New parrotlet owner

[Midori0413]

I am the new mom to a parrotlet hatched in June and my GCC... i have a few questions, i was wondering do you trust parrotlets and GCC's to play together? i just worry about them not getting along and possibly hurting each other, the size difference and all... also any favorite parrotlet treats? i'm just learning her likes and dislikes soo any new suggestions would be greatly appreciated... I promise to post pics up asap! :) I'm working on a signiture.

[hollyhawkz]

Are you doing a quarantine? If not, or when you are finished, keep their cages close so they can get used to each other. When you finally do let them out at the same time, just keep an eye on them. Watch for aggression in either bird, and see how it goes.

[LovelySydney]

Were they sold to you together or did you have one of them before the other? As Holly said, quarantine is VERY important if you did not purchase them together. You do not want one of them infecting the other. Plus, the new bird can get used to its new environment without the stress of having another bird that it never seen right next to it.


I have seen a GCC and parrotlet be friends - infact, we have someone on the board who has both in her home. However, this is not to say that YOUR pair will be friends. As Holly said, bring them out @ the same time and watch them both interact with one another. You will be able to tell pretty quickly if they are being aggressive. Things like this take time and a careful eye. Keep us posted!!


As far as the food goes, you will be able to figure out what your little one likes. My parrotlet hates veggies but loves fruit. That took me some time to figure out. Of course he still gets the veggies - they are good for him!! He loves seed and loves millet but he's really not a treat bird. Now my painted conure, he will eat anything!! It just varies - keep offering things and see what he likes!!

[Midori0413]

Thanks for all the advice and info. I got my GCC first at the end of June and then we got our parrotlet in mid August, i still have my parrotlet quaranteend, shes in a separate room from my conure for now. My conure has a clean bill of health so once my parrotlet, Fiona, adjusts, which she seems to be coming along great, i will put her cage in the same room as my conure. They are both females, I hope they get along, but either way I have separate playstands for both, and I will only have them out while supervised, as they are both climbers(as in down to the floor :) ) So far Fiona likes apple pieces as well as some millet pieces.. Unfortunatly I don't know anyone near me that has a parrotlet and I really haven't seen too much info available on them as far as the internet goes... I have signed up to the International Parrotlet Society they have a nice bimonthly magazine they send out... Fiona is a cutie and my hubby and I are happy to have her, my conure, Midori, is becoming quite the mush also, we really enjoy their company :) Thanks again for the advice.

[hollyhawkz]

I fostered three for a while....

This woman is know to be the Parrotlet guru:

The Parrotlet Ranch Home Page 8 Jul 2006 ... The Parrotlet Ranch - Breeders of Parrotlets, the smallest parrot in the world.
The Parrotlet Ranch Home Page - Cached - Similar

[LovelySydney]

Midori - Im glad to hear they are being quarantined!! I currently have a parrotlet and a conure in quarantine as well, its tough!! I hope they will be friends when its over, Im giving it 2 more weeks. Im letting them be apart for a month and a week, just to be safe. Neko will get vet checked afterwards.


As far as mine getting along its going to be trial and error. Im just going to take it slow and see what happens. I hope one day they will be preening each other and BFF's but I know that cant always be a realistic goal!!

[Emmilyy]

I've heard parrotlets can be aggressive with other birds.. so i would be careful. I wouldn't expect them to get along - I'd expect them not to, and then let it be a pleasant surprise if they do..

Just let thing happen, take it really slow.. Don't force them to be together, move their cages slowly side by side and see how they react maybe. and once they're used to seeing each other, let them out supervised together, and watch them very carefully.. You might get lucky and they'll want to be friends, but there's an even higher possibility that they wont, i think..

That said, I have a GCC and a parrotlet who are very closely bonded. I have trouble keeping them apart from each other, sometimes.. The size difference is something to worry about, (and the fact that Toc chews on Cookie's feathers..) though, so we don't let our two be together unless we're watching..

Good luck with them!

[LovelySydney]

Yea Emily, Ive been waiting for you to chime in on this thread!! = )

[Midori0413]

Thanks Emmilyy, i love your pics.. i hope my girls can one day be like that :) i'm gonna take it slow and we'll see how it goes..

[Emmilyy]

Thanks :) Taking it slow sounds like the best way. Good luck!

oh, and, pics? hehe