Purple (Violet) Parakeet (Complete Profile)

Last Updated on March 8, 2023 by Ali Shahid

Something is captivating about purple parakeets. Their beautiful and striking color is hard to overlook. These little birds can make wonderful pets that are fun to take care of and can brighten even the gloomiest day.

If you’re curious like me, you might wonder how the birds’ lovely colors come about and if care is different. A purple parakeet is a variant of the parakeet species that has evolved due to careful breeding and selection.

Purple (Violet) Parakeet

Certain gene combinations tend to work better in producing certain color patterns. The purple or violet budgerigar is quite rare and difficult to breed, and it is also quite difficult to find.

Despite their unique color, purple parakeets can be treated like other colors of these birds concerning temperament and behavior. Pet purple parakeets do not demand a lot from their owners.

Generally, they can manage on their own. However, if we want to make this possible, we have to create the right conditions so that they can thrive. The cages must be properly designed, the food must be appropriate, and they need to be properly cared for.

Are you planning to purchase a purple parakeet for a long time, but are not sure how they are cared for? There is no need to worry! This article will be able to help you to learn everything you need to know about the purple parakeet before you decide to buy it.

History

In Australia, budgerigars are a native species of parrot. Birds of this species can be found in the wild in various shades of green, yellow, or some other combination of these colors. They travel in large numbers in search of food, water, and shelter together.

They became popular pets among rich Europeans as early as the 1830s. The wildlife smuggling problem in Australia led Australia to ban their exportation in the late 1800s.

By this time, budgerigars were distributed enough in Europe to allow breeders to produce enough. It was then, in the 1920s, that for the first time in history budgerigars arrived in the USA. As pets, they became just as popular as they had been in Europe.

This led to the interest in specific color mutations of these birds spreading throughout the world. There was a time when breeders bred birds for color, such as purple, by selecting genes with certain characteristics.

The number of color mutations in budgerigars has increased to at least 30 at this time. Australia was the first country to breed the purple mutation in 1934. Europeans began breeding purple parakeets in 1935.

There is no information regarding when they started breeding in the US, although it would seem that the process started around the same time as it did in Australia and Europe.

Appearance

Generally, the color of the body is deep violet, with a consistency in its depth of color throughout its body.

The color of the mask is white, and it has six black circular spots on the throat, the outer two of which are partially covered by the cheek patches that protrude on the sides of the mask.

There are many white areas on the mask which extend over the crown and frontal area of the mask, which merge with the black lines at the back of the head. There should be no markings on the frontal and crown areas of the mask.

Black markings are visible on the cheeks, back of the head, and wings. The white lines define the edge of each marking. Nobody color appears in any of the markings. Ceres in cocks are blue, while those in hens are brown.

Black eyes with white iris are the feature of this species. There are violet patches on the cheeks. Primary wing feathers are usually black and they have a very thin white edge to them, as opposed to primary tail feathers, which are deep purple.

There is a blue/grey color to the feet and the legs.

Temperament

Purple parakeets are known for their friendly temperament. When treated kindly and respectfully, they are affectionate and lovable creatures. In addition to exploring their surroundings, they like to play with suitable birds of their kind and size.

They love spending time with their owners. One of the most anticipated activities for them is their time spent with their caregivers. Spend as much time as you can in the environment where they live so that you can bond correctly with your purple parrot.

Parakeets don’t react well to being kept with other birds often, so they’re better kept as the only bird in their cage. These parakeets are also quite intelligent animals, so they can be taught to do all kinds of cool things.

The nice thing about them is if you wish you can teach them to whistle some tunes, or if you want, you can teach them to speak. The small size of these birds does not affect their intellect, which allows them to deceive larger birds.

Genetics

There is an incomplete dominance relationship between the Violet mutation and its wild-type allele. There are three distinct phenotypes, the wild type which possesses zero Violet alleles, the single factor heterozygote which possesses one Violet allele, and the double factor homozygote which possesses two Violet alleles.

As the name suggests, heterozygous individuals exhibit characteristics between both wild-type and homozygous individuals. There is no way to split budgerigars depending on the Violet factor because the Violet factor can always be seen.

