any parakeet advice because one of my birds died last week should i get a nother one or something?

Answer 1

Oh dear. I'm sorry to hear your budgie died! That always sucks.

You can get another budgie, but I'd wait a few days to see if your other birds die due to illness. Ideally they should visit a vet so you don't lose any more! You could always get another budgie right away but keep it in another room and perform quarantine procedures just in case the new bird is sick and passes something on to your other birds.

If you can afford it, you should get a necropsy done. That usually includes testing for pathogens such as chlamydia and pneumonia. It also lets the vet take a look at the birds insides to make sure nothing physical was wrong with the bird.

Until then, double check to see if your birds are out of drafts and that you're not using strong scents and chemicals around your present birds. Even Teflon type cookware can kill your birds. If you use air fresheners, keep them out of the bird room and limit them to where you can effectively air out the room on a regular basis. Some people even do without them, but I find there's some wiggle room if you're careful. When in doubt, don't use them at all. If you can, I strongly suggest getting an air purifier. My birds have been happier with one next to their aviary!

Check to see what you're feeding your guy. Seed is okay, but really bad if its the only thing they're eating. Ideally they should get veggies such as Romain lettuce, cucumber and broccoli. Avoid chocolate, avocado and rhubarb as they're toxic to birds. Pellets are also a great food source as they give the right nutrients to your guys with minimal waste. The down side is that it can take months to teach your bird to eat them. If your guys are eating a wide range of veggies I wouldn't worry about adding the pellets to their diet.

If you've got a cat or dog, make sure they can't reach in and whack your birds. Cat scratches and saliva, as well as dog saliva, are toxic to birds and it can literally take less than 24 hours after contact with them to kill a large bird such as an African Grey.

Good luck! Hopefully this situation will have a happy ending :-) . Scritches to your birds both old and new!

Answer 2

I'm sorry to hear that. It is important to know why the bird died first before making a decision to get another one. Was it old age? Illness? Injury?
If you already have 'keets, it is wise to invest in a manual that can give you tips on introducing new birds into a cage. Some birds go through lengthy bereavement periods if they lose their cage-friend.
Good luck!