Parakeets
Parakeets
The Accessible Start
“‘Parakeet’ covers a half-dozen unrelated genera — what unifies them in keeping terms is size, tail length, and an accessibility that makes them home to several of aviculture’s best first-parrot species.”
The parakeets I work with range from the 30-gram Lineolated up to the 250-gram Alexandrine. Lifespans run from around 8 years for a Budgie up to 30+ for an Alexandrine.
This is the most varied group in the guide. Read the species page for the specific bird you are considering — a Budgie and an Alexandrine are wildly different birds.
What Parakeet Keepers Learn Fast
Apartment-Friendly
Cockatiels, Budgies, Lineolated, and Bourke’s are some of the most apartment-tolerant parrots in the trade. Asian Ringnecks are louder; pick accordingly.
Best for Beginners
Cockatiel and Budgerigar are the two most-kept parrots in the world for good reason — sociable, hardy, and forgiving of new-keeper mistakes.
Bluffing Phase
Asian Ringnecks (Indian, Alexandrine) go through a hormonal period at 18-30 months. Stay calm, keep training consistent, and the phase passes.
A Cockatiel given proper enrichment and daily handling will outshine half the larger parrots I keep on personality alone.
— Kalyn Bastion, Parrot Bliss
All Parakeet Species
Looking for a Hand-Raised Parakeet Species?
Parrot Bliss hand-raises a small number of parakeets each year here in West Palm Beach, Florida. Every chick fed by Kalyn personally, weaned onto Harrison’s pellets, and placed only with families who genuinely understand what they’re taking on.