Parakeet Care Guide

Get to Know Your Parakeet

Basic Information

Common Name

Parakeet

Scientific Name

Melopsittacus undulatus

Size

9” (with tail)

Life span

9 - 15 years

Distribution

Australia

Checklist for Your Parakeet

Cage

Cage Liner or Litter

Perch – Wood Ropes

Dry food

Spray Millet

Feeder Cups

Treats

Toys

Bird Bath

Ladders & Swings

Cuttlebone

Mite Repellent

Everything your Parakeet needs, all in one place.

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Feeding Your Parakeet

Safe to Feed

Prepackaged bird treats.

Avoid

Chocolate & other candy (all types of sweets)

Onions

Avocados

Highly salted foods.

Parakeet Habitat

Parakeets can be housed in any cage that features ½” bar spacing.
They must have several perches (preferably made of different materials – wood, rope, etc.). A variety of perches in diameter will support your parakeets’ feet, which will prevent pressure sores.
Provide a water cup, seed/pellet cup, and fresh food cup as well as a cuttlebone. Cuttlebones provide extra calcium and will help keep your birds beak trim.
Toys from each category provide stimulation. A variety of the following is best: destructible, communication, enrichment, and exercise. Make sure to rotate toys often. Toys will keep your bird entertained and prevent boredom.
Watch out for fumes. Place the parakeet cage in a safe place with clean fresh air to breathe. Overheated non-stick surfaces containing Teflon, such as those found on cookware, drip pans, irons, and self-cleaning ovens, can emit odorless fumes that are rapidly fatal to birds. Birds have sensitive respiratory systems, keep this in mind when finding the best place for your parakeet.

Cleaning

Spot clean your cage daily.
Replace substrate or liners weekly.
Deep clean monthly. Move your parakeet to a secure place away from your cleaning space (preferably a travel carrier or small cage for birds). Clean all bowls, toys, and perches. Wooden perches must be scrubbed gently with a brush (do not wet). Do not use cleaning agents around your bird.
Thoroughly dry the habitat and ensure it is odor free before returning your bird.
Replace worn toys, dishes and perches as needed. Monthly is the best time to rotate toys.

Handling Your Parakeet

Parakeets are the most popular pet bird in the U.S.
They are also called “budgies” or “budgerigars”, distinguishing them from other parakeet species (there are more than 100!).
Acrobatics are a part of everyday parakeet life! Provide them with plenty of exercise toys.
Parakeets can learn to talk – they prefer words with hard sounds, like “pretty” or “buddy”.
Sexing parakeets is very easy –mature males will have a bright blue cere (the fleshy part around the nostrils) and mature females will have a brown cere. A purple/pink cereis an indication that the parakeet has not yet reached sexual maturity.
Parakeet nails grow long. Use sandy perches or perch covers to prevent overgrowth. Make sure to find a Vet or Service that will be able to trim your birds’ nails.
Most pet birds are diurnal species, meaning that they get up at dawn and settle in to sleep at dusk. Most birds do best with 10-12 hours of sleep a night. Cover the birds cage at night. Exposing companion birds to artificially long days via household lights or televisions can result in sleep deprivation.
Bathing your bird is important to its feathers, skin, and sinuses. Some birds prefer bath bowls while others prefer to be misted. Experiment with both to find out what your bird enjoys. Birds should be bathed one to two times weekly.