Anybody who has seen a Parrotlet will no doubt have first noticed their size. At a tiny 3 inches these little parrots are ultimately adorable birds. If you are planning on getting a pet bird, don't let these little treasures fool you with their little stature, as anything they lack in height they certainly make up for in personality and confidence!

Once, somebody whom I forget, coin them the "little gems of the parrot world" and this phrase fits the parrot perfectly. Most commonly in bright green and cobalt blue, but also in a rainbow of other mixtures and mutations, these tiny bright and brilliant little birds are the perfect pet.

Parrotlets are perfect for pretty much anybody who is up for a committed, long term relationship with an intelligent animal. Due to their size they are not able to scream or create very loud or long noises, their droppings are tiny and non messy, they are affectionate and loving, they are smart and busy and each one is unlike the other.

Parrotlets mirror the personality complexity of their much larger cousins the Amazon parrot, and it's hard to really empathise just how much fun these little birds are without you meeting one! I have had my little guy "Sprite" (Not named after the Lemonade!!!) for just over two years now and he is simply brilliant.

Sometimes having Sprite can be a chore, like when he tries to steal food, bites picture frames or shouts when we leave him in his cage too long, but at the same time these feature give him his personality and I always try to remember that this little bird having flaws makes him interesting!

Thankfully his pros out weigh his cons! We've had him since he was hand raised so he is completely tame with even strangers, although very clingy with me and my partner when meeting new people. He steps onto me without force even when he knows he's in trouble, he will enjoy a shower under the sink tap and even let me dry him with the hairdryer! A treasure to watch! His party trick is "playing dead" on my palm... though he gets bored after around 10 seconds and pops himself up to do something else...

Looks like the camera stopped him looking "dead" with his dead down... this is more of a sunbathing pose!

I am always on the look out for a tiny little deck chair....

So if you're interesting in getting a pet bird, steer away from a budgie or a canary, and pay a little more for these little guys. I promise you, you will never regret it!