Pronounced Ky-eek, White Bellied Caiques could very well be the ultimate small parrot. Here at Bird Heaven Aviaires we have several pairs of White Bellied Caiques.
There are a few types of Caiques avialable in the USA. The Black Headed Caique and White Bellied are the main two with their being some subspecies of the White
Bellied. We have the Yellow Thighed here. There are Green Thighed & Yellow Tails available but they are very rare and extremely hard to come by.
Known for there vivacious & lively personalities, Caiques are not a bird for those who would love a quiet companion who doesn't get into mischief. Our Caiques here
both breeders and the babies we raise are literally on the go from the moment they wake up and finish their breakfast. I'm absolutely certain that even when
they're sleeping that Caiques are dreaming of running around and playing with toys. Caiques can be quite demanding of our time and not really a bird that we
recommend for those who have not had a parrot before. However we will say that if you do decide to purchase a Caique, then thoroughly research the species. Get
online and do as much reading about them. Join some online yahoo groups on Caiques. Ask as many questions as you can to the breeder. Good breeders wont hesitate to
take the time to speak with you. If you decide to go ahead and purchase a Caique, you wont be dissapointed. All our babies here at Bird Heaven are vaccinated against
the Polyoma Virus.
We have 5 pairs of White Bellied Caiques that we breed from here at Bird Heaven Aviaries. Our pairs are housed outdoors year round in flights that are 5ft long,
3ft high & 2.5ft wide. We also have some in flights that are 5ft long, 4ft wide & 3ft high. We have perches at either end of the flights to allow the birds to fly back
and forth if they choose. Although they have a loud shreiking noise, our breeders are actually rather quiet. I'm not sure if it's because they have to compete with all
our Mini Macaws & Amazons which can get quite loud at times. Our Caique Flights are all protected from direct sunlight although a small amount gets through at the
ends to allow the birds to 'sunbathe' should they choose. We also have Bamboo Reed Fencing as additional shade & privacy for them.
Our Caique babies take on average around 12 - 14 weeks to wean. Juevenile Yellow Thigh Caiques have
yellow on their chest feathers and most babies will have black feathers on the heads. As the Caiques get
older and molt out their feathers the black will dissapear on their head and reveal that beautiful apricot
color and the yellow on their chest will dissapear too and the brilliant white on their chests appear. This
usually happens when they are around 10 - 18 months of age. You can see by the babies on the left in the
photo that they have the yellow on their chest and the black feathers on their head.
Caique babies are extremely inquisitive and love nothing more than hanging out with us as we go about our
chores. They also love when we set up a blanket on the front lawn with all the toys that we have for them
to play with. They're just like a kid in a candy store and rush about trying their best to play with every
toy before the other birds get to it. One thing we've noticed with our Caique babies is that they play
hard but also love to sleep. Many times we've found Caique babies lying on their backs, sending Michael &
myself into a panic only to realise that they're sleeping.
Caiques make great companions for those who are willing to take the time to learn about the species. They can get a little stubborn and moody at times as they mature
as do most birds however they do remain quite friendly and social as they age too. We do our absolute best here at Bird Heaven Aviairies to give our babies the best
start in life. It's up to the new owners to continue what we started and keep up with the socialization with different people.
All our birds here - both our breeder birds and babies are fed a great diet that has plenty of steamed & Fresh Vegetables along with Plenty of fruit as well. We do
feed a minimal seed mix as well as a few times a week they get a dried fruit and nut mix as well. Caiques have alot of energy and require a good amount of fresh
foods in their diet. Our way of thinking here when it comes to the birds is this: Seeds & Pellets  don't grow on trees in the wild. There are no trees that dispense
Sunflower seed to all the birds worldwide nor are their Roudybush or Zupreem Pellet trees growing anywhere in the world. Whilst not many of birds here enjoy
pellets, infact only 1 pair of birds really enjoy them and that's one of our Eclectus pairs. Seeds and Pellet simply do not make up the major part of our birds diets.
We do offer Seeds & Pellets when weaning our babies however should they choose not to eat them that's fine. They still get plenty of fresh foods as well. All the
different fruits etc that our birds are given can be found on our Recipe Page.
Keep in mind when purchasing a cage for your Caique that they are active birds. The biggest cage you
can afford is usually best for them. We'd recommend a cage suitable for African Greys, Amazons or
small Macaws for Caiques. A cage with a playstand on top is great too. It provides a area for them to
run around on and hop about. A seperate playgym is always welcomed. You can get one that is small
enough to wheel from room to room so that you're Caique is able to keep an eye on what you're doing.
Don't be to suprised to find your little one wanting to help you out in their own special way. Because
of this be sure to always keep an eye on your Caique as they will go wandering off and sooner rather
than later Mishchief will find them.

Stainless Steel cages are best although  there are some good quality cages out there that are not
stainless steel. Toys are always welcomed by Caiques. So a nice variety of toys are always welcomed
and should be rotated regularly every other day or so. Below are some photo's of the toys we have in
our weaning cages for the Caiques.
Our Breeding Pairs
White Bellied Caiques
Caique Babies
Diet & Cages