Parakeet, a Perfect Pet?

One of the most inexpensive pets and most popular starter pets to purchase seems to be the poor little Parakeet. Parakeets are originally from Australia (Budgirigars) and have become a fairly popular starter pet in America. They love warm weather but are fine in any climate since they are caged and indoors. They are seed and fruit eaters. People seem to think since Parakeets are so small that they won't need much when it comes to care andmaintenance. In actuality, they each have very different personalities and do require regular attention as does any pet. Birds are flock animals and need companionship. They are not just decorative though they do come in a variety of fabulous colors.

Parakeets can learn to speak, males more so than females. My sister had a Parakeet, Mr. Becker , who had an enormous vocabulary. Birds live quite a long time and she inherited this bird from an elderly gentlemaan who passed away . This bird would introduce himself, saying; "I'm Teddy Becker, I'm just adorable. Come here, give me a kiss". Some people use tapes to teach thier birds to talk. I prefer one on one.

Parakeets are very intelligent and will often bond with one particular person. They have long memories, as do most birds. They need at least 30 minutes of attention a day at the minimum. You can train them to do tricks, the more time spent with them the better. They love a variety of toys, they love being snuggled and having their feathers picked. This is what the flock would do for one another in the wild. Scratching the little casings of their new feathers feels very good to them and is good for them.

When shopping for a Parakeet it's important to be aware of signs of health. The bird should be active, alert with dry nostrils (cere) and bright eyes. They should not be missing feathers or look picked over or be sitting fluffed up. Do not choose a bird that is sitting on the floor of the cage. This is unusual behavior indicating illness. You would be safest buying from a breeder not a pet shop. This way you can see how the birds are kept, their parents,talk to the breeder and turn to them for help if you need. Bird in pet shops are too much of a commodity.

Parakeets need outside cage time. Thier wings must be clipped so that if they take off they don't hit a window or wall but can stillglide to the ground. Be sure toilet lids are down and ceiling fans are turned off. Do not leave them outside the cage unattended and don't leave the cage door open when you are not home. You can have wing clipping done or learn to do it. If you plan on doing it yourself keep styptic around in case you hit a blood feather. This is a feather that is new growth, the styptic wil stop the blood and make it coagulate. Nails should be clipped when you do their wings. Again, keep the styptic handy. Unless you have a background in animal handling I would recommend having this done professionally.

Parakeets need vitamin supplements in their water 2 to 3 times per week. Water for bathing or drinking should be chlorine free and filtered. It can be offered in a dish or sprayed on the bird. Parakeets do not like drafts so keep the cage away from windows.. Teflon fumes are toxic for the bird so keep the birds out of the kitchen. Parakeets require 60-70% humidity so a humidifier would be a good investment as well.

In the wild Parakeets eat insects, seeds and flowers. In Florida you can see flocks of Parakeets in the Bottle Brush trees feeding. Along with a good seed mix you can offer your budgie fruits, vegetables, mealy worms and bean sprouts. They like brightly colored fruits likes papaya, carrots, mango and veggies like brocolli and carrots. You can also give them nuts, monkey chow or dog chow and cottage cheese along with their daily 1 to 2 tablespoons of seed. Your bird will let you know what it likes and dslkikes. Many avian specialists recomend pellet feeding since this is a form of food that is designed to get the bird all its nutrtition.

Your birds living area, habitat,should provide space for toys, swings, carousels, bells, rope or hemp to climb on, cuttle bone, a ladder and good perches. Avoid sandpaper perches they are too abrasive for their feet. Many people tout these as being a good way to keep nails short. I stick with trimming by hand. SHop your pet shop for toys and ladders. You can creat a little playground area just outsidse the age for the larger toys.

Be aware if your bird is not eating, is fluffed up, scale on it's legs or face,has any discharge aound its nostrils, loose stools or starts plucking it's feathers you must see a Vet, preferably an Avian specialist. Parakeets can live 12 to 15 years so they are a long term commitment.

Considering all this a bird is really not a pet for just any person. Certainly not for a really young child. You have to take on the commitment. They are too delicate for very young children who can easily injure them. Also, they have sharp beaks and claws. So with this information you can make an educated decision as to whether a Parakeet is for you and your family.