Hellobee

About three months ago, I convinced Mr. Cereal that we should get a parakeet. I had birds growing up and I loved them. As an adult I’ve been wanting birds, but I wasn’t sure how to start again. So I did a bunch of research, and decided that parakeets would be the best bet for me and my family. Parakeets are fairly easy birds to keep and the equipment needs are inexpensive and easy to get.

Once I had convinced Mr. Cereal, it was time to figure out where to get the equipment I needed. I read that you should get the largest cage you can afford and that can fit in your space, so I looked at a bunch on Amazon and saved quite a few, then compared them. Once I had an idea of the size and style of a cage I was looking for, I went to Facebook marketplace to find a used one. I am currently trying to buy things used rather than new when I can, so this was a perfect opportunity to do so. A couple of days later I found the perfect cage and the best part is that it came with some accessories as well. I also purchased a small carrier to pick up the bird and to take him to the vet when needed. My research also showed that I needed to get some toys to keep the bird entertained. I picked out a few things and got the cage all ready to go.

The second step was to figure out where I wanted to get the birds from. In my town there are two big chain pet stores and one small independent pet store. I started at the independent store, but the experience was not positive. The cages the birds were in were filthy and the parakeets were outside, even though it was chilly. I just got an overall bad vibe, which was kind of frustrating because I would much rather buy locally than from a chain store. Alas, I ended up buying the first bird from PetSmart as well as millet and seed, and it was a really positive experience. We got him home, named him Remy, and started our life as bird parents.

About a week later, I felt like I wasn’t able to give Remy enough attention during the week to keep him stimulated. Parakeets are very social and if you have a single bird, they will want to bond with you, but this means you need to spend a lot of time with them. With me working full time, I felt like it wasn’t fair to Remy to keep him alone as much as he was. So back to PetSmart I went and picked out Ego, our second bird.

They have now been with us for three months and they are so fun and so easy! When I first bought Remy, I wanted to bring him to work with me every day. The cage I bought him was too big for me to travel with, so last month I bought a smaller travel cage that both birds can fit comfortably in. They come to work with me a couple times a week, sitting on my desk and chattering all day.

Because I was new (again) to owning birds, I have definitely learned a few things since bringing them home.

– One, they are LOUD. Like really loud. They talk, chatter, squawk, and screech all day. I don’t mind the noise, and I actually really love their cute chatter. But Mr. Cereal was not prepared for the noise level.

– Two, they are messy. I have them on the corner of our giant dining table, and I have to wipe down the table and the wall every day, plus I have to vacuum their baby feathers almost every day as well. They spread seed all over the place, and when they get a millet treat, that gets absolutely everywhere.

– Three, they need stimulation and a varied diet. I have about ten different toys now that I switch out every other week. They get bored with the same old toys, so I try to mix it up for them often. I also offer them fruits, veggies, cheese, and cooked pasta once per day. They typically ignore it, but I keep trying because they need a variety of foods to stay healthy.

One thing that I think is amazing about them is how much they like each other. They spend a lot of time cuddling together and being close to each other. I try to take their whole cage outside once or twice a week so they can get fresh air and see something new. They seem to love this, especially in the early mornings when there are native birds making noise and flying around.

Overall, I am really happy with these two. As far as easy pets, these are at the top of my list. I don’t have to do a whole lot with them, even though I choose to. They would be happy in a large cage with very little human contact as long as they have a friend with them. It’s been a good teaching tool for the kids because they can easily handle the up keep. Cleaning the cage is a breeze, and LeLe has been helping me clean and rearrange the cage each week. I highly recommend them as pets for people who don’t have a bunch of time, money, or space for a pet.