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Meeting a Parrot's Needs in Captivity

A way to interact with your bird is to sing together, give it baths and if it seems to be rapidly dropping a mobile toy, pick it up. There is a chance it is trying to play a game with you. Sometimes parakeets get lonely. A good way to get them happy again is to talk to them. To get them to climb up on your finger, push a little bit on their stomach, and say, "Step up. Give your parakeet time out of the cage.

Although the bird can fly in the cage, it is a good idea to let the bird out once a day for free flight. Obviously, be alert for hazards and close windows and doors, extinguish candles, and that sort of thing. Many things you might not immediately consider can be dangerous to parakeets.

Before allowing your bird out of the cage, remember not just to close windows, but also: The safer you can make the environment, the better. Provide proper sleeping conditions. Parakeets will sleep approximately ten hours a day, mostly at night, but they can nap during the day as well. When your parakeet is asleep, try not to make too much noise, though music or the television at low volumes is still okay. At night, parakeets like the security of being covered, so drape a towel or pillowcase over the cage.

Keep a proper temperature. Parakeets are sensitive to large swings in temperature. Do not place the cage in direct sunlight.

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Parakeets are a lot of work, but you will find them an affectionate and funny companion. Most will talk and how much they learn is really up to you.

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Be prepared to do some daily care and maintenance, as well as giving them attention and playtime, or consider getting another hobby. Parakeets become uncomfortable at either end of the temperature scale very hot or very cold. They can cope with an ambient temperature down to around 40 degrees say overnight but much below this and they won't be happy.

Not Helpful 36 Helpful Young parakeets usually leave the nest box of their own accord once they are fully feathered at around four or five weeks of age. It is, however, a good idea to check the nestlings well before this to make sure their feet are clean and not caked in poop, and to be able to clean the nest box. Not Helpful 41 Helpful Wild Budgies and most other parakeets live in flocks. The flocks vary in size from a few birds to over ten. The more birds, the happier they will usually be.

Just make sure that you have an appropriately sized cage s. Groups of all females, on the other hand, tend to fight and peck each other. Not Helpful 7 Helpful Singing is actually a good sing for the parakeet as it shows that it is happy and healthy. However, if the singing is bothering you, you can place the cage in another room but don't isolate it or place a blanket over the cage. Not Helpful 14 Helpful Do parakeets respond to other birds - for instance, sparrows - if the cage is outside?

Possibly, but you should not keep the cage outside, as the weather may make them sick. If a bird is sick, it is likely to die. Not Helpful 5 Helpful You can buy little bird baths that attach to the cage or buy a spray bottle with a mist setting. Misting every couple of days helps to keep a bird's feathers bright and clean. Not Helpful 22 Helpful Most parakeets receive about two teaspoons of bird seed a day. Talk to your vet for the proper amount for your specific bird.

Not Helpful 18 Helpful As long as the bird has enough food and water, it should be fine.

But if a parent or roommate is home sometime during the day, have them check on the bird also. Not Helpful 28 Helpful You can use either one, but you may want to use the light level of the room to help you decide. If the room is generally bright, even at night, you may want to use a darker blanket. If the room is already pretty dark, you could just use a lighter blanket. Not Helpful 0 Helpful Yes, parakeets can eat seeds, vegetables, fruits, and grains. Bread isn't the healthiest food for them, though, so stick to the diet recommendations above.

Not Helpful 33 Helpful Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Already answered Not a question Bad question Other. Quick Summary To take care of a parakeet, buy a stainless steel cage with a lot of horizontal space. Did this summary help you? Tips If you're gone a lot, be sure the bird has a companion parakeet, otherwise they get lonely, and it just isn't fair to these very social animals.

They live in large interactive flocks in the wild. You can play music when you're gone, maybe even on a timer. Soft music helps ease the transition into a new place.

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Four Parts:Preparing a Parrot HomeFeeding Your ParrotKeeping Your Parrot Slowly take it out of the carrier and bring it to the cage. Aim the. Depending on the type and breed, a pet parrot can cost anywhere from $ to well over $1, dollars. If you find a parrot in an animal shelter.

Only fill the seed cup just enough to cover the bottom of the cup. This way you can control how much your parakeet eats, and you won't waste as much food. This also helps by not making the budgie have to dig through the dish and make a mess. Have your birds checked up by a vet initially and at least annually and get a baseline health reading when you first get the bird. Keep the new bird separate at first so that the older bird doesn't get disease until you know a new bird is healthy.

Never allow your bird to see out a window. It could fly into it and injure itself. There are many varieties of "pellets" available for parakeets and they can taste different. You may need to offer a variety or try different ones and see which ones your birds like. Some look like rabbit food, some look round and seed like, some are powdery, some look like crumbles. Some come in various sizes. You can always crush larger pellets down to various sizes all the way to powder to see if different sizes are more appealing.

Pet Parrot Care

A play gym is also highly recommended and will provide them somewhere to play while you go about your business in that room - but remember not to leave them unattended ever. You can trim the bird's wings so it can't fly away. Be careful of blood feathers, feathers with coverings and blood in them. To avoid blood feathers, only trim the last feathers at the end of their wings. Keep in mind that the birds will still be able to fly for short periods of time, so they'll still be able to fly up to perches in their cage.

