The beautiful and colourful Blossom-Headed Parakeet is really a sight to behold. These small parrots are fantastically contrasted and boast a assured character when socialized, however they’re sadly threatened by poaching within the wild.
The plucky Blossom-Headed Parakeet is an attention-grabbing and pretty easy-to-keep hen, making it common with novice house owners who need an exotic-looking parrot. Learn on to search out out why they’re so common amongst parrot lovers all over the place.
Species Overview
| Coloration: | Rose-pink, purple, blue, yellow, darkish inexperienced, gentle inexperienced, orange |
| Measurement: | 11.7 inches |
| Weight: | 2.9 –3.1 ounces |
| Wingspan: | Reasonable |
Usually confused with the same (however distinct) Plum-Headed Parakeet, Blossom-Headed Parakeets are sociable and vivid. They’re not overly noisy, however they like making their melodic voices heard. Like different parrots, they will mimic the sounds of different animals (and even folks) if educated, they usually do nicely with others of the identical species. They’re additionally stunningly lovely, which makes them extremely common as pets.
Blossom-Headed Parakeet Traits
Historical past & Pure Habitat
The Blossom-Headed Parakeet has been saved as a captive pet for a really very long time, in all probability due to how visually interesting they’re! Huge numbers of those parrots have been captured from their native habitat and imported into Europe, ultimately being unfold across the globe as pets.
The Blossom-Headed Parakeet is of course present in Bhutan, North-East India, West Bengal, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and South-East China. These birds will be noticed in areas of sunshine forests and forest edging largely, however they will also be seen in savannahs and even on cultivated land.
Issues to Know When Proudly owning a Blossom-Headed Parakeet
Temperament
Like many smaller parrots, the Blossom-Headed Parakeet is a sociable hen that thrives on the eye of their house owners. With a curious and affectionate temperament (if offered sufficient stimulation), the Blossom-Headed Parakeet is an ideal parrot for house owners eager to create a powerful and fruitful bond.
They’re additionally clever and like to be taught new phrases and new methods! Nonetheless, the Blossom-Headed Parakeet wants firm to be assured, so maintaining a bonded pair collectively is finest.
Sounds, Speech & Vocalizations
The Blossom-Headed Parakeet makes melodic and exquisite sounds that aren’t as intense as different, related breeds. Whereas they’re not as linguistically gifted as different common parrots (just like the Alexandrine Parakeet), they will usually mimic family sounds, hen songs, and even human speech.
Nonetheless, like all parrots, the Blosson-Headed Parakeet could make repetitive or shrill calls. Be aware of that should you dwell in an condo!
Blossom-Headed Parakeet Look
The intense and exquisite colours of the Blossom-Headed Parakeet are the rationale the hen is so common. Attractive pastel pinks and purples on the male’s head bleed into the greens and yellows of the physique which might be shared by each sexes.
Feminine Blossom-Headed Parakeets don’t share the brightness or variance in coloration that the males do however sport drab grey-blue heads and muted colours. Juvenile Blossom-Headed Parakeets have inexperienced heads that develop into coloured as they age.
Caring for the Blossom-Headed Parakeet
The Blossom-Headed Parakeet shares many features of their care with different frequent parakeet species, such because the Plum-Headed Parakeet and the Alexandria Parakeet. They’re social and ought to be housed with one other Plum-Headed Parakeet to advertise confidence and assist alleviate boredom.
As a result of they’re clever, spending time together with your Parakeet is crucial. Boredom and loneliness could cause self-harm in parrots, together with feather plucking and different repetitive habits. With a bonded buddy, your Blossom-Headed Parakeet ought to be saved engaged and assured sufficient to point out off their pure inquisitiveness.
They’ve the identical dietary and train wants as different Parakeets since a lot of them originated from the identical geographical space. When the Blossom-Headed Parakeet is bonded with their proprietor and comfy with being dealt with, a supervised indoor flight could be a nice supply of enrichment!
Food plan & Vitamin
Blossom-Headed Parakeets have related dietary wants as different small parrots, which makes it simpler for them to search out nutritionally balanced meals. Basing your Blossom-Headed Parakeet’s eating regimen on what they’d eat of their pure habitat is one of the simplest ways to offer each diet and selection, however it is best to all the time guarantee the right vitamin and mineral ranges are met.
It’s very important to offer contemporary water in your Parakeet, which ought to be obtainable always. Business Parakeet pellets are balanced to offer the right ranges of proteins, fat, nutritional vitamins, and minerals, and they need to make up the majority of your Blossom-Headed Parakeet’s each day eating regimen.
