contrasts nicely with the dark blue back. The Lutino mutation of the Pacific has the red-eye and the face of the male appears to have a deeper yellow than the rest of the . This the Emergence mutation is far less common in the U.S. than the blue. When any mutation occurs, the bird ofa is sometimes rather small. When this happens, one must out-cross to a nor­ mal colored bird to acquire the correct Snowflake size. Long-term inbreeding can even cause infertility or problems of poor A Possible us. First Breeding 0/the Albino Pacific Pa7iotlet egg laying. It appears that the Blue mutation Pacific coming in from Europe have been outcrossed as an interview with Eric Antheunisse and Kevin & Julie Stang they are not only good-sized but by Dale R. Thompson, Lemon Cove, CA have been reproducing very well. Since both the Blue and Lutino mutations in the Pacific Parrotlet are recessive in their genetics, an Albino here are seven parrotlets found the eye while the female has an emer­ offspring can be acquired very simply. in the Fotpus genus. All are ald-green eye streak There are many combinations that can T found in except With the large numbers of Pacific be bred to acquire the Albino, even for two species; the first being the Parrotlets being successfully bred in two Lutino parents. They would both Mexican Parrotlet and the second captivity, there have been several have to be split to blue and this was, being the nominate race of the mutations that have appeared. The fol­ indeed, the parentage of the Albino Spectacled Parrotlet. The first is obvi­ lowing are well documented: Dark­ Pacific Parrotlet occurring in the ously found in Mexico while the sec­ eyed (American) Yellow, Fallow, Blue, aviaries of Eric Antheunisse. ond barely enters Central America Lutino, Pastel and Cinnamon. There The parrotlets are housed in indi­ through Eastern Panama. are several other dilutes (in addition to vidual pairs in cages measuring 18 The most common and most popu­ the Pastel and Cinnamon) appearing inches x 18 inches x 30 inches wide. A lar parrotlet in captivity is the Pacific or but they have not been named and vertical wooden nest box measuring 6 Celestial Parrotlet, Fotpus caelestis, their genetics must be more perfectly inches x 8 inches x 11 inches in depth which originates from the Pacific determined. All the above are reces­ are placed on the front of each cage (hence its name) side of the Andes in sive in their genetics. with a wire latter extending down South America. They are found in The Albino is a combination of two from a 11/4 inch entrance hole to the western Ecuador through northwest­ other colors (Lutino and Blue) which is shavings below. A solid partition is ern Peru. why it was not covered in the previous placed between each of the breeding Even though the parrotlet is not the paragraph. Soon (they are probably pairs so they cannot see each other. smallest in the world (the Pigmy now occurring) there will be The parrotlets are fed a balanced takes that role), it is the small­ Cinnamon-blues, etc. There appears to pelleted diet daily in an open bowl est parrot found in captivity. Whereas be two different types ofYellows; one along with a water dish. Automatic the Pigmy Parrot has difficulty even in the States developed by Rainer waterers are not used. Because par­ lasting 24 hours in captivity, the par­ Erhart, and another Yellow in Europe rotlets enjoy bathing in their watering rotlets have taken well to reproducing that retains some of its green feathers. dish it is changed as needed. Tube in captivity. Even though the parrotlets This latter bird may in fact be another waterers are not used. are around five to six inches in total type of dilute mutation. Most of the mutation parrotlets are length, they appear even smaller when The Blue mutation of the Pacific allowed to rear their own young just as observed in person. Sexual dimor­ Parrotlet is a beautiful powder blue in do the normally colored ones. When a phism is present in the adults but, for color which is why it is so well liked in pair ofLutino Pacific Parrotlets laid five many newcomers, some ofthe females aviculture. The males retain their fertile eggs and they began to hatch, it can be confusing as to which species cobalt feathers which even enhance was assumed that they were all Lutino they belong. the mutation and gives it that two-tone as they all had red eyes. It was not The immediate difference between look that is so desired. The females are known then that this pair was split to the sexes of the Pacific Parrotlets is in softer in their blue tones and are blue. They began hatching around the eye streaks. The male has a cobalt­ almost turquoise in coloration. The October 20, 1997. When the first or blue streak of feathers extending from front of the body is baby blue and this largest baby broke its pinfeathers, its

