How Can I Help First-time Parent Parrotlets?
Q: I have a male and female parrotlets. The female has just laid an egg on the bottom of the cage. What do I do to care for these birds if they want to raise their young? I would like to see them raise the chicks. Sandee Molenda explains: First, the birds should be at least a year old before breeding. If they are not, separate them until they are. Immature males often do not feed the chicks or hen and hens can develop problems such as egg binding. They need to be set up with a nest box so that the eggs will be protected and the chicks healthy and strong. A diet rich in fresh foods such as fruit, vegetables, greens, sprouted seeds, cooked grains and legumes, millet and whole-grain breads should be fed daily. Breeding parrotlets also need at least some seed in the diet to prevent stress bars in the chicks. I recommend Volkman’s Parrotlet Super, which is based on the seed mix I have fed for more than 20 years. Egg food, Petamine™ Nestling Food and dry lory powder can also be fed to supple
