Animal-World > Pet Birds > Parakeet: Types of Parakeets > Budgerigars - Parakeets

Budgerigar, Parakeets

Budgies Family: Psittacidae
Subfamily: Psittacinae
Tribe: Platycercini

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Melopsittacus undulatus Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   Not only does the Parakeet or Budgerigar make a super pet, but is also available in over 100 color forms!

  Colorful, attractive, and lively are just some of the great attributes of the Parakeet or Budgerigar. With their warm and inquisitive personalities, they make a great pet for both the beginner or an experienced bird keeper. They are quite hardy, inexpensive, and easy to care for.

To learn more about Parakeets and their needs visit:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Parakeet

Overview, history, and species variants:
   The parakeet, or Budgerigar, belongs to the family of true parrots, which explains why the parakeet is relatively adept at learning to talk. The parakeet comes from Australia and the first European to write anything about these colorful birds was John Gould in 1865 in his work titled "Birds of Australia".
   This bird, along with about 30 - 45 other small broad-tailed parrot species, belong to a tribe called Platycercini. The members of this group are all native to Australia in particular, but also to Australasia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and nearby islands. Besides the Budgerigar, It includes birds like the grass parrots, Rosellas, and the New Zealand parrots.
   In the wild, the Parakeet or Budgerigar, comes from the interior of Australia where the landscape is almost desert-like and there are no regular rainy seasons. This arid environment will go for months and sometimes years without rain. Needless to say, this is a hardy bird.

Pet appeal:
   Parakeets make very good pets as long as they have a lot of attention and love. These birds are very social by nature. Living in groups of 20 to 40 and sometimes as many as 60 birds in the wild, and don’t like to be left alone. So if you own only one bird and you work 8 hour days, think about possibly getting him a mate or finding someone to at least keep the bird company for part of the time that you are gone. Parakeets make just as good of pets singly or in pairs or more, but make sure that you introduce one bird at a time.
   Parakeets are monogamous so once they find a mate it is usually for life unless of course one of them has an untimely death in which the other would then find a new mate. Parakeets are very good flyers. In the wild they fly back and forth across vast regions searching for food and water, so provide them with free flying time and you will have a much happier birds.

Description:
   Parakeets come in over 100 color forms but primarily in green (typical in the wild), various shades of blue, opaline, gray, white, yellow (lutino), pied (combination in one bird), and in various shades of these colors, some rarer than others.
   Parakeets are 7" to 9 3/8" in length from the tip of the bill over the head to the tip of the tail. The tail by itself is 3 1/8" to 4 1/2" long. Parakeets weigh anywhere from 1 - 1.4 ounces ( 30-40g). The life expectancy of the average parakeet is 12 to 14 years. They reach sexual maturity at 3 to 4 months. By this time they have there adult plumage which is quite unusual in the bird kingdom.

Care and feeding:
   Ready made staple seed mixes are usually available at your local pet store or super market which contains a mixture of canary grass seed, white millet, yellow millet, oats and groats and red millet, niger seed and linseed. Some higher quality seed mixtures come with thistle, anise, rape, sesame, and safflower seed. Vitamin pellets with iodine in them are sometimes present to prevent thyroid problems. Store seed in a dark but airy place. Not in plastic bags but in a clothes bag in a closet. Offer fresh foods such as eggplant, green peas, cucumber, young dandelion greens, sweet corn, beet greens, carrots, unsprayed lettuce, green peppers, sorrel, spinach leaves, tomatoes and zucchini. Fruits that are suitable are: Pineapples, apples, apricots, bananas, most other fruits.
   Food that is bad for birds includes: All members of the cabbage family, raw and green potatoes, green beans, grapefruit, rhubarb, plums, lemons, avocado.
   Parakeets also need a mineral block and a cuttlebone in their cage. These provide all the minerals and trace elements that they need. Offer spray millet every so often as a treat. And of course fresh water daily.

Housing:
   Provide a roomy cage with the minimum dimensions of: 20" long x 12" deep x 18" high. The ideal size is: 40" long x 20" deep x 32" high. Preferably a cage with horizontal bars to make climbing easier. You can also attach a perch/play area on top of the cage. In the cage have about three perches of different diameters (or branches with some angling) without the sandpaper guards. A swing and mirror among other toys are available but be sure to leave enough room for flying! Food and water dishes, preferably automatic dispensing, or if not, ones with guards to prevent waste contamination. Clips to hold spray millet and fresh food. A bath house with a textured bottom is a favorite, or a slow running faucet will do. Provide a breeding box if breeding is what you have in mind.

