Eastern & Crimson Rosella: Discover The Beauty of These Australian Parrots
- VIParrot
- February 8, 2023
- 9:37 pm
Species Overview
Also Known As: Eastern & Crimson Rosella
Scientific Name: Platycercus eximius & Platycercus elegans
Adult Size: 12-14 inches
Life Expectancy: 20-30 years
Is The Patagonian Conure a good pet?
- Can learn to sing a tune
- Beautiful and vibrant colored plumage
- They can be loud
- Can bite or nip
- Need to be an experienced bird owner
General Information
Of the two different species of Rosellas pictured in this article, the Crimson is said to make the best family member. There are several species of Rosella in Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand and many color mutations have been developed by Avian Husbandry folks; but we will concentrate on these two because they are said to be the easiest to obtain in the U.S. and other countries and other Rosellas are not specifically differing from these two, by and large.
The Rosella grows to about 12-14 inches, weighs about 115 grams and has a life span of 20-30 years.
They are considered to be of the Parakeet family. Their diet should consist of a good pellet, but; they do relish a few seeds such as millet, canary grass seed, saffron, shelled oats, buckwheat, hemp and flax. Minerals and vitamins must be included in their diet as well as fresh fruit, from the safe fruit list and vegetables. They particularly relish carrots and greens.
Before purchasing a Rosella to share your life with, you must consider that they can have rather loud, raspy voices as well as sweet, melodious songs. The do not mimic human speech very well, but; do readily learn whistled tunes and entire songs and jingles. Rosella’s need to have human contact constantly reinforced, even bred away from the wild and you must insure that any Rosella you purchase is hand fed, hand weaned and in constant contact with humans, otherwise they will withdraw from being a well socialized bird and return to being human shy and territorial (Not unlike the Quaker Parakeet).
They are not serious biters, even though every bird does bite – they will just avoid human contact, if left to their own devices for too long. They need plenty of interaction and out of cage time. This isn’t much different than the rules of thumb for most parrots, but; recidivism can occur much more quickly with the wonderful Rosella. Like Quakers, they are aggressive toward other species and interaction should be avoided or strictly supervised. If you want your Rosella to have a playmate, make that playmate another Rosella.
What food do they eat?
Their diet should consist of a good pellet, but; they do relish a few seeds such as millet, canary grass seed, saffron, shelled oats, buckwheat, hemp and flax. Minerals and vitamins must be included in their diet as well as fresh fruit, from the safe fruit list and vegetables.
Price
They can be rescued, adopted, or purchased at verified organizations or adoption websites like Petfinder. The price range for a Rosella Parrot starts at $300 and can go up to $600 or higher. These prices mostly depend upon the age, health, and color of the bird being bought.
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 Rosella’s. 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 Rosella?
The Rosella grows to about 12-14 inches, weighs about 115 grams and has a life span of 15-30 years. Since they can have a very long lifespan, these beauties can make great companions for your flock. But always ensure you have the biggest cage possible for these amazing creatures to ensure they have a happy and fulfilling life.
Rosella Temperament
Common Diseases
Rosellas can be prone to fungal infections and intestinal worms, primarily when housed in outdoor aviaries where they like to explore at ground level and dig around. Rosellas are also susceptible to psittacosis, which is a bacterial infection also known as parrot fever.
