We are going to delve into a topic today about if parakeets make good pets if you are planning to adopt a parakeet as pets. We have previously discussed how you confirm Parakeet’s health before adopting.
You will get all the information about the parakeets as pets today as to how they can be good pet birds for you.
Budgies/Parakeets As Pets Pros And Cons
Budgerigars ( Melopsittacus undulates), commonly known as budgies, these pet birds are very social in nature and you can make them a wonderful pet.
And if you are planning to get a budgie few things you need to know about budgies. In this blog, we will guide you through everything about keeping Budgie as a pet.
What Is Difference Between Parakeet And Budgie?
The terms “budgies” and “parakeets” are often used interchangeably and both are actually one and same. These two words describe the small and colorful birds belonging to the genus Melopsittacus, native to Australia. According to some guesses, there are about 115 types of parrots in the Psittacinae family, and they are called “parakeets” and budgies are from one of these family.
Usually in “United states of America” it is called as parakeet, in other part of the world it is known as budgerigar or budgie. “Whether you call it a budgie or a parakeet, it is not the name but the joyful chatter that makes their presence so sweet.”
What are Budgies and Their History?
Budgerigars, also known as parakeets or budgies, are the most popular type of caged pet bird. They are one of the smallest species of the parrots family. Budgies also have a lot of personality, and they can be very entertaining to watch.
Budgies have been kept as pets since the mid-1800s, less than a century after first being spotted by Europeans.
British sailors were returning from their journey to the east coast of Australia with Captain James Cook in 1770 reported seeing flocks of small green birds in such huge numbers that they blocked out the sun.
They didn’t have a name for them yet, but these were undoubtedly budgerigars.
In the late 1920s budgies were brought to America where they gain recognition. Today budgies are the third most popular pet in the world after cats and Dogs.
Common Name
Budgie, Budgerigar, and Parakeet are the common names for them.
The scientific name of these species is Melopsittacus.
The lifespan of Budgie
Budgies have a short life span in birds. The average life span of a budgie in the wild is 5 to 6 years. In captivity, they can live much longer from 8 to 14 years with good care.
What Are The Types of Budgies
There are two main types of budgies, English budgies, and American Budgies.
Exhibition budgies, also known as English budgies, are bred by breeders primarily for bird shows. They are generally larger in size and less vocal than American budgies.
The size of the English Budgies is around 8 to 10 inches long.
American budgies also known as Parakeet in the United States are relatively small in size and they are very social and vocal in nature. The size of the American budgies is 4 to 5 inches long.
If you wish to learn more about other different types of Budgies then you will like to read following posts.
The Beauty of Hagoromo Budgies Unveiled
What is Fallow Budgie?
A Guide to Lutino Budgies
A Guide to Albino Budgies
Temperament
Budgies are very friendly, cheerful companions for all age groups and can live in all situations where a larger pet can’t live comfortably. Budgies can be easily tame if you start training them at a young age.
Budgies Feed and Treat
Usually, Budgies eat seed mix but you can offer them fresh fruits and vegetables (Corn, carrots, beans, spinach, apple, watermelon) for their good health.
What Illnesses Can Budgies Get?
Like other pets, budgies also can be affected by some medical problems and health issues. Common health issues which can affect budgies are:
Psittacosis or Parrot fever
Psittacosis is a bacterial disease which is caused by Chlamydia psittaci bacteria.
This bacterial disease can cause by an unhealthy diet or by a dirty environment. Symptoms of this disease are lethargy, weight loss, and diarrhea.
Scaly Mites in Budgies
Scaly mites are a disease in which mites attack the budgie through beaks and legs. In this problem, the face and legs of the budgie will be covered with a crusty coating by which the budgie will feel itchy and uncomfortable.
Goiter issue in Budgies
Goiter is a common health problem in budgies, in this problem, budgies will face enlargement of the thyroid gland.
Symptoms of these problems are swollen neck, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty in breathing.
Are Parakeets Low Maintenance?
One of the best things about parakeets is that they are easy bird pets to look after as keeping them as pets will not incur high costs for pet owners and you can easily maintain their healthy lifestyle.
We are going to elaborate now on how must cost you are going to incur when keeping budgies as pets.
How Much Does It Cost To Keep A Parakeet?
If you are keeping a budgie as a pet and you are worrying about the total cost of keeping a budgie.
The cost of keeping budgies varies on several factors, like cage food and medical emergencies.
You can distribute the total cost of keeping Budgie in two stages, one-time cost and ongoing cost.
One Time Cost
Buying a Parakeet/Budgie
The first step is to buy a budgie which can cost you around 10$ to 40$ from any pet shop or you can buy a budgie from any reliable breeder that might cost you lower than a pet shop.
Cage for Parakeet/Budgies
A cage is very important and necessary if you are keeping a budgie and it’s a one-time cost of buying a cage. The minimum cage size of a budgie should be 20 inches by 20 inches by 18 inches which can cost you 100$ to 150$. You can buy a used cage online and garage sale if you want to save money.
Cage Accessories
Perches and food bowls are necessary and are not expensive but if you want to keep other items like toys then it can cost you some amount. The total cost of all these things will be 40$ to 60$.
Ongoing Cost of Keeping Parakeet/Budgies
Your budgie is finally in your home, now you have to worry about the monthly and annual cost of keeping your budgie which are;
Food and treat
A seed mix and other treats are essential for budgies which can cost you around 20$ to 25$ per month.
Veterinary cost
Budgies don’t need any monthly visits to the vet unless your budgie is affected by any medical problem. $30 to $50 is the expected cost per visit to the vet and for more serious illness issues or surgery will cost more than $100.
This is why we recommend all pet bird owners signup for easy insurance to cover their pet bird vet bills.
Pros and Cons of Keeping Parakeet/Budgie as Pet
Pros:
- Budgies are relatively inexpensive compared to some other pet birds, making them accessible to a wide range of people.
- Budgies are quite simple to look after. They are small birds, so you won’t need a lot of food and stuff for them. Just make sure they have enough things to keep them entertained and happy.
- They are quite friendly and like to be around people. With proper training, they can become wonderful companions.
- They do not require a lot of space.
- They are not very noisy, although they can become quite chatty at times.
- They are highly intelligent, because according to Guinness world record the bird with largest vocabulary was a budgie who knew estimated 1728 words. That’s why budgies can be trained to speak and do tricks.
Cons:
- Budgies are tiny birds, which mean their body mechanism is also small. They are quite delicate and need special care. When they’re in your home or a specific room, it’s important to make sure it’s safe for them. Avoid using things like candles or nonstick pans that could be harmful to them. It’s essential to check and be aware of these things for their well-being.
- The mess can be a significant issue with budgies, even though they are small. If you’re not up for cleaning every day, their food can end up scattered all over the place.
- Like all pets, budgies can develop health issues, and avian veterinary care can be costly.
- It becomes even trickier to tame budgies when you get more than one at a time because they tend to feel more comfortable around other birds than humans.
- While budgies can be trained, they may require patience and consistency to learn tricks or commands.