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General Caique Information
The information on this page is specific to caiques. Please also visit Cleo's Parrot Info, Care and Health, Diet, and Toy Info pages for more information that is relevant to all species.
Searching Tip: This tip will help you find specific words on this page, and it works on any web site It is just a Windows function. Click 'Edit' on your menu bar at the top of the page. Then click 'Find'. In the window that opens type in the key word you want to look for and click the "Find" button. For example: if you are looking for "hair surfing" you can just type the word hair into the box.
| Pronunciations | Information / Cage / Diet | Caique Art |
| Coloring / Subspecies | At Play | The "Other" Caique |
| Traits and Personalities | Caique Mailing List | FAQs |
Caique is pronounced several different ways. The most common seems to be kye-eek. I will add more pronunciations as I come across them.
Pronunciations
kye-eek - Listen
kike - Listen
kAk - ListenYes, this one sounds just like cake. :)
Caique
Coloring / Species
Looking at several
different sites it can become confusing as to what a WBCs scientific name
is. I will try to clear it up here. But first I want to thank Gloria
Balaban for helping me sort it all out and allowing me to present
her explanation of caique species: Caique
Species and Subspecies by Gloria Balaban.
There are two species of caique. The Black Headed Caique (Pionites
melanocephala) and the White Bellied Caique (Pionites leucogaster).
Now, the scientific name for the White Bellied Caique that we have here
in the United States is Pionites leucogaster xanthomeria. You may
find our little guy listed on the web as a yellow-thighed. This is correct.
So, here is the break down.
WBC:
All WBC are Pionites leucogaster. From there they are broken down into three subspecies.
WBC, Green-thighed are: leucogaster, with the full scientific name being Pionites leucogaster leucogaster.
WBC, Yellow-thighed (The WBC we have in the U.S.) are: xanthomeria, with the full scientific name being Pionites leucogaster xanthomeria.
WBC, Yellow-tailed are: xanthurus, with the full scientific name being Pionites leucogaster xanthurus.
BHC:
Both Black-headed caiques are Pionites melanocephala. From there they are broken down into two subspecies.
Black-headed (the BHC we have in the U.S.): melanocephala with the full scientific name being Pionites melanocephala melanocephala.
Pallid: pallida with the full scientific name being Pionites melanocephala pallida.
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BHC These pictures of Lin's Bandi are a great representation of the coloring of a baby and an adult Black Head Caique. See how adorable she was with her little yellow tummy when she was a baby. Then look at how beautiful she is with her bright white stomach now that she has grown. |
 3 months |
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Pallid The Pallid looks
exactly like a Black-headed but has yellow thighes rather than orange.
I could not find a link to a picture of a Pallid on the Internet.
If you come across one, please e-mail
me. |
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WBC (Yellow-thighed) Here Susan's
Ollie is showing us the black feather's that a baby White Bellied
Caique sports. These will eventually molt out as adult caiques have
very little to no black feathers on their crown. When Ollie becomes
an adult we will present a picture of him for comparison. |
 5 months |
Until Ollie gets his adult feathers you can check out some adult WBCs on the Caique Mailing List Pictures Page . | |
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WBC (Green-thighed) From what I
understand Green Thighs are not bred and sold in the United States., |
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WBC (Yellow-tailed) I think this little guy is cool. As with the green-thighed, they yellow-tailed seems to look just like a the yellow-thighed with the exception of having a yellow tail. To read a description and see a picture of a yellow-tailed click here and then click on the link 2. Pionites l. xanthurus |
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Caique
Traits and Personalities: Articles
and Personal Stories.
If
you want a bird that will sit contentedly on a perch a caique is not for
you. I don't know if there is a bird that will sit quietly and constantly
on a perch, but if there is, that bird is the polar opposite of a caique.
No matter how may toys you have on or near the perch, there are other,
more exciting things to explore. Please check out the following links
to get insight into the wonderful little bird that is known as 'the clown
of the parrot world'.
