Parakeets

ShrekDawg · Feb 11, 2017

Does anybody here have parakeets? I just love them and would love to see pictures or hear stories if anyone has them.

I myself had quite a few as a kid and one in high school and I think 2 in middle school. I don't have any now but I'd love to get some more.

I also saw this YouTube video once, this cage tour type thing, and their set up looked AWESOME. It was this big flight cage, I think an HQ something maybe? And they had it filled with tons of different toys and perches and had like multi levels, like there weren't floors but just like different toys and perches and different levels. And they also had some food up top and some low and multiple bowls. It was a really cool set up and I would love to do it one day. They had maybe 4 or 6 or something in there? I forget. But I have a bit of a question. They had multiple bowls, like I said, but they had said you're supposed to have varying types of foods? They had like 3 bowls with 3 different types, like brands, of seeds and then they also got like Roudybush pellets or crumbles and NutriBerries and stuff. Plus of course fruits and veggies too. They had other birds too. And they sometimes let them out in a bird room. It seemed like the ultimate set up for both the health and happiness of the birds and I would LOVE to do it. BUT. It also seems really expensive. Do you think it's necessary to offer that many kinds of foods for the birds to truly be at optimal health and have the best health/nutrition possible or are they perfectly fine and healthy on just one or two types?

Thanks again and please share pictures and stories too!

JaeG · Feb 11, 2017

I have bourkes parakeets and they are lovely birds. I've read varying accounts about the value of pellets over seed. Unless they have been weaned into pellets as young birds I don't think many birds will accept pellets as their sole diet (which is what they are supposed to be designed for). I offer budgie seed and greens. They love silverbeet (Swiss chard). Mine get more variety of foods when they are breeding such as soaked seed and egg food, and other types of greens such as kale and chicory. But outside the breeding season it's better to limit what they eat so they don't become overweight. And flying room is always appreciated by our little feathered friends. Sounds like an awesome set up you found.

taimon01 · Feb 11, 2017

I personally breed small parrots. I wouldn't recommend it as getting healthy chicks and birds requires a lot of time, effort and money. I do believe that parakeets are amazing little creatures, I did breed them but stopped because most people buy them and just ignore them because they don't act like a proper parrot, I do have a few pairs but only breed them to be friendily aviary birds. They look amazing in avairies. If you've understand what a parakeet can and can't do and are still willing to love it, good for you. I personally recommend to people to by handfed cockatiel (my speciality). This is because they may be a little more costly than a parakeet but can act a lot more like a parrot compared to a parakeet.

Back to the topic, buying multiple types of seed and crumbs will be very costly. I recommend to customers to either provide seed or pellets. The pellets provide a fully balanced diet, similarly most seeds do provide a diet that is as close as possible to being balanced. The problem with seed is that it isn't always providing every nutrient so what i recommend doing is providing soaked seed with the normal seed at least twice every week. I also recommed providing them with food from what you're cooking that day (just made sure its ok for the bird). For example take a bit of egg and toast out of your breakfast and leave it in the bowl or take some washed vegetables and put it in the bowls. This allows them to access a varitiy of nutrients cheaply.

taimon01 · Feb 11, 2017

Most birds can be weaned onto pellets but it is easier to wean a younger bird than an older bird.

gpop1 · Feb 11, 2017

I keep English budgies which are slightly larger than the parakeets and also have a better temperament. I have kept parakeets in the past but as I have a open aviary I found them to be a little nest aggressive. I believe the diet should be balanced on the birds energy needs and most of the problems start due to the bird lacking exercise. Feeding a lot of fatty seeds to a bird that caged in a warm home means a lot of fat in and very little fat being used thus a fat and unhealthy bird.
Mine are feed a high quality seed with a small amount of pellets already mixed in. They also get leafy greens either from store bought or from trays of seeds that we grow just for them. At least 3-4 times a week they also get scrambled eggs (including the shells) as this worked out cheaper than buying egg food and it helps the parent birds who have large clutch of chicks. We have a great pet store that sells in bulk so it doesn't work out that expensive especially as we are buying in 50lb bags. We also buy things like cuttle bone in bulk as that can be expensive when you need 3-4 pieces a weak.

I waste a lot of seed as I do not separate the husks, instead I throw all left overs on the floor for the button quail to clean up or outside as a treat for some pet chickens. My feed cost per bird is around $1 a month for seed, scrabbled eggs, cuttle bone, vinegar, assorted seeds for growing and fresh green leaf vegetables from the store. If I was planning on keeping 6 birds then I would expect to spend about $20 a month on them as I wouldn't be buying in bulk.

mhwc56 · Feb 11, 2017

For beginners...BIRDS are NOT INEXPENSIVE to own. Not in money OR Time either !
ALL parrot species require ALOT of time and attention, QUALITY, VARIED ( and that means NOT inexpensive...) foods and sufficient exercise for a healthy ,happy bird.
AND dont forget occasional AVIAN VET visits
i currently have English , American and Eng. X Am. Budgies. But have had Cockatiels,Greys,Bourkes,Lovebirds,Conures and Amazons as well as finches and canaries over the years.
You absolutely should have a nice range of FRESH foods available several times a week for them,especially if you feed a seed diet.
Personally my preference is to feed a main diet of Roudybush pellets and plenty of chopped fresh and frozen produce( kale, swiss chard, carrots,peas, lima and green beans,etc).They only get a small amount of seed..about 1/2 teaspoon for each budgie...maybe once a week. When breeding , or feeding young they get home made "eggfood"..scrambled eggs with ground up shell basically .
Of all the species of birds ive had ,my favorite is definitely the English Budgie. They are small and cuddly clowns and quite frequently, talkative if you take the time with them.

