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Caique

Black capped/headed and white bellied caiques are parrots often kept as pets.

Endearing Characteristics:

Most caique owners would describe their birds as having “personality.” This of course can mean many different things to different people. In the case of a caique it likely means very active, fast moving and tending to explore and investigate as much as possible. Many caiques seem to enjoy activities that involve movement and interaction. Caiques might be described as playful and bold. Compare this to a large cockatoo who may be content to sit calmly to be scratched under the wing for long periods of time, or an Amazon Parrot that might be inclined to sit on a perch and not move much unless prompted. Caiques tends to conjure up images of a bird on the go.

Interesting Facts and Quirks:

Caiques seem to be the kings of intriguing quirky behavior. An activity Caiques engage in that is sure to inspire a laugh or two is hopping. An excited Caique will often push off with both feet to spring into the air to boing across a flat surface like a table.

Another interesting behavior caique have been observed doing has been given the name “surfing” by the parrot community. When a Caique surfs he dives the back of his head onto a surface and then slides long his back. Caiques will often do this on towels, on hands and on people’s heads.

Because of their coloration caiques often look like they are wearing pants. When a Caique is quite excited or perhaps showing aggressive behavior the feathers on the legs might be fluffed. One person described this as her Caique “was wearing his puffy pants.” For her this was the body language that indicated her caique might be more inclined to bite.

Caiques a species of parrot found in South America. Many South American species of parrots are bred in the United States. However in Australia a caique is an extremely rare bird to see in aviculture. This is because Australia has very strict laws regarding the importation of animals. Because of this a caique can cost $1500-2000 in Australia. In the United States the price is currently about half of this.

In the United States the word “caique” is pronounced “kiy eeek” in Australia it is pronounced “cake.”

Potential Behavior Problems:

Playing with a caique can be a lot of fun. It can stimulate the bird to hop, interact fervently with toys and surf. However a common problem for many parrots is excitement that turns to aggressive behavior. Getting a caique too excited can potentially lead to a bite. If you want to play with a caique do so in a way that does not require you to handle the parrot until he has calmed down. This may mean playing with him on a table top, having lots of toys available he can chew and using a target to cue him to where you want him to go until playtime is over and the parrot appears calmer. For more information on addressing aggressive behavior check out the “Parrot Problem Solver.”

Caique Training Examples:

Trained caique video courtesy of Cory Cordes www.cecexoticsaviary.com