Maintenance:
   The basic cage care includes daily cleaning of the water and food dishes. Weekly you should wash all the perches and dirty toys, and the floor should be washed about every other week. A total hosing down and disinfecting of an aviary should be done yearly, replacing anything that needs to be freshened, such as old dishes, toys and perches.

Handling and training:
   Take it slow at first and let the parakeet get used to you and its new surroundings before trying to get him to go onto your finger. Allow flying time and don’t worry about catching him to put him back into the cage, leave the cage door open and sooner or later he will get hungry. After a while curiosity will overcome fear and training can begin.
   Most but not all parakeets have the inclination to talk, be repetitive and patient.

Activities:
   Free flying time is very important. Try to offer several hours a day in a bird safe room. A bird tree ( this can be made by wiring branches together into a tree or surrounding a tall house plant with perches, not poisonous of course), is very useful. Set it across the room from the cage, so that they fly back and forth. This will provide them with ample exercise.

Breeding:
   The male parakeet's cere is blue and the female’s is tan or light yellow. The "cere" is the area located at the base of the beak, just below the forehead or crown area. It is where the two nostril type openings (nares) are also located. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part this coloration is fairly accurate. In young parakeets, under 3 months, it is pale pink to tanish but changes after sexual maturity.
   If a pair of parakeets are ready to mate they will court one another first by playing and then feeding each other. The male then attempts a balancing act on the females back and lowers his tail under hers till the vents connect.
   The female picks the nesting sight and lays her eggs, one or two every other day, for a total of 4 to 6 eggs in a clutch. Incubation is 18 days but the hen will remain on the nest till the chicks start to get feather’s. Separate the nesting hen from the other parakeets. Nesting material is not necessary till after the chicks hatch then you can cover the bottom of the box with pine shavings, never saw dust. Be sure that the hen is feeding the young and if not, hand rearing may be necessary.

Potential Problems:
   The most common would be a parakeet plucking out its own feathers. This is usually caused from loneliness and boredom. Another problem is if the leg band is too tight then a veterinarian will have to remove it. If taken care of, the parakeet is a hardy pet well worth the money and effort!

Availability: Budgies are readily available and inexpensive.