First hand accounts of caique behavior: I have compiled some descriptions of caique behavior as members of the Caique Mailing List write about their fiddos.
Caiques Are People Too: This site is the unofficial site for the Caique Mailing List. There is an abundance of information and pictures, and all presented with a touch of humor. This site is a must see!
Chris and Joanne's Crazy Caique Homepage: This site is a must visit to get insight into the fun personality of a caique. Check out the pictures of Jess for a look at the comical life of a caique.
Caiques by Karen M. Crassi: A great article that gives general information on caiques.
The Unique Caique: Another great article. Caique prepurchasing information, environmental needs, health concerns, etc.
Those Colorful, Clownish, Caiques!: Article.
The Caique Site: Answers your caique questions: Is a parrot right? Getting started Parrot proofing, Caging, Food, Water, Lighting, Cleaning the cage, Trimming,Other pets ,Keeping pairs, Sex Bathing, Biting, Talking, Traveling, Health care, Human hazards, Potty training, Eggs, Chicks, Maturation, Longevity, Stolen!, Escaped!, Arcane facts, Species names, Color variation, Wild caiques,and much more.
Where to See Caiques in the Wild: From The Caique Site.
The White-Bellied Caique: Information from the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation, giving description, range, and habitat. Good pictures.
The Yellow-Thighed Caique: a.k.a. white-bellied caique. General information with some great pictures of babies.
Black-Headed Caique: General information and some good pictures of babies.
CentralPets.com: Good information about care, personality, and needs.
From Chick to Playful Adult: Photos showing babies BHCs growing up.
Caiques: by Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. Good rundown of information from origin to disposition.
Cages:
I have seen several different cage size suggested around the Internet. The one thing they all have in common is the general statement "The bigger the better". Caiques are active little birds and need plenty of room in their cages to play.
Recommended cage size: The bigger the better but bar spacing needs to be no wider than ¾” and size no smaller than 24' x 24" x 24
Cages, Cages, Cages!!!: by Sharron Salas. A lot of good information on what to look for when buying a cage. For example "Check Out the Welds!!!: ....The cage is stronger and rusting is not a concern because there is no place for water to sit and rust the cage from the inside out."
General Information on cages and items, such as tents and bedding, inside the cage. Check these links out as the cage material and construction can affect your birds health.Perches:
Supply several different types of perches. Cleo likes grapevine perches like the one in this picture.
Perches should be of various sizes providing exercise for your parrots feet.
Do not use sandpaper perches as these can irritate the foot.
Perches should be placed at various levels in the cage.
Try to avoid using dowel rods (the most common perch... comes in almost every cage). They are low quality, splinter, and do not give the foot exercise.
Footloose.....Problem Free, All About Perches FAQ: by Anne Johnson. This is a very in-depth article with a lot of good information on your parrots perching needs.Diet:
Some parrots have special dietary needs. As far has I have found, caiques do not have any special needs. Unless you consider being a little piggy a dietary need.
For diet info please check out Cleo's Diet Information page.
Caique Mailing List Caiques At Play: Photos of the caiques of the Caique Mailing List.
Jaimy: This site has wonderful pictures of Jaimy the BHC. For pictures of more feathered and furred friends visit Claudia's Homepage.
Caique
Mailing List: The
Caique Mailing List "is a list dedicated to the discussion of Caiques.
Its design is to be an informative and fun place for people to talk about
caiques." In my experience it is also a place to get to know the
people who are owned by caiques. It has a friendly atmosphere with caring
people who, on occasion, discuss life as well as our fids. I feel we have
a family of friends on the Caique Mailing List.
NOTE: Due to some technical difficulties the Caique Mailing List has shut
down. But, the wonderful people who were the heart of the Caique Mailing
List created a new Caique List. To join: register
at http://www.wingscc.net/list/
and, once you are registered send mail to Caique@wingscc.com
Thank you Barry for ten years of hosting the
Caique Mailing List, and Thank you Howard for setting up a new home for
the awesome people of the caique mailing list.
