in a carrier or small cage, they can fly away in a second!

 

[sunnysmom]

I put my hand yesterday just to see her response and was everywhere in the cage. I've read conflicting advice on how to get her to be hand tamed. I obviously won't have her out the same time as Fred. But I do have her cage next to Fred to get them used to each other but was told this is wrong. I was going to leaving her a few days to get used to her new surroundings etc but was also told this is wrong. So just winging it and hope for the best haha

LOL. Everyone has an opinion on right and wrong. My foster parrotlet was pretty cage territorial and putting hands in didn't work well. Why did they say it was wrong to have her near Fred? (Other than for quarantine reasons...) But if they've already been introduced, quarantine is already broken. I try to be careful with what I say I do with new birds because I told someone on here what I did, and she let her bird out and had a horrible time of it and I felt terrible. That said, I'll say what I do and you can decide what you want to try. I don't believe in leaving a new bird alone. It's a new place. They're scared and they're flock animals. So I spend time with them from the get go. With rehomed birds- which is always what I have- I look at it as I don't know what they can do until I try. So, I let them come out almost right away if they want to. The type of bird depends on where I let them out. As I mentioned before, with my parrotlet, I let him out in my office/bird room with the door closed. I open the door of the cage and see what they do. Some come out. Some don't. But that's okay, it gives me an idea of what I'm working with. I don't try to pet the bird right away. I work with hand feeding treats. I do see if the bird will step up. Sometimes I'm surprised at how well they actually do know how to step up. (My Scooter is a champ. He'll step up for anyone. Had no idea he did until I tried.) If they freak out at stepping up with hands, then I'll see if they will step up on a perch. If that doesn't work, I resort to food bribery to get them back in the cage. All that said, it really has to be what YOU are comfortable doing too. But I definitely wouldn't just leave her alone. Even if it's you just sitting by her watching TV with no direct interaction. I think completely alone is scary to them.

 

[CarlyB]

just something to remember is to not let him outside without a harness or in a carrier or small cage, they can fly away in a second!

I only ever put them outside in their cage. I did it this afternoon and she loved it, the noisiest she's been since she arrived on Wednesday haha

 

[CarlyB]

LOL. Everyone has an opinion on right and wrong. My foster parrotlet was pretty cage territorial and putting hands in didn't work well. Why did they say it was wrong to have her near Fred? (Other than for quarantine reasons...) But if they've already been introduced, quarantine is already broken. I try to be careful with what I say I do with new birds because I told someone on here what I did, and she let her bird out and had a horrible time of it and I felt terrible. That said, I'll say what I do and you can decide what you want to try. I don't believe in leaving a new bird alone. It's a new place. They're scared and they're flock animals. So I spend time with them from the get go. With rehomed birds- which is always what I have- I look at it as I don't know what they can do until I try. So, I let them come out almost right away if they want to. The type of bird depends on where I let them out. As I mentioned before, with my parrotlet, I let him out in my office/bird room with the door closed. I open the door of the cage and see what they do. Some come out. Some don't. But that's okay, it gives me an idea of what I'm working with. I don't try to pet the bird right away. I work with hand feeding treats. I do see if the bird will step up. Sometimes I'm surprised at how well they actually do know how to step up. (My Scooter is a champ. He'll step up for anyone. Had no idea he did until I tried.) If they freak out at stepping up with hands, then I'll see if they will step up on a perch. If that doesn't work, I resort to food bribery to get them back in the cage. All that said, it really has to be what YOU are comfortable doing too. But I definitely wouldn't just leave her alone. Even if it's you just sitting by her watching TV with no direct interaction. I think completely alone is scary to them.

I sit in the chair next to their cages and talk to them both. Tell her she's a pretty bird lol I just haven't taken her out of the cage yet and seen what she's like to get back in. I'll do it on a day when it's a quiet house (Husband & kids in school & work) so she hasn't too much noise to frighten her.

With being next to Fred they said she'll bond with him although he's in a separate cage and won't bother with us. He hasn't paid him too much attention if I'm honest but it's early days. Fred was what I call peacocking (wings open and singing and whistling) to her earlier which was cute to watch.

My husband wasnt too impressed with the whole new bird thing so he hasn't bothered much other than to say she's messy haha

 

[CarlyB]

I think your instincts are best. Just don't force anything. I used to like to try to be very calm around Blueberry with a soft voice. He liked that. Oh yes...I also praised him for any little thing......I miss him so much!

Yeah we're just going to go at our own pace and see what develops