Caique
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Some Advantages

• Inquisitive
• Amusing
• Playful
• Active
• Snuggly

Some Challenges

• Can cop an attitude
• Can be stubborn
• Requires ongoing handling and training
• “Hands-off” during breeding season

Size
9 inches

Weight
130 to 180 grams, depending on species

Colors
Green, yellow, orange, black and white

Life Expectancy
Genetics and diet play a strong role in the longevity of a bird. Caiques have been known to live 20 years or more.

Caiques are the acrobats of the bird world. They roll, hop, dangle, and just generally clown around. The caique has a zest for life and would love nothing more than playing hard and eating well from morning until night.

History and Origin:
The black-headed caique has one subspecies, the pallid caique (P. m. pallida). The white-bellied caique is sometimes known as the green-thighed caique. It has two subspecies: the yellow-tailed caique (P. l. xanthurus) and the yellow-thighed caique (P. l. xanthomeria).

General Information:
Caiques are known to be “hands-off” during breeding season, and at various times of their choosing, but most hand-raised caiques enjoy physical interaction with their owners. A well-adjusted caique wants to be near you, sitting on your head, under your neck, or on your shoulders. Caiques especially love hanging from an ear or a pair of eyeglasses with one foot. During preening and petting, they will close both eyes in total relaxation. These cuddly clowns can crave attention one moment, but can be independent and strong-willed the next. They usually know exactly what they want and hate to take no for an answer. Take away a toy, for example, and you’ll hear the famous caique piggy squeal.

Besides attention and affection, the most important thing an owner can offer a caique is an unlimited supply of toys in frequent rotation. Caiques love to wrestle with their humans and their toys. They will hang upside down and squeal while ‘beating up’ a toy opponent. Fill a bowl with safe plastic and wooden foot toys for your caique to choose from, and stay away from toys with any parts an inquisitive caique could get caught in, like frayed threads, rings big enough to fit through, or open-linked chains. They will also enjoy chewing on small twigs or branches from fruit trees that have not been sprayed with pesticides.

A caique’s cage needs to be big enough for all these toys, as well as for this 9-inch bird that acts like it is 6 feet tall. The bar spacing should be no larger than ¾-inch, with the overall cage size at least 24 by 24 by 24 inches. Caiques love to lie on their backs and roll around, so special consideration should be paid to the size of the cage base. There should also be room for some kind of sleeping area. Most caiques like to sleep in a cavity, such as a cloth tent or a nest box. If you own a male and a female caique and don’t want them to breed, you need to remove the nest box during the breeding season, from about the end of November through June. (Talk with a local bird breeder about the timing of the breeding season where you live.) 

Caiques also enjoy exploring cavities even when it isn’t time for bed, like an empty cereal box or other small cardboard box on the floor of the cage. They usually cannot resist exploring it.

Caique owners can have high expectations for their little entertainers, but one thing they should not expect is good talking ability. A word or two is possible, spoken in the voice of a hoarse, raspy, old man. Instead, expect squeals, whistles and kisses. Their vocalizations can be repetitive (especially if trying to attract attention) and high-pitched, but more squeaky like a budgie as opposed to ear-piercing like a conure.
Health:
The caique has no known special dietary needs, other than providing ample food to support its active lifestyle. The foundation of the caique diet should be a manufactured pellet, supplemented with fresh veggies (like carrots, squash, red peppers and sweet potatoes). You can offer seeds and nuts, but only sparingly and infrequently. Otherwise your caique will forego eating pellets for the fun stuff. 

Caiques are dunkers, dipping everything from toys to food to themselves in their water dishes. This calls for frequent water dish washings and refills, or water bottle training, to avoid the bacteria that quickly grow in a dirty dish. Offer a water bottle for drinking, and a separate dish once or twice a day for bathing.          
The Ideal Owner:
A caique will be happiest with an owner who has time, tolerance and a seemingly unlimited budget for toys. Caiques like to be out of their cages and with their owner every day. The caique isn’t for someone who works long hours or goes away on extended vacations (unless they know of a good bird sitter). The caique’s inquisitive, comical, and active nature is amusing, but they can also cop an attitude that requires patience. For instance, if the caique does not want to go to bed or stop playing with a favorite toy, or if it decides that it dislikes a family member or friend, it may strike out at that person or even get down from the cage and run the person out of the immediate area. Owners can learn to read their caique’s body language, such as feather fluffing and eye pinning, to know when it’s time to go back to the cage or simply be left alone for a little while.