Deciding to bring a parakeet to your home can be quite exciting and thrilling. Parakeets are colorful, graceful birds that are full of energy. Being flock birds, they love attention, they are very social, and make wonderful pets. However, in order to provide a safe and comfortable retreat for your little feathered friend you need to first understand its needs and requirements, and have everything set up accordingly. It is only if your bird is provided with all measures of comfort, will it be able to best adapt to its new habitat and thrive happily.

Parakeets or budgerigars are one of the most popular species of pet birds in America. Parakeets actually belong to the family of parrots and are extremely intelligent. They need constant mental stimulation, adequate diet, enriching surroundings and lots of playtime and fun to stay active and healthy. Parakeets are intensely high on energy and require ample space for free movement and lots of instinctive activities such as flying, playing and climbing. Because of these traits,  There are certain things that you need to keep in mind before setting up the cage for your pet parakeet.

Cage Size

Parakeet cages are designed specifically for these energetic birds, giving them ample space for free flight and movement. Many people think that small birds can be easily made to thrive in tiny cages. However, it is a misconception, since parakeets though small need large spaces to carry out their daily activities. Parakeet cages should not only be at least three times the size of the bird with extended wings, but also have bar spacing of approximately half an inch. The adequate spacing prevents the little heads and beaks of the parakeet from getting trapped between the bars. Also, another benefit of parakeet cages help to restrain them from escaping altogether from their poorly designed generic bird cage. In addition to this, parakeets have long feathers, which need to be stretched and extended at frequent intervals. For this reason, parakeet cages are both wider and taller to facilitate easy activity.

Cage Design

While deciding upon the style and design of cage for your parakeet, you need to ensure the practicality and optimum functionality of the cage, more than its aesthetics. You can go for hard enamel or plastic cages which are much more hygienic than decorative cages which have a tendency of toxin buildup and harboring bacteria. Since parakeets can be quite energetic and powerful, the strength and durability of your cage is critical to its utility. You can pick a wrought iron or metal cage to protect it from the strong beak of your parakeet.

Get Different Toys

According to Dr. Foster Smith, Many behavioral and health problems from your parakeet can stem from your bird not receiving enough mental stimulation. When you’re out at work, your bird spends all of its time trying to stay busy until you get back. When it comes to picking toys for your parakeet cages setup, here are some of the top things to consider:

Toys with Color – unlike many other animals, birds can see a wider specturm of colors than humans can. So finding one or two toys that have varying colors will be a wonderful addition to your parakeet cage.

Toys that are Challenging – make sure that your bird stays motivated by getting either puzzles or ladders to help focus them on both problem-solving and movement.

Toys that make Sound – being able to jam out with a cute little bell is the best when a bird is bored.  This can provide hours of fun and entertain when you’re away from home.

Bowls and dishes

As per normal standards, a bird cage should have at least two water bowls for bathing and drinking and a third one for the food. You may go for ceramic or steel bowls that are non-porous and have negligible chances of harboring harmful bacteria. You should ensure regular cleaning of the water bowls to keep them free of germs, and check and replenish the water level at regular intervals to protect your parakeet against dehydration. If cleaning is your main concern, you may go for tube style water containers which are built to keep the water cleaner for longer period of time as compared to the traditional bowls.

Just remember, that the cage is where your parakeet will be spending a major chunk of its time. And it is utmost essential to ensure that your bird stays safe, healthy and happy in its home.