Parrotlets need flight cages, always 1/2 inch bar spacing. Lots of toys and rope perches and other perches. They are active and love to play and fly. Wonderful birds!

They need 12 very quiet hours of sleep. I cover Chipper. I sing to her before she goes into her sleep cage.

Good luck with you new addition and keep us posted, with pictures please. I got this link on another forum for names. I hope this helps you.
Parrot Names

They sure can learn to talk. They are also known as the smallest of parrots and related to zonz. Have a big bite for such a little bird.

Boy do I have experience with that!

The Parrotlet Ranch Home Page
This is an awesome resource!

Sally is right on too, if a p'let doesn't have at least 12 hours of sleep a night - they are extremely grumpy the next day. 1 of the worst bites I've gotten was when Winkie was tired.
I didn't realize how much he enjoyed his flight cage until we were going to Alabama back in March. When I put him in his older, smaller cage he got extremely restless. When I put him in his half-empty flight cage he was quiet & happy.*shrug*

Also, make sure to change up your p'let's bedtime occasionally. This is so when a sudden change comes, the p'let will be used to different hours & it won't so scared.

Congratulations!!! Looking forward to seeing pictures of your new addition to the family.

Morena

I am updating this post. I will have to wait a bit longer to get my bird home. He was having a bit of trouble being weaned and needs to stay until the 23rd. As if Sunday wasnt bad enough. I need some advice though here. Is Millet good or bad. What is the best type of diet for them. I have heard parakeet food. I want to provide him with the best diet he can get. I was also wondering what type toys that is best suitable for this type of bird. Plastic, wood, cement, or other? What type of metal should I watch out for for being harmful to a bird? What type of paint for the cage should I avoid? Any help would be great. ~Jenna

I'll answer what I can, meaning some of the non species-specific stuff.

Millet is a good treat - it's up for debate as to how much millet is good/bad, so I stick with millet as a treat only, maybe 1-2 inches at a time (I don't feed it very often). Birds seem to love millet and can become millet junkies if it's offered to them in unlimited quantities.

I'm not certain about the seed/pellet ratios so I'll leave a p'let owner answer those questions. But fresh foods should be incorporated into the diet - vegetables, some fruit, and things like cooked brown rice, wheat pasta, etc.

From what I read and see from other p'lets, they love a variety of toys and you'll have to see what toys he/she prefers. For small birds bells are popular, and swings, and toys with beads. I'm not certain if p'lets are big chewers but if they are, balsa wood is a great soft wood that is popular with small birds (my guys LOVE it).

It's important for them to have a variety of perches to keep their feet healthy - different sizes and textures. As for a cage, the bigger the better. P'lets have large amounts of energy so a big cage is a good idea. Pay attention to the bar spacing - probably no more than 1/4 in (I'm not sure if 1/2 in. is too wide for them).

I just want to say All the Best & let you know how excited I am for you. The wait can be terible.

I loved all the P'let experience given. Winkie's videos killed me. Don't you love the Chipper cage & coconut swing? & the Full Spectrum light fixture on top (there are a few other types out there as well).

Like Sarah I can't say much about the species. When a bird is young - this is the best time to introduce lots of new things. I think in the recipie section they suggest making food up & freezing some. I tried freezing snacks but my fridge freezer & I did a poor job of it. Mostly they get what I'm cooking that day - just a small amount + I take smaller amounts & keep it in the fridge with the date on top - maybe 4 days, is all I trust. My fellows love noodles & I try to add veggies.

You should try & socialize your pet. Let him/her get to know others. If they're anything like Budgies - things take time & being little doesn't mean they're slow witted. They're fast on their feet & remarkably brave.

I hope all goes well.

Love all the great advice.

Paint - On the can it will either say or have a symbol telling you that is baby safe. Ask at the hardware store.

Thanks everyone for the great advice. It is much appreciated with me being a new bird owner. I cant wait until the 23rd. I really cant. Its about to drive me crazy. Its only the 11th this is crazy. I just keep telling myself if I dont think about it then well its not so bad. Its hard not to think about getting a bird though. It looks like this next week we are going to build the cages for the iguanas finally. So the bird and the iguanas will be in seperate rooms and all will be well. LOL Plus I think the iguanas will probably go crazy with larger cages and seperate cages. LOL If you have any more advice though please write it(about the bird). Thanks thus far. Every little bit helps. ~Jenna