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Tips: bringing home a new parrotlet

47K views 28 replies 20 participants last post by  Rubydoo252 
#1 ·
Many members join because they are planning or already have a new parrotlet, here are some tips in making your new bird more comfortable in his/her home. These tips are generalities with a focus on a baby parrotlets; each parrotlet is different, with different personalities, so they may not all apply to yours.

1. When a parrotlet goes into a new home, remember that his world has changed completely. He's no longer with his breeder (the familiar human) or with his clutch mates. A parrotlet may be social and more interactive in the original home (whether breeder, first home, pet shop), but become timid in a new home. Give him time to settle in the new home first. It may take just couple minutes, it may take days to months.

2. It's recommended that millet should always be available in the first month of being in a new home, especially baby birds. A lot of birds are weaned on millet and others will treat it as comfort food, eating it solely because they're stressed.

3. Unless you are getting an unweaned parrotlet (which recommendations are not too unless you're an experienced hand feeder), most parrotlets will wean sometime between 6-12 weeks of age. There is a big variance in ages, because each individual will wean at different times, even within the same clutch. To try to limit regression issues, the best time to take a parrotlet home is 1 week after being weaned and eating food on his own.

4. Regression is a term that is used for a baby parrot that was weaned at the breeder's and then become stressed and wants to be handfed again. A parrotlet will show signs of regression by begging for food. There may be crying/chirping for food, head bobbing, losing weight, and no food eaten on his own. If this happens, either you should start hand feeding if you know how or bring the parrotlet back to the breeder to have them hand feed again.

5. Gram scale. Ideally, you should have a gram scale at home to weigh the parrotlet's weight. Parrotlets in general (also depending on species of parrotlets) will weigh 28-35 grams. The ideal time to weigh them is first thing in the morning before they've eaten, as this will eliminate the problem of food weight that may be in the crop which can vary day to day. The best way to determine if a parrotlet is losing weight is by weighing them daily when they first come home and watching their weight trends. A parrotlet that just weaned may lose some weight initially due to the transition from formula to seed or pellets, but should regain it back. Anything greater than 1 gram of weight loss is considered to be a potential issue.

A gram scale is additionally important even though you think your parrotlet is eating, because sometimes they're playing with their food and not actually eating. If feeding seeds or millet, you should see empty seed hulls around the cage; but even that may not be enough as they may be eating a little bit, but not enough to survive. There have been many young birds who have done this and died from starvation.

Parrotlets tend to have high metabolisms and will eat a lot, especially for a bird of such small stature. Additionally, a good sign of them eating well is pooping well. Most parrotlets will poop about every 20 minutes. The poop is the darker portion of the material that comes out, the white portion is the urine. If you notice that the darker portion seems to be getting smaller, your bird may not be eating enough.

6. Bowls of food and water should be similar to those at the previous home and placed in the same area as the previous home to ensure that they know what and where they are. Many breeders will place bowls down low or on the floor of the cage for babies, so you may want to do this first to ensure that they know where the food and water is.

Something to consider is covered dishes. If the previous home did not have them, new parrotlets may not realize that they contain food and water or know how to navigate them to get to the food/water.

You may also consider putting food/water dishes up high as parrotlets will naturally want to perch on the higher perches. And when stressed in a new home, may not be willing to go to the bottom of the cage to eat and drink.

7. It's recommended that you feed the same or a very similar food as the previous home to make the transition to the new home easier. Some birds are pickier than others.

At the same time, you can also offer new stuff, fresh foods, etc. This will allow them to get used to the presence of it even though they may not try to eat it yet.

8. You should have your parrotlet examined by an avian veterinarian soon after bringing your baby home. This will help ensure that you have a healthy baby. Some veterinarians will recommend bloodwork and/or poop check to ensure your parrotlet is healthy.

9. If there are other parrots in your home, the new parrotlet should be quarantined from the other parrots for 30-60 days. Usually a new parrot will be stressed going to a new home and this is the time period where they will come down with an illness. The quarantine will help ensure that the other parrots in the home are not affected.

Ideally a quarantine would entail the new addition being housed in a different room (completely different air supply would be ideal but usually impossible in most cases) and the new parrotlet would not have any contact with the other birds.

10. Cage set-up. A young baby parrotlet will tend to be clumsy when young. A smaller cage is usually preferred until they're more stable. The perches should be placed lower in the cage and you may want to consider padding the bottom of the cage with a towel in case they fall.

