From Diet to Personality: The Ultimate Moustache Parrot Care Guide
- VIParrot
- February 9, 2023
- 9:27 pm
Species Overview
Also Known As: Red-breasted Parakeet
Scientific Name: Psittacula alexandri
Adult Size: 16 inches
Life Expectancy: 20-25 years
Is The Moustache Parrot a good pet?
- Social and affectionate
- Can learn to mimic a tune
- Amazing colors
- Can be good for apartment living due to being a quieter parrot
- They tend to stick to one owner
- Not the best parrot for households with small children like toddlers
- When they’re young they can be a little aggressive but tend to mellow out in maturity
General Information
This beautiful, pastel feathered bird with its obvious moustache (hence the name Moustache Parrot!), hails from the Himalayas, Indonesia and China. It is one of the few parrots whose sex can be visually determined. The female has a black beak while the male has a bright orange-red beak.
They are a hardy medium sized bird of about 16″ and 100 to 130 grams in adulthood. (slightly larger than a Quaker in overall length, including the tail) and their life span is 20-25 years in a good home with good food, lots of soft wood toys, foot toys and foraging toys as well as plenty of attention from their human family.
They belong to the genus Ringneck, but are the nominate bird in their species for which there are eight subspecies which vary slightly in color and size. They are fun loving and affectionate pets, but; like the Quaker Parakeet, can be very opinionated. There food should consist of a high end, uncolored, plain pellet, mixed with a good small to medium sized parrot seed mixture and supplemented daily with brightly colored, nutritious fruits and vegetables.
They are credited with their talking ability; and are very articulate. They have a real talent for learning and whistling tunes. They are very intelligent and learn rapidly. They need plenty of cage room and multi-level perches as they love to climb and play and forage with their toys. At the very least the Aviary should be 36″ x 18″ x 24″ with no more than ½” to 5/8″ bar spacing; per bird, so you would want to increase the width and height a bit to accommodate that long tail, if you have two. Yes, they can and do screech; but, this can be kept to a minimum by staggering the height and placement of perches and toys. Keep them busy and they will be happy and a joy to share your life with.
What food do they eat?
The Moustache Parrots food should consist of a high end, uncolored, plain pellet, mixed with a good small to medium sized parrot seed mixture and supplemented daily with brightly colored, nutritious fruits and vegetables.
Price
The mustached parakeet can be rescued, adopted, or purchased at verified organizations or adoption websites like Petfinder. The mustache parakeet price ranges from $600 to $700.
If you want to choose a breeder, make sure that the breeder is reputable by asking them how long they’ve been breeding and working with Parakeets. Ask for a tour, but don’t be alarmed if you are unable to tour the facilities in which they keep the birds. Many reputable breeders opt to work under closed aviaries, which prevents diseases from infecting the flock.
How big is the Moustache Parrot?
They are a hardy medium sized bird of about 16″ and 100 to 130 grams in adulthood.
Temperament
They are credited with their talking ability; and are very articulate. They have a real talent for learning and whistling tunes. They are very intelligent and learn rapidly. They also have a very unique personality and tend to be a little bossy, opinionated and needy at times.
Common Diseases
– Polyoma, a deadly avian virus
– Sarcocystosis, a parasitic disease
– Aspergillosis, a fungal disease
– Bacterial infections
– Vitamin A deficiency
– Psittacosis (parrot fever)
