Monk Parakeets – A Complete Guide Before You Get One

Have you ever heard of a pet bird that can mimic a human speech? It must be one of the members of the parrot family. Monk Parakeets or Quacker parakeets are the noisy, green, and gray parrots. They are popular in the pet trade business. In fact, they are widely known for a unique distinction as the only nest-building parrot. Their bulky nest provides a round home for the colony.

A single nest has twenty nest chambers, and because of that, they can survive in cold climates and urbanized areas. But here is the downfall of a monk parakeet, they can cause big-time damage to the crops. These little birds can live six years or more in the wild, and in captive often live as long as 15 years.

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What is a monk parakeet?

According to a study, Monk Parakeets is a small parrot. It measures 30 cm in length with a wingspan of 53 cm and a mass of approximately 120 g. The feathers are blue or black, and the tail feathers are long and green.

People cannot easily recognize their gender since they have almost the same features. However, male monk parakeets are slightly larger than females except when breeding season, where females tend to be larger in weight due to pregnancy. They have a broad vocabulary as they can create noises.

Quick Facts about Quaker Parrots or Monk Parakeets

Lifespan:18 – 29 years (Adult)
Mass:103 g (Adult)
Scientific name:Myiopsitta monachus
Clutch size: 5 to 11 eggs in on nesting
Conservation status:Least Concern (Population increasing)
Length:29 cm (Adult)
Different colors:blue, gray, green, Cinnamon
Source: Wikipedia

Are monk parakeets good pets?

Monk parakeets are human’s best buddies. They are beautiful- made creatures that have lively personalities that make them fun and exciting to adopt. Monk parakeets tend to be loud whenever they want. They are generally one of the moderate speaker parrot species as they can go through a day with minimal chats. These little birds can mimic human speech that most pet owners will find it amusing yet disturbing sometimes. They can imitate a burp, sneeze, and cough. And the funny thing is, while you are watching a comedy movie alone, you will never have to laugh alone, they can laugh with you and even laugh at your friends. It may sound offensive, but that’s how it goes.

Just like other animal pets, monk parakeets can be loving and gentle with people they love. If they do not like you, they will show signs that they are uncomfortable with your presence through their body language.  Avoid forcing them to immediately like you as they can be triggered and bite you out of nowhere. Aside from humans, they also love toys. Toys are an essential source of their mental and physical stimulation. They appreciate toys that can bring entertainment to them and occupy their time.

Cool facts about monk parakeets

Some facts make monk parakeets stand out among the other species. These are the aspiring pet owners’ essential information to know if they are willing to adopt monk parakeets. Here are a few cool facts that you need to know about your ideal pet bird.

  1. Monk parakeets can live in captivity between 20-30 years. It is one of the advantages of monk parakeet. With quality care, they can live long. As a pet owner, you must take full charge in providing for their needs. You must ensure that they are getting all the sources for their development. Make sure that they are comfortable in their environment. Monk parakeets can die young due to stress. Changing places can make them feel neglected, so avoid taking them from unfamiliar places.
  2. These birds have some alternate names. You can call them Quaker parakeets, monk parrots, or monk parakeets, while the scientific name is Myiopsotta monachus. They are called Quaker because of the bird’s distinctive quaking motions. Sometimes, they also bob and shake, especially when they feel excited or irritated. They quake when they want to eat.
  3. Monk parakeets are medium-sized birds. They are typically 11 to 12 inches long and weigh 3 to 5 ounces. They can do well in small space area since they are not that big. Be sure to have a safe and sturdy cage, as these birds can learn how to open the cage doors. You can give your monk parakeet bird materials in able to make a nest.
  4. They are excellent at talking but with a moderate level tone. If you are looking forward to adopting a bird that can speak, then a monk parakeet is for you. Monk parakeets are known to mimic the human voice. They can learn vocabulary words and sounds. Plus, they can speak clearly.

Can monk parakeet do tricks?

Monk parakeets or Quaker parrots can, in fact, learn some tricks.

Can monk parakeet talk?

Monk parakeets can talk as early as they can. They can imitate almost everything they hear. Yes. These birds can talk. If you are living in a quiet place, think twice before bringing home this bird. They can disturb your neighbors. But not all monk parakeets are actively noisy. Some parakeets are well-behaved. They love to play with humans and toys. These birds are fun talkers. They can learn words and phrases.

Before you train your parakeet to speak, make sure they are in good condition or mood. Make your feathered companion feel that they are loved by talking to them cheerfully. After that, you can now train your parakeet. Training your parakeet to talk requires patience.

You can train them and learn tricks by motivating, giving food, and praising them after they finish a word. It will become their habit, and gladly be used to it. Their weak spot can be when they are holding by their owners. They can be sweet and loving. A monk parakeet can also sing their hearts out for some reason. Maybe they are flirting with their feather companion, happy, showing off, or wants attention.

Behavior and ecology

Monk parakeets adapt much of their behaviors from their surroundings. They learn things from rehearsing them regularly. Some monk parakeets are doing very well, while others are hard to deal with in making them comfortable. It is essential to set behavioral boundaries for them as they can relate to you in the first place. It is easy to put good behavioral habits in a baby parakeet as their mind is still in the developmental phase. When you bring an older monk parakeet at home, you must define his capabilities as they already have a behavioral pattern.

Fun Social Monks

Monk parakeets are fun social birds that appreciate the company of their pet owners. They can be depressed when you left them alone too often. That is why one parakeet should be paired with another one to ease their loneliness. They enjoy much of their time with their pet owners through close interaction. If you treat them like your own, expect to experience their love and affection in exchange for your kindness. The most distinctive behavioral feature of a monk parakeet is they quack and shake. These may look unusual and disturbing, but it is a natural behavior only to this bird.

Every morning, they leave their nests to search for food and climb through trees (sometimes using their beaks as a climbing aid). At night, they go back to the nest. The Monk parakeets spend a great deal of time flirting with each other during the breeding season. Monk parakeets are romantic in their ways. They know how to court through their love language. They grasp each other by the beak which shaking their heads.

What does a monk parakeet eat?

Monk parakeets eat a variety of foods such as:

  • nuts,
  • seeds,
  • fruits, and vegetables.
  • They like to eat leafy buds and blossoms.
  • Sometimes they can eat insects and larva.

They have unstable relationships with humans, so they love to play and destroy the farmer’s crops.

Before you feed them fruits and vegetables, you must wash them properly to remove excess dirt and bacteria. Cut them into pieces where your monk parakeets can able to handle them. Separate the fruits and vegetables. If your parakeets have one food that they like to eat, start limiting it and let your parakeet eat other important nutritional foods for faster development.

Final Thoughts

Hope this helps you as you decide to whether to keep a monk parakeet or another pet bird.

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