Where Should I Get a Parakeet?

Congrats on deciding on a feathered friend!

Honestly, lifespan I believe is based on the diet and exercise you offer your budgie.

When it comes to buying a budgie, I would not recommend buying one from petco. They are not known for breeding healthy birds. If there is a PetSmart near you, I would highly recommend buying one from there. Their birds are healthy. The company also supports local animal shelters.

You could also look up your local ads to see if anyone is selling their budgie.

You could also look at local breeders. Buying from a breeder can be an excellent choice. These birds (unlike the pet store variety) will be tamed when you purchase them. The price with the breeder and the petstore are usually the same.

Don't rush into it! And if it's possible, let the bird choose you.

Good luck!

Oh and PS, a healthy diet for a budgie is a mixture between high quality seeds, pellets, a cuttle bone, and fresh fruit and veggies (not avocado as it's poisonous)

Before getting any bird from any source, check out these links. They will tell you all the items and products in your home you cannot use if a bird lives with you. There will be other helpful info as well.

http://www.cockatielcottage.net/houseplants.html

http://www.plannedparrothood.com/plants.html

http://www.greyfeathertoys.com/html/safefoods.html

A lot of these dangers were probably not even realized the last time you had a bird. A lot of what we know to keep them safe is relatively new.

After you have decided you can abide by all these safety rules, do not buy a bird from any kind of store. Locate a reputable breeder. You will get a much better bird at about half the price charged in stores and all you would get is a bird mill bird.

http://www.avianweb.com/safefoods.html

http://www.parrotparrot.com/birdhealth/alerts.htm

http://www.pricelessparrots.com/parrot-poisons.htm

http://www.birdsnways.com/birds/artdisease.htm#Tox...

You should go to a shelter that owns parakeets, those are the best ones. Parakeets at Petco or Petsmart are not the best ones to get, to tell you those are the Parakeets that would get sick easily, Trust me!