Western Rosella?

[sarziebond]

Hi Everyone

Have any of you heard of a Western Rosella? The reason I ask is that there is a beautiful parrot at a rescue near me and they said it's a Western Rosella. I've never heard of it and am thinking of getting him. Is there any special requirements for this bird? The rescue doesn't seem to know much also except it was found in a cardboard box outside the rescue in January and noone has offered him a home. Also how do you sex a Rosella? Thanks. Sarah

[The Outlaw]

Here's a photo of the Western Rosella. They are really beautiful birds. Do a Google and get all of the specs on them. I don't know of anyone personally who has them. Wish I did.

[Tiki]

They are native Aussies and like Nancy's pic, gorgeous birds. They can be agressive according to my AV. I would like to have one but he couldn't stay with the tiels so I need a gentler bird like a Princess. If you will keep him on his own, I'd say go for it!

[sarziebond]

Thanks so much for your answers. The Rosella looks excatly like the pic, do you know how to sex them? This rescue is mainly for cats and dogs and this plus a couple of budgies are the only birds there, they can't even tell me the sex. I've been calling it a him but would like to know.

Also, I have 2 budgies and a tiel in seperate cages in the same room. Are you saying not to keep in the same cage or in the same room? Or just to not let them mix together.

I can't believe that anyone would just dump this bird at a rescue. It really is a beauty.

[The Outlaw]

Tiki keeps her tiels in an indoor aviary, loose. She is saying that its ok to cage them seperately in the same room, but not in an aviary together or in cages together.

[Monica]

Males tend to be slightly larger than females, and males usually have more vibrant yellow cheek patches...

Females tend to be duller than males with more green areas...

Some western rosellas do have white cheeks instead, though they are also known as yellow cheeked, or even stanley rosellas.

[Tashk]

I have a pair of Western Roselas, and the pictue The Outlaw posted is a mature male, the females chest is more of a ummm, tomato sauce red with green feathers splashed around in it, and when the males are young (under 14 months) they look like the females. So if you are saying it looks like the picture, you are right! He's a He! Now go name him!!
And they have adoreable voices! If you whistle to them, they can't resist whisling back!! Even if they were sleeping!
Oh, and as the males whistle, they will shake ther tail feathers back and forth really fast -it's like their mating dance- it is so cute.
They love chewing wood- I'll put different fruit tree, or other safe branches - with the leaves- in their cage for them to play with, and they will play for hours!!!!
The foods my Rosellas love the most are apples, celery, and brocolli... those seem like candy to them.
They eat a Cockatiel sized seed mix.
Did you already get the bird??

Well I hope I helped you out a little bit, It's kind of late at night right now, and I cant think too straight, but I hope I helped!!

Oh duh!! I'll try to remember and put a picture of the up here soon!

[Barry in SB]

For whatever it's worth: In an emergency situation, I put my male Western Rosella into a flight cage which was already occupied by four pairs of cockatiels. The rosella had been aggressive in a previous setting, but to my amazement, has shown no aggressiveness toward the cockatiels. So I'm leaving him there; his incredible colors really spark up the tiels' cage.
---Barry O.

[Tiki]

Hi Barry, welcome to Birdboard! I would like to hear more about your Rosella. I would love to have one if I could trust him around my birds. Where are you from?

[bustersbuddy]

Ok, the general historic information on most rosellas is that they can be very agressive towards other birds in aviary situations. They are usually kept one pair to a flight. But those are breeding birds, not individuals. I don't think many rosellas are kept as pets here in the U.S., mainly as avairy birds. I would not keep them in the same cage as a tiel or budgie, but in the same room in separate, cages? Yes, they should be fine. By all means, adopt the little guy. Check out your pet shop or bookseller for "The Australian Grass Parakeet Handbook" by Matthew S. Vriends, Ph.D. (a really good writer with lots of field time and wild observation). I just bought it last week and it is a great guide to these wonderful birds from Australia. It filled the gap while I'm waiting on my new copy of "Australian Parrots".

I also would like to learn more about rosellas and their role as companion parrots, so if Barry could tell us more, Tiki and I will certainly be rapt listeners!