They are 5 inches long at full maturity. The males have light blue streaks behind their eyes and darker streaks on the wings and rump. The female is plain green and may or may not have the light blue streak behind the eye. While they are not recommended for young children because their occasional nips can be painful, they are noted for being good at tricks, such as flying to the owner on command, the ‘wave’, and going through a hoop on command. They are also good talkers and may speak in complete sentences, although the voice is not as clear as some other parrots. They are very cute, but are known for eating as much as the larger cockatiels.

They are not recommended for aviaries as they may kill their mate or cagemate. If you put a Pacific in an aviary be sure they have lots of room to fly and do not put them with other birds as they will attack other birds regardless of size. They cannot be housed in a small finch or budgie cage and need a very large cage with about ½ inch bar sizing. They need at least 3 toys and 3-4 perches (more is always better!). Though they are small their nutrition should not be overlooked and they should be fed at least three vegetables and 2 fruits every day. They are good apartment birds because they are relatively quiet.

Pacific Parrotlets come in several color mutations such as blue, white, albino, American yellow, and gray-green. They are rarely obtained at pet stores and usually have to be bought from a professional breeder. They are good show birds as they are generally comfortable with traveling, and like all the attention they will obtain from the attendants and the judge.

Parrotlets may be small, but they are very messy. Just as the large parrots typically do, they will fling fruit and such on everything in their paths, including walls, the cage, cagemates, and the owner! They love to be with you and are very affectionate. They will (somewhat begrudgingly) let you softly stroke them in most cases. Most will gladly step onto your hand if you prompt them. Pacific Parrotlets make great pets. If you would like a parrotlet find a local breeder in your area or check a nearby shelter – you may find the right parrot for you.

Article contributed by: Eliza Kuklinski.

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Many bird owners see programs on television where birds are performing tricks, saying cute lines and interacting with their owners on a personal level. Most of these owners wish to have the same relationship with their own birds, but do not realize how easy it is to teach a bird a few tricks. With a little patience and a few minutes of dedication a day, birds can be taught a number of tricks and they are often more perceptive than owners realize. But first there must be trust between the pet bird and its owner.

Owners must build up a relationship with their birds before attempting to teach their pets to do tricks. They must be able to handle their pet birds, touch their bodies and have their birds sit on their shoulders and hands. Being afraid of being bitten will be a hindrance in the learning process, so trust must be established beforehand. Owners should then establish what their bird’s favorite food is, to be able to use food treats as a reward. These treats should then only be used while training, so that the bird can associate the treat with learning and that it will be an incentive for him/her to perform a trick.

One of the first tricks, which is the simplest, that most owners teach their birds is the wave. At first, a verbal and visual cue is used, and is taught from the simple action of the bird getting onto their owners hand. Holding out the right hand, as if for the bird to climb on, the owner will tell the bird to wave and wiggle their fingers as the bird lifts its foot to climb on. Before the bird is able to place their foot on their owners’ hand, the owner will take the hand away and praise the pet immediately. This will teach the bird that whenever he lifts his foot for the verbal command, he will receive a treat. Repeating the trick a few times each day will teach the bird to associate the word “wave” with the action.

After getting the wave down to a fine art, owners can move on to other prop-less tricks such as the “turn around” and to shake hands. With each new trick learnt, the difficulty and skill can be increased. Teaching a bird small tricks can be as rewarding for the bird as it is for the owner and gives owners and the pet quality time together. With trust, activities and hours of fun, the relationship between owners and beloved pets can only grow stronger.

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