Types of pet parrots: small parrots

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Colors and patterns of budgies

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Types of small breeds of birds with photos

They are considered an ideal choice for beginners or teenagers looking to get their first pet. This popularity is due to the ease of maintenance and care, since you do not have to devote a lot of time to cleaning or training.

Another reason for the high demand is considered to be ease of breeding . For a small parrot, you do not need to buy a large cage, and such birds do not make much noise. Accessories and food are affordable goods, so you don’t have to spend a lot of money on maintaining a small pet.

The cost of a small parrot is much lower than that of large breeds. But initially it is recommended to study the characteristics of each breed in order to choose a pet that matches the preferences of the future owner.

Passeriformes

These cute little parrots first appeared in the United States, but gradually became popular in different countries of the world. They are considered easy to care for and maintain, and are usually green in color. Breeders have been able to breed individuals of other colors, so you can find birds with blue, yellow or cream plumage.

The bird's weight is only 30 grams, and its body length does not exceed 14.5 cm . Due to such small size, the parrot got its original name. A distinctive feature is the wedge-shaped or rounded tail. Birds have a light and wide beak that widens on the sides.

Budgerigars are considered an ideal choice for people who prefer to spend most of their time in silence. Birds almost never scream or disturb their owners with loud singing. But the disadvantage of this choice is considered to be aggression towards humans or other pets, and this is especially true during nesting.

Birds have a stubborn and courageous character, so while defending their territory they can attack people or other birds.

If you keep one passerine parrot at home, the chick quickly gets used to people, so it becomes a playful and friendly pet that requires as much attention as possible. The Budgerigar can be taught to say quite a few words and also imitates other sounds constantly. The lifespan of such birds is approximately 20 years.

Wavy

To this day, parrots are considered the most popular pet birds all over the world.

Features of their content include:

chicks may be blue, yellow, red or other colors;
body length varies from 17 to 19 cm;
weight is approximately 45 grams;
the name of the breed arose due to special wave stripes on the bird’s body, although now you can find a pet without these waves;
wavy birds have a strong and small beak;
A distinctive feature is considered to be rapid flight, so in the wild birds reach speeds of up to 120 km/h;
under the right conditions, the wavy can live up to 20 years;
pets of this breed easily imitate human speech or other sounds, but usually this ability is manifested only in males;
the birds are playful, friendly and sociable, and do not require specific housing conditions.

A significant disadvantage of wavy animals for many people is their loudness and restlessness, so they make a lot of noise and often prevent their owners from sleeping peacefully.

Fig

This breed is found in Australia, and the unusual name was received due to the fact that parrots prefer to eat the fruits of fig trees. Such birds are kept quite rarely at home, since they have still been little studied by ornithologists.

Their features include:

parrots are considered quiet and calm, so they spend most of their time behind the leaves of trees, without attracting the attention of predators;
they are small in size and discreet in color, which allows them to effectively camouflage themselves from humans or birds;
the body size is approximately 14 cm, and the birds weigh no more than 35 grams;
Green birds are usually found, but you can find individuals with unusual feathers that have a yellow, blue or orange tint.

If you protect your fig parakeet from stress, drafts and pests, it can live up to 20 years.

Woodpeckers

This breed is considered the smallest of all varieties, since the body length is about 10 cm. Such parrots weigh only 13 grams , which allows them to effectively hide behind trees. Due to the fact that woodpeckers are restless and wary birds, their way of life has been practically not studied by ornithologists.

Parrots can be blue, brown, yellow or red in color. Their tail can be straight or rounded, so it resembles the tail of a woodpecker. Such birds cannot be kept at home, so they can only be seen in the wild or in a zoo. Life expectancy is about 15 years.

Lovebirds

They are considered popular pets, kept only in pairs. Birds that are paired remain with each other for the rest of their lives. If a female dies, the male often dies a few days later from melancholy, but if a new girl is placed with him in a timely manner, a new pair can be formed.

The features of these parrots include:

in the wild they can be found in Africa and Madagascar, with numerous flocks settling near sources of clean water;
life expectancy is from 15 to 20 years;
body length reaches 17 cm, with about 10 cm being the tail;
the birds are distinguished by their beautiful plumage, which can consist of several contrasting colors, represented by red, yellow, green and blue;
breeders were able to develop lovebirds with bright yellow, white and cobalt colors;
active lovebirds are jealous, so they can attack humans or other pets for their mate;
Love, tenderness and mutual respect usually reign in a couple, so the male rarely fights with the female.

The disadvantage of this choice is that it is almost impossible to teach lovebirds to speak. They have difficulty imitating human speech or other sounds. In practice, there have been cases when people were able to teach such a parrot to speak about 15 words, but for this he must live alone.

Lovebird parrot

Representatives of this species live on the island. Madagascar and other African islands. Lovebirds got their name because they live in large flocks or in pairs throughout their lives. The colorful birds grow from 10 to 17 cm in size, but due to their short tail and bulky build they often look larger. The lifespan of a baby varies between 15-20 years .

