Care guide
Budgie, Conure and Parakeet Care Guide
This group covers small and medium long-tailed parrots: the budgie (budgerigar), the conures and parakeets of the Americas, Forpus parrotlets, Asian ring-necked parakeets and Australian parakeets such as Neophema and Platycercus (rosellas). They are the most common companion birds and, when well cared for, among the most rewarding.
At a glance
- Size
- 12–40 cm
- Lifespan
- 7–15 years (budgie); 15–30 (conures and parakeets)
- Noise level
- Low (budgie) to high (conures)
- Experience
- Beginner to intermediate
- Space
- Long flight cage
Approximate values: they vary by species and individual bird.
Diet
In the wild the budgie eats mostly small seeds, so a quality seed mix is acceptable as a base as long as it is balanced with fresh vegetables every day and some pellets. Conures and larger parakeets need more variety: pellets, vegetables, fruit and cooked legumes.
Iodine deficiency in budgies enlarges the thyroid and makes breathing difficult; iodized mineral blocks prevent it.
- Never feed avocado, chocolate, coffee, alcohol, salt, onion or garlic.
- Blow the husks off the seed dish: it can look full when it's actually empty.
- Cuttlebone for calcium, especially for females.
Housing
These birds fly horizontally, so length matters more than height. A pair of budgies needs at least 80 × 40 × 50 cm; conures and ringnecks need larger cages or an aviary. Bar spacing for budgies should be 1 to 1.5 cm so they can't get their heads stuck.
They are social birds: unless you spend many hours with it, a budgie is happier in a pair or a flock.
Health
Budgies have a high rate of tumors, especially after age 5; a lump or sudden limping needs a vet visit. Scaly face mites (Knemidokoptes) show up as white crusts on the beak and legs and are easy to treat.
In male budgies, the cere (the skin above the beak) changes from blue to brown with some testicular tumors: it is a sign worth having checked.
Behavior
The budgie can learn hundreds of words, although in a high-pitched voice. Conures are very playful and affectionate, but some, like the sun conure, have a piercing scream that is hard to live with in an apartment.
The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) is invasive in many countries, and keeping one is banned in some of them, such as Spain.
Breeding
Budgies breed very easily in a nest box: 4 to 6 eggs that hatch after 18 days. Uncontrolled breeding exhausts the hen; it is best to limit her to two or three clutches a year. Conures and larger parakeets breed with more difficulty.
Legal status
The budgie and the ring-necked parakeet are exempt from CITES; most conures and parakeets are listed in Appendix II, and the golden conure (Guaruba guarouba) is in Appendix I. Some invasive species are banned in certain countries: check your local regulations.
This guide is for information only and does not replace advice from an avian vet. Before getting a bird, check the law in your country and ask for CITES paperwork. This site does not sell or broker live animals.
Frequently asked questions
- How long do budgies live?
- A budgie (Melopsittacus undulatus) usually lives 7 to 15 years. A good diet with vegetables and the company of another budgie help a budgie live longer.
- What do budgies eat?
- Budgies eat a quality seed mix balanced with fresh vegetables every day, some pellets, a cuttlebone for calcium and an iodized mineral block.
- Is it better to keep one budgie or a pair?
- A budgie is a social bird and is happier in a pair or a flock. Keeping a single budgie without a companion of its own species is only acceptable if you spend many hours a day with it.
- What is the difference between a conure and a budgie?
- A budgie, or budgerigar, is a small Australian parrot that lives 7 to 15 years. A conure is a long-tailed parrot from the Americas that is larger, louder and longer-lived than a budgie, living 15 to 30 years.
