New Member, what breed is our parrot? Please help!

[molly0905]

My wife has received a parrot as a gift from my brother for her birthday. We've only had the bird with us for 2 days. We named her Molly. This is our first pet and although we are excited, we want to make sure we take care of her properly. That's why we decided to register on this forum.

First we would like some help identifying the breed. (photo attached) My brother was sold a female parrot who is apparently 3 months old, but the pet shop did not mention the actual breed. I am sending a photo and would appreciate if you could help identifying the breed. Do you think this parrot really is 3 months old?

Please give some advise regarding taking care of this new member of the family. We've never had any pets and never taken care of birds before.

How big will this parrot get?

What should be put at the bottom of the cage? Pet shop staff said newspaper but I read that this is toxic and not good for the parrot.

I've read that we should bath / shower or spray water on our parrot on a regular basis. From what age should we do this? Should we start now? Thanks for your help!

 

[DallyTsuka]

hi and welcome to the forum

your bird is a rosella, but not sure on sex or age (i'm not very knowledgable on rosellas). she is as big as she will get (parrots are about full grown once fledged, they might bulk up more but wont really get bigger).


though her nails are a bit long, so i'd look into getting them trimmed


newspaper is the best and safest material to use for bedding in the bottom of the cage, though you can use paper towels as well, though you might be paying a pretty penny lol


other suggestions.... i'd get her some better perches. dowel perches are very hard on the feet and can cause sores. i would get her some rope perches and some natural branches especially. plus some more toys, i see you got a self made toy in there, thats a great start, and i'd start adding more.

i cant fully see the cage, though i think she *may* need a larger cage, but all in good time for now, let her get used to her new home. but the perches i'd work on right away.


what are you feeding her?


she is adorable

 

[molly0905]

Thanks for the identification and first tips. She seems quite agitated sometimes running back and forth on her perches. I hope she is not stressing too much. Here is a photo of the full cage. Do we need a bigger one?

We'll get her to a vet to get her checked and her nails trimmed.

When can we start getting her out? She's only been with us for 2 days. Also when should be start cleaning her and how often? Should we just spray some water on her for now?

We are feeding her seeds, apple slices and vegetables. She doesn't seem to drink much though.

Thanks for again your help

 

[weco]

Yep, Dally's right, it's a crimson rosella.....sorry, can't help you on anything else as I've only seen them at bird fairs..... There are a fair number of Aussies around here & I believe a couple that either breed rosellas or who are well versed on them...hopefully they'll show up in not too long..... Congrats on your new family member & good luck.....

 

[molly0905]

We have also noticed that she only has two claws on one foot.

 

[sonja]

Yes she needs a much bigger cage.

 

[molly0905]

OK, noted. Can we let it out of the cage, or will we struggle to catch it and put it back in?

So many questions sorry...

 

[antoinette]

Definitely a crimson rosella

Below is a link pertaining to crimson rosellsa from A to Z

Crimson Rosella Birds

 

[Yve]

Hi and welcome. Newspaper is fine--have been using that for years on TAino's cage. Birds can be moody, at times. You will get to know Molly as time progresses. Just make sure you read on what foods not to feed her. Pots and pans made of Teflon exhaust a fume that is dangerous to birds. If you have these make sure your bird is not in the kitchen when you use them. I just learned that cinnamon sticks are great for birdies...they love it (preferably organic). Birds love attention. They are social little sweeties. And....I feed TAino oatmeal for breakfast and occasionally a bit of eggs. He loves it!!! Good luck with Molly BTY she is lovely!!

 

[drlisaort]

Molly is beautiful!!!!! I love her colors. I can't contribute much more than what was already said, but I do use newspaper on the bottom of my cage for Oliver, feed him fresh fruits, veggies, and some "healthy" carbs but I'm not sure what the right foods are for Molly's species and I took him out of his cage a few days after he settled down from transitioning from where he lived before my home. I wish you years and years and years of joy with your new feather child!

 

[crimson]

Hi and welcome. Newspaper is fine--have been using that for years on TAino's cage. Birds can be moody, at times. You will get to know Molly as time progresses. Just make sure you read on what foods not to feed her. Pots and pans made of Teflon exhaust a fume that is dangerous to birds. If you have these make sure your bird is not in the kitchen when you use them. I just learned that cinnamon sticks are great for birdies...they love it (preferably organic). Birds love attention. They are social little sweeties. And....I feed TAino oatmeal for breakfast and occasionally a bit of eggs. He loves it!!! Good luck with Molly BTY she is lovely!!

cinnamon sticks really??, I am going to look into that, thanks for the tip

 

[D13H4RD]

Aren't Crimsons more red? Isn't this a Golden or Western Rosella?

 

[kq_fan]

I think it's an eastern rosella wow so very beautiful!

 

[SilverSage]

What a lovely bird! She does need a bigger cage, but I see you put a cuttle bone in there, good job! "Seeds" is awfully broad, get her seeds for budgies or cockatiels I think (people with more experience feel free to correct me) or try her on a pellet diet, which would be healthier. Keep an eye on her if you try this though, she might not know pellets are food. Also, fruit is good, but try to keep with veggies as much as you can since fruits are super high in sugar.

