Bourke's Parakeet

For a single bird or a pair, the absolute minimum cage is about 90 cm long x 60 cm wide x 60 cm high (3 x 2 x 2 ft); longer is far better than taller because these are strong horizontal fliers, so treat length as the priority and give an aviary or flight cage if you can. Bar spacing should be no more than about 1.2 cm (roughly 1/2 in) so heads and toes cannot get trapped. Provide 2 to 3 perches of varying natural-wood diameters (this exercises the feet and helps prevent pressure sores), positioned to keep flight paths clear and to keep food and water bowls out from directly underneath. Line the tray with paper or a safe, non-toxic substrate that lets you monitor droppings; avoid loose materials the bird could ingest. Add a cuttlebone or mineral block, a shallow bath dish (they love bathing), and a few chewable toys. Only add a nest box if you intend to breed, as one will stimulate egg-laying.

Staple: a good-quality grass-parakeet or small-parrot seed mix dominated by millets and canary seed, ideally paired with formulated small-parrot pellets making up roughly a third to a half of the daily intake to cover vitamins and minerals that a seed-only diet lacks. Keep high-fat seeds (sunflower, safflower) as occasional treats only, since obesity and fatty-liver disease are the classic seed-junkie killers. Supplement daily with fresh vegetables and leafy greens (kale, dandelion greens, broccoli, grated carrot, corn) and smaller amounts of fruit (apple with seeds removed, pear, berries, banana); offer high-oxalate greens like spinach or chard only occasionally, as excess oxalate can bind dietary calcium. Sprouted seeds several times a week are excellent nutrition. Offer a cuttlebone or mineral block for calcium, especially for hens. Always provide clean, fresh water. AVOID entirely: avocado, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, rhubarb, apple seeds and stone-fruit pits (cyanide compounds), onion and garlic, and salty or sugary human snacks. All are toxic or harmful to birds.

Bourke's Parakeets are arid-country birds that tolerate a wide temperature range but do best at ordinary indoor temperatures of about 18 to 24 C. Protect them from extremes: avoid sustained exposure below roughly 10 C (they need a dry, draught-free, sheltered space in the cold) and avoid heat stress above about 30 to 32 C, providing shade and airflow when it is hot. They do NOT require a basking lamp or a dedicated heat source when kept at stable room temperature. No UVB lamp is strictly required, but access to natural daylight or a full-spectrum bird light supports vitamin D, calcium metabolism, and a healthy circadian rhythm. Aim for moderate ambient humidity (roughly 40 to 60 percent) and good ventilation without direct draughts. Because they are crepuscular, give a consistent light cycle with 10 to 12 hours of dark, quiet, undisturbed rest each night.

A naturally social flock bird, happiest kept in a compatible male-female pair or a small colony in a large enough aviary; peaceful enough to share space with other calm grass parakeets when not overcrowded. A single bird can thrive if given plenty of daily human interaction, but genuine companionship of its own kind is strongly beneficial. Sexing is only moderately reliable by eye: males typically show a brighter pink breast and throat and more blue on the face and are marginally larger, while females are duller and browner. Color mutations blur these cues, so DNA sexing is the dependable method. Same-sex pairs or leaving out a nest box are simple ways to avoid unwanted breeding.

Prioritise flight: a long cage or daily out-of-cage flying time is the single best enrichment for this strong-flying species and the best defence against obesity. Offer chewable wood and shreddable toys, foraging opportunities (millet sprays, food hidden in safe foraging toys), and a shallow bath, which they genuinely enjoy. Vary perch types and rotate toys to keep things novel. Schedule interaction and activity around their dawn and dusk activity peaks, and provide gentle company, since a bonded partner or attentive owner is itself important stimulation.