Many families decided that the best pet bird species for children is the Parakeet. In this article, we will discover why.
Parakeets are good pets for children depending on their time, patience and maturity level. Parakeets can be very gentle and playful, a perfect companion for active children.
Are Budgie Parakeets good for children?
Yes, they definitively are, but not for not small children, since they’re easily spooked and demand patience. Additionally, they are quite small and delicate. A toodler could easily kill it in one single handling.
Before bringing it home, children need to understand the consequences of their actions, especially if they forget to give the pet bird food or water. Parakeets don’t respond well to physical outbursts, screams, or tantrums. They will get scared and fly away or bite.
As mentioned on this article, animal cruelty should not be practiced so that a child can learn responsibility the hard way.
Can a kid take care of a parakeet?
Budgies will make a better companion for the children around 10 to 12 years old. This type of bird can begentle and very playful, making it a great option to help your kids learn about pet responsibility while building their social skills.
It will be able to provide the constant playful support that keeps children busy through the day. Budgies will also continue to vocalize as long as they play. Lots of fun!
Time to play
Make sure to have your kid spend around two hours of their day playing and taking care of the bird. Birds are social creatures and need quality time with their humans in order to be healthy and happy.
If the child is not willing to tame the budgie and spend a lot of time with it, then maybe it’s not a good idea to have a budgie. An untamed budgie is not fun for the child or the budgie.
Parakeets are underestimated
TheParakeet is often underrated as a hands-on pet. Some people think they are a “watching only” pet bird, especially if kept in with a bunch of other birds. However, Parakeets can be hand-tamed and become a loyal, loving little friend to a patient owner.
When hand-fed by a breeder and tame since as a baby chick, Parakeets can sit on your finger, ride on your shoulder, cuddle with you, fly around, come to you when called and give you cute kisses.The younger the bird is, the easier it is to tame, but older birds can also be tamed, but with additional dose of patience and time.
A rainbow of colors to choose!
Budgies occur in a large assortment of colors and patterns, over 70 mutations to date, with more developed each year. The fancier mutations are available through hobby breeders, though most people are happy with the standard green, blue, yellow, and white.
Before Bringing a Bird Into Your Family
There are many things that you should consider before bringing in a parakeet to your home with kids.
Better not have a dog or cat
For instance, will the bird be compatible with every member of your family, especially your other pets and children? Ideally, you shouldn’t have dogs and especially cats if you have budgie parakeets. They are prey animals and get terrorized of seeing a cat roaming in front of its cage. All this stress will affect their health and behavior.
Everyone needs to watch out while the bird is out
When the parakeet is out of the cage, it’s very important everyone on the household keeps the windows and door closed, otherwise your feathered friend will fly away.
Windows need to be covered with screen and fans need to be turned off. Pots shouldn’t be boiling without cover and people need to watch out to not accidentally step on them.
Prepare for vet bills and additional costs
Don’t get mistaken when you see a Parakeet on PetSmart selling for only $20. They will actually cost way more than that during their lifetime.
They will need a decently sized cage, proper toys, fresh fruits and veggies to eat and a visit to the vet from time to time. Birds require vet visits just like any other kind of pet – and in some cities, veterinarians who specialize in pet birds can be hard to find.
Budgies are known to easily get sick and require medical attention. They hide their illnesses pretty well.
Mess and moderate destruction
Depending on your budgie’s disposition, they might enjoy chewing up your blinds, wood trim around windows and doorways, and basically anything else they can get their little beaks into.
It’s good to know that Parakeets poop every 5 to 10 minutes and can be a bit messy while eating their food. You will need to vaccum and have a towel to clean their poops while they’re out of the cage.
Embrace the noise
Budgies will chirp constantlyand occasionally loud screeches. For instance, you will probably be able to hear them from across the street if the windows are open. Your neighbours might hear them from across the aparment walls too.
Curious facts about Parakeets
- Parakeets and Budgies are the same thing.
- They have the tendency to put on weight.
- Parakeets are a type of parrot.
- They can learn how to speak really well. A parakeet named Puck was able to say more than 1,000 words!
Conclusion
Budgies or Parakeets can bring a LOT of fun to your family with kids. Just make sure your children are mature enough and have time and patience to take good care of that.
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