First parakeet: What do I do for care, taming, and habitat?

Parakeets, also called Budgerigars, are small members of the parrot family and they can become good mimics. The average adult size is 7 inches long, head to end of tail. The average life span is between 10 to 20 years with proper care. A well-balanced Parakeet diet consists of: Specialized pellets should make up 60-70% of diet, fresh vegetables and fruits and small amounts of fortified seeds Clean, fresh, filtered, chlorine-free water, changed daily. Do not feed birds: avocado, fruit seeds, chocolate, caffeine or alcohol; it can cause serious medical conditions. Avoid sugar and high fat treats. Things to remember when feeding your Parakeet: Fresh food and water should always be available. Vegetables and fruits not eaten within a few hours should be discarded. Remember, treats should not exceed 10% of total food intake. Housing Parakeets acclimate well to average household temperatures, not to exceed 80°F; be cautious of extreme temperature changes. The habitat should area that is well-lit and away from drafts. A habitat approximately 18"W x 18"D x 18"H, with metal bars spaced no greater than 1-2" apart, makes a good home for one Parakeet. A flight habitat is strongly recommended. It is best to provide the largest habitat possible. Perches should be at least 4" long and 3-8" in diameter; a variety of perch sizes to exercise feet and help prevent arthritis is recommended. Perches should be at least 4" long and 3-8" in diameter; a variety of perch sizes to exercise feet and help prevent arthritis is recommended. A metal grate over the droppings tray will keep the bird away from droppings; line the droppings tray with habitat paper or appropriate substrate for easier cleaning. To avoid contamination, do not place food or water containers under perches. Parakeets can be kept alone to bond with pet parent or in pairs to bond with each other. Different birds she not be housed together. Normal Behavior Parakeets are talkers, but their little voices are sometimes hard to hear. Active and need daily time out of their habitats to interact with family. Keep in pairs if unable to devote daily interaction time. Provide foraging toys, which provide important mental stimulation. Housing Maintenance Clean and disinfect the habitat and perches regularly; replace substrate or habitat liner weekly or more often as needed. Replace perches, dishes, and toys when worn or damaged; rotate new toys into the habitat regularly. Ensure that there are no habitat parts or toys with lead, zinc or lead-based paints or galvanized parts as these can cause serious medical issues if ingested by your bird. Do not use a lot of cleaning agents around your bird a natural cleaner. Grooming & Hygiene Provide filtered, chlorine-free, lukewarm water regularly for bathing; remove the water when done. As an alternative, mist the bird with water. Clipping flight feathers is not necessary, but when done correctly it can help prevent injury or escape; consult an avian veterinarian on what is best for your bird. Nails should be trimmed by a qualified person to prevent injury to the bird. Signs of a Healthy Animal: Active, alert, and sociable Eats and drinks throughout the day Dry nares and bright, dry eyes Beak, legs and feet normal in appearance Clean, dry vent Smooth, well-groomed feathers Common Health Issues Chlamydiosis: Appetite loss, fluffed feathers, nasal discharge, green stool. Seek immediate avian veterinary attention. Diarrhea: Fecal portion of stool is not formed. Multiple causes from diet change to internal parasites. Consult with an avian veterinarian and ensure proper diet. Feather plucking: Bird plucks own feathers; may be due to boredom, poor diet or other illness. Consult your veterinarian and relieve boredom with attention, new toys or new space. Mites (scaly face and leg disease): White deposits on eyes, beak, legs, and feet. Consult your veterinarian. Red Flags Beak swelling or accumulations Fluffed, plucked, or soiled feathers Sitting on floor

Congratulations on your new bird! Conures are wonderful pets and can be lifelong friends. I'm not sure exactly what kind of advice you're looking for based on your question, but I'll try to give you my general new-bird-owner advice in hopes that it will help. If not, please feel free to post a more specific question. - Be sure that the cage for Felipe is not only secure, but large enough to allow for his complete wingspan and at least a little bit of flight. This is especially true if he will be spending a lot of time in his cage (like while you're at work). - Psychological stimulation is very important to conures - they're like toddlers. Offer several toys in Felipe's cage. Commercial bird toys are usually great, and you can find lots at your local pet store, or a big-box store like Petco. They love to tear things up, so paper to shred and cardboard boxes can be great, cheap toys for them as well. - If you're offering water in a bowl, you'll need to change it at least once daily. Most conures love to bathe, and Felipe will likely make a lovely mess out of his water dish while splashing around. Many conures also like to dip their food in their water, and this can also dirty it up quickly. - Most veterinarians recommend a pelleted diet for parrots. A seed-only or high-seed content diet is extremely high in fat, which can cause liver disease if fed consistently. There are a lot of great pellet diets for birds at pet stores, including brands like Zupreem (which is what I feed my own bird). You should also supplement your bird's diet with fresh veggies and fruits, if possible. Here's a good list of foods to avoid: https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/foods-toxic-pet-birds/ - The biggest concern most new conure owners have is behavior-related. For the first few days, Felipe may appear withdrawn and want to stay in his cage. It's important to let him come out in his own time. Sit by his cage and talk to him, and offer tasty food treats (fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc). He'll eventually come to the conclusion on his own that you're not scary, but if you force him, he may react aggressively. Conures do and will bite if provoked - if this occurs, ignore him. Generally, these birds want to be with their flock members (you!) and will learn quickly that biting does not get them the attention they crave. I hope this helps - as I mentioned earlier, please feel free to post another question if you'd like to know something more specific about conure ownership. Good luck, and I hope that you and Felipe have many great years together (depending on the species, this is at least 20 years!).

Hello again! These items look great for King, but the bag is correct - generally, parakeets and parrots should be fed a pellet-based diet to avoid fatty liver disease. Seed diets are high in fat (even without the sunflower seeds), so should be given as a treat supplementally only. Millet should also be given in moderation. Your bird can definitely have fruits, but include some veggies, too! Grapes, apple, banana, broccoli, kale, green beans, and peppers can be great for birds. Avoid avocado, apple cores/seeds, cherries (with seeds - seedless are ok) onion, and garlic. Dried fruits are ok too, just avoid the ones that have added sugar. I hope this helps! Good luck with King!

The squawking and knocking stuff over is normal, so I wouldn't worry too much about that. It's best to get bowls that can be fixed into position to prevent this. It generally takes them 2-3 weeks to start getting comfortable in a new environment. It's definitely good to interact with them and get close to get them (putting your arm in the cage is good) more familiar with you. Offering treats is always a good way to make friends. Eventually they will come up to your hand and may perch there, but don't be surprised if it takes a month or so. I hope that helps and all is well with your new Budgies.

In order for your bird to trust you you will need to work with him daily. If you are worried that he may fly away when you let him out of the cage you can clip his wings so he will not be able to fly. This is a completely painless procedure and the feathers will grow back if you decide at a later date to allow him to fly. This way you can let him out of the cage to explore but won’t have to worry about him getting away. The more interaction you have with the bird the better. Offer him treats while you are working with him so he can start building some trust in you. I would assume that after a month or so of repeated interactions you bird will be much more comfortable with you. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

The cage set up appears to be appropriate for two parakeets. As suggested by your friend, it is always recommended to have any new pets examined by a veterinarian to confirm good health or to diagnose and treat any pre existing conditions.

Congratulations on your new pets! Lovebirds can live between 10-15 years if properly cared for. You should have several perches of different diameters and materials in their cage, a cuttlebone to keep their beaks trimmed, and some toys that are variable (some destructible toys such as crinkle paper are okay as well). You can also offer some leafy greens and fruits/veggies. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!