Getting Ready for your Parakeet
Posted by juliana on February 16th, 2008 filed in Birds, ParakeetsOwning parakeets is a lot of fun, they are rather cheap and easy to care for pets, but you have to consider the responsibilities and upkeep. Here is a bit about what you need and need to consider before getting your bird.
What You Need Checklist:
- cage (consider how many parakeets you’re getting for size)
- cage cover (a blanket or towel will work fine)
- newspaper or litter to line cage bottom
- seed holder
- water holder
- toy (one is fine to start of, but your parakeet will get bored if you don’t get more or rotate toys)
- seed ( I use KAYTEE Forti-diet for parakeets)
- treats (optional)
- perches (at least two)
- cuttle bone (optional, but you should have it to give your parakeets the right nutrients)
You should have everything on the checklist ready before getting your parakeet. It will be less stressful for the parakeet if you can put it in its new home as soon as possible.Positioning Everything
The cage should be positioned in a room you spend a lot of time in, so your parakeet won’t be lonely. Not the kitchen, though, because the fumes can be toxic. The cage should be placed away from drafts, so it shouldn’t be by a window or air vent. The best height for the cage is chest level, this way you are slightly above your parakeet, so they consider you dominant, which makes training easier (because in the wild more dominant parakeets sit on higher branches). Also your parakeet isn’t too low to the ground, so they aren’t scared.
The perches should be placed far enough apart to give your parakeets a bit of exercise, but close enough that they can fly from one to another even with clipped wings. One should be placed under each toy, cuttle bone, and food or water container (if their aren’t perches already attached to them). If the food bowl has a nice rim, and is within easy flying distance of another perch, that would be o.k. too. The water basically follows the same rules as the food. You can place the water next to the food and they can share a perch, but you will have to change the water more often, because seeds might get into it.One Or Two?One or two depends on you, your parakeet, and your lifestyle. If you are gone at work or school most of the day, and only are home in the morning and at night, you should definitely get two. Parakeets are extremely social birds and need lots of company, this can be you or another parakeet. If you work at home or home school, and can spend a lot of time with your parakeet, then one will be fine. Even if you think your spending a lot of time with your parakeet, if your parakeet appears lonely you might want two.Male Or Female?Male or female doesn’t really matter much in your parakeets personality. Except that males are typically easier to teach to talk. So, if you want a talking parakeet, you might have better luck with a male. If you are going to get two parakeets, just for pets, and not for breeding, you would want ones of the same gender. To tell the to apart, look at their cere, located above their beak, where their nose holes are. Males typically have lavender or blue, and females have either brown, although when they are chicks they are light pink.
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