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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 |
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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?
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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.
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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!
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This includes:
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Hiding electrical cables
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Hide poison plants
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Protecting books from becoming
damaged by their beaks
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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)
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Banishing heavy metals such
as zinc, lead and copper from the birds range.
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Safe guarding snacks before
free flight
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Avoiding sources of heat
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Tobacco crumbs, coffee &
coffee grounds and alcoholic beverages are toxic to the birds, get rid
of them!
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Knives, scissors, lighters
are not meant for parakeets
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Are you aware that:
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...The amount of dust in the
house will increase significantly because of fine plumage dust?.
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...Plumage dust an allergen
is that can cause or worsen allergies?
-
... Birds therefor do not belong
in bedrooms
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... 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.
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... Kakariki rummage about
a lot and spread the dirt throughout the entire house.
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...Birds are not potty trained
and will relieve anywhere.
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...Kakariki need a humidity
of 60% and higher.
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...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
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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.
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Kakariki need lots of fresh
food like fruits and vegetables.
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Fresh-cut branches of suitable
trees and shrubs serve the balanced nutrition and keeps them occupied.
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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:
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these animals need a new home.
Animal shelters are not equipped for long stays.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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
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