Classic Creatures: Beautiful reprint of an acrylic painting.
Custom Bird Prints from Down in The Country: These are some beautiful oil paintings. They are custom paintings from photographs supplied by you.
Elegant Caiques Jewelry - Brooch Pin: From Classic Creatures.
Pogo Polly's: handmade parrot jewelry.
Once Upon A Stitch; Embroidery: Parrot embroidery designs for embroider sewing machines.
The "Other" Caique: We all know that caiques are the clowns of the parrot world but did you know that caiques are also boats. Here is what we like to laughingly refer to as the wood-bellied caique.
FAQ:
Note: These FAQs are answered from my own experience
and reading other's experiences. Neither I, nor they, are experts in the
field of parrot care.
Can Caiques Talk?
Yes, but
their ability is very limited. Caiques are not known for there talking
ability. Cleo does not talk, and from what I have read caique speak is
gravely and not externally clear. However, member of the Caique Mailing
list have said that their caiques do have some words that are clear. Caiques
can whistle like the dickens however, and are pros at mimicking sounds.
Monte mimics a telephone ringing and Cleo did a good imitation of our
old car alarm (right down to the six beeps prior to the siren sound).
Others have reported their caiques mimicking microwaves, fire alarms,
etc.
Is there a difference
between males and females?
The general
consensus is "no". It seems that females and males are each
just as active as the others, and each have about the same ability to
talk.
How much does a
healthy caique weigh?
According
to the Birdie
Boutique BHCs weigh 130-150 grams and WBCs weigh 140-180 grams. The
question was asked on the caique mailing
list and these were the results: Average for 23 BHCs was 161 grams.
Average for 8 WBC was 153 grams. For a full break down by age and gender
click here. It is important to weigh your
caique regularly so you get a feel for what his/her normal weight is because
weight loss is an indication of illness. It is also important to realize
that there is no ideal weight for our birds. Each bird is his/her own
fiddo and his or her weight may not be the perfect weight for another.
For example, Monte, at 139 grams, was over weight. She came to me at 143
and, although she ate like a like a little piggy, as caiques do, she lost
4 grams in the first week. And she still needed to loose more. At 136
she is fit and healthy. Just keep in mind that as long as your vet is
telling you that your fiddo is fine, then he or she is fine (providing
that you have a competent vet). This compilation and comparison of weights
is just more for fun than to say what a fiddo needs to weigh.
At what age are
caiques mature?
2-3 years
for both the BHC and the WBC.
What should I feed
my caique?
When feeding
fruit, please buy organic. For a look at Cleo's diet click
here. For more in-depth diet information check out the Diet
page on this site.
Do caiques get
along with other birds?
Yes and
No. For the most part the answer is no, unless the other bird is a caique.
Even then you must be watchful when introducing them. Caiques are known
to be aggressive to other birds, however there are cases where they get
along with others. In my case Cleo wants to play with Gypsy (sun conure),
but Cleo is too rough with her so Gypsy does not feel comfortable playing
with Cleo unless there is something between them; cage, happy hut, jolly
ball, etc., so that Gypsy feels her body is, for the most part, protected.
Can caiques and
dogs get along?
It is the
general consensus on the Caique Mailing List that caiques are dog hunters.
Seems almost everyone on the list has the same experience with their caiques
and dogs as I have with Cleo and our dogs. Cleo is out for blood when
one of the dogs is near. The worst bites I have received from her (the
only ones that have brought blood) have come when my fingers got between
her and a dog. She will fly for the dogs with mayhem in her eyes if one
comes near. Luckily the nips she gave them early on in their relationship
set up that she is the dominant one in the house. They run from her. But,
I will never let my guard down. It would take but a second for one of
the dogs to decide to bite the 'pest' and I would no longer have Cleo.
So please, be careful with your caiques around dogs.
Note: The above was written in the first year of Cleo coming into our
family. At the time of this writing Cleo has been dominating the household
for over two years. The relationship with the dogs has changed a bit.
