Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot

by Angela Vuckovic

Published: November 23rd, 2018

About Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot

Size

5 inches

Lifespan

15-25 years

Bird Species

Lory

Colors

Green

Sounds

Quiet, Melodic singing, Pleasant, Natural Calls

Interaction

Social, Calm, Shy, Peaceful, Energetic

Comparable Breeds

Celestial Parrotlet, Elegant Parrot

Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot General Info

You might not see a Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot around every corner, but these rare and prized pet birds are popular in aviculture. Hanging parrots are unique in so many aspects, and prove to be a shy and docile pet that thrive with proper care. Their cute and peculiar looks, energetic and fun behavior, and as well as their rarity on the bird market, make Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot a very sought-after pet. Find out what makes these one-of-a-kind birds so appealing to numerous pet owners around the world.

Did you know that Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot sleeps upside down, as bats do? This is unique in the parrot world.

Native Region/Natural Habitat

These small parrots are found in a large region in southern Asia. They are native to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Burma and parts of Indonesia. Thriving in a diverse regional ecosystem, these birds will nest in bamboo growths, light forests, woodland edges, and even orchards and rural areas. Although not threatened, they still suffer from increasing destruction of habitat, and illegal capture for the pet markets. In many rural markets in Malaysia or Thailand, many of these parrots can be seen in small cages, waiting for their new owners. Since the ’80s, more than 75,000 birds have been recorded in the international wild bird market.

Overall Description

Hanging parrots are a small family of birds, but they have a lot of unique qualities. The breeds in the family share a few key traits, such as the tiny, slim body, the unique small beak, short tail, and of course their upside-down sleeping. Yes, these birds will imitate bats and sleep while hanging upside down. The adults have an average length of just 5 inches (12 centimeters) and will weigh an ounce (30 grams). However, although these birds are undeniably tiny, they need a lot of space. An exotic bird such as the Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot requires room for flight to feel happy and content. Choose a big cage or even a smaller aviary for your new pet.

Speech and Sounds

As you can guess from their petite size, the Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot is not really noisy. Their natural calls are melodic and often pleasing to hear- they consist of soft tweets and chirps. In case you wanted an apartment pet bird, this rare parrot is a great choice. With their shy and peaceful personality, it’s certain they won’t be protesting loudly if bothered by something, as their more raucous cousins do.

Colors

Even though small, these parrots don’t lack interesting and intricate details. This combination of adorably tiny stature and memorable coloring ensures that Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot leaves no one indifferent. Their bodies are mostly bright green, with an almost neon undertone. Their lower back is red, with tiny orange patches at the top, and the back of the neck. The upper chest displays a big round red patch, and they get their name from the circular blue patch on the very top of their head. The females are easy to tell apart, as they lack the colorful patches on the chest and the crown. This mix of very light tones and unique round patches only adds to its appeal!

The “blue crown” is barely noticeable in a female Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot. Sexes are easy to distinguish.

Care and Feeding

As a part of their wild diet, a Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot will feed on fruits, insects, and seeds. To recreate this for your pet, offer them a variety of fresh fruits and some green vegetables, coupled with a commercial seed based mix for small parrots. Another important aspect of proper care is bathing. Hanging parrots love to shower upside down, and a water spray will be the best choice for this. It ensures good hygiene, which is highly important for the overall health of a Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot.

Health and Common Conditions

To make sure your pet is healthy, you will need to keep them in optimal conditions and provide constant care. The Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot can be a bit fragile and harder to keep in good health than your average pet parrot. The biggest concern should be hygiene. Replace food and water daily, and always keep a clean cage or aviary. Bathing dishes and spray showers should be offered on a regular basis. With these basics ensured, things should go much smoother for you and your little pet.

Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot can grow very long nails. You should keep a few untreated branches around that will help wear them down.

Personality & Behavior

Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot makes a great pet for a variety of reasons. They tend to be quiet, and have a pleasant, melodious song, and are known as calm, friendly birds. As soon as your new pet grows accustomed to you, they will show their sociable and energetic side. Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot loves to move around, and will not hesitate to explore the house and fly from one end to the other. This should be encouraged (but supervised) as it gives your pet the exercise they need. In general, these are lovely little pets, especially for experienced owners that want a docile, peaceful bird in their home.

Photo credit: petrdd/Shutterstock; Lip Kee/Flickr

Angela Vuckovic

A proud mama to seven dogs and ten cats, Angela spends her days writing for her fellow pet parents and pampering her furballs, all of whom are rescues. When she's not gushing over her adorable cats or playing with her dogs, she can be found curled up with a good fantasy book.

