Dear parakeet friends,
You would like to keep kakariki!
Here is a small guide!


Which of the two kakariki species sounds the most appealing to you?

 
Red crowned parakeet:
The average type of this species is a bit bigger than the yellow crowned parakeet  therefore superior physically.
There are various color mutations
Yellow crowned parakeet:
This type is a bit more “color full” at the head. Behaviour and attitude are no different from the red crowned parakeet. 
There are color mutations in this species as well.
Red crowned parakeets  are more common and thus easier to "acquire".
Under no circumstances the two species should be kept together in an aviary as a couple, because the yellow crowned parakeets are physically inferior to the red crowned parakeets. 
Mating between the two species should be avoided.


What should be clarified in advance? What should you be aware of?
  • Kakariki are very agile birds. They spend most of their life in the air, but are also often to be found on the ground. They need lots of space to develop . For more details, please read Care.
  • A large outdoor aviary is in any case preferable to a living room.
  • Should the kakariki be housed in a living room then measures should be taken up front to ensure a bird- safe environment. These birds need free flight, no matter how big the aviary is!
  • This includes:
  • Hiding electrical cables
  • Hide poison plants
  • Protecting books from becoming damaged by their beaks
  • Avoiding holes and niches bigger than 2 cm cross-cut because they might use them as nests. ( This goes for vases and such as well)
  • Banishing heavy metals such as zinc, lead and copper from the birds range.
  • Safe guarding snacks before free flight
  • Avoiding sources of heat
  • Tobacco crumbs, coffee & coffee grounds and alcoholic beverages are toxic to the birds, get rid of them!
  • Knives, scissors, lighters are not meant for parakeets


Are you aware that:
  • ...The amount of dust in the house will increase significantly because of fine plumage dust?.
  • ...Plumage dust an allergen is that can cause or worsen allergies? 
  • ... Birds therefor do not belong in bedrooms
  • ... Birds are sensitive to cooking smells or their chemical components. This is especially true for Teflon. If  this coating is heated too high, it will quickly end up being fatal to all birds.
  • ... Kakariki rummage about a lot and spread the dirt throughout the entire house.
  • ...Birds are not potty trained and will relieve anywhere.
  • ...Kakariki need a humidity of 60% and higher.
  • ...In free flight area (natural wooden) play areas must be present, so the dirt load is concentrated on these areas for more detail check here
In Concise and printable guide in PDF here ( ca. 1200KB) (In the Moment only in german).


How many kakariki should I keep?
kaKariki are usually observed in pairs or small groups.
Optimally, one holds one pair per aviary, because more can lead to serious territorial disputes during breeding season.
If one wants to keep more birds in an aviary, up to 8 of them together seems to lead to little or no trouble. But even then you should always have a possibility to separate them available.


Can I keep kakariki together with other parrots/ parakeets?
This question is difficult to answer. Often time all goes well with f.i cockatiels and budgerigar.
However, in breeding season kakariki can become very teritorial and this could lead to bloody battles.
Thats why you should have means to seperate them available at all times.


what type of aviary do I need?
Kakariki need the biggest aviary possible. If it will only be used as place to sleep, a large cage is an option. ( f.i in a birdroom, where the birds fly free during the day)

An aviary should

  • not have a ground grid.
  • have a bar distance smaller than 2 cm.
  • not be made out of galvanized steel or brass.
More info to be found here.


What to feed a kakariki?
Kakariki have a fast metabolism and move around a lot. Therefore, the risk of fatty degeneration of the animals is very low.    Basic food should always be a large parakeet food mixture that does not contain many sunflower seeds. This food should always be available to the animals.
  • Sunflower seeds are a delicacy for these birds and may very well be fed from the hand, or used to help the animals become accustomed to humans.
  • Kakariki need lots of fresh food like fruits and vegetables.
  • Fresh-cut branches of suitable trees and shrubs serve the balanced nutrition and keeps them occupied.
  • protein found in milk products and insects promotes the health of animals.
More on the subject of diet to be found here


Where can I buy them?
Red crowned parakeets are common, there are several breeders and often they are offered in pet shops. Thats why there are far too many of them to be found in animal shelters.
But one can find yellow crowned parakeets there as well. There are also internet forums with mediation pages:

Germany:

uk: Netherlands: Belgium: France: or: Call your local avian veterinarian for recommendations.

The best way to become a bird like this, is to take home a pre-loved one.
Because: 

  • these animals need a new home. Animal shelters are not equipped for long stays.
  • these animals are often medically examined and older animals, with greater probability, show no diseases resulting from over breeding (gene defects).
  • paring up kakariki is not always succesful. This way you can have the advantage of becoming a solid pair.
  • they are often accustomed to humans and tame
Whatever you decide, it's better to buy one directly from a breeder than buying one in a  petstore.


Where should I look for when adopting (or buying) a bird?
    Healthy kakariki are very alert and agile, the eyes round and the plumage is dense.
    Exceptions to these rules are moulting birds. 
  • At lunch time kakariki are often slow,  there fore this time a day is not the best time to  get a good impression of their health.
  • Please do not buy hand-reared birds;

  • Some breeders remove chicks from the nest without good reason, in order to sell as supposedly more docile animals for an unnecessary high amount of money. This hurts the parent birds, the chicks as well as your wallet!
    Until puberty, these animals are often trusting and loving, but they are incorrectly socialized and often develop extreme behavioral disorders after puberty (look here as well). 


Should I then adopt hand-reared birds from animal shelters?
  • Yes please, but you should first inquire about the quirks of the new protégé, since there are often vagabonds that are passed from owner to owner, until they finally find someone who tolerates their misconduct.
Have a heart for adoption birds because they need you