Parrots occupy one of the places of honor among birds, which are able to live at home and interact with humans as pets of all family members. Among the most popular breeds of this beautiful bird, one should distinguish the Czech parrot, which attracts attention with its beautiful motley color and unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention.
Description
The history of this interesting breed originates in England, where one of the breeders of small birds from a pair of ordinary green budgerigars appeared offspring with unusual external signs. The growing birds were distinguished by the structure of the skull that was non-standard for the breed, which was several times larger than that of ordinary representatives of budgies.
Further crossing of the birds allowed the owners to develop a completely new species of birds, which today is very popular among parrot lovers, as well as among specialists actively engaged in breeding of elite and exhibition specimens.
The size of an adult exhibition individual varies between 23–28 cm. Today, thanks to crossbreeding and work on improving the species characteristics of birds, such pets are represented in a large color variety. The following color variations are most common: green, yellow, purple, blue, gray, as well as the combined color of plumage.
It is the brightness in the colors of the feathers that is a sign of the breed, however, there are other types of exhibition parrots. A creeper is a bird that also has large sizes, but does not stand out with its catchy color.
In the countries of the former USSR, parrots are called Czechs, since crested birds were first brought to us from Czechoslovakia.However, the breed also has a second name, which has taken root more in Europe: exhibition budgies. Due to the unique external data, the bird remains one of the most expensive. However, the sale of Czechs is still not so common in comparison with other types of budgies.
It is worth noting that numerous crosses had an extremely negative effect on the immunity of birds, in light of which the show individuals are less resistant to various infections than representatives of other breeds. As practice shows, it is possible to reduce the risk of the incidence of budgerigars grown at home with the help of special cell care, additional processing of vegetables and fruits used for feeding. In addition, the Czechs have a rather poorly developed reproductive function. Very often, chicks appear with defects or later turn out to be sterile.
A pair gives birth to 1 to 4 chicks. Crested parrots are monogamous, so losing a partner for them can be serious stress. It is noted that exhibition birds may lose their parental instincts after the birth of the chicks, so the breeder should be prepared for the fact that he will have to deal with the offspring on his own.
On average, Czechs live on the order of 10-15 years, but some individuals can stand out with a long life cycle, maintaining their viability up to 20 years. Czechs can live alone at home, but the bird will be more comfortable in the company. In the absence of an interlocutor in the form of a fellow tribesman, the Czech owner must ensure regular communication with him. The nature of the birds is calm. In contrast to the excessive activity of smaller relatives, Czechs have a tendency to smooth and even slightly awkward movements.
These are social birds, they show curiosity, make good contact with humans. The wavy show parrot is talking. The bird is pretty smart, so it’s easy to learn to talk. Cech can be taught to pronounce well both single words and whole phrases. They fly infrequently, but they like to play and communicate.
How are they different from ordinary budgies?
To notice the difference between an ordinary budgie and a Czech, one visual comparison is enough: a beautiful crest of feathers will rise on the head of the show breed. You can also distinguish a Czech by a beard decorated with beads.
Due to such external features, the bird has a rather proud posture, and together with the bright color of the exhibition budgerigar, it can be safely called an aristocratic feathered individual. And also crested breed stands out for its size.
To the list of differences, you should also add the specifics of folding Czech wings: they do not interbreed with each other. And also in birds the length of feathers will differ to a large extent. The characteristic features of exhibits should include their measured and calmer behavior in comparison with ordinary budgies.
What should be the cell?
Since the bird stands out for its weak immunity, owners are advised to thoroughly prepare for keeping it at home. First of all, this concerns the choice of a house for the Czech. Suitable cell dimensions will be at least 50X40X30 cm. The recommended raw material will be metal.
However, the copper house should be abandoned. Also, wood is not suitable raw material for the cage.
As for the form, the Czechs will feel good in any houses. As a rule, cells are rectangular or dome-shaped. The diameter of the rods should not exceed 2 mm.
It is important to properly equip a bird house. Mandatory things for parrots are various perches.
It is best that they be made of wood, as plastic can cause injuries. They can be from 1 to 3.
And also it is necessary to install a pallet and a grid in the cage, on which the fallen feed will be delayed.For comfortable care, you can choose models with a retractable bottom, which is easier to wash. For parrots in the house you will need toys. For Czechs, you can equip a mini corner in which there will be swings, ropes and other interesting things for the bird.
What to feed?
For the Czech, several feeders should be placed in the cage, their optimal number will be 2-3. Grain should be poured into one, the second will be used for mineral feeds, and the third usually put pieces of vegetables, fruits, sprouted cereals. Fruits can be hung with holders that function as clothes pegs. In addition to food, the parrot also needs water. The most suitable in terms of hygiene will be automatic accessories.
In addition, for a bird, mineral components such as sepia or stone should be placed in the cage.
The rest of the diet of exhibition birds is similar to the feeding of ordinary budgies. Most of the pet's menu should have to on the grain mixture, in which millet will be the predominant culture. Other ingredients may be flax seeds, wheat, oats. A similar feed can be purchased at every pet store.
Czechs can be given greens, cottage cheese, boiled eggs, cereals and mineral supplements. However, it is strictly forbidden to introduce into the diet of parrots sunflower seeds or fruits, nuts, as well as food from the general table.
How to care?
At home, the bird will feel comfortable if the owner provides her with the proper conditions.
- Temperature. A suitable temperature in the room would be a range from +20 to + 25 ° C. A critical mark will be a decrease below + 18 ° C, regardless of the time of year. The location chosen to house the parrot cage should not be in a draft.
- Lighting. The length of daylight for crested will vary depending on the season. In summer, the daylight hours for the bird should be about 15 hours, in the winter months it can be reduced to 10 hours. With a lack of natural lighting near the cell, artificial illumination is organized using fluorescent lamps.
Caring for a budgerigar includes the implementation of several required activities.
- For bird health, it is important to clean the cage 2 times a day. As a rule, this is best done in the morning and evening.
- The Czech needs fresh water, so it is important to ensure that the liquid in the drinker does not stagnate.
- Do not leave the feeders empty. If the parrot eats vegetables and fruits, then dried pieces of food should be replaced with new goodies.
- For proper development, the bird will need daily physical activity, therefore it must be regularly released from the cage.
- Water procedures are indicated for the Czech no more than once every 7 days.
And also the owner will need to organize leisure activities for the poultry. Since birds grow and develop without direct contact with humans, they need to find their own activities. Therefore, the presence of various toys in the house is a prerequisite. A small bird mirror can be installed in the cage.
The Czech owner is recommended to give him a certain amount of time daily. This applies not only to speech training, but also to games, for example, hide and seek. The budgerigar is pretty quick-witted, so a one-year-old bird will be able to fold the pyramid, sort small objects. The minimum time for classes will be a quarter of an hour. In the process of growing up, joint leisure should last about 40 minutes a day.
Czech show budgerigar is presented in the next video.
