Parrotlet Handbook, The (Barron's Pet Handbooks) (Paperback)

by Matthew M. Vriends Ph.D. (Author) "The parrotlet, or Forpus, is becoming increasingly popular as a pet because of its diminutive size, charming behavior, and bright, colorful plumage..." (more)
Key Phrases: parrotlet species, dwarf parrots, cobalt blue line, Celestial Parrotlet, New Guinea, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Keeping parrotlets has become popular among bird lovers. This volume is filled with handsome, full-color photos, instructive line art, and easy-to-read tables and charts. It provides information on all aspects of pet care for new and prospective pet owners.

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (August 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764109626
• ISBN-13: 978-0764109621
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 6.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #321,813 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This item is part of The Barron's Pets Handbooks Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent information on Parrotlets and similar birds., November 4, 1999

By	Jase (South Derbyshire, UK) - See all my reviews

Information on Parrotlets is difficult to obtain in general and Vriends does an excellent job focusing on all aspects of Parrotlet keeping. Obviously information on housing and feed is general to other Parrot species but relevant information on subspecies and mutations, aswell as breeding history are very welcome. The book appears to be padded out with information on other small hookbills such as Fig Parrots. The only other Parrotlet book I have come across is by Sandee & Robert Molenda. In terms of content Vriends is more clinical and also has colour photos in order to identify the different species. Overall a good addition to my Parrot Library !

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book for breeders...., September 25, 2004

By	Dianne Foster "Di" (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Because I keep many birds, I've read many books on the topic by Matthew Vriends. Vriends raises several kinds of tropical birds, visits their natural habitats, is involved in the preservation of wild birds and their habitats, and writes extensively on these topics. He is also a PhD (Dutch born biologist and ornithologist). I bought THE PARROTLET HANDBOOK in spite of the fact one reviewer said there was not much of interest about Parrotlets in this book, mainly because I have read so many of Vriends other books on other birds and found them helpful.

THE PARROTLET BOOK is very interesting, but it is also geared to the breeder of this type of bird. As the owner of two brother Parrotlets, I don't foresee joining the breeder group any time soon, even though Vriends makes a compelling case for becoming a breeder of Parrotlets who are under threat from the deforestation of the Amazon jungle.

In spite of the book's bias - which I truly appreciate, it does include many helpful tips and a good deal of information about the various types of Parrotlets who are companions of people like me. For one thing the book helps one understand the origins the little birds whose ancestors come from South America and who seem be thought of by some as the little brother of the larger Macaw.

My Parrotlet brothers have been hand raised from the egg stage and they are Soooo sweet. However, I am told the Parrotlet can administer a nasty bite should he be "wild" or displeased. My birds perch on my finger (two at a time) and are a lot less messy than my Cockatiels and Love Birds. Maintenance-wise, keeping Parrotlets is a bit like keeping Canaries. However, they are as playful as my Senegal parrot.

I found a really great article on Parrotlets entitled "True Confession-Parrotlet owners bring down the house with tales of pin-sized adventures" in the January 2004 issue of Bird Talk Magazine (if you keep birds or are thinking of doing so, subscribe to this magazine). I recommend both Vriends book and Bird-Talk magazine for the serious bird owner.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good basic information, but not much beyond that, November 26, 2000

By	Laura Minges (Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I bought this book as a new parrotlet owner. The pictures are vibrant and interesting. However, most of the information provided is more along the lines of general bird care. Therefore, this probably would not be suited for individuals with any previous experience with birds. In addition, the book discusses many other types of small parrots, which, in my opinion, weakens the focus and does not allow for as much in-depth discussion of personality traits and behavior as the title suggests. If you have never owned a bird before and are considering the purchase of a parrotlet, this book may be precisely what you need. However, if you are adding a parrotlet to an existing "flock," it may be more helpful to talk to other owners instead.