Splendid, Scarlet-Chested Parakeets New to Our Flock

A new pair of Splendid Parakeets have joined our flock! 

A Splendid Question Regarding a Surprise Egg

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Sharing another Reader Question Below:





Female and male Scarlet-chested parakeets,
also called Splendid parakeets.



QUESTION:

Hello,

I just discovered an egg on the cage bottom of my pair of scarlets. I've had them for several years and they have never produced an egg. I read that if they don't have a nesting box they will probably not produce eggs. Well, they don't have a nesting box but now we have an egg. What do I do?

 

Neither the male or female seem concerned about the egg so my thinking is that it must be infertile. Should I remove it from the cage or just leave it for a while? Should I get them a nesting box?

 

Looking forward to your reply... thank you.

Tamara

 

Future dad outside his nest box.

 

ANSWER: 

Hello Tamara,

I would get them a nest box. If she's laying, I suspect they are breeding, or she wants to. This egg isn't likely to be looked after by them, but fertile eggs remain good for several days after being laid. I'd put it in the box anyway even though it's unlikely to survive. You've nothing to lose if you do. Or, if you know anyone who has parakeets on eggs, you could try to foster it out.

 

I assume these are scarlet-chested parakeets, right? Also called Splendid parakeets. If so, they will need a parakeet sized nest box or larger...don't get one too small. Add some pine shavings to the bottom of the box. They sell pine shavings for hamster cages and such. My Splendid hens usually throw some (or most) of them out of the box. Then they form a bare area in the shavings, either in the middle, or in a corner. The pine shavings help keep the eggs from rolling away and absorb the babies' droppings.

 

Hen is on cuttle bone.



If you give your pair a box now, they may or may not go into it right away. It should stimulate them to want to continue mating and probably to try to raise a clutch. It's great fun seeing babies hatch; and where I live there's a demand for Splendid parakeets that goes unfulfilled. So, I suggest you let them breed.

 

Be sure she has enough calcium. She should be chewing on cuttle bone. I also have a mineral block and add oyster shell for mating hens. There are calcium supplements you can get for their water, but I've not used them before. With three other sources of calcium, I believe they have enough. However, if you have access to that instead of the others, then it's fine too. Be sure to carefully follow the instructions and change their water at least daily, with or without calcium supplemented in it.

 

Hens that are laying need lots of fresh water. They will drink and drink and usually also bathe in it.

 

 

A sister and two brothers.

 

Good luck. I hope you get to experience this fun-filled adventure. However, if they lay and brood and still nothing happens...well, first time parents aren't always successful. My first pair of Splendids hatched their first clutch, but didn't know to feed them. It was years ago and I wasn't hand feeding yet and lost all of them. Their second clutch, however, they did fine and raised the three they hatched very successfully. Best of luck.

 

Peace and Blessings! Happy New Year!

 

 

Rainbow, A Splendid Scarlet-chested Parakeet



Rainbow, a male Splendid Parakeet.

With no babies in the nest and all youngsters from 2011 sold, I've had little to blog about. Also, I'm spending most of my time editing my novel, Cast Me Not Away. It is going to come out one of these months...will let you know when it does.

All photos in this post were taken by Charisse Tooze of Tooze Films.

Charisse bought our sweet Rainbow, and is also a first reader for Cast Me Not Away. She has been kind in sending us periodic photos of Rainbow, who enjoys the company of a Rosy Bourke hen. We appreciate the updates and thought we'd share them with you.

I love this one.

Peace & Blessings!

Splendid Comments on Bourkes and Scarlet-Chested Parakeets

I’ve been asked if Splendids, also known as Scarlet-Chested Parakeets, are difficult to keep.

I didn't want to part with this little guy, but his new
owner sent me this photo of him. He's a sweetheart.

I suppose that every breeder’s experience is diverse. I’ve raised a few Splendids over the years, but have never had the success with them that I’ve had with Bourkes. However, I know a breeder in California who has trouble raising Bourkes, but no difficulty with Splendids.

There is a difference in how we raise our birds though. Mine are indoors, hers are not.

Face color isn't accurate. Face is a dark cobalt blue.
It's difficult to photograph, the flash reflects off it.

Perhaps that might explain the variation of success between the two species.

