Galah FAQ
Back from holidays now.. it is never enough time away is it?
Anyway, I have decided to compile a small Galah FAQ. I hope that it can help out people who are interested in keeping one of these parrots as a pet and it helps if you just have a general interest in birds. I would just like to make a tiny disclaimer saying I am not a bird expert or an avarian doctor, just an enthusiast and active pet keeper.
How Old Can A Galah Live For?
In the wild a Galah will rarely live past 25 years, but in captivity, if well looked after a galah can live for 50 to 60 years.. so you will have a friend for life.
How Can You Tell The Sex Difference Of A Galah?
The easiest way to tell the sex difference of Galah’s is to look at the eyes. The males have a more dark, almost brown iris (area of the eye that surrounds the pupil) while the females have a lighter, pink iris. Other characteristics that can help you determine sex is that males seem to have a better ability to talk and females tend to sit on a perch with there legs apart more frequently than males.
How Can I Tell How Old My Galah Is?
Determining age is a little more difficult, but you can get an idea by again examining the eyes. The number of wrinkles around the eye (in the white area) is one way of aging a bird. Other ways include the number of layers on the beak and by looking at the feet. Generally, the more wrinkles around the eye, the older the bird.
What Do Galah’s Like To Eat?
Galah’s like to eat seeds, nuts, berries and fresh corn. In the wild, they are known to eat grasses, leaf buds. flowers such as Gravillias and Banksias, seeds and on the occasion, insects for extra protein. It is essential that a Galah has fresh water daily.
How Many Types/Species Of Galah Are There?
There are to my knowledge three major sub-species of Galah – Western, Eastern and Northern. The most popular variety in captivity seems to be the Eastern variety.
What Sounds Does A Galah Make And Can They Talk?
Galah’s make a fairly high pitched “Chet Chet” type sound when flying around in the wild. They will also make a much louder screech when threatened, fighting or having fun. Galah’s are very clever and can learn to talk, or rather, imitate people’s voices. The male galahs seem to be much better at this than the females. Galah’s are also very good at impersonating everyday sounds such as a whistle, a horn or a telephone ringing.
Is It Normal For My Galah To Make Grinding And Sneezing Sounds?
Galah’s will grind their beak when they feel safe and relaxed, usually before they sleep. When a Galah goes to sleep, they will quite often turn their heads 180 degrees around and rest their head on their back feathers. A heathly Galah will require around 10 hours sleep a night. A Galah will also sneeze when preening there feathers as a way to disperse the dust they have collected from their feathers so this is perfectly normal.
Should I Give My Galah A Bath?
Galah’s are quite cutious when it comes to water so I don’t really advise giving a bird a bath. A much better method is to either use a water bottle with a squirter nozzle and give them a misty spray so they fluff out or as my bird loves, being held in front of a air conditioner or enclosed fan for about 30 seconds to blow off the excessive dust.
My Galah Chews Everything – What Can I Do?
Galah’s chewing objects is a natural method of keeping their beaks in top condition. It prevents overgrowing and discomfort if the beak is not regularly used. Make sure their enclosure has some inedible objects to chew to keep them occupied. Try wooden perches, rope perches, plastic chain, old belts (buckle removed), old shoe soles and thongs.
So there is the FAQ for now. I’ll probably update it later on (and correct any mistakes) but it will be fine for now. Hope someone finds it useful.