What we know as Common Parakeet can also be referred to as Australian Parakeet, Australian Parrot or Australian Cata. In Latin, the Melopsittacus undulatus is a bird endemic to Australia that is very popular as a pet around the world. They live perfectly alone inside or outside a home, although they are very sociable birds that will love having a companion with whom to share food or games.
Physical appearance
The parakeet measures about 18 centimeters and weighs about 35 grams. They have a curved gray-green beak and powerful legs that allow them to climb without difficulty. Its plumage is smooth in some areas, such as the belly, and mottled on the neck, wings and tail. Each copy has a unique drawing
The wild ones are notably smaller and have a range of colors that does not go beyond green, on the contrary, genetic selection in captivity results in blue, gray, violet, white and yellow parakeets (and even mixtures between colors).
Age is also determined by the lines on the forehead, young people have it covered with lines and adults have it smooth and clear. The young also have a plumage of less intense tones. A young parakeet also differs because it has a completely black eye, and as it grows, the iris becomes lighter, leaving a white ring around the black pupil (except in the recessive Pia variety, which does not develop this iris color).
Behaviour
The parakeet, as we have said before, is a social bird that loves to communicate by imitating sounds that, Although it is not as developed as in the case of parrots, it allows them to emit different songs to communicate their feelings or sensations at all times. The male usually sings while the female usually makes short sounds.
They are funny and curious, a little noisy if they are happy, because they love to transmit what they feel. In addition, in an optimal physical state, the parakeet will be active and peaceful. During the hottest hours such as midday, the parakeet is usually calmer. It can also get angry, an attitude that we will identify if we see it excited while it opens its beak and flutters.
In the wild they live in colonies for this reason they learn how they should behave through observation of other nearby parakeets.
Care
Many people decide to adopt a parakeet since its care is very simple, although we must have some basic notions such as the use of a horizontal cage, at least 50 centimeters, so that our parakeet can fly. Add waterers, a feeder, a cuttlefish bone or calcium and a toy.
It is also important that in addition to his usual diet based on millet and canary seed, he occasionally receives fruit (apple or pear) and vegetables (chickpeas or spinach), as well as alfalfa. The more varied your parakeet's diet, the he althier it will look.
Allow him to fly from time to time (as long as you start training first) and buy a bird pool. In addition to delighting them, the pool prevents the appearance of many diseases.
He alth
The parakeet can suffer from various diseases, many of which you can prevent if you carefully read this section on he alth:
Fractures: It may happen that your parakeet breaks trying to fly or when holding badly at some point in the cage. Try forming a splint coated with a little adhesive and wait a week, it will be cured.
Melancholy: Appears when a loved one dies or is missing. If you have a male, put him next to another male or female, on the contrary, if it's a female you can only join her with a male.
Obesity: It is not deadly but seriously affects your he alth. Vary nutrition and reduce alfalfa.
Resfriado: Usually happens due to currents or sudden temperature changes, it doesn't take more than 2 or 3 days to disappear. You can add B-type vitamins for a quick recovery.
Mange mites: We can tell that our parakeet has parasites because scabs appear on its beak or legs. Simply adding oil to the affected areas usually goes away, although we recommend buying an antiparasitic for sale in pet stores. Use a spray.
Asthma: It is chronic and we can identify it by the parakeet's respiratory difficulty. Although it does not cause death, we must follow some guidelines for calm conduct after diagnosis.
Constipation: When we see them trying to have a bowel movement but nothing comes out we can talk about constipation, offer them lettuce.
