The word "Parakeet" means long tail! The Budgie or Budgerigar, (which we call Parakeet in this country), is one of the best known birds in the Parakeet category. Lotus Birds at this time raises the English and the American budgie, the Scarlet Chested Grasskeets, also known as a Splendid, The Red Rumped Parakeet, and  The Plum Head Parakeet.



Parakeets belong to the parrot family. They are small to medium sized parrots with long, tapered tail feathers rather than the larger parrots with stockier bodies and squarish tails. The parakeet genera are found in many of the various parrot sub-families and overall there are about 120 species with many sub-species. These colorful, graceful birds are full of energy! Being flock birds, parakeets are very social with each other and with people. They love attention and make wonderful Pets. Parakeets will stay very busy climbing, flying from perch to perch, and chewing on toys and anything else they can reach. They are intelligent little birds and relatively good at learning to talk, generally easy to tame, and adept at learning tricks. Most parakeets are fairly easy to breed and many can be sexed by sight. Many species of parakeet will bond with a mate for life.

Description:

Parakeets are small to medium sized parrots generally with slender bodies and long, tapered tail feathers. They vary in size from about 7" up to 18" (18-45 cm) in length and their feathers are brilliantly colored. They have a hooked upper bill that they use to climb, hold things, or to dig. They also use their beak to chew, break seeds, and peel fruit. Most parakeets have an unfeathered cere at the top of their beak that surrounds their nostrils. The coloration of the cere on some parakeets, such as the Budgerigar, is different for the male and the female making it easy to sex them.



Parakeets are fairly intelligent birds. Each species has its own set of calls with some birds being quite adept at mimicking sounds they hear. Some will repeat words, phrases and even whistle! The average life span of parakeets, though longer in captivity than in the wild, is unknown on most species. The life span varies greatly depending on the species , deit, activity level, etc. If well cared for , loved, fed properly and give toys and your time a parakeet can live a long and happy life.. 15 years for a Budgie is not unheard of up to 25-30 years for the larger varieties.

Distribution:

Parakeets live in many diverse habitats and are found throughout Australia, Asia, tropical and subtropic regions of Africa, Central and South America.

Care and feeding:

Fresh food and water must be provided daily. In the wild, parakeets feed on seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, blossoms, leaf buds, and some enjoy nectar, insects, spray millet and grains. A parakeet's diet consists of a good seed mixture supplemented with sprouted seed, various fruits, green foods, millet spray (for small parakeets), and for some, occasional mealworms are generally regarded suitable. Different seed mixes for parakeets are available, depending on its size and the strength of its bill.



Housing:

Parakeets in the wild are fast, long distance flyers and need a home that provides them with room to fly and exercise. As a general rule, the larger the cage, the happier your parakeet. Parakeets kept in a cage need to be let out for exercise daily. The parakeet cage should be large enough so that the bird's head does not touch the top, it's tail does not touch the bottom, and it has enough room for unrestricted movements.