Lovebirds are very colorful little parrots, their feathers are bright green and their head, neck and chest are usually a contrasting shade of blue, red, green or yellow (depending on the species).

You should not keep a large group of birds in one cage, because... They have a jealous character, which sometimes leads to military conflicts between relatives. One bird can harm another, even one that is larger than it. But if you keep parrots in pairs, then you don’t have to worry - they will live together.

Lovebirds are practically incapable of learning human language. Rarely, but they speak, and then only with the persistent and patient approach of the owner. A lovebird can learn a maximum of 15 words.

Whom to choose

If you plan to purchase a small parrot, then you can choose different breeds, focusing on your own preferences.

But at the same time, the recommendations of experienced breeders are taken into account:

if there is a desire to teach a wavy to speak, then it is advisable to buy a wavy, and it should be kept alone, not in pairs;
if a person wants the house to never be quiet, then it is important to choose a couple of lovebirds who chirp or sing a lot, and it is also always pleasant to observe the unusual habits of these birds;
if a person wants a pet to be calm and pleasant in communication, then he buys a passerine parrot, which not only imitates human speech, but also screams a little.

When choosing, the cost of the parrot is additionally taken into account, since the price for different breeds varies significantly.

Features of care

Since the plan is to buy a small bird, it does not need specific conditions, a large aviary or other requirements. Therefore, you can buy a small cage, which is placed in a convenient place in the apartment.

It is recommended to purchase a small chick that can be easily handled and taught to speak. If you take a bird from another owner, then there is a high probability that it will always treat the new owner with fear.

Purchasing a cage

To keep a small parrot, it is important to choose a rectangular cage. Its size must correspond to the dimensions of the bird so that the pet can easily spread its wings at any time.

It is important not only to purchase, but also to properly arrange the structure in which the following elements are installed:

perches made of wood, and their diameter depends on the size of the legs, since the bird must freely completely clasp the stick;
a drinking bowl in which the water is changed daily, and you can also use a special automatic design in which the water is not contaminated and remains fresh for a long time;
two feeders attached to the walls of the cage, since one is intended for dry food, and the other is used for fruits, cereals and vegetables;
mineral supplements and vitamin supplements;
wooden or plastic toys, ladders, swings and a mirror.

If a mirror is hung, the bird loses interest in the person, so it spends most of its time next to this accessory, refusing to communicate and learn.

To create a sense of security in the bird, it is recommended to place the cage next to the wall , and you should not place it directly on the floor, as this will lead to stress for the pet. But if you put it at the level of human eyes, the bird will begin to dominate and show aggression.

Organization of diet

Small parrots have a fast metabolism, so they need to get food every 3 hours. Therefore, it is important that there is always a lot of food in the feeder. It is important to organize a complete and varied diet, so you buy not only different dry mixtures, but also fruits, vegetables or herbs.

From time to time it is necessary to give your pet a boiled egg, low-fat cottage cheese, porridge with water and branches of fruit trees.

It is forbidden to give birds baked goods, spices, salt and sugar, fish, dairy products, and red meat, although a small amount of boiled chicken is allowed. So that the bird can sharpen its beak, special mineral stones are bought or twigs are brought from the street , but they must first be treated with protective agents to protect the bird from parasites.

Although parrots are small in size, they sense the owner’s mood well, so it is necessary to pay them a lot of attention, communicate and play.

Games and development

Birds need active pastime and games, otherwise they will start to get bored and get sick. Therefore, it is immediately recommended to buy them swings, ladders, bells and other toys that have a bright appearance. You can even organize a full-fledged gaming complex at home.

Even small parrots can be taught various tricks, and some breeds are also good at parodying human speech . You need to exercise daily, rewarding your pet with treats.

Features of keeping small parrots

A small parrot in the house is a huge responsibility and a lot of responsibilities. To keep a bird in the house, you need to follow several rules and have everything you need on hand.

The bird's cage must be suitable for its size. The bars should not be too spacious, otherwise the bird may escape. There should be a sufficient number of toys and perches. The bottom needs to be filled with wood.
Feed. The food for the bird must be suitable. For example, not everyone can digest grains, and fruits are strictly contraindicated for some birds.

The water in the cage needs to be changed every day, because various parasites can remain in it.

Where can I buy

You can buy a small parrot in a nursery, at the market or in a pet store, as well as from private owners. The cost of a budgerigar in nurseries varies from 600 to 5,000 rubles, and from a private owner you can buy a parrot from 500 to 2,000 thousand rubles.

The price for a lovebird varies from 1,500 to 6,000 thousand rubles, and prices are affected by the region of residence, age and other characteristics of the parrots. If you need to buy a passerine parrot, you will have to spend a large sum, since the price starts from 2.5 thousand rubles, which is due to the rarity of the breed.