Parrotlet - Green Rumped

Other Breeds

Keeshond   |   Palomino   |   Pig – Pot Bellied   |  

Alternative Name

Scientific Name: Forpus passerinus passerinus

Basic Info

Green-rumped Parrotlets are the smallest of the parrotlet family, growing to between three and a half to four and a half inches in length. Usually, they weigh between 18 and 28 grams. These charming little birds have pink feet and beaks. At maturity, Green-rumped Parrotlets have green rumps! Males show blue and turquoise coloration over their wings, while females are made unique by a sunbeam splash of yellow between their eyes. The majority of the Green-rumped Parrotlet consists of yellow-green feathering. These little birds are extremely bright in color, although they may have gray-tinged green over the backs of their necks. The green coloring will be lighter on the bird's underside, face, lower back and rump. Green-rumped Parrotlets have dark brown irises. Contrary to the name, there is a subspecies of Green-rumped Parrotlet, which exhibits blue-washed coloration over its rump!

Health

Parrotlets should be fed a pellet diet, supplemented with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and of course, they need fresh water at all times. Provide a cuttlebone for your parrotlet. They will also love people-carbohydrate food like bread or pasta, though these can be lead to an over-weight parrot if you give too much. Green-rumped Parrotlets will become sick if fed a vitamin supplement in addition to a pellet diet. Many parrotlets will not eat from hooded or covered dishes. Be sure to place perches in their cages in places where they birds' tail feathers will not dip into their food or water. Because of their gentleness, Green-rumped Parrotlets may be handled by children, but be sure to supervise because these birds are so tiny that a child's unintentionally clumsy grip could harm them. Breeding Blue-winged Parrotlets who are breeding should be fed a calcium supplement and if they are on a pelleted diet, should be supplemented with seeds.

Habitat

N/A

Behavior

One of the most commonly kept of the parrotlets, the sweet Green-rumped Parrolet may be the bird you did not know you wanted until now! Green-rumped Parrotlets are sweet, playful little animals. They are known for being much more gentle many parrotlets, and make a good introduction to the keeping of parrotlets. They are best described as docile although they may be shy at times. In spite of their good natures, Green-rumped Parrotlets should be kept alone or they can develop jealousy or aggression problems concerning everything from toys to owners- parrotlets in general do not like sharing what they consider their possessions! Parrotlets should be fed a pellet diet or a basic seed mix, supplemented with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and of course, they need fresh water at all times. If your parrotlet is eating seeds rather than pellets, supplement their diet with vitamins. Provide a cuttlebone for your parrotlet. They will also love people-carbohydrate food like bread or pasta. Be careful when taking your parrotlet outside; even Green-rumped Parrotlets with clipped wings may be able to fly! Green-rumped Parrotlets need lots of toys, and adore swings and rope or anything they can chew on! They are quite strong, so be sure the toys will stand up to their hard beaks. Introduce new toys slowly, however; Green-rumped Parrotlets are often startled by and a bit leery of new things. This means they will also need more time than other parrotlets to get used to you and your home, but your patience will be well-rewarded by the lovely personality of your sweet new friend! Parrotlets bond strongly with the person who spends the most time with them, especially during the time when they are between six and 12 weeks old, but older parrotlets can bond just as strongly as young ones.

Origin

Guyana

History

Green-rumped Parrotlets have not been kept as pets until recently. They are much loved by almost everyone who has encountered them and are the second most commonly kept parrotlet species. In the wild, Green-rumped Parrotlets are most commonly found in Guyana. Because of their lovely temperaments, Green-rumped Parrotlets are continuing to gain popularity among aviculturalists.

Common Foods

N/A