Your parakeets health is important for his long life and happiness. Parakeets metabolize very quickly and often hide any signs of illness – in many cases by the time you notice your bird is sick it is too late! The best bet to keep your pet happy and healthy is to ensure he gets the proper care and nutrition and has a safe clean environment. An important aspect of your parakeets health is to make sure he gets the appropriate veterinary and personal care. If you can, take your bird to a vet that specializes in birds, that way he or she will be up on all the latest treatments and preventive measures. Make sure you take your bird in for a check up once a year and rush him in if you see any changes in behavior.
Nutrition is probably the most important aspect of your parakeets health, in fact, most pet birds die well before their time due to improper nutrition! The bulk of your birds diet should be seed mixes or pellets. Make sure you buy him a high quality seed mix and don’t forget to feed him vitamins and minerals recommended by his vet. It is imperative to supplement his seed mix with fresh fruits and vegetables. Foods that are safe are peas, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, pineapples, apples, banana. Leafy greens are a must and you can clip them right to the side of his cage with a clip. You can even include sprouted grasses as an added treat. Foods that you must avoid include dairy products, avocados, fruit seeds, cabbage, potatoes, green beans, rhubarb, lemons, grapefruit, plums and, of course, chocolate, caffeine and alchohol.
Your parakeets health will be at it’s best with proper care and attention. Birds are social animals and they need attention and to be kept from being bored. You and your family should spend as much time as possible with your parakeet – petting him, talking to him and teaching him tricks. Of course, this is why you got him so that should be no problem! This will also cause you to be highly aware of his behavior and habits so you can quickly notice when there is a change that might indicate illness and get him to the vet right away. When you can’t be with your bird, make sure he has lots of toys to keep him busy. It’s a good idea to buy a bunch of toys, put a few in the cage and rotate them out every week or so – he’ll think he’s getting new toys every week!
A clean safe environment is a must for your parakeets health. Make sure his cage is cleaned every day. Clean food and water dishes once a day and remove any fruits or veggies after a couple of hours. Wash off the birds toys (no harsh chemicals, just soap and water and rinse well) once in a while and keep his perches clean of droppings. Throw away all your nonstick pans and switch to cast iron – fumes from the non stick pans are toxic to birds (and there not so good for you either!). Make sure your house is bird proof and there are no areas he can get stuck or caught in and hurt himself. Place your birds cage away from any drafty areas and do not put him in the window where the sun will beat on him all day.