Now that you have a parakeet, you will need to know a lot about them to ensure they live as long as possible. But to give them the best possible care, you want to know what their average lifespan is.
How long do parakeets live on average? Parakeets live an average of 15 years, but it really depends on the species. The age of parakeets is somewhere between 5 and 20 years.
There are three different types of parakeets and here are their lifespans:
- The budgerigar lives on average 5 to 10 years
- The monk parakeet lives an average of 15 to 20 years
- The ring-necked parakeet lives an average of 20 to 25 years
Now that you know how long each parakeet species lives, you need to know how to care for them to ensure they meet and even exceed that expectation. In this article, I’m going to talk about how to care for your parakeet, what to feed them, how to house them, and what to do if they get sick.
Caring for your parakeet
To help your parakeet live as long as possible, you need to know how to care for it properly. Budgerigars, or cockatiels, are the most common parakeets to keep as pets, and perhaps the most common bird to keep as pets in general. You can do them easily tame and that is an important feature why they are popular.
The cage
The first step to keeping a healthy parakeet is to properly prepare its cage. Buy a large cage, larger than you think you need. Your parakeet should be able to stretch its wings, play and even fly around a little in the cage.
The cage should not be round, otherwise the parakeet cannot spread its wings. It should be wider at the top than the bottom and it should have a square top.
You may be tempted to buy a cage with a chic and beautiful top, but you have to stop yourself. It may look nice, but those cages are not good for your parakeet. Birds like quails fly in a vertical pattern, but birds like parakeet parakeets fly in a horizontal pattern, meaning they want as much space horizontally as possible.
Buying a cage with a nice and pinched top is a waste of space and money.
You should ensure that the cage you choose is easy to clean. Make sure you can get your hand in and out of the cage easily. The bottom of the cage should slide out so you can empty it regularly. You should be able to easily replace and clean the food bowl and water dispenser.
Buy a cage that lets in a lot of light. It should be large enough to accommodate a few toys and perches without crowding your parakeet. Parakeets are very active and do not feel busy.
You should only have two parakeets per cage (unless of course you have a cage the size of a small room, then you can have more than two, I think).
Make sure a food bowl and water dispenser are easily accessible to you and your parakeet in the cage.
Having a happy and healthy parakeet is essential to help it live as long as possible. As long as you give them plenty of space to exercise and fly around, you can greatly extend their lifespan. It is also essential to keep them in a clean environment because your bird cannot be healthy if its cage is not.
Toys and perches
Choose two or three toys to put in the cage for one parakeet and place quite a few perches at different heights around the cage. Toys stimulate your parakeet. When they get bored, they can pluck out their own feathers. The best toys usually have balls, ropes and/or bells.
For perches, it is best to choose perches that are natural. Try to find a perch made from eucalyptus wood. Avoid perches made from prunus trees (because they contain cyanogenic glycosides, which can be harmful to your bird) and perches made from oak wood (because they contain tannins, which can also be harmful to your parakeet’s health).
If you choose the wrong kind of perches, you could harm your parakeet, and you want to make sure they live as long as possible.
The perches should be stable and at many different heights, as well as around the cage. Your parakeet will want to fly and play, so they need plenty in their cage to stimulate and entertain them. Again, it’s important to provide your parakeet with a cage to exercise in so they can live a long and healthy life.
There is some controversy surrounding placing a mirror in your parakeet’s cage. Parakeets tend to find a lot of entertainment in talking and watching themselves for hours. However, there are studies that may show a link between some budgies with mirrors and psychological damage.
Because parakeets are very social, they can become lonely if all they have to do is be a reflection of themselves. Having a mirror in your parakeet’s cage can also lead to crop infections in your bird.
Birds enjoy regurgitating food for their mate (don’t ask me why, I have no idea why), but the mirror bird won’t return their affection. Of course, if you want your parakeet to live as long as possible, crop infections are not ideal.
If you pay enough attention to your parakeet, it should be fine. If you want to place a mirror in their cage, make sure it is securely attached to prevent your bird from hurting itself.
You might also consider getting a second parakeet to accompany your first in its cage so it can be social with a real bird instead of a reflection. Parakeets live longer if they have more social interaction.
This social interaction can come in the form of contact with you, but it is best if they also have a budgie companion.
Environment
Place your parakeet’s cage in a warm room with plenty of light. Do not place the cage next to a sunny window, as prolonged exposure to the heat can be harmful to the parakeet. Also do not place the cage near an open door or a door that opens and closes frequently.
The cold draft can also be harmful to your bird. Sunlight is important to keep your parakeet healthy, but we all know that too much of a good thing can still be harmful.
Clean the cage once a week. The easiest way I have found to clean a birdcage is to cover the bottom with newspaper and then take out the newspaper and replace it when the time comes. A clean cage is of utmost importance if you want to extend the life of your parakeet.
Parakeets will poop about every 15 minutes, so you should really clean the cage once a week (or more often if you feel it’s necessary to keep your bird happy and healthy)
Use only mild dish soap and water to clean the bottom of the cage. If you use other chemicals or cleaning products, you risk injuring your parakeet.
Another thing to include in your parakeet’s cage is a bird shower. Parakeets love to clean themselves, splash around, and even go under the water for fun every now and then. Make sure you change the water often and make sure you never overfill the tub or your budgie can make a mess.