All my birds live in individual cages inside my house and the temperature fluctuates little all year long. Some come out to fly around, but others don’t.  Her birds all live in roomy outdoor aviaries. California is mostly a desert climate, warm during the day although winter nights can become chilly. Frost is rare there, whereas, where I live in Southern Oregon it goes into the low 40’s in the winter.  Although unusual, it can even go below freezing. Australian birds might not fare well in outdoor aviaries through winters here.

Splendids (Scarlet-Chested Parakeets) are curious
and friendly.

I’ve found that Splendids seem to be more prone to egg binding than Bourkes are. All my Splendid hens have laid larger eggs than the Bourkes. This seems strange since the Splendids are slightly smaller than Bourkes. However, it might account for their propensity toward egg binding.  Exercise flights in aviaries could be an advantage for Splendids by helping to keep them fit.

A Male Rosy Bourke

As an indoor pet, Splendids seem to fare very well. They are active little clowns and fun to own. They will chew up paper and like to put anything and everything into their water. Drinking water should be freshened often … preferably more than just once a day. They enjoy bathes, so cups may get emptied. It’s wise to also have another source of water, like a water tube dispenser.

Bourkes are quieter by nature than Splendids, and easier to keep in that regard. They have lovely lyrical songs that aren’t loud like Budgerigars or other birds. I’ve never identified any mimicking by Splendids or Bourkes like Budgies do. However, both will “talk” to you in their own lingo. They like attention from their owners, even if they aren’t finger tamed.

A Normal Bourke Male

Male Bourkes are especially good at beautifully singing, and they naturally weave in wolf whistles.  What is a wolf whistle? Here’s a sample:  http://audiojungle.net/item/wolf-whistle/136

Peace & Blessings.

Splendid Hand Feeding Question and Answer

A female Scarlet-chested parakeet.

Question

Catherine writes:  "I'm wondering if you can help me. Our female red chested parakeet (splendid) had her first clutch. Out of 6 eggs only 4 hatched. Sadly, the very smallest chick completely vanished. I could find no sign of her, not in the nest or on the floor. Now the hen has damaged her wing. We checked the chicks and yesterday their crops were still full, however this morning they were empty. So we put the nest box on the floor so the hen could get access to them easier. The hen took no notice.

When we went back late afternoon 2 chicks had clambered out of the nest and stood under their mother, but she did not feed them, just ignored them. The smallest chick was still in the nest, and when I pulled it out, I thought it was dead, but it was still breathing and after heating it up in my hands it started chirping. Since then I've taken them into the house to hand rear them. Reluctantly they are eating from a syringe. The vet has ordered us chick feed. We estimate the chicks to be 2 and a half weeks old. Can you give me advice on how often to feed, how I'd wean them in the future etc? We've never had Splendids before and I don't want to lose these chicks. Thank you!

A male Scarlet-chested
Splendid Parakeet.

Answer

Not sure where you live, but most communities in the United States have Granges or Pet Stores that carry Exact Handfeeding Formula for birds. I hope the chick feed your vet is getting isn't for chickens. Buying Exact at a pet store might be more expensive than ordering online, but you need it NOW. I recommend calling pet stores and/or anywhere else that sells pet food or caters to birds. Try to find it immediately.

If you enter "handfeeding" into the search window on this site, you will get other posts about feeding baby birds.

Since your babies haven't been fed enough recently, I'd offer them warm food every two hours during the day for the next few days. I'd even be tempted to get up in the middle of the night for the first day or two, just to get them healthy again. Try to feed them until they look like their crops are swollen and large. If they shake their heads, and refuse food, they're full. If they want to keep eating, let them.

You need to keep them warm as well as fed. A space heater near the box they are in will help. I've even put a piece of flannel over tiny ones with no feathers. If all three survive they will help keep one another warm. Since they've missed feedings, they will be more susceptible to cold, so warmth is even more important.

First thing, try to find some local business that carries the hand feeding formula and go get it. Once your babies are eating well, and seem healthy, you can cut back to feeding them four times a day ... about every four to five hours.

After my babies no longer huddle together inside a box (especially at night), I make sure there is other food available. Even when they start pecking at it, you will need to continue feedings for a while. They may get some food from seed, but not enough. Continue to offer feedings at least two weeks after they appear to be eating some food on their own. I give them spray millet and a nestling formula, as well as parakeet seed. They also get Petamine Breeding Formula. All of this isn't necessary, but I have it, so I offer it. They also like the usual vegetables, kale, spinach, corn, lettuce, broccoli, carrots, peas, etc.