Cleo no longer goes after them with blood in her eyes, and the dogs no
long run from her, but there is still 'tension'. The dogs still give her
space, and are wary, but they do not walk quickly past or do an out right
turn around as they use to. Also, it has been a long time since Cleo has
tried to attack one of the dogs. Still, we remain vigilant.
Is cat saliva really
toxic to birds?
Here are a few quotes
from some web sites To read the full account click on the links:
"Cat saliva contains a bacteria that is usually fatal to birds unless
the appropriate antibiotic is administered." (Maine
Audubon)
"Having cat saliva on a birds feathers is enough to introduce an
infection that could kill the bird." (Parrot
Passions UK)
"Even saliva from a cat transferred to a bird can cause them to become
ill and die. If ever your bird has contact with a cat--even if this contact
seems incidental--an immediate vet visit is in order." (Parrot
Parrot: Cats and Birds article)
"Cats commonly have Pasteurella bacteria as part of their natural
flora. While this bacteria is ubiquitous in cats and does them no harm,
it is DEADLY to birds. Even if your cat just bats your bird or gets saliva
on your bird, you could end up with a dead bird." (Parrot
Parrot: Alerts page)
"Regardless, contact with a cat's saliva, which contains a bacteria
deadly to birds called Pasteurella, could be fatal." (Parrot
Chronicles: Hazards page)
Can
human saliva make my bird sick?
My vet is
VERY adament about not allowing birds to come into contact with human
saliva. So much so that he does not even want parrot owners to give a
little kiss on the head. To back him up here are some quotes from the
web:
From Parrot
Chronicles, "Human saliva is not in itself toxic, of course.
And your bird cannot catch a human cold from you. However, all mammalian
saliva carries bacteria that could make your bird sick with infections
of the sinuses, throat, lungs, air sacs, gastro-intestinal tract or internal
organs.Therefore, never let your bird make contact with your mouth--even
for a quick "peck"--and do not bite off food for your bird."
And from ExoticPet.Net,
"Our mouths contain many microbes that can cause disease in birds,
and contact with the human mouth should be strictly prohibited."
How active are
caiques?
Extremely!
They are high energy birds.
Can two caiques
share a cage?
Yes. Some
of the members of the Caique Mailing List have two caiques that share
the same cage. At the same time others have two caiques that do not. It
all depends on the personalities of the caiques. Cleo and Monte share
a cage.
If I get a second
caique will I lose my bond with my caique?
No. Caiques
seem to keep the bond even when there are two. From what I have read you
need to give them each their own one-on-one time with you.
Cleo and Monte have been sharing a cage for a few months now and they
both still want tons of attention from us. They also still want to wrestle
with us. I have seen no change in Cleo's relationship with me.
What does it mean
when my caique bobs his/her head?
If your
caique is pumping his neck like he is going to regurgitate this is a sign
of affection. Bonded birds regurgitate food for each other. This is called
head-bobbing. To see Cleo head-bobbing click here
and for more on body language click here.
My caique sneezes
and/or picks his nose. Is this normal?
Yes. However,
if it is constant or on going see a vet. An occasional sneeze is normal.
Also, when Cleo was young she 'picked' her nose. She rarely does it now.
I was always afraid her talon would get stuck in her nostril. Amazing
how it is just the right size. Nature; gotta love it.
What is 'hair surfing'?
Hair surfing
is caique fun time. The caique rubs himself on your hair, pulling here
and there, managing to get your hair all mussed up. Here is a picture
of Cindi's Maggie hair surfing.
What is body-surfing?
A caique will rub his/her face on your arms, hands, etc. Cleo doesn't
do this much, but Monte really gets into it and will hold on to my watch
as she rubs her head and neck on my arm or had. She also likes to rub
her cheeks between my fingers. From what I have read, this body-surfing
behavior is only exhibited by caiques. It is stated that this may come
from the behavior of leaf bathing that they do in the wild.
My caique has an
opening under his beak. Is this normal?
