How to Choose the Best Parrots for Your Budget

Consider your experience with parrots.

To choose the Best Parrots for Your Budget Some Parrots are more difficult to own and are best left to experienced bird owners. Parrots such as budgies and cockatiels are best for beginners. Cockatoos, Amazons, and Amazons are best for advanced parrot owners.
If you are only interested in parrots but aren\’t ready to own one, consider sponsoring a rescue group before purchasing a parakeet, as they can live for sixty years or more.

Parrot size plan.

You should also consider how comfortable you will feel with large parrots; Some people are intimidated by a conure (which can grow up to 2 feet in length), and others can handle any macaw (which can exceed 3 feet in height).
Try going to a bird shop or rescue to handle parrots of different species and judge how comfortable you are with different birds.
If you are looking for a smaller breed, a budgie or cockatiel may be more suitable.
Larger parrots can also make more noise; If you live in a small apartment, a large cockatoo won\’t make your neighbors — or landlord — happy.
Additionally, consider how a large bird will affect your life: Would your roommate or girlfriend be happy to share a noisy, protective parrot with you?

Plan to accommodate your Parrots

the parrot\’s age. Although there are exceptions, larger macaws generally live longer than smaller parrots. Small macaws are better choices for beginning parrot owners, while larger macaws are usually more demanding and better for experienced parrot owners.
Amazons may live up to 50 years, while cockatoos and parrots can live up to 80 years. On the other end of the spectrum, macaws have an average lifespan of 8 years, and parakeets live 12 to 18 years.

Decide if you want a more or less vocal bird.

Parrots can vary wise in their vocal range Some are very loud, others make less sounds.
Smaller, quieter birds — like parrots or cockatiels — are better suited to living in a smaller apartment.
Decide how long you should stick to a parrot. Senior macaws are more social birds and are only suitable if you are prepared to devote a significant amount of time to your parrot (at least 60 minutes a day).
If you would rather just watch your parakeet and devote less time to taking care of it, it would be a pair of parakeets or lovebirds.
Ask yourself: Are you or a loved one home most of the time, or is your family constantly on the move? If you work full time and are rarely home, a parakeet is not a suitable pet.

Evaluate your budget size Parrots.

Parrots are expensive pets. Large macaws are especially expensive, and often expensive to care for. Just as you would with a dog, you should take your parakeet to a vet every year for a \”bird health check\”. Decide how much you\’re willing to spend on a budgie, then think about which parrots will fit your budget.
You will also have to spend more on a cage the larger the parrot, and it may be more expensive to hire a company or person to care for a large parakeet while traveling.

Accommodate

other pets you already own. Although parrots make excellent pets on their own, they don\’t always get along with other pets. Large parrots such as macaws can be territorial and defensive and may attack smaller pets.
Large macaws like Macaws and Amazons–and even smaller parrots like Conures–are a big time commitment.
Parrots generally don\’t interact well with cats.
If you bring home a baby parrot and another pet (such as a dog) around the same time, the two pets will grow up together. This will increase the likelihood of social harmony, as the two pets will be very comfortable with each other.
In addition to social factors, time is an issue. Parrots need frequent socialization and maintenance, and they are quite time consuming pets. If you already own several other pets, a budgie could be a very long commitment.

Choose an individual parrot.

Like buying any other type of pet, there is no objective judgment as to whether an individual parrot (say, one in fifteen cockatoos) will make the best pet. Instead, find out which individual birds interest you the most. When choosing your pet, you should:
Make sure you understand the adult behavior of the breed you are looking at. Some of the cute and quiet young macaws may grow up to be loud and abrasive parrots.

Spend time – about 30 minutes – bird watching. Find out which birds seem to be the most social, active, and engaged. Consider choosing one of these birds, as these birds will make more fun and interesting pets.
Decide which bird you like best by looking at its plumage and observing its behaviour. Choose a parrot that you find visually appealing and whose personality you will enjoy living with for years.

Ask the pet store owner about individual birds.

The owner will spend a great deal of time with the birds in the shop, and should be able to give you advice on which bird(s) would make good pets. It is especially important to talk to the owner if you are a first time parrot owner.
The location of the pet store itself may affect the type of parrot you buy. If you live in a large metropolitan area, you can likely find any breed you like—otherwise, you\’ll be limited to local availability.
Ask the owner if any of the parrots show signs of lethargy or illness. Do not choose one of these birds as a pet.

Prepare for your parrot\’s diet.

You should feed your parakeet once a day, and provide parakeet pellets or \”parrot mix\” available at your local pet store. Since parrots are tropical birds, you should also offer them a selection of fruits and vegetables each day.
Poor or inadequate diet is a common cause of illness in parrots. By making sure your parakeet gets the nutrition it needs, you will keep it healthy and save on vet bills in the future.
Parrots can eat nearly all foods commonly consumed by humans, including:
Cooked meat and fish.
Peanuts and cheese.
Don\’t give your bird chocolate or avocados; Both are toxic to them.

Buy a suitable cage for your parrot. A cage is a major purchase (both in terms of cost and importance) and should be planned for in advance. Buy your parrot the widest possible cage in the cage, and remember that a cage that is simpler will be easier to clean.
Cover the bottom of the cage with shredded newspaper – it\’s easy to replace, cheap and can be changed frequently.

Hang the cage in your apartment or house. The location of the parrot\’s cage is important. Don\’t put it near doors, as the bird may escape. Also avoid placing your parrot\’s cage in the kitchen; Cooking fumes can be fatal to parrots.
Although you will need to remove the parakeet from its cage to socialize it, never leave the bird unattended outside the cage. Parrots have strong beaks and can destroy furniture, curtains, etc.