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High fever is no joke, and can be quite serious – both for people and their furry four-legged friends. Yes, dogs can have a fever too, and it can be a much more serious condition for them than it is for us. Unfortunately, fever is not an ailment you can spot with your bare eye. Because of this, you will need to thoroughly observe your pet’s behavior and learn how to spot those little details that indicate a fever. Read on as we go through the basics of dog fever and just how to tell if your pet needs your help.Symptoms of Fever in DogsDogs, like humans, can develop a fever as a response to illness or infection. It’s the body’s natural way to fight off the “intruders” in the body. Fever comes in many forms and for various reasons. You can tell if your dog has a fever by observing their behavior and checking for physical signs. Here are just a few of the most common indicators.Increased Body Temperature: 

Humans Are Getting Their Pets Sick – Here's What You Need To Know

Zoonosis are diseases that can be transmitted from other vertebrate animals to humans, such as rabies or Lyme disease, and has been around ever since we started domesticating animals. However, recent studies reveal that a new and lesser-known form of zoonose is becoming increasingly common: the reverse zoonose. This is the latest phenomenon, where disease can be transmitted from humans to their pets. Dr. Benjamin Anderson from the University of Florida was amongst the first to warn about the increase of reverse zoonoses. He said that more attention should be paid to disease transmission “in the opposite direction”, and that both pets and their owners can be threatened by it, especially when sharing close quarters with one another.“We’re starting to see a lot of examples of reverse zoonosis. Pets are more susceptible than, maybe, we previously thought,” he said. “Typically, the viruses that I will have as a human are not going to fit into the receptors that a dog or cat has.”This means that reverse zoonoses typically appear when a pathogen in humans mutates and then adapts to a new animal host. In the past, however, it was much rarer for this to happen, because humans and animals have a totally different biology.But now, the viruses like  coronavirus or influenza have a much higher chance of cross-species transmission. This is mainly due to their RNA-based genetic material, which is more likely to mutate or have replication errors. According to Dr. Anderson, there are several diseases that have been documented to transmit from humans to their pets. These include COVID-19, tuberculosis, swine flu, dengue, human-norovirus, and other viral, fungal, parasitic, and bacterial infections.To make matters worse, the highest chances for this to happen is with pets such as dogs, cats, horses, and ferrets, as they have the most genetic similarity to humans, being mammals. “We have to first ask how the pathogen gets into those animals in the first place,” said Dr. Anderson for  Phys.org. “The pathogen doesn’t develop out of thin air in animals before suddenly spilling over into humans. While pathogens certainly can move from animals to other animals and can be picked up from the environment, exposure to humans also plays an important role. It’s this constant back and forth exchange that happens over time, increasing the probability of a mutation taking place that allows the pathogen to infect a new host.”Dr. Anderson also noted the difficulty in tracking reverse zoonoses, as it is a big challenge to link the transmission of diseases between humans and animals. Because of this, Dr. Anderson advises pet owners to be cautious around pets, particularly if they are sick with communicable diseases, like COVID-19 or the flu. Maintain good hygiene around your pets, and avoid direct contact.

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Cat Chattering: What Is It and What Does It Mean?

Cats communicate with each other and their humans in a variety of ways through vocalizations and body language. While you may be able to figure out what your cat is saying when they meow or hiss, you might be at a loss for an explanation when you see them chatter for the first time, especially if you’ve never seen cats do this before.What does it mean when cats chatter? Check out the information below to learn all about it so you’ll be able to figure out what your kitty is thinking and feeling the next time you see them exhibit this odd behavior.What Is Chattering in Cats?Chattering usually happens when a kitty sees something that they want to get their paws on. Many times, they’ll be looking out the window when a prey animal, like a chipmunk or bird, comes into view. Or, if your kitty spends time in a catio or outdoor enclosure, they might start chattering when they see small wildlife. As soon as your cat sees their intended prey, they may be ready to go on the hunt, and might express this feeling by chattering.This behavior doesn’t only happen when your kitty sees wildlife, though. It can also happen when you’re using a toy to play with them. The movement of the toy can get them excited and ready to pounce on their “prey,” and they might chatter as a result.Once you know what cat chattering looks like, you’ll be able to recognize it right away. But if you’ve never seen it before, it can be described simply as your cat making quick movements with their jaw, showing their teeth while staring intently at their target. Sometimes, no sounds will come out, but other times, they’ll make chirping sounds or even little meows. Some people even describe chattering as “ekekek”.To see what it looks like, here’s a compilation of cats chattering:

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Jack Russell Terrier Adopts and Nurses Six Abandoned Kittens