ShrekDawg · Feb 11, 2017

Thank you so much for all the help and great advice, everyone! It's good to know they don't necessarily need a million different types of foods but I will definitely provide fresh fruits and veggies too if I get them.

Oh and @taimon01 I'm actually not really expecting them to be like a big bird, I love them for them

I've actually thought about cockatiels too and it's still somewhat a toss up but cockatiels mostly just whistle, right? And mostly the males? I thought it would be fun to teach them tunes and they're definitely bigger to hold/pet and stuff but I find parakeets/budgies to be cute little things. I want the parakeets to be able to talk (though understandable if they can't), sing or dance to music, and I'd like to try to teach them some tricks. But if they can't do that then I'll just watch them, they're gorgeous birds. But thank you for the concern. People do unfortunately seem to ignore them or even neglect, or just get one and put it in a tiny cage

Now, going off that note, do you guys think it's better to get say like two and tame them so I can do the above but they still have a friend OR is it better to get 4, 6, 8, etc. And put them in the flight cage or aviary and just kind of watch them? I've heard that if you have a bunch then they're more into the flock than you and hard to tame, etc. And I'm kind of conflicted between whether I just want a pretty bird/flock for the cage or whether I want pets. I'm kind of leaning more towards pets I can tame and train, etc. But would they be lonely with just too? And is a cage like that too big for two?

Also, I'm guessing I should not get them from the pet store like my other ones?

ShrekDawg · Feb 11, 2017

Btw anyone have pictures or know of breeders?

gpop1 · Feb 11, 2017

KDOGG331 said:
Thank you so much for all the help and great advice, everyone! It's good to know they don't necessarily need a million different types of foods but I will definitely provide fresh fruits and veggies too if I get them.

Oh and @taimon01 I'm actually not really expecting them to be like a big bird, I love them for them

I've actually thought about cockatiels too and it's still somewhat a toss up but cockatiels mostly just whistle, right? And mostly the males? I thought it would be fun to teach them tunes and they're definitely bigger to hold/pet and stuff but I find parakeets/budgies to be cute little things. I want the parakeets to be able to talk (though understandable if they can't), sing or dance to music, and I'd like to try to teach them some tricks. But if they can't do that then I'll just watch them, they're gorgeous birds. But thank you for the concern. People do unfortunately seem to ignore them or even neglect, or just get one and put it in a tiny cage

Now, going off that note, do you guys think it's better to get say like two and tame them so I can do the above but they still have a friend OR is it better to get 4, 6, 8, etc. And put them in the flight cage or aviary and just kind of watch them? I've heard that if you have a bunch then they're more into the flock than you and hard to tame, etc. And I'm kind of conflicted between whether I just want a pretty bird/flock for the cage or whether I want pets. I'm kind of leaning more towards pets I can tame and train, etc. But would they be lonely with just too? And is a cage like that too big for two?

Also, I'm guessing I should not get them from the pet store like my other ones?

Start with one bird preferable a hand tame. Who knows where your interests will take you but you don't have to be in any great hurry to get there.

3 years ago my daughter asked for a mustache parakeet that was for sale on CL my wife said it would be nice if he could go outside during the day to get some sun which lead to the first aviary. I now have 4 aviary's 60-80 budgies, 30 tiels, 12 goldian finches, 2 cherry finches, 50 buttons, a bunch of society finches and way to many zebra finches to bother counting. oh I still have the mustache and a female that was a rescue to keep him company. Some of my birds are retirees that will get to spend there lives out in the best comfort I can provide and others (youngsters) will be sold to keep the numbers down. I spend a few hours a day during the week watching the aviary and many hours during the weekend as I find it relaxing. Who knows this may be what you end up doing or you might be just as happy with one.
If I was to move to a colder location and wanted some birds to watch I would go with cherry finches and a aviary inside the house (love to watch them building a nest) however if i wanted one interact bird then it would be a hand tamed tiel or a small parrot type like the conure, mustache, ring neck.

ShrekDawg · Feb 11, 2017

gpop1 said:
Start with one bird preferable a hand tame. Who knows where your interests will take you but you don't have to be in any great hurry to get there.

3 years ago my daughter asked for a mustache parakeet that was for sale on CL my wife said it would be nice if he could go outside during the day to get some sun which lead to the first aviary. I now have 4 aviary's 60-80 budgies, 30 tiels, 12 goldian finches, 2 cherry finches, 50 buttons, a bunch of society finches and way to many zebra finches to bother counting. oh I still have the mustache and a female that was a rescue to keep him company. Some of my birds are retirees that will get to spend there lives out in the best comfort I can provide and others (youngsters) will be sold to keep the numbers down. I spend a few hours a day during the week watching the aviary and many hours during the weekend as I find it relaxing. Who knows this may be what you end up doing or you might be just as happy with one.
If I was to move to a colder location and wanted some birds to watch I would go with cherry finches and a aviary inside the house (love to watch them building a nest) however if i wanted one interact bird then it would be a hand tamed tiel or a small parrot type like the conure, mustache, ring neck.

Thanks for the info and advice!

That's so interesting and awesome you built all those aviaries!

So they can't be outside in cold climates, right? Is there any way to warm it up?

And I've thought about getting a bigger bird but didn't really want to because of the time commitment and the noise but maybe I could reconsider.

I think I might be happy with one or two tame budgies

Parakeets

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