Age

[Flugmeister]

Does anyone know where I might find pictures showing how a parrotlet ages? For a bird whose lifespan is 20 years, I would imagine that there would be something like this around in a book, or better, online.

Lacking visual data, has anyone seen a descriptive sequence that outlines the stages of aging?

[rubberstampman]

that's a great question but unfortunately I'm new to this as well and don't have any answers for you but would appreciate the answers myself.....hopefully there's someone out there with more info......

[Jinx n Noodle]

Hmmm, mine is 9 years old and she looks the same as she did when I got her at 1 1/2 years. The same goes with my cockatiel who's 14 years old. I don't think that there is anything visually showing their age, like gray hair in people. A friend of mine had a cockatiel that lived to be 30 years old... I saw him in his late 20s and he looked like any other young cockatiel.

[jodeg]

Luckily for them, they don't show their age the way we do -- grey hair, wrinkles, etc. -- lucky birds! I have a friend with a 20 years old Senegal, and he looks and acts just like he did when he was weaned.

[rubberstampman]

Luckily for them, they don't show their age the way we do -- grey hair, wrinkles, etc. -- lucky birds! I have a friend with a 20 years old Senegal, and he looks and acts just like he did when he was weaned.
I had a 20 year old senegal that didn't look a day over 2-3 years of age LOL but true, except their colors become brighter and brighter as they age..however senegals live a LOT longer than 20 years usually 50 - 60 years so it's kind of hard to compare the two in that regard.......

[Bodie]

Bodie is 12 and looks like he did at one. The breeder that I got Bodie from said as parrotlet's age they slow down, sleep more and are subject to the same problems we can have inside the body.

[clements25]

i think the only way to tell a parrotlets age is around the eyes there will be a teeny bit lack of feathers but i think this goes after there first molt or at about 4 month ish so thats the only way to tell if your getting a youngish bird but this may not be true but i think i red it and my new female has this also and i got her today as 3 months where as my 5 month old did have this but it is a lot harder to see now anyone feel free to correct me if im wrong but i think i heard this

[Sara!]

Are there somewhat distinguishable behavioural lifetime stages after one year? I'm wondering if they ever... for lack of a better word, "calm down". Just curious.

[ninjacherry]

I don't have this experience with parrotlets, but my family's amazon (who's at least 60 years old, we don't know the exact age) basically looks the same as always, but he's slowed down with age. Still talks, screams, sings etc, but a little less than he used to, let's say, 20 years ago. And he still hates men.

[enborgle]

My parrotlet calmed down a lot at about a year and a half old - he is still a little spitfire, but I don't have to worry about losing my fingertips anymore and he is mostly very polite now that his hormones have regulated somewhat.

[naturespirits]

I lost my sweet Parrotlet, Lettie, this year. She was 16. I noticed that she slowed down a lot and didn't chirp much. Other than that, she was pretty much the same in terms of looks. She did have a major molt a couple of months before she died...but might have been related to an illness.

[Bodie]

I lost my sweet Parrotlet, Lettie, this year. She was 16. I noticed that she slowed down a lot and didn't chirp much. Other than that, she was pretty much the same in terms of looks. She did have a major molt a couple of months before she died...but might have been related to an illness.

Sorry about your loss. To have a parrotlet until 16 yrs of age is fantastic. Of course you probably would have liked it to be longer. Bodie is 12 right now. You are the first person I have seen have a 16 year old parrotlet.

[Flugmeister]

I lost my sweet Parrotlet, Lettie, this year. She was 16. I noticed that she slowed down a lot and didn't chirp much. Other than that, she was pretty much the same in terms of looks. She did have a major molt a couple of months before she died...but might have been related to an illness.

That is too bad--it is my understanding that parrotlets can go to 20. We lost a 12 year old budgerigar before getting our parrotlet and we were heartbroken.

[enborgle]

I believe that although their life span is 20 years, their life expectancy is typically much shorter - to have one reach age 16 (or even 12!) is quite an accomplishment :)

[Bodie]

I believe that although their life span is 20 years, their life expectancy is typically much shorter - to have one reach age 16 (or even 12!) is quite an accomplishment :)


I know my time is limited with Bodie so that is why I cherish all the time we have together. I save some of his most beautiful molted feathers, take tons of pictures and now have a camcorder to record him in motion.

Some people would call that crazy to devote so much time to a little bird but he is my sweetheart and I really don't care what they say.

[naturespirits]

Wow, thanks guys. I felt really bad because I heard they could live to 20 and she didn't make it. I felt like l let her down somehow. I got her when she was about 3 months and had her all that time. She was my best friend. I still get tears in my eyes when I think of her. After reading what you said, I guess I did ok by her.