Housing:
Building material selected for your aviary construction can be timber as Princess parrots aren't wood chewers. As long as the aviary is well constructed with adequate shelter from bad weather and protection from unwanted intruders. Princess Parrots, are best housed one pair to an aviary or suspended cage for optimum breeding results. They can, however be bred in a colony situation, in a colony situation you can get a dominant cock. For best results I would suggest you house bonded pairs prior to introduction into a colony. I find one pair to a aviary or suspended cage is the better option and gives me best breeding results. However I do house some mature bonded pairs in a colony situation with successful results also.
Feeding:
A good quality small parrot mix is suitable for basic daily requirements. I have found princess parrots enjoy seeding grasses, milk thistles, grevillea and bottle brush flowers. During the breeding season I give my princess parrots plenty of greens, green apples, celery, corn, peas, sweet potatoes, carrot, endive, passion fruit, birds eye chillies, sprouted stripped grey sunflower seeds and mung bean twice daily. I also sprinkle a small amount egg and biscuit mix over the greens.
I also keep a good supply of calcium cake blocks and cuttlefish bones in their aviaries at all times and I mix liquid calcivet over their soft food. During the breeding season it is important the hen receives sufficient calcium for egg production so the chicks can develop strong and healthy bones.
All excess soft and green food must be deposed daily to avoid food contamination.
Fresh clean water must be supplied daily.
Breeding:
Princess parrots breed between August to January. Birds as young as one year old may go to nest. There has been much debate over the years to which is the best nesting box for princess parrots. Over the years I have tried slanted, the traditional square box, 'L' shape,' A' frame, Z boxes and my birds have successfully breed in all types as long as they are large enough. However I find princess parrots can be clumsy and can jump on their eggs and for this reason I prefer Z , slanted or L shape nest boxes. I use untreated sawdust from a local saw mill for my nesting material to a depth of approx. 75mm. I mix into the saw dust Pestene insect powder for control of lice. My clutch sizes range between four to six eggs and average being four. Incubation is between 19-21 days. Both parents contribute to feeding the young once fledged, at approx. six weeks, until weaned.
Provided the princess parrot is housed in clean well maintained aviaries and supplied with a healthy diet they are easy to breed in captivity. Princess parrots are very passive, inquisitive and can be housed in a mixed collection. However there is always the exception so watch very closely for signs of aggression.
Worms:
A strict worming program is recommended approximate every three months in Australian conditions. The main reason for this is the Princess Parrot love to explore the ground and feed off the ground as much as exploring other parts of the aviary. Thus birds kept within an aviary setting that doesn't have a strict worming program run the risk of infestation as defecate on the ground and then eat from this same floor area. Providing a perfect opportunity of reinfestation time after time. Obviously birds housed in suspended flights aren't exposed to such direct contact with droppings and this greatly reduce the possibility of reinfestation from worm eggs. Many people aren't aware they have a problem regarding worms until they find their Princess Parrot dead.
Building material selected for your aviary construction can be timber as Princess parrots aren't wood chewers. As long as the aviary is well constructed with adequate shelter from bad weather and protection from unwanted intruders. Princess Parrots, are best housed one pair to an aviary or suspended cage for optimum breeding results. They can, however be bred in a colony situation, in a colony situation you can get a dominant cock. For best results I would suggest you house bonded pairs prior to introduction into a colony. I find one pair to a aviary or suspended cage is the better option and gives me best breeding results. However I do house some mature bonded pairs in a colony situation with successful results also.
Feeding:
A good quality small parrot mix is suitable for basic daily requirements. I have found princess parrots enjoy seeding grasses, milk thistles, grevillea and bottle brush flowers. During the breeding season I give my princess parrots plenty of greens, green apples, celery, corn, peas, sweet potatoes, carrot, endive, passion fruit, birds eye chillies, sprouted stripped grey sunflower seeds and mung bean twice daily. I also sprinkle a small amount egg and biscuit mix over the greens.
I also keep a good supply of calcium cake blocks and cuttlefish bones in their aviaries at all times and I mix liquid calcivet over their soft food. During the breeding season it is important the hen receives sufficient calcium for egg production so the chicks can develop strong and healthy bones.
All excess soft and green food must be deposed daily to avoid food contamination.
Fresh clean water must be supplied daily.
Breeding:
Princess parrots breed between August to January. Birds as young as one year old may go to nest. There has been much debate over the years to which is the best nesting box for princess parrots. Over the years I have tried slanted, the traditional square box, 'L' shape,' A' frame, Z boxes and my birds have successfully breed in all types as long as they are large enough. However I find princess parrots can be clumsy and can jump on their eggs and for this reason I prefer Z , slanted or L shape nest boxes. I use untreated sawdust from a local saw mill for my nesting material to a depth of approx. 75mm. I mix into the saw dust Pestene insect powder for control of lice. My clutch sizes range between four to six eggs and average being four. Incubation is between 19-21 days. Both parents contribute to feeding the young once fledged, at approx. six weeks, until weaned.
Provided the princess parrot is housed in clean well maintained aviaries and supplied with a healthy diet they are easy to breed in captivity. Princess parrots are very passive, inquisitive and can be housed in a mixed collection. However there is always the exception so watch very closely for signs of aggression.
Worms:
A strict worming program is recommended approximate every three months in Australian conditions. The main reason for this is the Princess Parrot love to explore the ground and feed off the ground as much as exploring other parts of the aviary. Thus birds kept within an aviary setting that doesn't have a strict worming program run the risk of infestation as defecate on the ground and then eat from this same floor area. Providing a perfect opportunity of reinfestation time after time. Obviously birds housed in suspended flights aren't exposed to such direct contact with droppings and this greatly reduce the possibility of reinfestation from worm eggs. Many people aren't aware they have a problem regarding worms until they find their Princess Parrot dead.
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