SF Violet Greens and Blues, which are the heterozygotes that correspond to the splits of the recessive mutations, have a very distinctive look. There is no evidence yet that the violet mutation is linked to any of the other budgerigar mutations.

Violet mutations were formerly believed to be related to dark and blue mutations, but this is no longer the case. To our knowledge, no correlation has been found between these two mutations.

Although the violet allele had been thought to be lethal in double factor form in the past, such a theory has now been disproven with several breeders reporting them in double factor form.

How Do Purple Parakeets Breed?

It is believed that a parrot with two recessive genes would possess a particular trait if it acquired those genes from its parents. When it comes to parakeets, their white bases will show as blue parakeets.

Often, other genes modify genes to impart new colors or cause variations in color intensity. Typically the violet factor gene can be found on either a yellow or a white base in parakeets.

A significant number of violet factors were not present on the yellow parental base and a report has been made that purple parakeets were also not produced. When the violet factor is added to a white base, you get purple parakeets.

Due to the presence of genes that modify color intensity, the intensity of the color will vary.

Diet

Despite popular opinion, parakeets do not simply eat seeds as their only means of nourishment. They need other nutrients, too, to stay as healthy and long as possible.

When you visit a veterinarian, they might suggest both vegetables and pellets as a diet for your parakeet. If they are consuming a plain seed diet, they may not reap the benefits of vitamins and other essential nutrients that are contained in pellets.

You should feed purple parakeets a variety of fruits, leafy greens, and grains in addition to vegetables and pellets.

Health Problem of a Purple Parakeet

The Purple Parakeet tends to suffer from the same illness or health issue as other Parrots. Nevertheless, there can also be several unique situations that pertain specifically to parakeets.

They can develop a condition called goiter, which is caused by a lack of iodine in the body. They can suffer from tumors and even get a disease called Psittacosis if they are fed only a seed diet.

Likewise, you should keep an eye out for scaly mites, since these can cause skin irritation and itchiness in the skin around your parakeet’s eyes and legs.

Exercise

A parakeet can receive a lot of exercise from free-flying, as it is one of the primary sources of exercise. It is crucial that they can be able freely at least some of the time.

Whenever you have free-flying sessions for your parakeet, be sure that the room is clear of any potentially hazardous objects. If you have a large house plant, it will double as a great place to play for them when they are outside the cage.

Try placing a couple of toys in your parakeet’s cage if he is not getting the opportunity to fly freely.

The stimulation provided to them will enable them to stay busy and occupied during their free time. The toys should be switched out at least every couple of months to avoid the purple parakeet getting bored with them.

Lifespan

Purple parakeets can live for seven to fifteen years in captivity and with proper care. A few can even live to twenty!

From Where to Get a Purple Parakeet

It is believed that the purple parakeet is one of the rarest variants of the parakeet family. Violet parakeets are typically hard to breed primarily because the birds tend to fall into other series of blues and greens rather than the traditional purple color.

In addition to the difficulty of breeding parakeets with this specific color mutation, you may also notice that the health of these birds is adversely affected.

Several decades of inbreeding and selective breeding have resulted in an influx of health problems among budgerigars, including certain types of cancer.

According to recent studies, it has been determined that the species’ health is negatively impacted by the impending desire to produce colorful feathers.

It is important to have your pet parakeet checked every six months by a veterinarian to make sure that they have no hidden health problems.

You should ensure that the breeder of the purple parakeet you decide to purchase from has a solid reputation before you consent to purchase one from them. Make sure there are no problems with the birds that they are breeding.

The United States and Europe are also home to budgerigar breeders and you can find them online. It is also possible to find a parakeet through a parrot rescue organization, although they may not have purple ones.

It is generally possible to get honest and precise information about your bird’s health from these organizations. Also, they can give you tips on what to feed, how to care for, and where to keep your pet.

Conclusion

It is hard not to fall in love with the beautiful and entertaining purple parakeets. Parakeets require a similar level of nutrition, exercise, and shelter as other birds. Maintaining the health of your parakeet requires both a proper diet and regular exercise.

As the parakeet is a social animal, companionship is vital to its well-being, and the owner or another parakeet must provide it with it.

WBO Colour Standards (world-budgerigar.org)