How to Buy a Parakeet

By eHow Pets Editor

Rate: (23 Ratings)

Owning a parakeet, commonly known as a budgie, is a lot of work, so do your research before you bring one into your home.

Flag Article

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Bird Cages
Bird Food
Bird Food/water Bowls
Bird Perches

Step1

Talk to other bird owners before you buy. You can get referrals for pet stores or find a discussion group for parakeet owners online.

Step2

Meet with several breeders to find one you like.

Step3

Visit local pet shops to see some parakeets up close.

Step4

Consider buying a pre-owned bird, but remember that is may be harder to train than one that was weaned recently.

Step5

Expect to pay about $20 for an American budgie. (Older birds cost less.)

Step6

Check the sex of the bird by its markings if it is over 6 months old. Females have a brown cere (the fleshy area above the beak where the nostrils appear), while males have a deep-blue cere.

Step7

Select a male parakeet if you want a more playful bird, or a female if you prefer one that will be quieter.

Step8

Opt for a hand-raised bird, since these usually make the best pets.

Step9

Find out if the bird you select is likely to talk (hand-raised birds are more chatty).

Step10

Be prepared for the fact that parakeets can live for 10 years or more, so buying this bird requires a long-term commitment.

Tips & Warnings

You can tell the age of the bird by its markings. Younger parakeets have lines down their forehead and black eyes. Over time, these lines move back on the head and a white ring appears around the pupil of the eye.
Take the time to educate yourself about what will be expected of you as a bird owner before buying.
Realize that when you purchase a parakeet that you are most likely getting a variety of Budgie, whether American, English or Australian - be sure to ask questions so you can get the one you want.

Comments

verycherry90210 said

Flag This Comment

on 4/13/2007 Is it a good idea to get a budgie from the bin o budgies at your local pet store?

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 6/30/2006 You can almost tell the age of your parakeet by looking at the lines on the top of their heads. These lines are called bars. If there is not a lot of bars on the top then your parakeet is most likely to be 4 months or older. If you have a parakeet that has bars covering all over his head, then it is under 4 months. A way to tell the sex of your parakeet is by looking at it's cere, that's the fleshy stuff on their beaks. It wont help if you have a young parakeet, which means bars all over their heads. If the cere is pinkish brownish, then it is more than likely to be a female. If the cere is bluish, then it would probably be a male. Your parakeets must be at least one year old. That's when the female's hormones usually kick in.

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 11/22/2005 Yes, it does matter what the sex of the animal is. If you want a more ill-tempered parakeet, get a male. If you want a more docile bird, get a female.

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 11/22/2005 I could give you all sorts of hints, but I'll just give you resources to save us both time.

The Companion Parrot Handbook by Sally Blanchard is hard to find, but absolutely positively 100% totally completely unbelievably marvelous for all behavioral problems. Check out her website at PetBirdReport.com and subscribe to her magazine by the same name for more of her work.

Birds for Dummies is a great, funny read that is full of quality info.

That's not a big list but it should pretty much cover everything you ever need to know. Have fun with your cute, beautiful, unimaginably charming, and talkative companion to fall in love with.

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 7/28/2006 When you have a female bird that is alone, she will want to be the alpha/more dominate bird. Here's a tip:

At first, try to get them young so you have more room to create trust. Second, when you go to feed your bird bring in millet spray as well, make sure you are holding it. Then after a while, take off a small piece and hold it for her to eat. While doing this make sure you are giving her time to stretch her wings, so she'll get used to you and the outside of her cage.

Now, before the next step, be sure you have a thin pair of gloves to handle her with. Since you have been gaining her trust, put your gloves on (make sure her wings are clipped) put your finger at her feet and push up onto her chest. This will take some time, but she'll come around. Be sure you give her millet spray every time she does it, soon you can gradually start taking her places and sharing a bond between you.

View All