60 January/February 1998 Veterinaria s Conunercial Members

.A.I...A.B~ Faith Dnunheller, DVM Opp Veterinary Ho pitaI 334-493-6687 ARIZ0 N"A. Bobbie Faust, DVM Faust Ho pital 602-482-2191 Ross Babcock, DVM Palo Verde Animal Ho pital 602-944--9661 <:::.A.I...IFORNIA. Laura Becker, DVM Four Comers Veterinary Hospital 510-685-0512 Robert Stonebreaker, DVM Del Mar Vet Hospital 619-755-9351 Charles Wraith, DVM The first albino Parkway Animal Hospital Pacific Parrotlet produced 510-828-0455 in American aviculture with FLORII>A. Rhoda Stevenson, DVM two ofits lutino siblings. Exotic Bird Ho pital 904-268-0204 Suzanne Topor, DVM Livingston Animal & Avian Clinic 813-979-1955 ILLINIOS Drs. Nye, Ness, McDonald, Mod, DVMs Midwest Bird &Exotic Ho pitaI 708-344--8166

~Y"L.A.N"I> William Boyd, DVM Pulaski Veterinary Clinic 410-686-6310

~SSA.CI£(JSE'r'rS Wendt Emerson, DVM Mobile Veterinary ervices 978-887-3836 William Sager, DVM Littleton Animal Ho pital Handfeeding parrots as 508-486-3101 small as Pac~fic Parrotlets ~ISSISSIPPI is not only time consum­ Patricia Hildago, DVM ing but exciting} especially Amory Animal Ho pitaI when they are albino and 601-256-3548

lutino. ~ISSOTJR..I David Kersting, DVM Bird Medicine & Surgery 314-469-6661

Photo by Eric Antheunisse NE~ JERSEY" Dean Cerf, DVM Ridgewood Veterinary Hospital 201-447-6000 Woodbridge Veterinary Group 908-636-5520 NE~ Y"O:RJC J.C. Adsi~ DVM 518-463-0600 O"'IO Bob Dalhausen, DVM, MS Research Associates labortory 513-248-4700 Donn Griffith, DVM Exotic Animal Consultants & Bird Hospital 614-889-2556 Wtlliam Mandel, DVM Mandel Veterinary Hospital 440-516-1000 lindaWtley, DVM Metropet Animal Hospital 219-826-1520

TE~ Drs. Adoue, Tabone, Hays, & Eaton, DVMs Desoto Animal Hospital 927-223-4840 The European breeders are noted.for their success hreeding lutino, hlue, and alhino Pacific Parrotlets. The albino is produced by a combination q!lutino and blue geneticfactors.

the afa WATCHBIRD 61 feathers emerged brilliantly white in had ofsurvived, the first and the fourth color instead ofyellow. When the bird baby would have been Albinos. The showed a good amount ofwhite feath­ remaining offspring were obviously ers, the parents outright killed the Lutino. largest bird but did not attack the four Weaning of the Albino and Lutino smaller babies that were still pink and Parrotlets was just as one would wean A-VI~veiure:1 I.l'Itl. did not show their color. It was imme­ a Budgie. It is simple if one handfeeds p.o. 00IC 'i"'~'i"( rttoeM,tlt... Arl'ZOl\t\. %'507=1- ""J.l?" ------...- diately decided that the remainder of them correctly with no stunting. As ~~..eo~ ~r~(~, An~( %50(q-":2J~ the birds be removed for handfeeding. with many weaning parrots, spray mil­ Kevin and Julie Stang took over the let was used to assist them during the duties of handfeeding the four remain­ weaning process. Most young parrots ing babies. The babies were only a few and parakeets love this "food on a grams in weight, with the smallest stick." After this, the complete weaning being approximately 4 grams. They process was easy and the birds were were graduated in size as parrotlets weaned onto the same vegetable and :~;;=:~~. can hatch from 18 hours or more apart pelleted diet the parents are given. The from each other. During the feeding Albino, when weaned, was brilliantly