Also, just a note, birds come in species, not breeds. Some birds are hybrids, but in general birds will not mate with other kinds of birds so they are who separate species like cows and horses instead of breeds like poodles and great danes

As far as taking her out, that will depend on her, especially on if she is tame. It would be a good idea to put her cage somewhere close to where you like to sit, so she can get used to being really close to you, without you trying to touch her. If she is tame, a few days to get used to you might be all it take before she is willing to step up on your hand when you put it slowly into her cage. If not, she will still fly away and try to escape. As you can imagine, it is very stressful to live in the home of something that terrifies you, so I am a VERY strong believe that taming pet birds is incredibly important for their mental and physical health. Also, she needs time out of her cage, which is not only stressful but dangerous if she is not tame. In general I don't like clipping wings, but it makes taming a lot easier and safer especially for someone without experience. Don't do it yourself the first time, have the vet show you how. I am glad to hear there are no other pets in the house, or I would have a harder time suggesting clipped wings. Not sure if you know this, but birds "molt" which means they lose and replace all their feathers, so her wings will grow back and hopefully by then she will be tame and you can leave her wings long.

She is probably really stressed, so having enough sleep will be extra important. Birds need 10-12 hours of sleep a night, so try to have a set bed time for her where you cover her cage with a cloth to keep the light out, and the room she is in gets quiet. Make sure she cannot get her toes caught in the cloth.

Over all, I can tell you are going to be a good owner because you have had her for 2 days and you are already here asking questions and trying to do the right thing, and that is the main thing! My first bird was mine when I was 10, and I knew nothing! But we all have to start somewhere and mostly it is in reading and asking questions and just SPENDING TIME with your bird, trial and error, persistence, patience, gentleness, and willingness to learn. Good job, and I can't wait to hear how it is going for you!!

 

[SilverSage]

Oh, one other thing! Like other people said, get her some rope and natural perches, but a couple of notes on that: The perches she has right now are a bit small. Try to get them bigger, think about the natural shape of her foot and what is easiest for her to grip/ doesnt really need to be gripped. I can't think of how to explain it better than that, maybe someone else can! Also, try to get mostly the "right" size, but also a few too big and a few too small. I like to have as many sizes as possible, to help the foot not get sore, kind of like I dont like to always wear the same shoes because then my feet hurt. Also, buy rope perches from a pet store or something, don't make them yourself out of rope you have laying around. Be sure to get the stuff that is made for birds and is safe

 

[cindys6436]

Molly most definitely needs a bigger cage and more toys and perches, as wasalready recommened. Get the bigges cage you can afford/have room for - just make sure the bar spacing is not too far apart as you don't want her to be able to get her head through it.

Some birds like baths, some don't. You can put a shallow dish of water in her cage to see if she will bathe on her own. You can spray her with a spray bottle - try spraying a fine mist upward so that it drops down gently on her rather than spraying her directly. I let my birds call the shots - if they don't want a bath, they'll move away from the spray and I'll wait until another time. One of my caiques likes playing under the kitchen faucet. It's trial and error to see what they like.

As far as getting her out, if her wings are not clipped it might be hard to get her back in. I don't clip wings on my birds but they are very tame and bonded to me. If Molly is fearful of you, try just sitting next to her and talking to her or even reading out loud. If she was not hand fed it could take awhile to get her comfortable with you so patience is key.

I don't know much about rosellas specifically as I've never had one, but she's certainly gorgeous!

 

[Sammy01]

As already mentioned:

1. Cage

• Try getting a bigger one. As a general rule you want them to be able to flap their wings inside their cage.
• You don't want them to have the same smooth perch as it can give them bumble foot and damage their feet.

Here's a link to some general rules when it comes to cages:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=223

2. Food

• Convert them to a pellet diet. You'll also have to give them lots of fresh veggies and fruits.

http://www.petuniversity.com/birds/parrots-and-parakeets/feeding-parrots.htm

• I've never personally ordered from mysafebirdstore.com but others have used it here and it seems to offer a good variety of mixes.

3. Entertainment:

• Try providing a variety of toys for your companion. In the beginning they may be afraid, but they'll soon learn to play with them. Just observe and see which type they like.
• Once you have time try making or buying a play stand for them.

ETA:

4. Hygiene:

• Try different methods to see which they like best.
• Clean their cage twice a day as a minimum (morning and night). Clean their dishes too and make sure their fresh fruit doesn't stay out too long.
• Use paper for bedding. It's the safest types out there by what I've read:
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww12eiii.htm

5. Wing clipping:

Wing clipping is a personal decision, but if you decide to do it then please make sure you do both and only cut the primary wing feathers:
http://www.aav.org/technicians/?content=wing

6. General Rules:

• Don't use perfume or other sprays (febreeze) around your companion.
• Don't place them near a draft
• Cover them at night
• If they fluff up too much they might be sick
• Don't offer just any plant to them. Even if it's bird safe make sure they can't get to the fertilizer or that it has pesticides.
• Don't overwhelm them
• Give them as much time out of the cage as possible. A minimum of one hour.

 

[MonicaMc]

I'm not sure that Rosellas should be clipped.... I mean, if they don't climb around their cage, using their feet and beak to get around, it would be best to keep them flighted.

I agree in that she(?) is an Eastern Rosella.

Although pellets are healthier than seeds, they can also be more detrimental to the small parakeet species. She would probably do best on a diet with equal amounts of pellets and seeds along with fresh and some cooked foods.


Also, bigger cage and foraging toys or destructible toys would be recommended.

 

[MikeyTN]

I'm with Monica here. Also from reading through everyone's post I was surprised that no one knows that they don't make good pets cause they don't really get tamed. They're just pretty to look at so a large flight cage would be preferred!

 

[MonicaMc]

I really didn't mention anything about pet quality since, well, they usually aren't pets.

I have seen some that are, but more often than not, they are pretty much just aviary birds! Gorgeous to look at and listen to, but not to handle!


They aren't the kind of birds that enjoy being petted and handled, they just like flying and foraging on the ground. It's what they do.