It's not surprising that an injured bird gives up on her young. She is focused on recovery, poor thing. I recommend bringing her indoors too. Confining her in a small cage will give her wing a better chance to heal and protect her from harm. If she's staying on the ground, she's at risk from night time predators. Better to keep her warm and safe during her recovery.


If your birds are outside, even in an enclosed building, it's possible that your hen threw the dead baby chick out of the nest and a rodent found and carried the body off overnight. They can get into spaces you'd never believe possible, and are attracted by bird seed.

 

 

A pair of Scarlet-chested, or Splendid Parakeets.

 Best of Luck. If you're not too late, you will have wonderfully tame, beautiful birds.

Budgerigar Personalities vs. Splendids or Bourkes

A safe way to hold baby Budgies and not have them fall off
 a child's lap. These four pale blue babies haven't fledged yet.

I love Budgies and have owned many of them in my lifetime. My grandfather raised and sold them before Bourkes or Splendids were even heard of in the USA. As everyone who loves birds knows, each individual bird has its very own personality, just like every other animal and person.

That said, there are some similarities among related species. Budgies tend to be active, fun and intelligent little birds. They come in almost every color of the rainbow, excluding red, pink or solid black ... although I'd expect to see a solid black Budgerigar parakeet someday if anyone sets out to give it a shot (something I once considered, but never attempted).

Budgies like to chew on anything interesting, and will sample crumbs off your table, or nibble the page edges off a book, newspaper or magazine. Houseplants need to be a safe variety that won't hurt them, and you may want to keep an eye on your Budgie if he or she lands on a curtain rod holding expensive curtains. There's no guarantee they won't chew holes in them too, or the molding around windows, or picture frames. That said, they won't all do that.

Male Rosy Bourke.

Bourkes usually aren't chewers, but they also aren't the playful little clowns that Budgies are. They are less active, but develop an attachment to their owners too. Most tame Bourkes will kiss, sing and climb all over you, just as a Budgie does. Like Budgies, they are curious birds, but typically they take fewer risks than a Budgie will. They tend to be more cautious. Bourkes sleep a lot during the day and become very active at daybreak and dusk. Budgies are happy to be active any time the sun is shining.

Male Splendid or Scarlet-chested
Parakeet.

Splendids chew almost as much as a Budgie. They have active personalities like Budgies, and spend more time awake during the day. They aren't a morning and evening bird like a Bourke. They love water and will put anything and everything into their drinking water, requiring that it be cleaned frequently. Like Budgies, Splendids love swings and other toys. They are clever birds and I've seen them learn to open cage doors.


Albino Budgerigar Parakeet.


Budgies are good mimics and will try to copy what you say to them. Bourkes and Splendids won't. However, Bourkes do wolf whistle naturally and have a pretty song. Budgies chatter and talk more than the other parakeets, and some of them can become noisy... particularly during breeding season.

Male Splendid on left and Normal-colored Bourke male on right.

The uncommon coloration in Splendids and Bourkes makes them a uniquely beautiful pet.  Budgies are inexpensive birds with great personalities and, when tame, they make wonderful, affectionate pets ... especially for kids! Every parakeet variety has its advantages, and it's fun to learn as much as you can about each of them before selecting the right one for you.

Bourke & Splendid Parakeet Personalities ... Also Handfeeding Baby Birds

In answer to a comment question on the post “Splendid Bourke Parakeets, or Those Moody Bourkes and Splendids” here is the answer I gave her about feeding baby birds and more. It contains relevant information and many won’t find it tucked away in a comment section, so here it is:

 Newly hatched Bourke parakeet chicks.



Three baby Bourkes being hand fed.

 


After a hand feeding with a full crop...

On Hand Feeding... 


This was for Lauren: Baby chicks should be fed as soon as their crop is empty. If newly hatched, check them every couple of hours. If they are a week old, I'd feed them before going to bed, and set an alarm to get up at least once in the middle of the night to feed them again...maybe at four-hour intervals over night. Once they're feathered you can skip the night feeding and probably feed them three or four times a day. The younger they are the more often they need to be fed. Crops need to be almost empty in order to be sure it moves on through. Parent birds feed the babies until they look like they will explode, so feed them until they look very, very full or refuse to eat more. If you see a bulge over their shoulders from the back, they're probably getting enough. Exact handfeeding formula gives good instructions on density of food by age of your babies. Good Luck.