Yes. Here is a picture of Monte so that you can be sure we are talking
about the same thing.
Click
photo for larger picture.
My
caique's beak does not close all the way? Is the normal?
Well, from my experience with caiques and sun conures the answer is yes.
Again, here is a picture of Monte, our beak model, so we can be sure we
are talking about the same thing.
Click
photo for larger picture.
How do I introduce
a new caique into my home?
There are many success stories of people introducing a new caique
into the home. I am one of them. But, it is not love at first sight. I
have had the same experiences as Darlene, Heather, and Tom: murderous
intent, being a wrestling mat, Monte and Cleo eventually sharing the same
cage, and no loss of relationship quality between me and the two fiddos.
"I have a male BHC and a female WBC. They are very bonded to each
other, but also want to be with me as much as possible. They are out on
their playgym all the time, and they get along extremely well. However,
when I first introduced them, Kiwi tried to kill Rainbow. When introducing
a new caique to the home, I would definitely be very careful and introduce
them in a neutral area. With mine, the floor worked, and I scattered toys
all over it to distract Kiwi from murderous thoughts. Within a week they
were best buddies." ~ Darlene F.
I feel like Darlene, as she says "However, I think I was very lucky."
Heather says "play with them both separately and together. I have had no trouble with my tame pair except that I introduced the younger female too soon and she was frightened by Cailin. Over time she has matured and is learning to give as good as she gets. They are both tame with us and use us as playgyms. They often wrestle together on my chest as I slouch on the couch. I feel like they are including me." ~ Heather K.
"Introduce them slowly. They might fight a little in the beginning. It took about 10 days for them to get acclimated to each other and we didn't let them share a cage for about a month or so. They don't lose any pet quality at all. They both want our attention and squawk when we leave the room. You should be pretty happy with a second. They have such different personalities." ~ Tom C.
So, use caution and don't expect instant friendship between the two caiques.
Do WBCs and BHCs
get along?
Yes. Cleo is a BHC and Monte is a WBC. They get along wonderfully.
I know of several others who have both BHC and WBC and I have never heard
any statement that BHCs and WBCs should be kept separately.
Why did my caique
attack me?
It is possible that it is breeding season, or he/she is reacting
to your wearing certain colors, items, etc.?
"Caiques often will become aggressive (biting) during breeding season,
and then revert back to their normal loving selves when the hormone storm
clears. The most important thing is to not take it personal. Second, do
not become afraid of your caique, he/she will know it and when the season
passes he/she will still feel your fear. Do not push yourself on your
caique, he/she will come around eventually." If you have a spouse
or other family member "make sure [the other person] doesn't sexually
stimulate the caique. No petting on the back or under wings. No allowing
him/her to masturbate on, or try to feed, the other person, etc. Make
sure the family member doesn't laugh or otherwise reward the caique for
attacking you. If the other family member is the perceived mate, the family
member's reactions can encourage the behavior or discourage it. If he/she
attacks, if you can, handle it yourself. Do not let your caique learn
an attack on you will get the other family member to pick him/her up,
etc.
Sometimes people will back off from an upset bird, giving it no option
but to become a one person bird. Caiques are not known for this the way
some greys are. Do not despair. Wait until spring season passes, then
see." ~ Heather K. Visit
Heather's
Feathers for more information on caiques.
Some have also experienced attacks when their caiques become agitated
and/or panic when their owners wear certain things. Holly wrote "Some
things I have heard birds get panicked about or will make them attack
their owners is certain colors, stripes, hats, changes in hair color/style…
you just never know. We have a 2 ½ year old caique, Buttons, and
he will go into attack mode if I wear my hair pinned up or if I don't
have any makeup on. We also have an Amazon that will go into attack mode
if I wear my yellow nightgown." ~ Holly
Why does my caique
tap his beak on things?
I don't know. But I can tell you you are not alone. Several of us
on the Caique Mailing List have experienced this. Cleo has never tapped
her beak on anything, but Monte made me roll with laughter the first time
she did it. She walked under a shelf and began tapping her beak on the
shelf above. She has since tapped many things; walls, windows, cage bars,
boxes, the list goes on.
