Description

The White-Bellied Caique is a medium-sized parrot, instantly recognizable by its white chest, green back, and orange-yellow head. Known affectionately as the “clown” or “dancing parrot,” they possess an incredibly energetic, playful, and inquisitive temperament. Caiques are famous for their unique “hopping” or “pogo-sticking” behaviour across the floor—they prefer walking and jumping to flying. They are confident, rarely shy, and can be quite dominant. Their vocalizations are a mix of loud whistles, squeals, and shrieks, which, while not as destructive as a macaw’s, can be persistent and surprisingly loud for their size, making them a moderate noise concern.

Tamability and Maintenance: White-Bellied Caiques are highly tamable and make fantastic, interactive pets. They are a high maintenance bird due to their immense need for mental and physical activity. They require several hours of out-of-cage playtime daily and a constant rotation of highly durable toys to climb, shred, and chew. They thrive on challenges and foraging opportunities. A bored Caique is a destructive and nippy Caique. They are also known for being territorial around their cage. Their expected lifespan is 25-40 years.

Diet: The Caique’s diet should be based on a high-quality, small to medium-sized parrot pellet (around 60-70%). The remainder of the diet must be composed of fresh, chopped fruits and vegetables; Caiques have a higher natural affinity for fruits than many other parrots, enjoying berries, mango, grapes, and papaya, alongside vegetables like bell peppers and sweet potatoes. Seeds and nuts should be strictly limited to small, healthy treats for training or enrichment due to their tendency to become overweight.