Lauren said she's losing two babies in clutches of four. Here's my answer:

My Bourke parents when young often reject more than two babies. Sad. However, as they've aged, they've raised up to four, but never five. I've learned to check the babies every morning, afternoon and evening. If they don't appear to have been fed, I pull them to hand feed. Sometimes I've put them back with the parents to keep them warm...they feed the first two and I feed the last two. You asked about temperature for a box or fish tank. If it feels warm to my hand and the babies are warm, it's probably okay. Eggs need to be at 98 degrees, so that's about right for babies. I've not used a thermometer with babies, but trust what I feel with my hand. If the house is 72 degrees, I put a small space heater near their box. When old enough they move toward or away from the warm side of the box. If possible, hand feed more than one baby at a time and they will help keep each other warm.

Ready to be fed ...



Babies are full and these 2 from an earlier clutch enjoy a nibble too.

 Another note: Hens drink a lot of water when laying eggs and raising young. Have extra sources available to be sure they never run out of fresh water. I use a water cup so they can hop into it and take a bath. Since they splash most of the water out, they also have water tubes on the side of their cages.

When feathered & soon able to fly, they go into a cage, but still
want a place to snuggle into. Here a tissue box let's them go in
and out and feel safe, warm and secure, but not free to fly off.

Eggs need a certain amount of moisture, so water tubes alone aren't enough. A hen needs to be able to bathe any time she thinks it's necessary.

Lauren also said she wants to add Splendids. These little clowns are wonderfully active fun birds. HOWEVER, be prepared for a lot more work! They foul their water almost as soon as they get it. I give them extra containers of water, hoping it will stay drinkable for a full day. Still, it begins to get yucky within an hour or two and after 24 hours may smell.

Rudy outside his mate's nest box.

I like to put newspaper in the bottom of my cages to keep them cleaner and can change the paper more often than clean the wire on the cage floor. Splendids make short work of newspaper. They shred it, play with it, put it in their water. They chew more than Bourkes, and sometimes toss small things out of the cage and onto the floor...like fresh vegies, for instance. They are fun, beautiful and take more time and trouble. Bourkes are quieter, cleaner birds... That's why I have so many more Bourkes than Splendids. Smile.

Both varieties are sweet-natured and make wonderful pets.

Splendid Parakeet Portraits, Scarlet-chested Neophema's

Rainbow, son of Merlin & Millet. Now our old Patriarch.

The flash reflects off their faces making them look turquoise
like their shoulders, however, their faces are actually a dark cobalt blue.

I love my birds and tend to cover much more about Bourkes than my Splendids. That’s probably because I have 22 Bourkes right now, 19 Rosies and 3 normal’s. No doubt that’s why I successfully raise more Rosies than Splendids, hmmm?

Yet, my clownish, very fun Splendids deserve attention too! I only have two hens, but have four male Splendids, all in their normal wild color.

Rainbow is the father of two of our other males, Flip and Rainbow Junior. Handsome Rudy came to us in a trade for one of Rainbow’s other sons in order to introduce genetic diversity.

Although Splendids don’t sing as lyrically as a Bourke parakeet, they do call back and forth to each other, especially the two bachelors who want mates of their own. Not an easy feat to find them though.

If you keep birds, you’ll find the colorful Splendids lots of fun. They love to tear up paper, play with toys and are crazy about swings! They like taking baths, and water cups are just another plaything for them.

 

  

You can see some of the shiny, dark cobalt blue of his
face under his beak. The wing color is correct, but their
faces are actually very dark blue, almost black.

Photos at right and below are of Rudy. Hole in nest box doesn't have to be so big. They adapt to various sizes.

They do like to put things in their water! Change their water dish at least once a day or more, and provide them with another source too. A tube of water on the side of a cage works well. It isn’t as likely to be splashed out. Keep an eye on it too, however, because it is likely they’ll make soup in the basin of it as well.

Here is a better depiction of a Splendid's true face color.

As an afterthought, here are other relevant photos, even though they've been posted in earlier articles.

These are young Splendids. Hen is below.
Males above do not have all their scarlet color yet.

Young Male Splendid with a young male Normal Bourke (in wild color).

Very young Splendids. Actually there are four males and
one hen in this cage, but their color hasn't come in yet.
At the time the photo was taken, I didn't know their sexes.
As they matured, the hen had to be removed as she was so outnumbered.



Young Splendid hen with her first egg.



May your Birds Bring You

Peace & Blessings

and Keep You Smiling!