how long do parakeet birds live

Parakeet Health and Disease Prevention

To keep your pet budgie healthy, prevention is key. Building a rapport with a knowledgeable avian veterinarian will enable the best advice to guarantee your budgie has a happy and healthy life. As birds are adept at concealing illness, consult your veterinarian if you think they may be unwell.

You can aid in the surveillance or avoidance of common diseases by giving your budgie:

Regular visits to the veterinarian (yearly)
Yearly bloodwork and parasite screening
Quarantine of all new birds for at least 30 days
Cage enrichment to observe behavior
Desensitize your parakeet to handling so that they will tolerate transportation and vet visits more easily.

Parakeets are granivores, meaning they only eat grain and seed. The diets of grains and seeds in captivity differ from those in the wild. Grain crops, chenopod seeds, and grass seeds are common grazing foods for wild parakeets. While there are many different seed diets available for parakeets, many of them lack the essential protein, vitamins, and minerals needed to support the birds’ long lives.

An unbalanced diet can lead to a variety of nutritional diseases in parakeets. A lot of diets that contain seeds lack enough calcium and vitamin A. It is advised to follow a balanced diet high in pellets to avoid any nutritional illnesses. To encourage grazing behaviors, seeds and millet can be used as behavioral enrichment.

Parakeets should be provided the largest habitat possible. The minimum dimensions of the cage should be 18 inches wide by 18 inches long. For parakeets, having a cage with plenty of floor space is more crucial. This will help encourage natural behaviors like foraging. Cage bars should be approximately 3/8 inches apart.

Multiple perches of varying sizes and orientations should be given to parakeets in order to replicate their natural habitat. Perch diameter should be between 3/83/4 inches. Perches can be made from different soft or smooth materials. Make sure to examine each perch before putting it in the cage because any perch made of abrasive materials can cause foot injuries.

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How long do parakeets live as pets?

DiMeglio claims that parakeets typically live between five and fifteen years.

“A variety of factors, such as genetic variation or inbreeding, size, presence or exposure to diseases, diet, and environment, affect an individual’s life span,” DiMeglio said to The Dodo.

Even though these variables may affect a parakeet’s lifespan, any parakeet can have a long and happy life provided they receive the right care.

DiMeglio stated that while it is impossible to predict a bird’s exact lifespan, there are several things that can be done to increase the likelihood of a long, healthy life, including feeding them according to recommended schedules, giving them secure, roomy habitats, lots of enrichment, and yearly trips to the veterinarian.

FAQ

How long do parakeets live as pets?

Parakeet Lifespan The most common parakeet in captivity is the budgerigar or budgie. In captivity, budgies can live anywhere between 7-15 years of age. This is almost twice the life expectancy of a wild budgie. In the wild, budgies can live between 4-6 years because of threats of predation.

How often should parakeets be out of their cage?

Out of cage time should last a few hours each day. Before you let your budgie fly freely, make sure to secure the area from anything that might be harmful to them.

How long can a parakeet stay alone?

A budgie should not be left alone for more than 6-8 hours. They are social animals and seek companionship with other birds or people.

Can a parakeet live alone after one dies?

If one of the pair dies, you can be sure he’s missing that companionship. Whether to get another parakeet or not depends on the type of relationship you want to have with your feathered friend. Your lifestyle and overall availability also factor into deciding to bring home a new bird or go solo.