Trim the toenails when sharp. Beaks can be trimmed with an emery board, but this shouldn't be necessary if you have a cuttlebone, which is vital to their health as it contains calcium. See your avian vet for details. Don't play loud music around the parakeet or make any sudden movement. Never get a new parakeet and go on a trip and let someone else take care of the bird. The bird will think the person who took care of your bird is its new owner. Never let your parakeet outside unless in a cage.

Never poke your bird. Always wait a couple of days before you let the parakeet out of the cage. Make sure your bird has one food bowl and two water bowls. Out of two water bowls, one for bathing and one for drinking water. Pellets are better for budgies than seeds, but you still have to feed them a healthy amount of fruits and vegetables.

Never hit or use negative physical contact on your bird or force your bird to do something they do not want to do. You could risk losing their trust! Don't ignore or spend little time with your bird. They are not just a decoration. Provide a mineral block. Mineral blocks can be found in pet stores and are needed for any pet bird.

The mineral block gives birds vitamins and nutrients they may not be getting anywhere else. Warnings Never leave a window opened when your parakeet is outside of its cage since it could get out. Never feed your parakeets any chocolate, avocado, coffee, alcohol, or salt. These are poisonous to them. Never allow your bird around cats or dogs, even if they seem sweet. Cats and dogs will often kill them. This is their natural instinct.

If you let your parakeet shower, be sure to dry it with a towel afterward. The standard rule of thumb is to not give a bird a bath or shower after 7pm your time in order for them to dry off before they go to sleep. Birds naturally hide their illnesses to avoid looking vulnerable to predators, so you need to be very alert to know if your bird is behaving unusually or too lethargic.

By the time a bird is showing symptoms, it is usually pretty sick and probably has been for a while. See a veterinarian ASAP.

Meeting a Parrot's Needs in Captivity

Things You'll Need Water. In addition, be careful when toweling or restraining your bird. Though seeds are a very common diet for parakeets in the wild, they are also a source of bacterial infection and can easily lower the health and lifespan of your bird. If the room is generally bright, even at night, you may want to use a darker blanket. This will save you having to take the whole birdcage with you.

Birds have high metabolisms, and their condition can degrade very quickly without proper care. Catching and treating problems early is essential. Do not worry if one of your birds is inside a nesting house, she is probably in the process of laying eggs. Do not disturb her when you think this is happening because this may break their eggs.

Seeds are often stored in silos after harvesting, where rats eat and defecate on it, and although washed, bacterial residue remains, and cannot be eliminated by freezing or microwaving. Always verify that the tree in question is not poisonous to budgies before giving your bird any kind of plant or branch.

Many types are toxic! Tropical birds spend much of their time under the canopy of the forest, so be careful to give your parakeet a shady place to be in if the sun is very hot. Avoid putting the cage in full sun on hot days. The sap on evergreen trees is poisonous to many tropical birds, so if you have a live wreath or Christmas tree, please put the bird in another room far away from even the odor of the evergreen. The bird might be attracted to the shiny decorations, so be very careful. Take strong precautions not to let your bird escape, which probably means clipping their wings and reminding family members, putting screens on doors and windows, and thinking very strategically.

If a parakeet escapes, it will most likely die from exposure and confusion. Things You'll Need Water. Millet spray essential to training parakeet to fly to your finger or perch on it. The Complete Book of Parakeet Care. Essentials of Avian Medicine and Surgery. Made Recently View more 43 total. Add a photo Upload error. Tell us more about it?

Click here to share your story. Article Info Featured Article Categories: Featured Articles Parakeets and Budgerigars In other languages: Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read , times. Did this article help you? Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. A Anonymous Jun 6. I'm getting a parakeet now to help keep my spirits up! What a Parrot Needs When you consider how to take care of you parrot, you will have to consider what you will need to get started. The first thing you will need is a large cage for your parrot to live in.

Make sure it is big enough for him to move around a bit and be comfortable. To occupy his time and make him feel comfortable you should place a mirror, a swing and a toy in the cage. You will also need something to properly line the cage.

It should consist of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat and grains. Peanut butter and cooked eggs are other sources of protein that are good for parrots. As with most pets, avoid feeding your parrot caffeine, alcohol, chocolate and salty foods. Teaching Your Parrot To Talk One of the most attractive features of this type of bird is that you can teach them to talk and whistle.

Most people get a lot of enjoyment out of it. It does require a lot of time and repetition though and training should begin when the parrot is young. New words should be introduced with an activity so the parrot can link the two. Whistling may come more natural for the birds and may be encouraged after you have trained him to talk. Provide Exercise Your parrot will need to get daily exercise. Let him out of the cage for small amount of time, starting with fifteen minutes at a time.

Let them fly around the house and tire themselves out. See a professional for wing clippings when necessary. Some things you can do at home to help your bird with beak care is to provide a concrete perch or a cuttle bone for him. In addition to never leaving his food bowl empty, you will need to provide him with fresh water twice a day. You will need to clean his cage on a weekly basis.