People grow up believing that cats and dogs are mortal enemies. Phrases like “fight like cats and dogs" just reinforce that belief.But, is this really true? Is there no way for felines and canines to get along? As it turns out, dogs and cats can be more than friends.A Jack Russell terrier, named Teasel, has become a surrogate mom to six abandoned kittens. Sue Stubley, who lives in the Suffolk town of Newmarket, was contacted after a feral cat abandoned her litter. Ms Stubley, who runs Suffolk Hedgehog Hospital in Newmarket, primarily rescues hedgehogs but has agreed to take the abandoned kittens for the night and take them to the cat rescue center the next morning. However, Ms Stubley’s two-year-old Jack Russell had other plans. According to Ms Stubley, Teasel began lactating the same evening and the hungry kittens latched on to feed. “My dog decided that she was going to look after them. She’s lactating, she’s feeding them, she cleans them, she does everything. So it’s actually been quite easy for me,” said Ms Stubley.At first, Teasel wasn’t making enough milk, and Ms Stubley had to supplement the kitten’s feedings. However, the new mom managed to produce a lot of milk the following morning, and the more she nurses, the more she produces. Apparently, Teasel's maternal instinct kicked in quickly. “If anyone comes in that she doesn’t know and picks one of the kittens up, she’ll march over and go and pick them up and bring them to her back again. She’s adopted proper mum behavior.”Ms Stubley was initially worried about how Teasel might react and thought that she might go after one of the kittens. But that never happened.“By the time they were ready for their second feed, they were sat with her and cuddled up with her. Generally, she is a very gentle dog that loves and adores everyone. She loves children, she’s a great little dog. And apparently, her mum was very similar and was very nurturing so it’s obviously something that’s in her nature.” According to BBC, Dr Rachel Grant, a biologist at London South Bank University, explained that such interspecies adoptions are most likely the result of fixed action patterns in which the adopted animal is reacting to a certain trigger from the adoptee. “This sets off a cascade in the brain that elicits the pattern of behavior,” said Dr Grant. The closer the species are to one another, the higher the chances for cross-species adoption to happen. This means that it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever hear about an alligator nursing a puppy.“In baby mammals, there will be certain features that mammals share with other mammals,” said Dr Grant. “Cats and dogs, for example, are both mammals and the cues that are driving maternal behavior are very similar. They will be responding to certain cues.”When it comes to baby mammals, they will act on an instinct too. In Teasel’s case, the kittens are instinctively “rooting” - like human babies or puppies - for a nipple to feed on. “These things aren’t under conscious control,” Dr Grant explained. The strong maternal instincts exhibited by Teasel show that she’ll be a wonderful mother to her puppies, in case she one day gives birth to a litter of her own. Ms Stubley has already found loving homes for the kittens to go to when they are old enough, but she says she’ll miss them terribly.“As for Teasel, I don’t know how she’ll feel when they’re gone but I think she’s their surrogate mum for life now.”Join the PetGuide community. Get the latest pet news and product recommendations by subscribing to our newsletter here.

A New Survey Shows Both Pets and Owners Feel Separation Anxiety

When you really love spending time with your pet, and vice versa, it is only natural that you feel sad when you are apart. For pets, this is often manifested as the dreaded  separation anxiety, which can cause a lot of issues both for them and their owners alike. While you know you are coming back from work – unlike your pooch – so you won’t feel as stressed about the time you spend away from your pet, that doesn’t mean that it won’t affect your mental health. The latest  survey from PetMed Express only proves that separation has an effect both on dogs and their pawrents.The results of this survey were recently released after being conducted by OnePoll, and they show us that pet parents – unsurprisingly – while out away for work or chores, will deeply miss their four-legged friends back at home. And, interestingly, the poll shows that the strain only got worse after the owners had to return to their offices after the Covid pandemic and the time they spent in their homes. "This research confirms what we already know: People love their pets and prioritize being with them," said Matt Hulett, President and CEO of PetMeds. "What's eye-opening is how many pet parents feel their own sense of separation anxiety and loneliness when they're away from their pets – a concept that underscores the pivotal role our pets play in our lives."The results indicate that 4 in 10 pet parents said that they would rather accept a lower salary and work from home, just so they could be closer to their furry friends. It is a sad truth and an everyday occurrence that owners have to endure the commute and long work hours and yearn for the company of their pets all the while. PetMeds claims that pet parents begin to miss their pets just 37 minutes after being apart, on average. Furthermore, the results show that on average they find themselves thinking about their pets about 13 times per day. Here are some other stats included:44% expressed worry about their pets experiencing separation anxiety52% have felt an increase in their own separation anxiety in the past two years42% said they have observed a change in their pet's mental health and behavior in the past two years48% said their pets follow them to the door and look sad when they leave63% would like more support and guidance in understanding their pet's health and behavior70% would try pet telehealth servicesWhat about you? How do you cope with being separated from your cherished four-legged friend?

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