You can also spray your parakeet occasionally with Bird Spray to clean and cool it. It can be a fun game to play with your parakeet. You can here on bol.com find some for around €10.
When it’s time for your bird to sleep (or when it starts to get loud in your house), drape a towel or blanket over the cage. This will keep your parakeet in a darker area and block out some sounds. Make sure your parakeet still gets enough air.
One way to do this is to leave the back of the cage uncovered. The towel or blanket should be made of material that your bird cannot grip with its claws.
If your budgie is afraid of the dark (yes, that can happen and yes, they will let you know), you can place a nightlight near, on, or in their cage. Don’t let your parakeet panic, as they can fly around like crazy and hurt themselves or their cage mates.
Including the family
You should name your parakeet and use that name often, especially when you feed it. This makes them more familiar and comfortable with you. After all, you can’t eat if you feel uncomfortable.
Introduce your family and your home to your parakeet gradually. Did your family meet your bird one by one? Let them feed your parakeet and call the parakeet by its name. If you have other pets, make sure they don’t harm your bird. Watch small children when they handle the parakeet.
You should treat your parakeet with love and kindness. Be careful, as you are stronger than you think, and you can harm your fragile bird if you are not careful.
Even if you want to, don’t kiss your budgie, and make sure you tell anyone who handles your budgie not to kiss him. Human saliva is actually toxic to parakeets and can transmit diseases that are harmful to your bird. Kissing your parakeet can actually shorten its lifespan.
Talk to and play with your parakeet often. They need to know that you love them and they need to associate good memories with you. They are social animals and will love getting to know you. Once they get comfortable, they will play with you for hours.
You can also feed your parakeet by hand. Dip your finger in water and then into seeds so that the seeds stick to your finger, then hold your finger against your budgie for them to nibble. You can also hold your parakeet in one hand and hold a larger food (like a banana) in the other and let them nibble and peck.
Once your parakeet is comfortable and used to your home, you should let them fly around outside their cage (be careful, remember they poop every 15 minutes).
Close all doors and windows and make sure the cat is out of the room. Stay in the room to supervise and let your parakeet fly around for a while.
Once it’s time to call your parakeet back to its cage, create just one light source, such as one window, and stand near it. Your parakeet will be attracted to the light and you can act as the perch where they naturally fly to. Carefully place them back in their cage and make sure it is secure.
Your parakeet’s diet
The standard food for pet birds is birdseed, but birdseed should actually only make up about one-sixth of your parakeet’s diet. Don’t let your parakeet fuel up with seeds, as that can shorten their lifespan.
Birdseed alone does not provide all the nutrients your parakeet needs to be healthy. Too much birdseed can lead to cancer, obesity and other health problems in your bird.
The rest of your parakeet’s diet should consist of fruits and vegetables (usually dark green or yellow in color), boiled eggs and grated cheese, and extra minerals such as squid or mineral blocks.
Fruits you can feed your parakeet include:
- Apples
- Grapes
- Mangoes
- Bananas
Vegetables you can feed your parakeet include:
- Pumpkin
- Carrots
- Parsely
- Broccoli
- Sweet potato
- Squash
- Spinach
Make sure that any additional food you give your parakeet is raw (except the boiled egg). Cooking the food can remove some of the important nutrients.
The variety is very good for your parakeet, but you should make sure you limit the number of treats and don’t give them more than half a teaspoon at a time.
If you choose to give your parakeet a cuttlebone or mineral block, make sure it is securely attached to the side of the cage with the soft side facing your bird so they can scratch it.
Your parakeet should eat seeds and kibble every day; fruits, vegetables and soft foods every other day; and boiled eggs and grated cheese once a week.
If your parakeet won’t eat, try chopping raw fruits and vegetables and placing them in an empty food cup. If you want to introduce something new into their diet, do it gradually.
Make sure your parakeet always has easy access to its food and water. They know how much to eat and drink. If your parakeet does not eat or cannot eat for 24 hours, it can become very ill.
Replace and clean the water dispenser daily. Only clean the dispenser with water and vinegar, as other products in your parakeet’s water can damage them. The vinegar prevents the growth of bacteria in the water dispenser.
The water and food should be next to each other so that your parakeet can eat and drink at the same time. The feeding cup should not be too deep, so that your parakeet does not have to dig to get to its food.
What to do if your parakeet gets sick
You should take your parakeet to the vet at least once a year for a check-up. If your bird begins to show symptoms that make you suspect he is ill, take him to the vet immediately. Prevention is better than cure.
Common symptoms include:
- Abnormal breathing
- Discharge from eyes or mouth
- Slime on feathers
- Abnormal behavior
- Weight loss
- Obesity (losing the streamlined appearance or becoming lethargic)
Always make sure that your parakeet has enough space to move around, is allowed to be social enough and eats the right food (with the right variety), and that your bird should live a long and happy life.
Related Questions:
How do you know if your parakeet is an adult? When parakeets are babies, they have pure black eyes. This usually takes about four months. After four months, the iris begins to fade to light gray or brown. This stops by the time they are eight months old, after which they are adults.
Do parakeets live longer in captivity? The only place you will see parakeets naturally in the wild is in Austria. In captivity, parakeets can live up to 20 years, but in the wild they live a shorter lifespan. This is mainly due to predators, inconsistent food and exposure.