Parakeets

Budgerigars are native to the grasslands of Australia and are commonly called parakeets here in the United States. The normal color found in nature is green with some yellow wing feathers, a yellow head with black barring throughout. Through selective breeding in captivity a wide range of color variations are now available. Budgies can be taught to talk, but their engaging personalities, active life style and their constant chattering are the qualities that make them attractive as pets.

Diet

Parakeet seed mixes are generally white millet based with canary grass seed and oat groats added. Often, more exotic blends also contain small bits of dehydrated fruits and vegetables and greens. Seed diets can be deficient in vitamins K and D, so the addition of green and yellow vegetables greatly improves the overall health of the bird. Use of an avian daily multivitamin is recommended. These are usually water soluble and can be added to the drinking water or sprinkled over the food. If the vitamin is added to the water, the water container must be thoroughly washed each day.

Almost anything that you eat can be offered in small quantities. (No chocolate, alcohol, avocado, and very little highly acidic foods like citrus and tomato.) A variety diet makes for a much happier, healthier bird.

Fresh water should always be available.

Housing

Parakeets are housed in cages. There are hundreds of shapes and sizes of cages available. Some considerations to keep in mind when purchasing a cage are the size of the cage, the size of door opening, and the spacing of the wire.

The cage should be at least large enough for the bird to be able to turn around completely and flap it's wings with out touching the wires. The door opening must be large enough for you to reach in with your hand and remove the bird from the cage easily.

These birds are very active, and generally are best kept in a cage that is rectangular and has perches at opposing ends. Since they like to climb, cages with vertical wires are desirable.

The wires should be spaced closely enough to keep the bird from putting it's head through the opening. Wire spacing of 3/8" to 1/2" is recommended for budgies.

A pull out tray at the bottom makes for easier cleaning. A wire grate mounted on the bottom of the cage above this tray keeps the bird from digging through the litter.

Handling & Care

Parakeets have been domestically raised for generations. Finding a young bird is easy. Look for ones with large bright eyes. The black barring on the forehead recedes as the birds mature. A young bird will have the barring almost down to the top of the beak. Learn how to handle your bird and do so daily to keep it tame and affectionate.

Both males and females make great pets. The sex can not be accurately determined when the birds are very young, and it is even difficult with some adults of certain color variations. As a general rule, the cere (the fleshy ridge above the beak where the bird's nostrils are) is a bluish color on males and pinkish or beige on females.

Budgies are social birds and enjoy companionship.  More than one parakeet can be housed in the same cage if the cage is large enough. One draw back to this is that they birds will pay more attention to each other than they do to their owner.

They are also very active. Providing them with toys gives them exercise and provides entertainment (for you and the bird.)

Clipping the wings is recommended to keep the bird manageable. Wing clipping when done correctly does not hurt the bird, and is not permanent. The clipped feathers with be replaced the next time the bird molts.

Birds keep their plumage in peak condition by preening. You can encourage this by occasionally spraying your bird with warm water. Use a clean spray bottle that has never been used for anything else, and mist the bird with warm water.

Special Considerations

These birds can live 10-15 or more years. Purchasing one is a long term commitment and the decision to buy one should not be taken lightly.