'2. __"""_",...... ~ "'_.. _ J(o-_I ..... _,-.---"' ... ~_ ...... - process. the babies can even become white as snow - like a living )t(.... -"'""'""[kmg-.,,'2- __ __ a_""'""""'[kmg_'2_'_"""' ...... _ol"-go_...._' more unequal in size as the parents snowflake. "~iOJj;,':;- ,.'·-rr.-ArA W"",,,b,rot 0.7 may feed the largest babies more food The parents of these birds immedi­ -- DoftlI...-.tI_..... _-- -_ ...... - .. __oICqIIooo __NnI-- -- - .....- (0'7,00 6 'So 0 than the smallest. ately went back on eggs with five of !(')-~--~-- 11.::= _0:..-_".,._ I~ 7;;1 The babies were kept in one tub to seven eggs being fertile. With the ~1(2J==-~ 4 ~S-7 '-( ~S7 .. _--~~ {lbI""'8(1}_'AP:II "l .;LC\ Lj;L9 retain as much heat as possible. Single many pairs of mutation Pacific 4 __.,._ • '-1 "t ~~--- 48 .. __o.-..._.e--,,__ 4.8 chicks seldom do well by themselves Parrotlets that Mr. Eric Antheunisse has I b2 I b~ l ___t!U"oI'__'511 at a very young age but within a group bred, the Lutinos, Blues, Pastels and • :2 10 ;;LID • __t!U"oI.",,_,SI} • '1 b '3'1 '-f ID "3 '1 of babies the combined body mass more, we are assured to see several II'I~"'''-'''- (, b ,-~ I I \10(,,1 generates and retains heat much bet­ additional mutations to follow. in the - I~---- 0 0 l_~"'I_I~A_'!ll/2'.l) ter. near future. • (, 'SOD 16'300 =:::::"'~-- q~-. Lf7 7- qs: '17'Z They were placed in a brooder I was informed that Antheunisse 'l._oI_al~ maintained at 93° F. At the beginning, already has the Blue Pastels being pro­ the babies were given six to seven duced. What an endless amount of feedings per day. In fact, the largest mutations there are out there waiting baby in the group could hold only 1 cc to be developed. The possibilities of Advertisers of formula during one feeding. Exact new mutations for the Pacific Parrotlets (8% fat) handfeeding formula was are endless, following the path of the Index used along with Instant Ounces. They Indian Ring-necked Parakeet. Mr. Absolutely Aussie 5 were fed every two hours for there first Antheunisse informed me that when Aves Communications .26 two days and then the frequency was he visited Europe in November, 1997, Avicultural Consultation Service 9 gradually reduced. Even at 21 days, he observed many other new Pacific Avocet Manufacturing, Ltd inside F.C. though, the babies were still on five Parrotlet mutations and their combina­ Beakers Graphic Designs 12 feeding per day. The tiny chicks were tions including Blue Fallows, Pieds, Ceder Hill Bird Enterprises 31 fed from 3:00 A.M. until 11:00 P.M. at Yellow-headed Greens (buttercups), Cuttlebone Plus 13 night. Both Kevin and Julie took turns and Cobalts just to name a few. We Everybody's Bird Mart (Pomona, CA) .. 39 with the handfeeding duties as one only hope that more and more people Fantastic Feathers 33 person would soon be exhausted with reproduce these wonderful little gems. Goodman's Aviary 33 this horrendous schedule. Even so, the Grubco..· 35 Eric Antheunisse is a full time aviculturist who split schedule took its toll. Hagen. Rolf C. (USA) Corp.-Tropicana...15 has been raising birds for more than 15 years. He The young parrotlets began to show also promotes many ofthe northern California Bird Hawkeye Parrots 20 feather color at around two weeks of Marts. His knowledge goes far beyond the Pacific Humidaire Incubator Company 19 Parrotlets. He breeds hundreds of psittacine birds Lima's Exotic Birds 33 age. It was impossible to guess before­ from macaws, cockatoos, Amazons, Africans, Australians, emus and more. He specializes in LIM Animal Farms inside B.C. hand what color the babies would be, as their pin feathers did not show any conures and mutation psittacines. He has large col­ L & M Bird Leg Bands 30 lection of conures with over 30 species including Lyon Electric Company. Inc 37 indication of color (yellow or white). It many rare ones. He has developed several gene Magnolia Bird Farm 31 seemed that the pin feathers emerged pools so he can establish some ofthe rarer species such as the White-eared Conure. Out of the Blue Aviaries 32 directly out of the body and immedi­ Phoenix Cage Co 16 ately showed color. Kevin and Julie Stang have been handfeeding Rainbow Gardens 31 The third baby ofthe remaining off­ many of Mr. Antheunisse's birds for several years and have always done an excellent job with the Red Bird Products. Inc 12 spring (total of four) turned out to be birds, even the very tiny ones as referred to in this Sun Seed Co. Inc Back Cover an Albino. So, if the complete clutch article. + 62 January/Februaly 1998 UM Animal Farm Pleasant Plain, Ohio 45162 1-800-332-5623 • MADE IN THE USA 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED New 5 -ejIM E sy- o-Feed,

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