Corella is an unusual parrot with bright cheeks and a tuft on the head. Everybody pays attention to these details of their appearance, and no one remains indifferent. But not only external attractiveness should be decisive when acquiring a pet. The main factors of choice are the age of the parrot and its state of health.
What you need to know when purchasing Corella
Every future owner wants to know the age of his new pet and also wants him to live with him as much as possible.
At what age is it better to buy a bird? The most suitable period is age up to 14 weeks (3.5 months). At this point, they are best tolerated by changing the environment and more easily adapt to other conditions before the first molt.
What is the duration of their life, you can not say for sure - it all depends on the conditions of their detention. The average duration is 15 years, but if they live in decent conditions, in love and care, the figure may increase to 20 years. Conversely, if the conditions are bad, then the parrot will live a lot less.
Therefore, we must remember that everything depends on you, what conditions you give your friend. Of course, Corella is unpretentious in every sense, but do not neglect the elementary rules of care and maintenance. Reduced lifespan may be due to both stress and illness.
What you should pay attention to when buying in order to understand what the age of the chosen parrot of a cockatiel is:
- head;
- eyes;
- beak;
- paws;
- plumage;
- behavior.
Now we will tell about all the items from the list in order.
Head
The young bird has on its head a small, not fully developed tuft. It consists of two or more straight feathers. Unformed feathers look like small, not yet fully opened feathers. But adults have already formed, open, long, beautiful tufts.
Also in adult individuals, the ends of the feathers may be slightly bent. And in old birds under the crest may be located bald spot.
Eyes
Young representatives have black shiny eyes. With age, they fade, and the iris becomes brown. In very old individuals, the eyes become light brown interspersed with a light yellow color.
Beak
By beak you can also determine - an adult parrot or not.
The young beak is light gray in color, and it is even. There is no mechanical damage or detachment. Also the little nostrils have bigger parrots than the adults. The wax is light gray with a slight pink sheen.
The older the parrot becomes, the darker the beak becomes. By old age, he becomes almost black. Also on it appear damage, stratification and layering. Cement becomes wrinkled and gray.
Paws
Young Corellas have light skin on their paws, with a pinkish tinge. They are also covered with a very thin layer of barely visible scales. At the ends of the fingers are located small and neat claws of a light shade. With age, scales become more rough. Wrinkles appear on the paws. The color darkens, acquiring a brownish tint. Claws lengthen and gradually darken, and then become almost black.
Plumage
Chicks have a not very attractive appearance. The newly born crumbs have rare unopened feathers and a small fluff.On the tail are small, short feathers, but in adults, on the contrary, long, graceful feathers. The color of the feathers before the first molt (3-4 months) is not very bright. And only by the year when the molt ends, and the feathers are replaced by others, the parrots acquire adult coloring. And individuals that have a mutational color, acquire their final color only by 2 years.
During the molting period, birds often try to speed up this process by plucking out feathers. But here, too, it is worth being very careful, as sick birds do it.
Pay attention to all components of the state. If the bird is not very good appearance, then you should give your preference to another. And it would be even better to go to another pet store, since almost all the diseases of birds are very contagious and quickly spread to the rest of the birds.
Behavior
Very young Corella badly know how to fly, and in this regard, they are mainly located at the bottom of the cell. Also, they are still poorly coped with cleaning feathers, because of which they can be soiled in waste products. A young individual can also be determined by the fact that they have poor balance, and as a result, they may not be very confident on their paws. This can be seen in cautious movements.
Proper care and maintenance
The cage is one of the main points, it must be properly selected so that the feathery will be comfortable there.
- The size of the cage should be large enough. But there are minimum sizes that can be oriented: 45x45x60 cm. The form should be square or rectangular, as long as the corners are present and the bird can hide or rest there.
- The distance between the rods should be no more than 2 cm. They must also go horizontally so that the budger can comfortably grab them with his legs and beak.
- For your convenience, it would be better if there were a couple of doors in the cage. This will greatly facilitate cleaning.
- The grid on the pallet should not be installed, the bird can get hurt. To maintain cleanliness, a litter will be needed. For her, it is better to use sand, paper towels and a special filler. It is strictly forbidden to use sawdust and plain paper.
- Plastic pockets should be changed to wooden ones, 2.5-3 cm in diameter. Birch, linden and maple work well for this.
- In the cage you will need to install 2 feeders for dry and wet food, as well as a drinker.
- It is necessary to add toys so that the bird can have fun. Do not forget about the accessories that can be chewed: chalk figures, twigs with fresh buds, special bird treats.
- It is better not to install a mirror, as many birds are afraid of their reflection. However, you can try to bring it to know the reaction of his Corella.
- Important and location of the cell. It should be installed at the wall, the place should be well lit, but direct sunlight should not fall.
- It is forbidden to have odors in the room where the cage is located.
- So that the bird does not feel loneliness, you should put the cage where you most often are.
- It is strictly forbidden to install the cage on the floor or hang it on the ceiling. It is necessary to put it on the table or chest of drawers, so that it is approximately at the level of your eyes.
- If you plan to release the parrot out of the cage, you will need to install a small game complex for it in the room.
Before buying a parrot, you need to think through all the details so that later there are no problems. And, of course, all the "dowry" should be purchased in advance.
To make your pet happy with its vivacity and cheerful character from year to year, do not be lazy before acquiring it to become familiar with all the nuances of its selection and content. Remember that you get not a toy, but a friend - and then he will repay you with sincere and pure love.
How to determine the age of the parrot Corella, see below.
