Hand Fed Lineolated Parakeet / Mutation - Bolborhynchus lineola

Noise Level & Talking Ability

Linnies are typically quiet birds, but can have moments where they try to be noisy. It is important to note "try", even at their peak volume these birds are still pretty quiet. The noises linnies make are very cute, kind of like a warbling-peep. They bond very strongly, so contact calling is common when their owner is not in sight. Linnies can learn to talk and mimic surprisingly well!

Physical Features 

Lineolated parakeets are stocky parakeets. They are mostly green, with the belly being a lighter shade than the head, wings, back, and tail. The birds have black markings on their wings, flanks, and tails. It is said that male linnies have more black markings than females. The tail is pointed, but short compared to most other parakeets. They are fairly round bodied birds, and have been noted to walk and climb whenever possible over flying. The beak is light, sometimes with a dark coloured tip. The feet and legs are pinkish, nails often dark. The iris is brown in mature individuals. 
Lineolated parakeets are bred in a variety of colour mutations now, and can range from turquoise, to creamy white, to yellow in colour. The overall shape and physique remains the same between any two mutations, just the colour and pattern vary.

Pet Profile

Linnies are gentle-natured birds and make excellent pets for families with younger children. They are very entertaining pets and loved by all ages and experience levels. They can be trained to do some tricks, and are always ready for affection. They tend to be pretty laid back and are a "go-with-the-flow" more than a "trail-blazer" type of personality. These birds bond very strongly and like all pet birds require at least a couple hours of attention per day. These little parrots are full of antics, and enjoy running around playing with rattle balls and similar foot toys. Read more...

Diet

A Linnie's main diet should be pellet and fresh foods such as vegetables, grains, herbs, and some fruit.  Seeds can be fed as part of the diet but are not the healthiest option and so they should not be free-fed constantly. Sprouting your seeds is an excellent way to increase the nutrient value they provide. If your Linnie is not on a pellet diet, it is important to supplement with fresh fruits and veggies and other enrichment foods as most seed mixes do not include the vitamins and minerals that a pellet does. Linnies are possibly more prone to vitamin A deficiency than some other species, and it is important to take this into account when feeding your bird. 

Housing

Linnies do best in a cage that’s a minimum of about 3-4 sqft base size, and benefit from time outside of the cage to interact and bond with you. A variety of toys allows your bird to entertain itself while you are away. Destructible toys, plastic and metal toys, and audible toys like bells can all be incorporated keeping in mind that every bird is different and may not like some of the toys you provide. Perches are also important as Linnies tend to walk and climb more than they fly. Rope perches, natural wood, and ladders are all great options for your Linnie’s cage. Linnies’ nails grow quite fast, so it is a good idea to have a cement perch to help sand down the nails so that grooming doesn't have to be done as often. Cement perches are best used near the food dish. It is important that the cement perch is NOT the highest perch in the cage. 

Breeding Information

Horizontal nest boxes are preferred, but Linnies have used vertical nest boxes as well. For vertical boxes, 7"L x 7 1/8"W x 8 1/2"H is common and for horizontal boxes, 9 3/8" L x 6 1/8 " W x 6 3/8" H is often used. The best nesting material for Linnies is shavings. The reason for this is that their nails grow so fast that using softer nesting material can be hazardous as they may get tangled in it. Linnies start breeding in the spring but if you keep them in a warm environment with good lighting, they will breed all year. Linnies lay each egg every 24-48 hours. Incubation begins after the second egg has been laid. Incubation lasts 18-24 days, babies fledge at 5-7 weeks old, and usually wean between 8 and 10 weeks. It has been said that linnies can be bred in colony settings.

Wild Status

Stable - Least Concern
Last assessed October 2016 for IUCN Red List