Hello from Japan

[JFK]

Hello,

My name is Justin. I live in Japan.
I’m usually a large dog breed fan, but the houses here are quite smaller, especially since I live near Tokyo.
I’ve recently been looking into a companion pet so I started doing research, and well, here I am.
I have grown up around birds and the fam has has larger breeds throughout my lineage.
I have worked at a zoos & aquariums with a plethora of birds from Toucans, turkeys, vultures, owls, hawks, & Eagles. While I am new to owning one as a pet personally I’m not totally ignorant to animal behavior. I’m also retired and have nothing but time on my hands to spend with whatever I choose.
I look forward to obtaining and sharing knowledge as I go, and am pretty excited to say the least.
I was shockingly gifted a Pacific Parrotlet out of the blue and now I’m scrambling for husbandry information. So far so good. Tiki Chan is incredibly tame at two months and only a day in her new home. We’ve both already learned so much! Amazing animal, I’ve never experienced a bond this fast in all my years working with them.
I think this forum will provide a plethora of useful information and I can’t wait to dig in!View attachment 46876

 

[Terry57]

Hi Justin and welcome to the forum!
Tiki Chan is absolutely beautiful and it sounds like you two already have a wonderful bond.
I'm so happy you joined us

 

[Jen5200]

Welcome to you both! This is a great place for information and knowledgeable people to share their experience. Look forward to hearing more about how you settle in with Tiki Chan!

 

[JFK]

Thanks for the warm welcome!
Three days in and we have mastered step up, perch, short flight on command, and drinking from a water bottle! Man she’s a friggen sponge!
I leave various foods in about five places rotated daily to encourage natural encourage forage behavior as I am able. I enrich with natural veggies & fruits during training sessions & try to keep the seeds to a minimum. She is left with specific pacific parrotlet feed mixed with pellets. I keep the millet as a reward or stress relief. She’ll gorge on it if I allowed. Water bottle success IS AMAZING !!! Saves so much on water cleaning throughout the day. Training sessions are around 10-15 min per session with a 20 min break. I do this for about two to three hours daily. (It is my thought & experience that a well exercised pet is a well behaved and healthy pet). She gets 8-10 hours of uninterrupted sleep with about 2-4 hours of naps throughout the day. She currently resides in an 18x18 cage, but I’m building her a 4’x 2’ x 3’ enclosure to allow for as much contained flight that my small apartment here in Japan will allow. But she’s usually uncaged and allowed free flight of two rooms while I’m home. If I leave the house, she is left with the tv on and her own playlist playing on the radio. Fan is used indirectly on rotate for airflow. All in all she seems happy, healthy, & content. I’m pretty astonished at how quickly she bonded being that I received her at around 4mo of age. Needless to say, she’s spoiled and I’m looking forward to seeing how far and advanced we can go.

 

[Zoruace]

Hello and welcome to the forum justin and tiki chan

 

[Scott]

A warm to Justin and Tiki Chan, thanks for joining!! You've made incredible progress, paving the way for ever increasing bond and vibrant companionship.

 

[LaManuka]

Welcome to the Forums, Justin and cute little Tiki Chan! I think you will find, if you haven't done so already, that parrotlets pack a big bird personality into those tiny little bodies of theirs, so I think you can expect plenty of sass from your new housemate! I'm looking forward to hearing all about her adventures with you in beautiful Japan!

 

[Flboy]

Hi and welcome!
I really love that aviator!

 

[Skarila]

Welcome to our little parrot haven!

Tiki Chan is super adorable!! You're already doing a fantastic job, I am sure Tiki Chan will have many many lovely and happy years to come with you!!
More pictures are always welcome

 

[fiddlejen]

That gorgeous little bird is blessed and fortunate to have found you, it sounds like you are going to give her a wonderful and healthy life!

 

[Kitekeeper]

Welcome Justin and Tiki Chan!!

Oh, be sure you have an amazing little friend there! I am new to pacific parrotlets too, having the wonderful companionship of one for just five months and I am always impressed how smart and independent they are!

Tiki Chan is beautiful, I love that shade of blue in parrots!

I would make a small suggestion regarding her perches, judging by the pictures you could try to provide some slimmer perches as well. They love to climb up and down all day, the more complex is the perch or rope environment the better.

Also don´t forget that pacific parrotlets are quite territorial. Although they are small they can be real bullies toward other birds.

 

[JFK]

Welcome Justin and Tiki Chan!!

Oh, be sure you have an amazing little friend there! I am new to pacific parrotlets too, having the wonderful companionship of one for just five months and I am always impressed how smart and independent they are!

Tiki Chan is beautiful, I love that shade of blue in parrots!

I would make a small suggestion regarding her perches, judging by the pictures you could try to provide some slimmer perches as well. They love to climb up and down all day, the more complex is the perch or rope environment the better.

Also don´t forget that pacific parrotlets are quite territorial. Although they are small they can be real bullies toward other birds.

Thanks for the perch advice! I’m in the process of switching most of the dowels out for natural. I’ll only be using dowel during training in hopes to condition her for a working environment. Her cage is a bit cramped at the moment, but it’s only temporary until I finish construction of her palace.

 

[Zoruace]

Thanks for the perch advice! I’m in the process of switching most of the dowels out for natural. I’ll only be using dowel during training in hopes to condition her for a working environment. Her cage is a bit cramped at the moment, but it’s only temporary until I finish construction of her palace.

thats an exellent set up for a temporary cage
and that cage at the far right cornor- i have the exact same one
my tiel loves to break those studs off lol

 

[JFK]

Built this little play stand for her. She seems to enjoy it I took out the mirrors on the right toy and use it to hold broccoli And yes, I spend more on the bird than my phone

 

[JFK]

And it’s nap time I didn’t plan on turning my home into an aviary, but it’s quickly becoming one

 

[Budgie_Addicted]

Hello Justin and Tiki Chan! A warm welcome to you both! You seem to have quite the setup! I hope you guys have an awesome time here!

 

[Skarila]

I wanna be in Tiki Chan's place. i want someone spoil me to the bone like that :'(

 

[Scott]

And it’s nap time I didn’t plan on turning my home into an aviary, but it’s quickly becoming one View attachment 31181

Oh, it is inevitable!! Time to embrace your entire home as aviary!!

 

[BirdAddictK]

Hi Justin! Congratulations on getting Tiki Chan! I am already in love with him. He just adorable, and I can see the effort that you have put into his care! Pls do keep sharing your journey(the more pics, the better!).

 

[Laurasea]

thats the way to have a happy bird!! I have hanging stuff all over for mine too. Really keeps mind and body happy and engaged.
Wonderful to have you!
I always recommend having a digital kitchen scale and weigh bird weekly and log. A 3% body mass loss or more seek veterinarian. As nearly all birds start loosing weight when sick, sometimes very quickly. And if you pick it by weight loss before "sick " burd symptoms it's much easier to save them. As burds usually only show sign when critical, or never show sign and you just find them gone..
It has saved my birds lives. Abd so I repeat it often so every single burd owner will make this a habit