Hand Fed Pacific Parrotlet / Mutation - Forpus coelestis

Noise Level & Talking Ability

Pacific Parrotlets are generally regarded as quieter birds. They can be quite vocal, but aren't capable of producing overly loud noises relative to many other parrots. The sounds are most often short chirps, but they can chitter and "squeal" as well. While they are regarded as quiet in a volume sense, parrotlets are quite vocal and like to voice their opinion. Parrotlets are somewhat capable of mimicking speech, but it is not something they're known for being particularly good at.

Physical Features 

Many people will say parrotlets are the smallest parrots when talking about pacific parrotlets. This is partly true, the smallest parrot is a parrotlet, but not a pacific parrotlet. That said, these li'l guys are certainly still VERY small. The naturally occurring colour form is a lightish green, with males having a greyish-green back and wings, often giving the light-green face a mask-like appearance. The beak and feet are both light pink. Both males and females can have blue "eyeliner", as well as a blue coloured rump. These traits do tend to be more prominent in males, though. Pacific parrotlets are dimorphic and male VS female can be determined by looking at the flight feathers. In this region, males will have very noticeable royal blue feathers, whereas hens will lack the blue. Pacific parrotlets are bred in many colour mutations, and birds which are green, blue, white, and yellow can be found - sometimes even all four colours on one individual! They have a fairly typical "parrot" form; short wedge-like tail, hooked beak, zygodactyl toes, proportionately fitting wings, and a fairly round body.

Pet Profile 

Parrotlets make super fun pets! They are all the excitement of a big bird in a 32 gram package. With that being said, parrotlet ownership is often better suited to people who have some experience around birds. Owners who are new to birds can be successful as long as they are confident and respectful of your bird. 

This species is known for being very energetic and tolerates busy households well, but can also thrive in a more relaxed environment. At under 6 inches tall you may think it is hard to be the centre of attention. A Pacific Parrotlet will make a liar out of you. Whether they are playing by themselves in the cage or sharing an evening snuggle with their owner, these small parrots are sure to occupy a large portion of your heart from the moment you form a bond. Read more...

Diet

Offer seeds daily with pellets made always available in the cage. It’s recommended not to leave the seeds in the cage full time, just offer them daily. Pellets should remain the main diet. Fresh vegetables, sprouts, grains, and legumes should be offered as frequently as possible, with some fruit on occasion. 

Please note: if you are just taking a new bird home it is best practice to always leave their desired food in the cage full time. Water must always be available.

Parrotlets are one of the few types of parrot that need an amount of seeds every day. They eat almost constantly. Their metabolism is very high to support such a tiny body. At Exotic Wings we like to use low-sunflower cockatiel blend mixed with a conditioning mix. Black oil sunflower is preferable to striped when selecting a cockatiel seed mix. 

Housing

Although parrotlets are small, they do appreciate having space. These energetic parrots will use just about every inch you give them. It is very important that parrotlets have plenty of toys, and a good variety of perches, They particularly benefit from foraging toys, where they can release a little extra steam searching for the tasty treats hidden inside. 

Breeding Information

Wild Status

Stable - Least Concern
Last assessed October 2016 for the IUCN Red List