Things to Look for When Buying a Parakeet

Parakeets are one of the most common types of birds that are purchased for pets. These unique pets are usually friendly and easy to handle. They can sometimes be difficult to understand. However, with a little hard work they have been known to mimic our sounds or "talk".

Here Are Some Parakeet Facts:

Parakeets have an expected life span of 10-15 years (some have even been known to live up to 20 years). They originated from  Australia. The normal wild coloration is said to be green with black bars on the wings, back and head. Other colors seen in parakeets are blue, yellow, and white.

How do I know if my parakeet is a male or female?

The area around the nostirls is called the cere. You can use this as a way to distinguish between males and females. For example, mature females will have a beige colored cere. While males will have a blue tint to their cere.

What about their temperament?

Parakeets are known for being a very docile and friendly bird. They can be easily tamed, especially if you aquire them while young. I've found that having more than one parakeet at a time resulted in the parakeets being hard to handle and less vocal. When I have just one parakeet, the bird looked to me for interaction and was much easier to handle and actually could say a few words. I placed a parakeet mirror in the cage and was amazed at how much my parakeet played with his own image in the mirror.

How do I choose a parakeet?

I highly recommend you choose a young bird that has been handled regularly and has been hand fed. The extra costs you experience buying a hand raised bird will be worth it in the long run. While there is nothing wrong with a store bought parakeet, my experiences have taught me that they are slower to adjust to being handled. Don't fall into the trap of picking a bird based solely on its color.

Use the same techniques you would use when buying a pet dog or cat. Look for a parakeet that is active and has shining and smooth feathers. A bird that is inactive and has its feathers puffed up may be a sign that it is sick. Also, take note of the birds feet. Make sure the scales are smooth and the nails are in good shape. Don't forget to inspect the birds beak for any problems.

Parakeets are very playful and active and do well in large cages. A friend always kept his parakeets on top of his refrigerator. He even bought a cage that would fill the entire top of the frig. Add a couple of rod perches and maybe a bird swing along with the water and feed bowls. However, even with a large cage like my friends, parakeets still need a little time outside of the cage as well. Letting them out once in a while to stretch their wings is a good idea. The exercise is very benefical for your pet bird. This also helps them to bond with you because they will relate the freedom to you. Just like training any other animal you want them to associate good things with you and with what you are trying to teach them.

Check back tomorrow for more great info on parakeets.