Otherwise, the general rule of thumb for the preferred cage size for a parrotlet is as big as you can afford and put in your home. Many members on the forum prefer flight cages. Most parrotlets are very active and will use just about every inch of their cage.

When buying a cage, make sure that the bar spacing is at maximum 1/2 inch. Anything bigger than that, you're parrotlet may be able to squeeze their head through the bars. Additionally if you have doors (usually it's the food/water bowl doors) that slide up and down, you may want to clip them shut. Parrotlets have been known to try to escape through these doors by sliding them up.

11. Training: the key is patience. As soon as you think your parrotlet is ready, you can begin training him. The time frame will vary from parrotlet to parrotlet. Some parrotlets are ready as soon as they get home, others prefer to settle in the new home first. Go at the pace that your parrotlet is willing to go. If they act scared, go more slowly. If they're eager, then keep on training. Usually, I recommend 5-10 minutes of training multiple times throughout the day. You can only expect a parrotlet to step up or do tricks so many times before they get bored! If you need a more detailed information, check this thread: http://talkparrotlets.com/showthread.php?t=4603.

12. To trim wings or not. This is personal preference and you should make your own decision. But in general, I think it's easier to train a parrotlet when their wings are trimmed. This allows the bond to happen more easily as you don't have to chase them around (which can sometimes mimic a predator). After that you can let the feathers grow back and see if that's what you prefer. Just keep in mind that you should try to keep your home as bird safe as possible if you have a fully flighted parrotlet (no cooking when he's out, no ceiling fans on, etc).

13. Biting. Please refer to the Gentle Beak technique sticky here: http://talkparrotlets.com/showthread.php?t=12871.

14. Signs to watch for if you think your bird is ill: any behavior changes, puffed up feathers, tail bobbing/heavy breathing, not eating, half closed eyes for a lot of the time, sleeping a lot, sleeping on the bottom of the cage (especially if they didn't before), wetness around the nose, poop sticking to the butt, diarrhea, weight loss, etc.

If you notice anything that may make you think your parrotlet is ill, please take them to a veterinarian immediately. Unfortunately, even if you post something on the forum, we may not be able to tell you accurately what to do or respond in a timely manner.
 
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#2 ·
Wow, great tips!

I wanted to share something my breeder told me regarding #2. When I went to pick up Petey, I told the breeder that I had put millet in his cage. I did this after reading the advice here on the forums.

The breeder said I should take all of it out of the cage, because Petey would eat the millet (empty calories) over his nutritious food.

I bought the same food that the breeder had been giving Petey since he was weaned. He had no problem finding and eating his food. He was 7 weeks old and had been fully weaned before coming home.

Obviously, this is just one experience and every bird/breeder is different. I just wanted to offer another perspective.
 
#3 ·
Millet is not empty calories. It does contain fat and is very good for weening babies and sick and stressed birds. That is why it is offered when you first bring the baby home so that if he starts to regress he is getting something that can sustain him. It is something most birds love, easy to eat and if they can't even handle eating that you know they are very sick.
 
#5 ·
Nice post. The gentle beak technique has been working wonders for me and my two. I haven't yet gotten them to "step up" but they are talking and mimicking a lot. sometimes i just take them out (just one at a time) at night and hold them, gently talking to them...to get them to trust that Im their friend and not going to hurt them.

I am however having a problem finding a better cage for the two of them!! I'd like something say 20-24 x 20-24 x 30 ....nothing bigger nothing smaller...something with a seed catching pan would be nice, on wheels, and with
a hatchet that opens for nesting. I've looked everywhere and cant seem to find a thing.
 
#7 ·
I just wanted to thank you for this informative post. I just brought my first baby Parrotlet home yesterday and the tips were very helpful. I'm glad I got the millet, as that was the only thing he would eat the first day. He is a blue, and I am currently thinking of names. Sky and Turk are currently at the top of the list. He is stepping up, staying on my hand, giving kisses, fluffing his feathers up when I pet him, so I feel he is adjusting well :)
 
#8 ·
Flying

Hi, I just purchased a parrotlet from a lady that no longer wanted him about a month ago. He is about 5 months old now. He was very aggressive and was flying all over the house. The other day he started to become tired all the time and hes not able to fly now. Through online research I've learned that he is probably molting as hes also picking out his feathers which would explain his aggressiveness. But I'm worried because hes stopped being able to fly. He jumps off my hand now and falls straight to the floor without even trying to fly. Is this normal during molting? Thanks
 
