Scarlet Fever!!!

[vienneparis]

Hello fellow bird lovers,

After reading recent posts here on the colorful, sweet-tempered scarlet chested parakeets, and researching further on the Internet, I fell in love with these birds and had to go shopping for a pair. I finally picked a pair from a local breeder. Meet Karora and Wala (named after Australian aboriginal mythical figures), the latest additions to my flock.

Some of the articles I read indicated that scarlets are energetic birds, but for the first 4 hours after I placed Karora and Wala in their flight cage (with food, water and millet sprays), they settled on a perch and did not move. I sat in front of the cage and talked to them for a while, then left the room, returning occasionally to check on them. I swear they did not move at all during those 4 hours. So worried that they were in shock and may become ill, I called the breeder in a panic. He explained that it was just their way of acclimating to the new environment. To my relief, they did move around after 4 hours or so, and seemed adjusted to their cage after a day.

I have to say these are the most quiet and calm hookbills I've ever seen. I really enjoy their bright colors and sweet nature. I'd love to be able to get them tamed enough to handle.

I'm curious if anyone has tame scarlets?

[Sam007]

Congratulation. They are pretty. One of my male scarlet is not tame but he is not afraid of me either. He eats food from my hand. When I clean the cage and change the water and food, he never goes away. I got him about 7 months ago and he slowly became friendly with me.

[vienneparis]

Sam007
Thanks. I'm looking forward to having my scarlets comfortable enough with me to eat from my hands. That would be wonderful!!!

[Sam007]

Spend some time with them daily after they settled down (after few days) and they will become friendly with you gradually.

[vienneparis]

Sam007
I plan to spend time with them daily.
I wonder if going into breeding mode would make them less friendly with their owner. What's your experience with your pairs?

[Derk]

vienneparis
Gorgeous birds! I have been trying very hard not to look at the hookbill section. I have more than enough already, but you got me with the 'Scarlet fever.' Now I am sick with envy.

[vienneparis]

Derk
Mary, I've discovered birds are like potato chips. You could never stop at one or two. You have to keep satisfying the desire for different mutations, breeds, etc . . .

I told myself months ago that I would focus only on finches and canaries and not to even consider hookbills. Well, now I have lovebirds, budgies, and grass keets. How did that happen

The breeder who sold me the scarlet pair had so many different types of grass keets that I had a tough time making sure I stopped at just 1 pair. Now I have to forget about all the other types he breeds so I don't end up with even more grass keets!

If you ever decide to get into hookbills, the scarlets would be great birds to start with.

[cindy]

Congratulations... what size cage are they in currently? be sure to give them room length wise to fly. Lack of space and exercise will lead them to get fat and injury if startled. Height is not as important as length.

I noticed your cage is rounded at the top.... and your perches look like they are spanning the length not the depth of the cage.... you need to turn your perches going from front to back one on either side of the cage opposite the other at the same height, leaving enough room for the tail not to hit the bars so they can fly back and forth from one end of the cage to the other.... they do not fly up and down like a finch.

Scarlets are most active during the morning and evening, resting/sleeping in the afternoon.

As the birds mature and especially when feeding you they will often greet you at a specific door that you use to feed them soft food through... the males will often step onto the plate before I even set it down.

It is easier to tame a handfed than an adult, they are flighty and spook easily. If not tame and you plan to remove them to tame them, they are swift, and can be prone to flying into walls and windows... to me they are past the taming age plus they are together as a pair. If you want to breed them you need to let them settle in and get use to your schedule and feeding... they do stress easily so best to let them acclimate for at least a week before fussing with them. These are not like budgies where you can tame them down. Getting them use to your presence and for them to remain calm is and will be a benefit when breeding them. Frantic birds produce frantic offspring. I pair mine early as youngsters and let them grow and mature around me for a yr before breeding them. The hens should be over a yr to breed.

I do not fuss with my scarlets much when breeding... non tame scarlets are not the same as bourkes, bourkes tend to tame easier.

[lovezebs]

vienneparis

Cobgratulations Vienne, they are lovely.
I hope they become used to you, and if not tame, at least calm and easy going. I guess a lot would depend on how they were raised.

~Elana~

[vienneparis]

lovezebs, Thanks Elena. They were not raised as tamed pet, so I'd have a long way to go the get them eating out of my hands.

@cindy
Your advice is very much appreciated. I'm new at raising scarlets so love to learn from experienced breeders.

The cage is 4' long & 3.5' tall. I'll adjust the perches as suggested and see if they'd be more active. So far, they haven't done much flying.

The pair is about 18 months old, according to the breeder. They were raised together with several other young scarlets in a big flight cage at the breeder's home. So they are pretty comfortable with each other. I don't plan to breed them yet. I want them to get comfortable with me and the environment first. Just looking to enjoy them for a while before getting into the stress of breeding.

[Colt]

Congratulations on a lovely pair of birds. I had the opportunity to get some a couple of months ago and passed on both them and the Turquoisines.

From my limited understanding Bourkes are one of the only grasskeets that will tame down. Handfed Bourkes are even easier to handle. The other grasskeets like the Elegants, Scarlet-rumped and Chested, and the Turqs even handfed don't stay very tame. There are exceptions of course but I'd be pleased to have the pair reach the point where they can calmly watch you without startling in the cage.

[vienneparis]

Colt
Agreed. I'd be happy to get them to the point of being comfortable around me.

[cindy]

they will be much happier with the change in the perches.... they are old enough to breed but you are wise to let them settle in. The hen goes into season and will not breed before she is ready/in season. If she starts digging and kicking seed out of seed cups or seed/food dish she is getting ready to nest. I use bowls, dishes on the floor of the cage, the hen will kick seed out and about, dig at paper... she is signaling she is ready. If she drops an egg then place it in the wooden cockatiel box on top of about 2 inches of pine chips. The hen may remove some pine, that is normal.

They calm down quiet a bit by breeding age and when they have young the males and sometimes the hens will greet you when you bring them dried egg food, fresh grated egg and veggies (finely chopped is easier for them to eat and feed, no waste)

[Derk]

vienneparis
I see you also have quail & pheasants. You definitely like your birds!

If you ever decide to get into hookbills, the scarlets would be great birds to start with.

Oh, I got bit by that bug before the finches. They are what started everything. Two lovebirds for about 8 years along with a budgie. Then a baby lovebird and then the 'potato chip' factor you discussed kicked in. There are so many mutations and varieties of lovebirds...black cheek, Abyssinian, hooded, Fischer's, opaline, cinnamon, lace edged, dark factors, light factors...the list seems to go on for ever. I managed to stop at 9. I also have a sun conure and an Indian Ring-neck. After these last two, then the finches began.

And, let's not forget the two foster rabbits, two cats, a 70lb dog....

[vienneparis]

Derk
Mary, I see you like birds too. You can be the "bird lady" of Vancouver