What do i need for a bird?

Question

I'm getting a parakete.I'm not getting a ferret because thrire too expensive and i cant get the smell away.So,I'm getting rid of that idea.But i'm getting a bird.I already have 80$to spend on it!I have to spend a LOT on it because or else my mom wont let me!!

Answer 1

Get one parakeet before you decide to get more then one. They are very social birds, and having more then one untrained can be a rather big distraction to the other untrained one. Wait about 6 months before purchasing another. It may take several months to train the correct commands and bond with one. When you feel comfortable with the level the first one is at, then get another.

This is the list of items you will need:

~Food
A diet of 1/2 seeds and 1/2 kibbles (like Zupreem or Roudybush) will help to cover all bases of nutritional needs.
~Toys
Be weary of toys with moving parts. Some can be a danger to little Parakeets as they can get their head stuck in them. I choose to go with some toys made for babies and toddlers. They are already safe materials made for kids, and there is little chance of them getting destroyed or a bird getting hurt from parts that can become ingested. Do not get a mirror to put into the bird's cage until it's trained. They might like the reflection so much that they will not want to be with you, just the mirror. If it is a game, take him into the bathroom (with all water from the sink and tub drained, toilet seet cover down- parrots cannot swim) or any bigger mirror, so there is a reflection of you, too. A swing is really good to have, too!
~Bathing supplies
Parakeets like to take baths, to try to get a little tub or bin that can hold about 1/4 inch deep water. If your bird does not like to stand in water (and some won't... mine doesn't), get a clean squirt bottle to fill with room-temperature water. Sometimes that like to get sprayed with a fine mist. Mine enjoy this when it is raining outside.
~Perches
When you get a cage, it is standard they come with at least one or two perches. You want to get at least one more so there is a varied width and diameter for good foot health. A bird's feet are important, so you want to make sure that they get good exorcise by putting in various sized perches.
~Cage
For a Parakeet, you need as big of a cage that your budget and space in your home will allow. When you go looking for the cage, ask the sales representitive to show you cages that have less then 1/4 inch bar spacing. This will keep your Keet from getting his head stuck in the cage. Stay away from round cages or cages that have bars that come together that are less then 1/8 inch. Little toes, beaks and feathers can get caught and maty cause serious injuries to the bird.
~A Board-Certified Avian Veterinarian
If there is ever an emergency, you need to know where to go. Pull out your phone book and start call veterinarian offices to see if the specailize in birds. Not just "see" birds- "SPECAILIZES" in birds. This way, if there is a problem, you know your little featherd freind will get the proper care. Keep this phone number handy in case of an emergency.

Here are some tips:

~Try to find a bird breeder that has a wider selection of parakeets to choose from, perferably hand-fed. These from a breeder genrally run between $10 and $40 each. Make sure to go in colorblind. You might like the purple one, but the yellow one might like you more :)
~Only use newspaper (the black and white pages only) or pure white paper towel in the bottom of the cage, and change it two or three times a week. This will keep pesky bugs away, keep your keep out of his own mess, keep seed leftovers from gathering dust, and is overall more clean for your bird to live in. This, too, and you can watch his poo for changes that may alert you to him being sick.
~Change his water EVERY DAY. They may bathe in the water dish- and it's pretty gross to watch them drink their bath water.
~Keep a good eye on the food. When eating seeds, they "hull" them, meaning they strip off the shell to eat them. The hulls can build up and may make the food bowl look like it's full when it really is not. This is just a precaution to make sure you do not accidentally "forget" to feed him.
~Give lots of love and attention. When you are working on school work- weather long division or a report, talk to your Keet. This will keep him occupied. They don't care what you say, as long as you are talking to them.
~Do not give your bird grit or gravel. They hull their seeds unlike wild birds and do not need this stuff. It can make them really sick.
~Make sure to clip the birds wings. This way, he can't easily fly off and get lost, and you can easily find him.
~They like a lot of the same foods we eat, like fruits, vegitables and eggs. This is a great supplement of the 1/2 and 1/2 diet I mentioned above. Apples, carrots, peas, oranges, green beans, kale, spinach, watermelon, honeydew, cantalope, scrambled or boiled eggs, grapes and corn are great things to feed them as long as you wash them well.
~Do not feed your keet anything with onions, garlic, avacodo, too much salt, sugar or fat. The occasional Cheeri-O or a couple branflakes are good for them, but don't over-do it. This can make thim sick. Make sure to core, pit and remove all seeds from fruits. Sometimes the seeds can be toxic, but fruit with seeds on the outside, like strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are asfe.
~Make sure you get information on your bird; read books and do online searches at least a month before making the desicion to getting one, and take notes if you need to remember important points. This way, if there is something I forgot to mention, you know how to take care of it. You can learn a lot in one month!

I know this is a lot of stuff to remember, but it will get easier for you once you get into a routine. I have had my Parakeet for four years, and she is the best freind I could ever ask for out of a Keet!

Answer 2

Ok firs things first make sure its banded on one of its legs, if possible make sure the babies are hand fed. The bird itself should be $20, now a GOOD QUALITY DECENT SPACIOUS CAGE should be another $50, now unless the cage comes with wood perches, must be wood never ever plastic, that should be another $2-$7, and 5 toys at least, plastic toy, bell, wooden chew toy and any other that you wish, that should be another $10-$15, and quality parakeet seed, never give a parakeet pellets it will cause medical complecations, quality parakeet seed like the Kaytee brand are usually $10 for a 10lb bag at least here in NY.

So all in all you should be spendind between $90-$105.

And you should supplement the seeds with fresh fruits and vegatables. and you should spend 2 hours a day holding and playing with your parakeet.

Best Of Luck Joe

Answer 3

you need a cage,,water and feed bowls,,seeds,,and a cuttle bone to start. you provide clean lettuce now and then when your having salad,,give the bird some. a parakeet is about 14.00 dollars,the feed bowls under 10,,,seeds,,big bag at walmart less than 4.00 ....its the cage that will take your money but one parakeet will live very well in a medium size cage and that's about 25-30 bucks.you can slowly add all the toys the bird will love to play with but be sure you want a bird,,they are messy,,feathers and seeds everywhere,,you'll be cleaning every day..there's alot of extras you might think the birds needs but no,,just a clean place to live and fresh food and water,,,i have 10 birds,,,so i do know some about them...email me and let me know if you get your bird,,,,,,,,,,m

Answer 4

Well, of course you will need a cage. You will need certain things to go in the cage, and if you go the right pet store, they will have one as a package with everything. (seed sticks, toys, etc.) Food, and that is really about it.

Answer 5

You need to buy him a house so he can live there, a lot of food, and love.

Answer 6

that's easy you would need certain things depending on what type of bird you have, i would say you really need to give them toys so they don't get bored!!!i have 4parakeets

Answer 7

mine love their swings and to fly around the house.

Answer 8

freedom

Answer 9

cage