Scarlet chested keets are

[spiritwolf46]

making love all over the place. Hopefully, I will have some eggs before too long! They have been in the box off and on. The male was the first (to scope it out) and now the female has been in there. I heard some constant soft beeps from one of them. Scared me! I thought that one of them was hurt, but alas...it was the female. :)

Keep finger crossed! I would LOVE to have some of those babies!

[linda040899]

Do you have any kind of background on this pair? If they've had chicks in the past, do they feed or not?

~crosses fingers~

[spiritwolf46]

Do you have any kind of background on this pair? If they've had chicks in the past, do they feed or not?

~crosses fingers~

This is their very first clutch. I don't know what to expect from them, but will keep a very close eye on them. They are of breeding age now and the lady who sold them to me is in contact with me every single day. She has given me so much info. on them (their ages, where they came from, etc.) and more. Very nice!

Again, I don't know what to expect but will do what I have to do if they do not feed them. I know that they hatch at 18 to 19 days and fledge at 4 weeks. I would like to handfeed, but am not sure if that is the thing to do with their first clutch. I do want them used to the human touch, since they are so skittish. I will take it one day at a time and check from time to time. Not too often though. Just want to make sure the babies are being fed and that will be that.

[linda040899]

If this pair feed their young, let them do it and you socialize them. This being their first clutch, they need the experience. It's my understanding that even hand fed neophemas tend to be on the skiddish side. It's the nature of the species. Hopefully, the parents will do their job and everything will be OK. :)

[spiritwolf46]

If this pair feed their young, let them do it and you socialize them. This being their first clutch, they need the experience. It's my understanding that even hand fed neophemas tend to be on the skiddish side. It's the nature of the species. Hopefully, the parents will do their job and everything will be OK. :)

Very good advise! And, from what I have heard, these type of birds are excellent parents. I think that I will just allow them to feed these out and will socialize them when they fledge. I know that I have to watch the male, for even though rarely, at times the male might pick on another male fledgling. I will keep an eye on that. ;)

Thanks Linda!

[linda040899]

Have you thought about what you are going to do with any babies that might be produced?

When I had my breeding pair, SC Parakeets were considered endangered and could not be sold interstate without the buyer having a permit to purchase them. The seller didn't need the permit but the buyer sure did! They came off the endangered species list about 10 yrs ago so the permit is no longer needed. However, at one point, they could not be sold to/by pet shops. Don't know if that's changed or not. To this day, I've never seen them in any pet shops. I got one pair from a pet shop and when I asked for a receipt, the description of the pair was "Grass Parakeets"! The pet shop had acquired them from NY breeder (who should not have been able to sell them across state lines without a permit) and the shop could not sell them legally, either! I could never really prove what I purchased, as the sale was illegal. The pair, however, got a good forever home!

[spiritwolf46]

I will be selling them around here. I live in a town with a lot of retiree's. If schooled on these little beauties before they buy, these babies should have great homes. I will do that with all my babies.

It is interesting that you brought this up about them being on the endangered list. I was just reading that not too long ago. It was a very interesting read. Can't remember where I read it though, or I would link it. I have been all over the web and in books before I got these. Can't learn enough, that is for sure.

I would never sell to a pet shop anyway. Don't like that. Not the ones around here, anyway.

I think that with the proper information to a prospective buyer, they should do fine in a forever home. Preferably one who is retired, with a lovely glassed in patio that would want a beautiful aviary bird. :) And there are an abundance of those type of people around here! ;)

[linda040899]

My all time favorite link for Neophemas is this one: http://www.grassparakeet.com/index.htm Before the name change, it used to be called Merga's Mates, a website out of Australia.

In their native land, they are ground birds. They live in the underbrush and that's why they have large eyes for capturing all available light. None of the Neophema family are cuddly birds. They tend to be independent and would rather come to you when they want rather than have you go to them.

Bourkes have a delightful song and I love the soft sound their wings make when they fly! Bourkes, by the way, are much longer lived. :(

[spiritwolf46]

My all time favorite link for Neophemas is this one: http://www.grassparakeet.com/index.htm Before the name change, it used to be called Merga's Mates, a website out of Australia.

In their native land, they are ground birds. They live in the underbrush and that's why they have large eyes for capturing all available light. None of the Neophema family are cuddly birds. They tend to be independent and would rather come to you when they want rather than have you go to them.

Bourkes have a delightful song and I love the soft sound their wings make when they fly! Bourkes, by the way, are much longer lived. :(

I LOVE this website!!!! I,too, have had this one as my favorites. Very informative!

They are still going to town. Being the first clutch, I am sure it may take them a while. :) She is in the nest box today and I can hear her moving things around in there. We may have an egg before too long.

I heard from the breeder of the female. (The male came from Georgia), but the breeder of the female is around my area. She said that the female's coloring on her "pantaloons" are a reddish orange and she may be a split. Most females so not have that. I am VERY excited to see what the babies look like. I know that they do not get a lot of color for a few months, but it should be interesting to see them then. :)

[spiritwolf46]

FEMALE will NOT come out of the box! Now, I don't know if she is on an egg or not, but she will not BUDGE from that box! Hopefully, we have an egg. :)