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The term “parakeet” is often used to describe a relatively small parrot with a long tail. There’s no consensus on what a parakeet is, as the parrots typically referred to as parakeets can span multiple genera. Nonetheless, various parakeets are popular as pets around the world. To provide more specific information, in this article, we will focus on the Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri).
The rose-ringed parakeet is perhaps best known for the beautiful, necklace-esque, red and black ring mature males develop around their necks; this line is quite faint in females of the female species. These little birds are lively and sociable and can also pick up words and phrases.
This species has a remarkable degree of dietary adaptation in the wild and are considered as invasive pests in some parts of the world. In the wild, they eat mostly seeds, vegetation, fruits, flower buds, and vegetables. As pets, they are best when kept on a pellet diet, which is further supplemented with the aforementioned foods. Here is what you should know about what these parakeets eat.
In the Wild
Rose-ringed parakeets are non-migratory herbivores native to Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Wild rose-ringed parakeets eat a wide variety of plant-based foods. Depending on where they happen to be at the time, parakeets might eat seeds from grasses, trees, and plants, freshly ripe fruits, grass, and vegetation that is easily available to them. They are not picky about exactly what they eat, a trait which, in part, plays a role in their success at being introduced to other parts of the world as a feral species.
Rose-ringed parakeets eat what is available to them depending on the time of year. So, they eat seeds more than anything else during the fall and winter months, and they eat vegetation, fruits, and veggies during the spring and summer months. Exactly what is eaten depends on where a rose-ringed parakeet lives.
This species has successfully adapted to living in the proximity of humans, and feral populations of this parakeet are found in places such as Northern and Western Europe. When living in close proximity to humans, they readily eat food offered to them by people or food left out by people (such as in bins).
Knowing what a parakeet eats in the wild can help owners understand what their pets require for optimal health when all is said and done. However, it is important to understand that the nutritional needs of pet birds are vastly different from those in the wild, even if they are of the same species. This is because pet birds aren’t afforded the opportunity to exercise as much as wild parrots, and, therefore, their caloric intake needs to be properly adjusted to compensate for this change in activity level.
In Captivity
Parakeets should follow a diet that they would get in the wild as much as possible. This means feeding commercial parakeet food to pet parakeets to ensure that all nutrients necessary for good health are consumed daily. In addition to commercial parakeet food, pet parakeets should be offered various fruits throughout the week for extra enjoyment and nutrition.
Parakeets happen to enjoy melons, papaya, bananas, mangoes, apples, and pears. They also like small servings of cucumber, tomato, celery, squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, beet, and carrot, among other types of veggies. It is important to make sure that any fresh fruits or veggies that are offered to a parakeet are cut into small pieces or slices so that they can bite and swallow them.
Tips and Tricks for Owners
If your parakeet is not into fresh fruits and vegetables when you first bring them home, it may be because they have not ever been offered such foods since birth. Once weaned from their parents, a parakeet relies solely on the breeder or human caretaker for nutrients. If the caretaker only offers commercial feed, the parakeets that they raise might not be receptive to fresh fruits and vegetables from their new owners until trust has been established.
Keep offering fresh fruits and vegetables until your parakeet starts accepting them. You may find that your parakeet enjoys certain fruits and veggies over others. If this is the case, you can vary their diet accordingly. If you are ever in doubt, you should consult your veterinarian to ensure that the dietary choices that you make for your parakeet are sound.
Final Thoughts
Parakeets are unique, beautiful birds that deserve the best foods possible for good health and happy life. Luckily, it is not hard to take good care of a parakeet. Buy commercial food once a month or so, and offer a few fruit and veggies scraps from the kitchen when they are available. Knowing that parakeets require a wide variety of fruits and veggies for good health may even inspire you to eat well to have leftovers for your bird!
Featured Image Credit: olilynch, Pixabay