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Latest Comments
We have been seeing a parakeet in our backyard with all the other birds. We don't know if parakeets are naturally in the wild, or if this bird has flown away from home somehow. We don't know how to help this bird, or if it really even needs help. Can they survive outside with the other birds? Margaret Garrett 2009-06-11
I have 2 parakeets 1 male, Clover, and 1 female, T.J. (Tweety Jr.). Their cage door is open almost all the time, except for when some guests are over that don't like them or are afraid of them. T.J. I had since she was a baby. I had their parents, Lucky (the male) and Tweety (the female). Lucky was truly lucky. We found him in the fall in PA in the evening when the temp was in the 50's. He is a deep blue almost midnight blue parakeet. We had ask around the neighborhood where we found him if they or anyone they knew was missing a parakeet. No one was or anyone they knew was. My grandmother had Tweety at the time so he stayed with her. We had put up signs all around the neighborhood and one at the local liberary. No one claimed him. Tweety couldn't have cared less about Lucky at first. After a while they fell in love and had 4 babies. When I moved to another state I had to leave them there, but they have a good home. Right now I'm hoping T.J. and Clover will have babies soon. I have to put their nesting box in the cage. I cant wait! jessica 2009-06-10
Hello, my birds are very playfal. They say males are blue, how dark blue are we talking here. Tiger is a male and he is lite blue on the beak and niles. I gave him that name becaue he looks like a tiger. Spring is a female, they say they have pink or brown niles. Spring is all spring colors. I upgraded they're cage today, they are not use to flyng around in it. The cage is blue, W:12INS. by 43INS. long, hi is 86INS. They climb on every thing, they don't fly up to get around. My birds are not clean. Spring deaps his head in the water, and flecks it at tiger. When I'm not around they go blockers. Girls like to be handled, males don't, they draw blood. I put two swings in the cage so they don't fit over it. I think spring's pregnant, she's getting fat, and she does not want to be around anyone. She hogs the food dish, and when she's done she sits in it. I have to put her in the old cage, so he can eat and drink. She gets angry when I clean the cage. Tiger is loud half of the time. I've had them for 3 mouths now. My first bird looked like a rainbow and thats what I named it. She sat on my shoulder and I never had her in the cage much. She slept on a small blanket and she pulled it around her. She died because a worker dropped plaster all over the home. My birls know 4 words; hI, hello, ho, and yea. I'm trying to get them to say Lura. One can say it, but the other one doesn't care. From Richard Ricahard 2009-06-08
My 10 week old baby parakeet grinds his beak which apparently means he is content, But at the same time he looks like hes trying to open his wings and pokes them out a bit and they look like they're shivering! This is while his face is poufy and happy looking but the rest of him is not because his wings are protruding and his chest feathers are just normal. I would like to know if this wing-shivering is normal. Basil Budgie 2009-05-13
We had a pair of budgies named love2x and loveydove, then suddenly they died after 3 years. We bought another pair of budgies and name it after the first pair. The girl budgie lays eggs more than a month but still they are not hatched. I don't know why. julius 2009-05-09
Some of the coolest comments:
I have a 5ft long 2ft high home made cage in my grooming room in my basement. A neighbor gave me 4 parakeets, 3 females and one male. At first they wouldn't eat the greens I put in for them so I chopped the greens up and added them to their seeds, now they eat all the greens first. The greens have made their colors so much more vivid and the green females beak has turned a wonderful pale green, the males yellow color has deepened to a rich dark gold color the blues seem darker since they are eating greens (the other 2 females are blues, one is regular blue the other is a blue white with black stripes on her head and wings.) I'm glad I have them they are very beautiful. They have several types of perches and a flat wooden walk in the back of the cage, they walk across it a lot. They have also eaten through 2 other perches but the ones that are left are the ones they want. The golden male and the green female are in love they are side by side a lot. Maybe I'll get another male a blue for the 2 blue females. I will build them the boxes they will need to have babies. I've never raised birds before but I want to now. suann nelson 2009-02-24
Budgies are a wonderful pet! I have four right now and they are definitely my best friends. I agree with the authors statement that giving them plenty of flight time will make them happier birds, I would just like to add that budgies are extremely curious and they should be watched constantly when they are loose. It's not uncommon for them to get into everything... turning your back for even a second can mean disaster!! If you have been considering getting a budgie, you won't regret it! They are amazing friends and really bring life into a home :) Not to mention, they make the CUTEST little sounds :) All I ask is that you please do your research before buying your bird. It's best to understand what kind of food/supplies you need to feed and bring it home before even considering your pet. I have had parakeets for years and still find myself refreshing my knowledge on occasion, it is the best way to have your friend for a very long time :) Katrina 2008-11-26
Comments Dr Jungle REALLY Likes to Hear!
I just got a female budgie and she is the cutest, she is so easy to take care of and she loves to jump around her cage. She chirps when you talk to her. Right now she is sleeping (her feathers are all poofy). Thanks for the cool information. Ashleigh 2009-03-17
I am getting a parakeet in April for my birthday. I used to not like birds because the only bird I had ever been around was agressive and always bit humans. Recently, my friend bought a parakeet and I instantly became attached because she was so playful and loving. I think the prettiest color of parakeets is blue. When I get my parakeet, if it's a boy I am going to name him Oliie and if it's a girl I am going to name her Lilly. This page has really helped me, so when I get my parakeet I will be well prepared. :) Nathalie 2009-01-28
My husband is getting me two (2) budgies for my birthday! This website has been awesome. I had a cockatiel when I was a child as a family pet, so its been a while since I've had a bird. This website has refreshed me on what I need to know about the type of bird I'm getting and what to do for them, flight time, feeding everything! It's wonderful. I only had to come here. I was able to look at all the different kinds of birds offered and decide the easiest and most unique ones. It was very nice not having to go to 100 different sites to get all the information listed on this one page. Now I am totally prepared and know what to do and what to expect from the Budgies we are going to get! I haven't picked any names yet but we're going to get a male and female. I love the fact there was that information how you tell them apart. I'm happy to say I did all my research from just this one site! Thank you Animal-world!! Trish Rowan 12-8-08 Trish Rowan 2008-12-08

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Author: Clarice Brough, CAS