Manufacturers, such because the Roundybush Day by day Upkeep Crumble Chicken Meals, stop selective feeding and are really helpful over seed mixes (which might result in dietary deficiencies).
Small parts of vegetables and fruit will also be offered for enrichment and added diet, plus they’re tasty!
Examples of wholesome fruits and veggies embody:
- Papaya
- Melon
- Mango
- Banana
- Pumpkin
- Carrot
- Cucumber
- Swiss Chard
They will also be given treats (sometimes), similar to sprays of millet. Too many seeds or treats could cause dietary imbalance or well being issues, similar to excessive ldl cholesterol, hypertension, and weight problems.
Cage & Housing Necessities
Your Blossom-Headed Parakeet’s cage is among the most essential selections you’ll make when contemplating homing one. As they’ll spend quite a lot of time of their cage, it must be greater than spacious sufficient to offer house to hop, fly, and for toys and bowls.
The perfect enclosures for Blossom-Headed Parakeets are walk-in aviaries since they supply the room they should fly. The minimal size of an aviary for a Blossom-Headed Parakeet is 9.8 toes, they usually may even be saved in outside aviaries in hotter climates. In the event you select to maintain your Parakeet outdoors, guarantee they’ve a safe roosting field and loads of shelter from the weather.
Keep in mind that multiple Parakeet would require more room, so think about that earlier than deciding on what number of you’d prefer to undertake. Cage bars must also be saved to a most of half an inch aside; Blossom-Headed Parakeets are inquisitive and will simply get their beaks caught!
If utilizing an aviary isn’t possible in your house, you may get a cage that measures 18” L x 18” W X 24” H, however that’s solely the minimal. Parakeets and different small birds are happiest in giant cages.
Toys and perches (and the house for them) are additionally essential for the enrichment of your Blossom-Headed Parakeet. Including mirrors, bells, rings, and chew toys will help alleviate boredom and train your hen’s pure curiosity.
Karel Bartik, Shutterstock
Train
Train is essential for Blossom-Headed Parakeets since they will develop into obese and develop different well being issues in the event that they’re not shifting sufficient. Lack of train also can trigger psychological issues, and they want stimulation to thrive. Totally different sizes and ranges of perches can promote flight inside the cage, and perches created from completely different supplies with completely different thicknesses can preserve your Parakeet’s toes sturdy and wholesome.
Whereas any time outdoors of the cage all the time comes with just a few dangers, your Blossom-Headed Parakeet should get this priceless train alternative. Dealing with your Parakeet will help acclimate them to the world outdoors of their cage, and permitting them time to roam freely within the room every day can preserve them match and completely satisfied.
It’s essential to make sure any free-roaming house is totally safe earlier than permitting your Blossom-Headed Parakeet out for train, together with securing any home windows or doorways, making certain they’re closed, and blocking locations the place they might get caught.
Well being & Circumstances
Whereas Blossom-Headed Parakeets are usually wholesome birds, there are some sicknesses and situations that they’re extra more likely to expertise. A few of these are brought on by poor care or eating regimen (similar to nutrient deficiencies or mites), whereas others will be environmental or genetic predispositions.
It’s essential to register your Blossom-Headed Parakeet with an exotics veterinarian skilled with parrots since birds can get sick in a short time and never each veterinary surgical procedure can successfully deal with them.
Minor Circumstances
- Egg binding
- Feather Plucking
- Pores and skin infections
Severe Circumstances
- Psittacosis
- Candidiasis
- Hepatic Lipidosis
- Most cancers
3 Little-Recognized Info Concerning the Blossom-Headed Parakeet
1. Blossom-Headed Parakeets Can Dwell for As much as 20 Years!
2. The Common Clutch Measurement of A Blossom-Headed Parakeet Is 4 to 5 Eggs
3. Blossom-Headed Parakeets Are “Close to Threatened” on the IUCN Purple Record
Conclusion
Blossom-Headed Parakeets are vivid, clever, and personable parrots that may carry quite a lot of colourful pleasure to their house owners. These birds are medium-sized however huge in character, they usually nonetheless want loads of room to fly round and play!
You’ll discover a fantastic companion within the Blossom-Headed Parakeet; they take pleasure in socializing with their house owners and have even been recognized to cuddle with them. Plus, these fairly Parakeets will probably get alongside nicely with different species residing with them of their aviary.
Featured Picture Credit score: iqbal.sohag, Shutterstock