#9 ·
Hi, I just purchased a parrotlet from a lady that no longer wanted him about a month ago. He is about 5 months old now. He was very aggressive and was flying all over the house. The other day he started to become tired all the time and hes not able to fly now. Through online research I've learned that he is probably molting as hes also picking out his feathers which would explain his aggressiveness. But I'm worried because hes stopped being able to fly. He jumps off my hand now and falls straight to the floor without even trying to fly. Is this normal during molting? Thanks
Yes, they do get grumpy and maybe a little tired during molting but it doesn't inhibit their ability to fly or make them too tired to fly. Sounds to me like a trip to a vet is in order because something may be wrong. Being too tired to fly is *not* normal.
 
#13 ·
Worried about color choices

Would a bird colored differently than wildtype be more visible and thus less likely to be, for example, stepped on or involved in some other accident? Green is my favorite color and I find myself gravitating toward the wildtype, but I know I'd love whatever bird I got just as deeply regardless of color. I don't want to let color preference come before safety. I am aware of the issue regarding the color morphs and pellets, but here I am asking solely on the basis of any difference in safety from accidents. Where I am my only option is to choose color and sex, or I'd choose based on temperament and how the bird reacted to me. Thank you so much!
 
#14 ·
Would a bird colored differently than wildtype be more visible and thus less likely to be, for example, stepped on or involved in some other accident? Green is my favorite color and I find myself gravitating toward the wildtype, but I know I'd love whatever bird I got just as deeply regardless of color. I don't want to let color preference come before safety. I am aware of the issue regarding the color morphs and pellets, but here I am asking solely on the basis of any difference in safety from accidents. Where I am my only option is to choose color and sex, or I'd choose based on temperament and how the bird reacted to me. Thank you so much!
Well, it really varies with the environment that the bird is in.... so if you have blue carpeting and a blue parrotlet, then yes, you're probably more likely to step on them. If you have a green parrotlet and green carpeting... same is true. So, generally, I don't think that having one specific color morph is going to be more accident prone or have safety problems than another...
 
#15 ·
These are great tips! I just brought my baby home yesterday and she's already coming out of her cage and flying over to me! I find just trying to think/understand from their perspectives really helps me to understand and bond with her. Thank you for your tips!
 
#16 ·
How much does a parrotlet typically sleep? I brought my new parrotlet Wrigley home last night. He was weaned a week ago. He seems happy and social, but I've noticed he is sleeping a lot today. I don't remember my conure or my cockatiels being so sleepy. Is this normal for him? I know he is still adjusting to being away from his siblings in a new place. He's not puffed up/doesn't look like he's sick, but he's more than happy to sit on my finger and sleep.
 
#17 ·
It could be that all the excitement from yesterday tuckered him out. Just make sure you weigh him daily to see that he is not regressing and losing weight and check poops and that his breathing is ok.
 
#18 ·
Monitored him very closely. He was eating and drinking and didn't lose any weight. Playful and seemed happy. Then today when I got home from work he was dead. :( I contacted the breeder and she won't respond, so I'm guessing maybe there is some history of problems like this. Three days and I was already so attached to the little guy.

I'm heartbroken.
 
#26 ·
I've been looking into getting a parrotlet. I'm looking at a couple of cages which is incredibly daunting with such a wide range of information in regards to the size. What I'm currently getting stuck on is what to bring home initially. Obviously a cage, bowls, food, and treats. Toys and such is what I'm stuck on at the moment. Does anyone have a list of must haves for the cage when I before I bring home a parrotlet?
 
#27 ·
Hi and welcome to the forum!
Parrotlets have individual preferences for toys. The best solution for a new bird is to make sure there are a couple of each type of toys. Some parrotlets enjoy shredding toys, others LOVE bells, and others love whatever. Until you know about your parrotlet, having a toy of each type is the best solution. It can be challenging to find good toys in appropriate sizes for parrotlets, so don't be afraid of buying a toy for a much larger bird - they double as jungle gyms! No matter how much you prepare, most parrotlets throw you for a loop as soon as you meet them. I had carefully prepared Tumi's cage, and then the very afternoon I brought him home he made it clear that I did it wrong and needed to try again.
 
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