Scarlet Chested Grass Parakeet (Neophema Splendida)

[finchandlovebird]

Most beautiful bird I've ever seen (of course all the "great" birds come from Australia....LOL)
Bought a pair today at the bird fair.....I am totally in love.
Evidently they are QUIET, not bitey or chewing, gentle & sweet. I need to learn all about them.
Anyone with tips, let me know

[jamezyboo21]

Very nice looking pair!

[Jen]

I purchased my sweet "Lily" who is a Rosey Bourke a few months ago. When I went to pick her up, the breeder had recently purchased a pair of these Scarlet Chested birds / "Bourkes"?? I fell in love with them...they were BEAUTIFUL! Congratulations on your exciting purchase!!! Keep the photos coming and best of with them!

[Colt]

While Bourkes and Scarlet-chested Parakeets are in the "Grass Keet" Family they are two different species.

I believe cindy breeds these and could probably help you with some pointers.

I have Rosey and Rubino Bourkes currently and adore them. Thinking about expanding into some other species later. Good luck with your lovely pair.

[vienneparis]

finchandlovebird
What a beautiful pair!!!

[vinay]

Beautiful birds !
Never seen one of these over here in Dubai .

I myself just purchased a pair of Red rumped parakeet yesterday.
Both species are loosely called grass parakeets.
They're pretty similar to budgies in terms of care. They do tend to spend a lot of time on the floor foraging so it would be quite important to keep the bottom clean since they seem prone to picking up infections easily.

[cindy]

I raise these, did years back and now have 5 pairs and lots of young that will soon be available.

My Scarlets are housed in long 5 ft 18 high flights, Trays are inside the cage since they generally run the floor of the cage. They fly from side to side so setting perches up at either end from front to back and one in the middle will help. a 30x18 cage is not enough room for them. They are a little more active than bourkes are.

Diet is very important, a good seed mix minus sunflower (keet mix with small amounts of safflower), pellets (mine favor Roudybush) oat groats can be given in small amounts. soft chopped foods such as kale, carrots, peas corn, mixed frozen veggies. Shaved broccoli tops and spinach chopped are given sparingly. The relish dried eggfood, fresh grated boiled egg.

Both of yours have the dark beak and colored out.... how old are they?

Prior to breeding hens must be in top condition, they eggbind easy. They must have a powdered calcium with D3 in it like AviTech Calcium Plus. I also add to soft foods 3 times a week AvitTech AviVita Gold.

They do not tolerate very cold or damp weather well. I house mine indoors though many keep them outdoors with no issues and supply a heat source.

If you want to breed these the hen needs to be over a year old, males mature faster and can be 10 months at the youngest to breed. They will start chewing on paper, hens will dig, kick seed backwards in their flat dish on the floor this will signal that they are going into season.... Depending on the pairs I allow 1 to 2 clutches then a rest. Generally breeding is done two times a year, early fall September, early October and Spring... April, May. They require a breeding box meant for a cockatiel, pine shaving in the box about 2 inches deep.

The hen works the box removing some of the pine, she may fine a bare area to lay her eggs, once she lays her eggs she sits tight coming out once in a while to relieve herself, drink and eat, males will either wait outside the box, feed the hen at the entrance to the box or some sit and feed the hen in the box.

Once the babies hatch both feed the young, you need to keep dried eggfood down at all times, plus you can use boiled grated egg foods but change it out during the day often to avoid spoilage... contrary to what others say that it just dries up. Scarlets are prone to yeast and bacterial infections.

Once the babies fledge the father generally takes over feeding the young. Once they wean watch for the father to chase especially if you have a box up, he will single a baby out and chase it, they can sense one is a male and sees it as a rival. Once the young are 100% on their own, weaned you can remove them to an enclosure of their own. You can keep young of both sexes together but as the mature, color out watch for open beak threats, chasing if you have two males, then separate them if it gets to threatening.

Selling offspring can be done a month after weaning but the young can be difficult to sex, coloring out takes a while, by 5 to 8 months they should show signs of male or female. Some sex them based on wing line... hens have a white line the thickness of a #2 pencil under their wing.... males undersides are typically gray. If there are broken lines, thin lines it is best to wait until closer to maturity allowing for color to come out on the males... I have pictures for sexing that can help.

They are most active early morning and evening, sleeping during the day especially in the afternoon.

[cindy]

Suitable cages for scarlets.... they have a good size wing span. Some house scarlets with finches like javas, I do not suggest housing them with smaller finches like waxbills, it also depends on your scarlet pairs and their temperament and whether they tolerate any other species in their cage. Scarlet while young can be very flighty especially after fledging, the more space available the better. They calm down as they mature. My breeding pairs especially the males will often greet me at the far end of the cage near the door I use to put soft food through. Hens will do the same especially during the times when they are feeding young.

[cindy]

note: when chicks hatch... if they are resting on a bare wood floor, gently lift them up (clean hands) and add additional pine under them in that same spot... this can help prevent splay legs.

[cindy]

I also raise bourkes.... bourkes are not as fragile as the scarlets. Red rumps I have owned before... males can be aggressive towards hens if the hen is not ready to breed.

Bourkes can be raise in a colony, even bred. I have known a few folks that breed scarlet pairs in huge expansive enclosures without issues but it is not recommend in smaller enclosure, males and sometimes hens can be territorial.

[finchandlovebird]

. a 30x18 cage is not enough room for them. They are a little more active than bourkes are.

- Cindy, I agree, it's all I have at the moment.
Probably I should sell all my Gouldians , put my two F050 together for a 6' long flight. Yikes ..... I am overwhelmed right now.
Plus the female laid an egg. They are minimum 1 yr old. Should I put the nest box in
I've been "net reading" all I can; if you can suggest a website to go to, please do.
Appreciate all the info you gave me so far Cindy

[finchandlovebird]

Well, since the hen laid an egg this morning, I thought I'd give them the nest box. I have NEVER seen such calm, sweet, quiet, gentle birds in my life. They both patiently waited on perches close to where I was hanging the nest box, the male making a cute different little "caw" than he had been making, & as soon as I was finished they both went into the nest box. It's their new hangout & they love it

The male either sits in the hole & peeks out or sits on the perch attached to the nest box. He keeps up with that cute little "caw". She's in & out, mostly in. They both seem so proud & excited.
Sweetest birds I've ever known. The male has even learned to drink from the Lixit waterer, something the breeder said he didn't have.

[cindy]

start supplementing the hen with calcium with D3.... the problem you will encounter breeding them in a 30x 18 cage is that when the young fledge they are extremely flighty and need the room length wise to avoid injury, they go a bit frantic and can hit the side of the cage if it is to small.... attach another 30x18 to the end of the cage they are currently in.... they will fly the length of the cage. Height is not important it is the length.

[cindy]

Remove the silk vines, they will get caught up in them.

[cindy]

I would also supply them an open cup of water, the birds have not acclimated to your home and routine. Personally I would not have given them a box this soon as acquiring them, the hen needs to be supplemented prior to laying eggs, a dropped egg does not necessarily mean the hen is ready to breed.

I strongly suggest a longer cage, for the sake of the young when they fledge.