Meet Our Feathered Friend:
Red-Rumped Parakeet
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Overview
Common Name: Red-Rumped Parakeet, Red-Backed Parakeet, Red-Rumped Parrot, Grass Parrot
Latin Name: Psephotus Haematonotus
Native Region: South-Eastern Australia
Average Lifespan: 15 - 20 Years
Average Length: 28cm (11 inches)
Average Weight: 55 to 85 grams
Song Type: Soft Call-Like Songs, Chirps, and Tweets
Interaction: Social
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​> Almost half of a Red-Rumps length comes from their long tails.
> In the wild, Red-Rumps can be found in open grasslands, near rivers and streams, and lightly timbered plains with elevations of up to 3000ft!
> Although social birds, Red-Rumps can be territorial and aggressive towards their own kind.
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Common Health Conditions
Red-Rumped Parakeets are generally hearty birds are incredibly resistant to disease compared to other species. However, a strict deworming and parasite control regime should be utilized with Red-Rumps.
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Diet
Red-Rumped Parakeets have a fairly small beak for their size and have a reputation for being unwilling to consume pelleted foods. In the wild, these birds tend to feast on seeding grasses. Our Red-Rumps will be weaned onto pellets, but also given sprouted seeds and grasses along with a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. Red-Rumps are known to favor green-leafy vegetables such as bok choy, kale, and various fresh herbs.
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02
Pet Profile
Red-Rumped Parakeets are very social birds with sweet personalities. They are tremendously energetic and love to roam around and explore their surroundings. They also love to socialize with their humans and spread affection towards anyone who returns their affection. Red-Rumps tend to get bored easily and like many parrots, need lots of attention and socialization. Red-Rumps are very stubborn birds who if not hand-raised, it will take a lot of patience and will to domesticate and tame. Red-Rumps are great birds for beginners and anyone who just wants love and attention from their Feathered Friend!
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Noise Level & Talking Ability
Red-Rumped Parakeets have a balanced noise level, they're not too noisy but also not quiet. Most of the noises these parrots make are soft song-like sounds with sweet chirps and tweets. However, when a Red-Rump calls, it can be described as sharp, scratchy, and metallic. These birds make beautiful vocalizations but are not generally inclined to mimic sounds or speech.
Housing
A Red-Rumped Parakeets cage needs to meet the minimum cage requirements of 30" x 20" x 20" with maximum wire spacing of 1/2". Red-Rumps are natural ground foragers, so length is more important than height for this species. Proper toys and perches must be present in the cage. Each cage should have multiple perches with a variety of textures, materials, and diameters to ensure the feet of your Red-Rump are well exercised and prevent bumblefoot and severe arthritis as your bird ages. Red-Rumped Parakeets are destructive and love to shred and chew! Adding ladders and climbing toys are excellent additions for these ground dwellers. Your cage should have a variety of toys which can include enrichment, shredding, foraging, natural, wooden, metal, and plastic toys. DO NOT put a mirror or fake bird toy in your cage as these have been shown to do more harm than good. We generally recommend housing handfed birds one per cage. If you house multiple handfed birds in the same cage, it is possible for the birds to remain friendly, but this requires a lot more time spent with each bird by their owners.
​NOTE: Although the minimum cage size requirements are listed above, like with most birds, the more space the better. Keeping in mind the wire spacing requirements, we suggest acquiring the largest cage your budget and space can afford. Length is more valuable than height.