Eastern rosella

[mickmonie]

Hi im wondering if any other people with rosellas can help me please.
The other day i found a baby eastern rosella on the side of the road,she could not fly so i picked it up and took it home with me,i spoke to my local pet shop and they told me to hand feed it for 1 or 2 weeks and then start feeding it seed,i think she is about 8 to 12 weeks old,the first day the bird was really scared but the second day she has settled down,i can pick it up and hand feed it by spoon and give it scratches on the head,back and chest,but now every time i pick it up it wants to bite and it has a hard bite for a small bird,CAN anyone tell me why the bird would start biting for it must realise that im not going to hurt it all im doing it feeding it.
Im new to owning a rosella so i dont no much about them,now that all it wants to do it bite me should i keep trying to tame it all let it get stronger and fly better and put it back where i found her.
ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE GREAT.
THANKS MICK!!!!!!!!

[Addicted to Tequila]

From what I have heard... they are pretty but not the best pet potential for just this reason.

I am in the States... but you rarely see them here except as aviary specimens despite being gorgeous and having a pleasing song. I know people that handraise them from hatchlings and they are STILL mean little buggers. At the local bird fair they can hardly GIVE them away.

Perhaps someone with more hands-on experience can give you better advise.

[Andie]

Mick, where do you live? Shouldn't it be able to fly by 8-12 weeks? Fledging for these birds is 33-35 days. Does the bird have any long tail feathers and primary flight feathers?

Here in SEQld there is a bit of a beak and feather disease epidemic amongst certain species of wild birds and a lot of people have been finding 'baby' birds which have not grown feathers properly which have been kicked out of the nest by their parents.

Please take it to a vet to check. An ordinary vet should be able to tell you and it will be free because its a wild native animal.

[mickmonie]

Hi thanks for the reply,i live in australia,victoria.The bird is fully featherd today will be the fourth day i have had it,it can fly 1 to 2 metres now but low she can not get any height as yet.I own a rainbow lorikeet but i dont no much about the eastern rosellas only that they are very nice in colour,if you no any thing about them that would be great.
THANK-YOU MICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rahni]

That is exactly how I ended up with my second rainbow lorikeet! I'm in Victoria too. Where abouts are you? I take my birds to Colin Walker in Wantirna, he is an excellent vet and should be able to enlighten you on the flying issue, any physical signs of beak and feather disease, etc, and also the behaviour of the bird. I would keep it WELL AWAY from your rainbow, and thoroughly wash your hands and change your clothes after feeding/touching it, as if it is virus-infected it will certainly pass to your rainbow. I think the consultation fee is about $45, which is well worth it. There is also an avian vet in Springvale and a few in Highbury (inner eastern suburbs). Good luck!

[mickmonie]

Hi thanks for the reply,i live in craigieburn victoria i dont no of that vet that you listed i normally go to the vet on sydney road fawkner,i should get the bird looked over but it looks pretty good to me i have spray it with bird mite and lice spray,Im hand feeding it NEO CARE hand rearing food for baby birds twice a day,she has been eating seed to for the last 2 days which is a good sign so i will take one day at a time.
How old was your lorikeet when you found it,the are funny little birds mine is crazy at times and he has a thing about slippers,he is a olive rainbow lorikeet.
THANKS MICK!!!!!!!

[Rahni]

The lorikeet that I found was just fledged, so about 8 weeks old. She has a deformed vertebrae on her back which makes her a poor flier but otherwise ok. It was good to know that I did the right thing by taking her in as she would never survive in the wild.
I also have a hand-raised rainbow lorikeet. I'm guessing that most parrot people would never just happen to find a wild baby parrot of the same species as their pet in their own backyard (literally), but I did! You certainly don't here of people finding wild baby macaws, senegals or african greys in their backyard!
They both have some very funny little quirks, Alfie just loves nothing better then posing, shaking his head, strutting, rubbing his beak on different surfaces and generally showing off. Keiko, the one I found, loves to taste everything she sees and loves 'doing my hair'.

[straightdope]

Hi Mick. i've had my 2 boys for just about 2yrs now. & they still freakout when i put my hand in the cage. i orginally tried to hand train them but they acted so scared i thought i'd give them a heart attack . so i quit. now i can get within 6inches of them as long as theres bars between us. my little guy whom i call Pacer sings with me all day long. yet races to the top of the cage the minute i put my hand in. it bums me out. but i deal with it. they are lovely animals & i wouldn't trade them for anything.