Pacific ( Celestial) Parrotlet

[Wolf]

From what I have been able to learn a cross breed is highly probable as many of the breeders that were showing this species admitted to first noticing them from babies that the colors were not quite right and they were getting females with blue where there should not have been and the color of blue was also wrong. So it seems that there are a lot of these out and about in the pet trade and most are not even aware of it. So I know that she is at the very least one of the crosses, and from what I learned I think that it is unlikely that she would be a pure strain of this species. It's fine with me as I will not let her reproduce. She can do all of the rest but no babies, it ain't right, but it is the best I can do about it.

[Pajarita]

Yes, I would also go with a cross.

[Pajarita]

Oh, boy, do I have a big surprise for Paquita!!!! I got her a boyfriend! I had put out the word both in ABBA and at Pete's Bird Garden because I knew that breeders frequented these two places and I wanted her to get an older male that knew what was what when it came to dealing with a hen; and Pete called me yesterday morning to let me know that he had several 'older' plets in. Apparently, the breeder they work with (located in upstate NY) is not going to continue breeding them (same thing I heard at ABBA!) and brought 120 of them to Pete for sale. There were lots of babies, about 9 or 10 breeding pairs and some 'older' birds without mates so I chose one banded (most of them were not banded) male out of the 'loose, older birds' but he is only 4 years old (I think, I looked at several and I might be wrong on this but I did not want to stress him out so I have not grabbed him to look more closely at his band). The thing is that, apparently, breeders do not keep breeders for longer than 4 or 5 years because their fertility declines after this age (due to the bad care and overbreeding, of course).

He is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!!! He is a turquoise mutation with a powder blue back and the deepest, brightest, royalest blue primaries and markings - I mean this blue is so vivid, you could light a room with it! BEAUTIFUL! Now we have to figure out how to get him to you, Wolf. My husband says he would drive me halfway to meet you, would that be OK with you? I wish I could offer to bring him all the way but that would mean leaving my animals alone for more than a day while, if I do halfway, I can do them in the morning, ask my daughter to come at noon to let the dogs out and check on everybody else and be back by the time I have to give them dinner. My poor birdies will have to miss my company that day but it's for a good cause... If this is OK with you, Wolf, we would have to coordinate when and where to meet and, unfortunately, because my husband doesn't know way in advance when he is going to be working, it might be a bit of a short notice but, usually, he is home on Tuesdays...

[Wolf]

This is wonderful news, indeed. Look for a PM from me soon. Thank you so much as I haven't been able to find anything in my area.
I was thinking, not always a good thing, that maybe there would be a member somewhere in the vicinity of Winchester, VA where we could meet so I could get the bird? What do you think? Also if there are any members near Winchester, Va. that would be willing to help please let us know.

[Pajarita]

Let me tell you one thing: he is going to be your trial by fire when it comes to taming because, obviously, this little guy has never had any real contact with a human -he is really scared of me and so tiny that I have to look carefully in the cage to find him I've been calling him Mi Rey (my king - in reference to his indigo markings as royal blue is called that because only kings could afford to wear it) but, of course, you can call him whatever you want.

[Wolf]

True, but I suspected as much when you said that he was a breeder. There is no doubt that I will work on taming him, but I am not getting him for me so I really don't have to have him all that tame, I just hope that they will accept each other and I will be happy with that more than anything else. If they don't accept each other then I know I will have to put that much more into the taming process.
Now I don't know if that came out just right but I think that you know what I mean.

[Pajarita]

Yes, I do and I agree, I would do the same thing because, as far as I am concerned, if they are happy, they don't need to bond with me -and ex-breeders are great for bonding with other birds!- but he will still have to learn not to be soooo very afraid because you'll need to let him loose to fly and he needs to feel comfortable enough with people around him. But I have no doubt whatsoever that you will manage that in no time at all -and I hope Paquita likes him... I know he will like her because this has been his life until now so half the battle is won already

[Pajarita]

He is doing great! He has been eating gloop for three days now but still no luck on the raw produce...

Wolf and I are coordinating delivery and, when it happens, I will ask my husband to take a couple of pix to show you.

[Wolf]

I will bring my camera as well, because I also want some pics.

[Pajarita]

And he is off! He ate all the raw broccoli yesterday although he did not touch the plum or the green pepper and, this morning, he ate his romaine lettuce so fast that I had to put another piece in his cage PLUS, it seems that he took a bite of his carrot (hasn't touched the apple yet but I keep on hoping...)