Foraging enrichment
Next to the question of what to feed, the question of how often comes up short. However, the presentation of food is just as important as its composition. The basic goal of species-appropriate feeding is (apart from the type and composition of the feed) a presentation that is as close to nature as possible. Wild parrots spend the majority [...]
The right diet for parrotlets
Considering how long parrots have been kept and bred in captivity, one might think that an article about proper nutrition is just a dry treatise of basic information. But the topic of the right diet was and is a difficult and emotional journey for me and my birds, as well as for the pet bird hobby as a whole. [...]
Ban of fluorescent lights starting August 2023!
Mich selbst hatte es eiskalt erwischt: Ab August 2023 wurden per EU-Richtlinie T5 und T8 Leuchtstoffröhren verboten, Kompaktleuchten sind theoretisch bereits seit Februar 2023 verboten. In der Richtlinie ist eine Übergangszeit bis 2027 vorgesehen, ab dann sind diese Lampen nicht mehr erhältlich.Nun sind unsere Vogellampen (mit UVB-Anteil) allesamt Leuchtstoffröhren, was also tun? Vorrat anlegen Nach […]
Overview: Basic information before, during and after getting your first parrotlets
Before your birds move in What are arguments against parrotlets as pets? First, a word of warning. Parrots, including parrotlets, are very sensitive, intelligent animals. This makes them very demanding pets that are only suitable for few people. So please think very, very carefully about whether parrot(let)s are the right pets for you! […]
What are parrotlets?
Parrotlets are actually not a species of parrot but rather a whole group of species. Overall, according to latest research, nine species are part of the genus Forpus, that's the Latin name for parrotlets. You can find all scientific species profiles in the ecyclopedia. This article however focuses on keeping parrotlets as pets. Parrotlets as a whole Distribution All parrotlet species originally come from Middle and South America where they [...]
About ForpusFacts
Who's behind this website? My name is Melanie and I'm the woman behind ForpusFakten. Although I've had a special interest in birds since I was a child, it took surprisingly long for me to consider them as pets. Zunächst bin ich durch meinen Beruf auf den Papagei gekommen. At first, I came to know parrots through my work. I'm a psychologist and cognitive biologist with focus on animals by training. […]
Why does my parrotlet do that? - Understanding body language and behaviour
We can all agree on one thing: Our feathered friends are cute as a button no matter what they're doing. Still, many keepers wonder what this or that behaviour actually means or how I recognize when my parrotlets are relaxed, scared or aggressive. And rightly so because as parrot keepers it is in our responsibility to correctly read our protégés' behaviour and emotions [...]
Why do parrotlets fight so much?
If you've had your parrotlets, especially pacific parrotlets, for a while, you will have noticed that they are fighting a lot. Why is that? The reason is, so to speak, the arsenal of weapons available. One study on different Trichoglossus lorikeets showed that species with larger beaks exhibit more complex aggressive displays (Serpell 1982). The researches interpreted [...]
