Banded, Pink Breasted, or Mustache Parakeet
Characteristics
Length: 37 cm (about 14 4/5 inches). Bright blue-gray head and black collar line. Cheeks outlined in black. Dark forehead, red collar, green back, green underside, and red breast. Tail blue with green seams; green wings. Bright yellow shoulder markings. Yellow iris; upper mandible blackish-red, lower mandible black. Grayish-yellow legs. The wine-red color on the female’s breast continues higher towards the throat and neck, and the head is darker. The beak is black, but the upper mandible has an orange point. Young birds lack the red coloring and generally are grayer. Their beak is still black. Noisy birds. Young birds are often kept in pairs in large cages, as they generally behave quietly. In the aviary, however, they sometimes cat quite wild and excited. young birds can easily be taught to speak a few words.
Social Behavior
Prefers to be kept in pairs or colonies. Can be taught to talk if kept as pets and started young.
Diet
All parakeets and parrots need a large variety of fresh, healthy foods, whether on a pellet or a seed diet. Beneficial foods include dark green, leafy vegetables like kale, broccoli, dandelions, and chard, as well as carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash. Healthy table foods like cooked eggs, corn, beans, pasta, and rice can also be offered. Remove perishable foods after a few hours and at bedtime. Grit, gravel, and oyster shells should never be given. A seed-only diet will result in malnutrition. Eventually, a parakeet or parrot should become acclimated to a diet containing specially formulated pellets. An AVIAN vet can help with more information.
Cleaning
Tray liners should be replaced every day and the cage bottom, fittings and dishes regularly washed with hot water and soap. Once a month, disinfect the cage with diluted bleach and rinse thoroughly. Line the tray with black and white newspaper or paper towels. It is unsafe to use pine/cedar shavings, corn cob or walnut bedding.
Fertility
Generally breeds from March to May or July. These birds are difficult to breed; breeding habits are similar to the Ringneck parrakeet. The female lays 3-4 eggs; she starts nest inspection early in the year and will build the nest in about 3 days. Place wood shavings and wood chips in the nest box (25 x 25 x 40 cm; entrance diameter 8 cm), she will chew these into the proper shape. The male feeds both the female and offspring; after about a week the hen will help with the feeding of the young. Incubation time is about 22-24 days.
Health
All parakeets and parrots should be examined by a qualified AVIAN vet at least once a year or ASAP if any bleeding, injuries, or other signs are noted. It can be hard to tell when a bird is ill, and by the time you notice a problem, the sickness is usually well-advanced. Delaying a visit with an AVIAN vet or using over-the-counter or human medicines may be fatal.
Warnings
All parrakeets and parrots have very sensitive respiratory systems and should not be exposed to cigarette smoke, aerosols, harsh cleaning products, or other toxic fumes.
