How Long Do Parakeets Live? Average Lifespan of Budgies

You might be considering having a pet parakeet and you want to have answers to your queries about these little birds. Most probably, the burning question that you have right now could be – “How Long Do Parakeets Live?”. After all, it is important to be aware of the lifespan of your pet birds so you know how you should give them the best care you can.

In this article, we will be exploring into the life expectancy of your small, colorful and fun-loving budgies.

How long do parakeets live?

Originating from continent country Australia, parakeets are known to live long. In fact, a typical pet parakeet can live for 7 to 14 years on average, and 20 years if given proper treatment.

Bird Type	Average Lifespan
Budgerigar	5 to 10 years
Rose-ringed Parakeet	25 to 30 years
Gold Parakeet	20 to 25 years
Plain Parakeet	15 years
Monk Parakeet	20 to 30 years

The lifespan of a captive parakeet depends on what type of birds they are. Budgerigar has an average of 5-10 years of existence.

A plain parakeet can live for 15 years. A rose-ringed parakeet with a lifespan of 25-30 years. A gold parakeet that lives up to 20-25 years. It shows that a parakeet in captivity has a safer environment, stricter diet, and better care from the experts make them live longer than in the wild.

Providing a healthy lifestyle for the parakeets can improve their lifespan more than what their average lifespan. 

A parakeet is recognized as matured during its first year. It can easily live for about five to eight years. However, they can live longer if their pet owners can maintain giving them proper nutrition and exercise.

They can also live shorter than what is expected when health problems occur. That is why, they should be given much attention especially on their health and well-being.

Some parakeets can experience sudden death at a very young age. It can be due to an illness or any abnormal genetic patterns.

So, it is essential to check your pet parakeets as they can experience this unexpectedly. Regularly check their condition. If you see something wrong, don’t hesitate to call a veterinarian to assist you in making your pet bird better. 

What do parakeets need in order to live longer?

Most people thought that parakeets do not live for long. But in reality, if you do the items on the list below, they can live even up to 25 years! Here are the important things you must remember when keeping parakeets as pets:

• Taking very good care of them,
• Feeding them correctly,
• Giving them toys,
• Keeping them in a happy environment,
• Always giving them clean water supply for drinking,
• Giving them a big clean cage,
• Giving the proper perches inside their cage for them to walk on,
• Regular visits to their avian veterinarian at least once a year

Parakeet’s Lifespan in Captivity

Most people consider the lifespan of an animal as one of the most important facts to know before even considering adopting one. Parakeets are fun-fragile creatures and they can surprisingly live for a long time. But, how is it possible?

The longevity of the parakeets’ life depends on their health, breed, physical exertion, and mental state. In terms of their size, they are quite smaller than other parrot species. But that doesn’t mean that they have a shorter lifespan than any other creatures.

The smaller they are, the more they have special needs in relation to their daily development. Their quality of life is subject to how we respond to their needs. If you are a traveler or like to go out, then basically, parakeets may not be the right pets for you. They are the kind of pets that are needy of love and affection. 

If you think parakeets are your typical friendly pet, you will want to learn more and read facts about them. There is so much more to know to fulfill their life as your companion. You can do more exciting activities together as they can speak and interact.

Living a captive life requires a lot of attention. If not, expect the worst. Parakeets might feel weak and unresponsive. They should be able to receive enough attention to cope up with the daily routine and its environment. 

How to tell the age of your budgie?

Every pet owner is curious about the age of their pet bird. How can we determine if a parakeet is young or old? Is it based on their features? characteristics? or maybe on how they behave?

Baby parakeet 

If you ever find your parakeets acting curious, happy, open to new foods and things, and always interacting with other birds. Then it shows the characteristic of a baby parakeet. Baby parakeets are six weeks to six months old.

Young adult parakeet

How about if your parakeet is more confident, more energetic, however, cautious around new people? Then, they are young adults now. Their age is between 6 months to 2 1/2 years old. They are fond of flying, walking, climbing, and talking. 

• Middle age parakeet

Like humans, when parakeets reach middle age, their energy decreases. They start to develop preferences in terms of food or a group of birds they like to associate with. In this stage, the veterinarian suggests to pair it with another parakeet. 

• Senior parakeet

Taking longer naps is not what a parakeet usually does. If your parakeet can only eat a small portion of meals, not active, and seem weak in doing what they used to do, then your parakeet hits the elder stage.  

•  Death

Usually, parakeets indicate their end, 24 hours before they die. They might eat one large meal of their favorite food, sing a song, and be energetic like they used to be in their younger days. They can show everything that they used to do during the last day before impending death.

Main factors affecting parakeet life expectancy

There are different factors to know that considerably affect the parakeet’s life expectancy. Usually, it is because of their environment.

Parakeets are sensitive in their environment.

They love nature as they are naturally born in green areas. They should not smell toxins such as cigarette smoke and fumes. If your space is prone to too much pollution, then it’s not a good time to adopt a parakeet. Also, sudden noises can cause traumatic injuries to parakeets due to panic. 

Parakeets can be susceptible to common bird diseases.

As pet owners, we should be aware of the common diseases that our parakeets might have. Prevent as early as you can and take them to an avian veterinarian every once or twice a year. They are advance in health conditions and can block any possible illness that parakeets can absorb. 

Parakeet’s diet affects their lifespan.

A healthy but strict diet plays a vital role in the life expectancy of a parakeet. It can make your parakeet disease-free through fresh vegetables. Inadequate water intake could result in dehydration since parakeets have fewer fat reserves.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, parakeets are a great companion to keep. They are the small, friendly and fun loving birds that yearn for your attention almost every time. Because parakeets can live long, it makes them more fascinating and wonderful companions.

As pet owners, we prefer to have animal friends that can light up our day after enduring problems. Parakeets’ presence can purely enlighten our minds by communicating with them. Regardless of their age, they make sure that their owners have the kind of love they can offer.