Does getting a
caique that is the opposite sex as me increase the chances of bonding?
Well, no scientific proof here, but when the members of the Caique
Mailing List responded to this question the answer seemed to be no. We
had male caiques more bonded to the female person, and others that were
more bonded to the male. Same with female caiques. So, it doesn't seem
to matter. In my own experience, I think the person that does the majority
of the handling will have the better relationship. I can take pretty much
anything away from Cleo, or move her if she doesn't want to be moved,
and all I get is a lot of noise and some 'fake' biting. But let anyone
else in the household try it and they get a chunk of skin removed. I think
it is just because I handle her more than anyone else does.
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Is there a difference in the personality of WBC vs BHC? |
|
 Bandi & Cleo |
From everything
I have read the answer is no. From my own experience Cleo (BHC)
and Monte (WBC) are very similar in their caiqueness. Monte is a
little more laid back and Cleo a little more adventurous. But, I
have read of adventurous WBCs and Lin, who is owned by Cleo's sister
Bandi, says that Bandi is a little sweetie. In all my conversations
with Lin, Bandi sounds more like Monte than she does Cleo. |
Why is one caiques
eye-rings a different shade than another's?
Gloria Balaban of Shady
Pines Aviary
explains "some of it is inherited, some are influenced
by the amount of direct sunlight the birds receive, kind of like a suntan.
Olive-her
has light eye-rings, as do many of her siblings, but some, like Cleo are
darker." Note:
Cleo and Oliver-her are sisters. Oliver is about 9 years older than Cleo.
Do
I have to handfeed my baby caique in order for it to bond with me?
No. And more importantly, handfeeding by an inexperienced person
can lead to the death of the baby caique. Learn more about the dangers
of inexperienced handfeeding and the dangers
of inexperienced weaning. Never buy an unweaned parrot!!
With that said, in my own experience with Cleo and Monte I firmly believe
you do not need to handfeed. They are both bonded to me and Cleo came
to me fully weaned at about 3 ½ months old, and Monte was over
2 years old when she joined our family.
What time should
my caique go to bed? How much sleep does my parrot need?
This one is a toughie for me because I hear so many different things.
I have read that parrots need at least 10 hours of sleep a night. Caiques
of the Caique Mailing list have bed times ranging from 5:00pm to 10:00pm;
with some being like Cleo and Monte who stay up as late as our family
does. Sometimes this means not going to bed until midnight. In my experience
this does not affect them. They are still balls of energy during the day
with wonderful appetites. I have also been told that parrots take naps
throughout the day, so the 10 hour rule is flexible. Still others say
that they must get the 10 hours. Some birds just put themselves to bed,
letting the owner know through body language that they want to go to bed.
So, having really not answered your question, I guess this is one that
you will have to experience on your own. Do some key word searches on
the Internet and consult your vet. Sorry I could not be of more help.
:)
How loud are Caiques?
Well, that all depends on your perception of loud? Gypsy is either
a quiet sun conure, or Cleo and Monte are loud caiques. See, I have read
time and again that suns are very loud, and that caiques are not. But
Gypsy doesn't seem any louder to me than Cleo or Monte are at times. And
none of them are annoying on a daily bases. I'm not saying that there
are not days I wish for a parrot mute button, but for the most part their
'noise' does not bother me.
From what I have read in magazines caiques are said to not be loud and
to make good apartment birds. But, from a poll of the Caique Mailing List,
all of the members that replied stated that caiques are loud and some
mentioned that they can be heard outside. I know I can hear Cleo when
I am outside.
From hearing
birds in pet stores, I don't think caiques are as loud as macaws and cockatoos.
But they are not as quiet as budgies and cockatiels.
Caique's normal voices are not loud. They have a range of pleasant whistles.
