About Parakeet Birds

One of the most popular pet birds, parakeets, also known as budgerigars or "budgies," originally come from Australia, Asia, New Zealand, and South America. They are intelligent and affectionate and can even be taught to "speak" to some extent. Parakeets make good pets for both children and beginner bird keepers.

  1. Basics

    • There are many varieties of parakeets including ringneck, Quaker and monks. Parakeets are small to medium-sized parrots, and grow from seven to 18 inches depending on the type. Parakeets can live up to 10 or even 15 years in captivity. As social birds who live in large flocks in the wild, they tend do best in pairs or groups when kept as pets.

    Diet

    • Parakeets in the wild eat an omnivorous diet of flowers, seeds and insects. Pet parakeets also need a diet made up of a mixture of plants and animal proteins. They can eat vegetables including carrots, broccoli, zucchini and green pepper. Parakeets also eat some fruits such as mangoes and papayas. Meal worms, dog food, peanuts and cottage cheese can help to provide the needed protein.

    Colors

    • There are many colors and pattern variations in parakeets. Some have solid colors in one or more shades while others may have dark markings in various patterns across their necks or wings. Basic colors include Dark Factor, Grey Factor, Violet Factor, Yellowface, and Albino. Striped pattern colors include Opaline Spangle Cinnamon, while pied colors include Dominant Pied Recessive and Pied Dark Eyed Clear. There are also rare colors such as Saddleback, Crested Fallow, Slate, Blackface, and Mottled.

    Reproduction

    • Parakeets are old enough to reproduce at one year of age. The breeding season is normally from October to March in the United States, and a pair will lay up to three clutches of four to six eggs per clutch. Eggs should be kept at 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and will hatch 17 to 20 days after they are laid.