| Caiques  Caiques (pronounced kye-eeks) are fearless, joyful, playful,
entertaining, and charming. They love to roll around, tumble, play on their backs,
and hop like bunny rabbits!
There are two sub-species of Caique - the Black-Headed Caique
and the White-Bellied Caique. Both species originate in South America. The
Black-Headed Caique is slightly smaller at an approximate size of 9 inches.
Immature White-Bellied Caiques may possess a
varied amount of black feathering on their heads. Additionally, they may have
grayish/blackish blotching on their beaks and feet. This is commonly seen with
immature White-Bellied Caiques. By the time they reach maturity at approximately  3 years of age, the black feathers are usually replaced by
bright orange feathers and lighter beaks and feet. Some expert aviculturists say
that the White-Bellies who have heavy black feathering as babies have had darker orange
feathering on their heads as adults.
Caiques are extremely sociable and outgoing and
seem to have an endless energy supply and enthusiastic personalities. Due to their
incredibly lively nature, Caiques need a constant and ample supply of food to maintain
their high energy levels. Additionally, Caiques should be supplied with a variety of
toys to keep them busy and entertained. Caiques are highly intelligent and are
capable of learning a variety of tricks.
Caiques need a good size cage, especially because
they are so active. Caiques require at least a 27 inch wide cage, which will allow
for an ample supply of toys to fit comfortably inside the cage.
 While playing with their favorite person, Caiques are known
to engage in a game known as "hair surfing." They grab a footful of hair
and swing back and forth, rubbing their head, beak, and chest on their favorite person's
head! The only problem with this type of play is that they can and usually will get
tangled up inside your hair, so be careful!
Caiques are not strong fliers, as they have
relatively short wings in proportion to their body size. Many people decide against
clipping their Caique's wings for this reason.
Caiques do very well in active households. If
you are looking for a small parrot with a big personality, then perhaps a Caique is the
perfect match for you.
| General
Information |
| Size: |
9 inches |
| Weight Range: |
150-165 grams |
| Life Expectancy: |
30 years |
| Talking Ability: |
Fair |
| Noise Level: |
Medium noisy |
| Minimum Cage Size: Bar Spacing:
|
24" x 20" x 24"
5/8" to 3/4" |
| Natural Diet: |
Fruits, berries and seeds. |
| Captive Diet: |
Fresh fruits, veggies, pellets, seeds,
nuts, and grains. |
| Special Dietary Needs: |
Caiques are very active and need to be
provided with ample amounts of food to maintain their high energy levels. |
| Characteristics: |
Energetic, playful, acrobatic, comical,
and affectionate. |
|