But, then they also have some very loud noises that I think of as 'attention'
and 'warning' noises. Cleo has a high-pitched noise that seems to accompany
very alert body language. When she does this I think she is sounding an
alarm letting us all know that something is not quite right. Other times
she has a loud gravely sound (that she picked up from Monte), that just
seems like a call of some type. So, caiques are not constantly loud, but
can be loud at times throughout the day. But their beautiful whistling
more than makes up for the times they get loud.
For more insight read some of the first hand
experience from members of the Caique Mailing List.
My caique dunks
his food and toys in his water bowl. Is this normal?
Yes. Many caiques are dunkers. Nothing is safe from dunking. For this
reason it is important to keep an eye on the water bowl and give them
fresh water a couple of times a day. Some people provide a water bottle
in addition to the water bowl. But you have to be careful with this also.
Some caiques will stick pellets and food up the water tube, which can
lead to the water draining out or bacteria forming in the water bottle.
I personally feel that dunking is part of the joy of being a caique and
they should be provided with a water dish to dunk various cage items in.
Read some dunking
experiences from the fiddos of the Caique Mailing List.
My caique is too
beaky, what can I do?
When you play with your caique make sure you have a foot toy available
so that your caique can beak the foot toy rather than your hands. Do not
over react to hard bites. This can reinforce the behavior as parrots like
reactions and, to my knowledge, do not distinguish between a bad reaction
and a good. Your caique my find your cry of pain entertaining and respond
by biting to get the reaction. Also, react positively, with praise, etc.,
to soft beaking and playing nice so that you will reinforce the behavior
you desire.
"One of the ways caiques keep it play-like is by holding feet. If
you wrestle with your little guy and he gnaws a little harder than you
like, gently hold one of his feet and it kind of reminds him you are playing
still. Or start by holding afoot and you can initiate a play session and
extend the gentle part of play time." ~ Heather K Visit
Heather's
Feathers for more information on caiques.
I just got a second
caique and my two caiques are starting to play. How do I know if this
is normal play or if it is not safe?
Here is the actual post: "I recently brought downstairs our new baby,
Tiago, who is 17 weeks and placed him next to Teela's cage. They seem
to want each other sooo bad. We let them meet on the floor and Teela immediately
preened Tiago. They seem to like each other. They play so rough now. They
only get a few minutes of time together on the floor before I get scared
one will get hurt and playtime ends. They wrestle and go after each other's
leg band or toes or too close to the eye area. No one ever sounds to be
hurt but I don't want it to get to that." ~ Jill B.
Answers:
"I think it is pretty normal play… our birds play pretty rough
as well. It was scary at first but that's just the way they play. I think
if either bird starts screaming or if one tries to run away from the other
then it is time to stop. If not, then its probably okay. Ours go after
each others legs… they don't go after eyes with their beak but they
do get pretty close with their talons." ~ Tom C.
"I also have two BHC and they wrestle and pay all the time. Believe
me they play rough with each other and I think that is just the way caique's
play. Sometime they play so hard that they both fall off the cage while
hanging on to each other. No one gets hurt and they both go running back
for more." ~ Janet
I have similar experience with Cleo and Monte. They both play very rough.
Where are White-Bellied Caiques and Black-Headed Caiques from? There are two species of caiques; the white bellied caiques and the black headed caiques and 5 subspecies. WBC and BHC come from different parts of the world. WBC is found in northern Brazil south of Amazonas in states of Para, northern Mato Grosso and eastern part of Amazonas. The Black-Headed caique is found in southeast Colombia, Brazil in states of Para, Roraima, and northern part of Amazonas, northeast and southern Venezuela, French Guiana, Guyana and Surinam. For specifics on the species and subspecies click BHC, WBC. Note: do not type anything in the 'search pattern' box. Just click on 'submit' then use your window to find Caique by clicking on 'Edit' then 'Find on this page'.
If you have not found the answer to your question, come and join the caique mailing list. There are wonderful people there that will be happy to answer your questions to the best of their abilities.
Please check out Cleo's Parrot Information page also, as the information on that page applies to caiques as well.