When searching for a pet bird for your children, you have to consider how they will handle their winged little friend. To take good care of a bird, you must give your time, attention, commitment, and even space. A parakeet is an ideal pet for older children ages nine to twelve years old. It is a stage where children can understand what’s best for their pet bird. We know that parakeets are socially fun-loving birds that love to interact with their owners. But, is a pet parakeet good for a child?
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Are Parakeets Child-Friendly?
Suggested Pinterest Boards: Pet Birds, Parakeets, Budgies
Yes, a budgie (a.k.a. parakeet) can, in fact, make a great animal pet for older kids. Although they are small in size, they possess great intelligence with an amazingly huge vocabulary. They are very sociable and fun-loving. These small birds also require more delicate care. In this case, parents and adult family members should make the kids understand that grabbing these little creatures is a no-no.
Most hand-fed parakeets are very sweet. However, parakeets are still small and fragile. Children should be trained for proper bird handling. It may be easy for children to have a pet parakeet since they are playful and social. But when it comes to feeding, cleaning their cage, and observing their health condition, an adult should be the one to oversee such responsibilities.
What is the best age for a child to get a parakeet?
You can get a parakeet for a young child as early as seven years old. A parakeet can help your child be social and cheerful by letting them interact with his feathered companion. However, it should be in a limited movement since parakeets can bite your child and might result in tension or misunderstanding between them.
Your children can have them as long as you are there to guide them. It’s so fulfilling to see them create an owner-parakeet bond, allowing your child to nurture it as they learn to grow more with affection.
Train your child to be a responsible pet owner as early as they can.
Having pets allows them to learn compassion and responsibility at an earlier stage of their life.
Observe how your parakeet behaves when they are with your child’s company.
You can also help by teaching and training your pet bird the proper way to socialize with people. You can also advise your child on the appropriate way to interact with the little parakeet until they can go along together and be friends.
Can you cuddle with a parakeet?
Although parakeets are a great companion, you still have to remember that they are exotic species with wild instincts. Even though parrakeets are captive bred, they are still not considered domesticated. Parakeets are social-little creatures that love to spend time with their owners. They are intelligent and playful. Socializing with your parakeet as your daily routine is beneficial for his mental health and emotional well-being. Just spending time with them outside or inside the cage lets him know that he is loved.
Can you cuddle a parakeet? Well, it depends on how comfortable it may be with your parakeet. Some parakeet loves some human touch. They enjoy their pet owner’s presence as much as they enjoy cuddling. When a female parakeet matures (when they start to look for a male budgie mate), however, this can be detrimental to their health. And some parakeets don’t like cuddling, but they can show their affection in their ways except letting them cuddle. They are sensitive, and whenever they don’t feel comfortable doing such things to them, don’t force it. Parakeet might harm you.
Do budgie bites hurt?
While most parakeet bites will not cause full damage, they can still scare children as they have a low tolerance for pain. A parakeet bite is painful, but it depends on how hard it bites. It may be because you triggered them. However, most parakeet bites will happen for no reason. If they like your presence, then you can play with the cute little bird. A pet owner should learn how to avoid being bitten by their pet bird.
A parakeet can’t control the force of its bite. Every bite can be different based on its strength. How painful it is will depend on the parakeet. If the parakeet forcefully bites you, it will hurt and can last longer. They are giving you a sign that they don’t like their current situation. It’s still painful for a few minutes after it has happened, and you may feel shocked.
If you spent just a little time bonding with your parakeet, they might be uncomfortable being touched by you. A parakeet can bite you anytime as long as it feels irritated. Before you pick up your pet bird, make sure to interact with your pet first and play with the toys.
List of other child-friendly birds for a pet
As with most birds, companionship means a full-time duty to provide not just their needs but through love and affection. If your child has asked for a pet bird, it’s necessary to do your homework first. There are many factors to consider before bringing your bird home. That includes their care requirements and social needs. It’s hard to choose a bird species that can do well along with kids. To give you brief ideas, here are the top three birds that your child can have.
1. Finches
Finches are considered the best pet birds for kids. They only require minimal interaction, and they are easy to handle. Young children love a fascinating bird that can provide sweet-slow music with their soft chirps and chitchats. Since finches don’t usually bond with their pet owners, you can give them their other pet bird companion. This type of bird should always be inside the cage for some reason. Your children can learn from them as this bird provides entertainment and an educational experience through their behavior and enjoying the fascinating voice. (Source: Wikipedia)
2. Cockatiels
This bird can talk, whistle, and do tricks that can be adorable to watch for children. They also interact with older children who can spare their time talking to them. A cockatiel is for older children. Older children can feed them the balanced diet that they need, provides fresh water daily, clean the cage and play with cockatiels through chats. There are many cockatiels available for adoption. Contact an expert if a cockatiel is right for your children.
3. Canaries
These birds are known to be very inexpensive. The Canaries come in a variety of beautiful colors and sizes. They require just a little supervision and are very easy to care for. The Canary bird is also popular because of its cheerfulness. In fact, the male Canary will show this by singing. The canaries feed on pellets as well as green vegetables. They require regular exercise and please keep their cage clean. The span of their lives is between 10-15 years.
Final Thoughts: Is A Pet Parakeet Good For A Child?
We have just answered another burning question – Is a pet parakeet good for a child? As a matter of fact, a budgie is a good companion for everyone. They are the fun, sociable creatures that can light up everyone’s mood. Parakeets and children are equally affectionate. Both seek love and concern that’s why a child can easily get along with a pet bird parakeet. They can have a mutual understanding that could turn out to be their love expression in their owner-pet relationship.
Treat your parakeet like your own family, and they will let you experience their loyalty towards you. A parakeet’s presence can be a great sign of their development as the parakeet teaches the child to initiate first in taking care of the parakeet’s needs.
Similarly, the child also teaches the pet bird to interact and enjoy human company. To summarize, parakeets can be ideal companion animals for children with the proper guidance from their parents or adult family members.
Hezekiah is a pet lover since birth, according to his parents. He started writing for the Pets Checklist in 2020. He is fond of playing with and taking pictures of different friendly animals around his neighborhood. He loves to read and write articles about pets, science, and music.
