How much is a Parakeet?+Where To Buy? [2022 Guide]

Parakeet Price and Where To Buy

How much is a parakeet? Where should I buy my parakeet? Purchasing Parakeets may seem cheap but owning a bird comes with many perks, including new responsibilities. Being a responsible owner, one of the most important aspects to consider when adopting a bird is its lifespan.

You are guaranteed to have companionship with parakeets for at least 15 years. Although some of the costs they will incur will be one time when adopting a parakeet at the outset, others will continue for the next 15 years of your parakeet’s life.

How Much Does It Cost to Buy and Care for Parakeets?

By adopting the parakeets themselves, you have to invest in feeding them, purchasing toys, and visiting vets occasionally. Being active and social Birds like parakeets, investing in a big cage is essential to keep them healthy and happy.

Before you adopt any parakeets, do proper research and ensure you have enough budget to continue to care for them in the long run. In this article, I will help you learn how much parakeets cost, including the cost of owning one in 2022.

We will talk about the initial cost, including the adoption cost, accessible areas where you can adopt a parakeet without paying, and also their adoption cost from a pet store and a breeder. Hence, Vaccination and health care costs must be considered too.

How Much Do Parakeets Cost?

how much do parakeets cost
how much do parakeets cost?

Adoption Cost for parakeets

One-Time Costs For Adopting A Parakeet

The one-time cost is the initial cost when you adopt a new parakeet. It will be the most expensive phase of the journey. The money you will spend up front on the parakeet, and its cage should not be spent again on the same species.

Whether you decide to adopt from a local pet store or a breeder, be prepared for the commitment. The price of a parakeet is quite a range, but generally speaking, they cost between $30 to 150 dollars. Some fancy parakeets may also cost you upto $250.

Adopting Parakeet For Free

There are few places where you can adopt a Parakeet for free. It is more common when you know someone with one of the parakeet birds and wants to rehome it. If you are also adopting a parakeet from one of your friends looking to rehome one, it is best to ask them why they want to do so.

Your friend is likely to have a good reason like can’t bring the bird with them, or they can no longer afford to care for it. Avoid adopting any parakeet with behavioral or training problems. Unless you have significant experience training a bird, untrained parakeets with unpredictable behavior will be very challenging to live with.

Adopting Parakeet From Shelter

Another option to adopt a parakeet is from a pet shelter. Anyone looking to rehome their parakeet but unable to do so before a specific time often go to the adoption center or agency.

Look for adoption shelters in your local area and ask about the parakeet training and behavior. Most of the regional centers will allow you several visits before you can take one home for good. In the adoption center, a parakeet is likely to cost between $30 to $80.

Adopting Parakeet From Breeder

You can also purchase a parakeet from a reputable breeder who offers health insurance. Parakeets available from breeders are often taken from previous lines known for their docile and friendly nature. You are likely to get a well-behaved parakeet when adopting from a breeder.

Adopting one from a reputable breeder rather than a pet store is usually recommended. You can expect to pay around $100 to $250 for a parakeet. Another advantage of adopting a parakeet from a breeder is the availability to check its background and parents.

Adopting one from the breeder also means getting a bird that has not been produced with the best practices during breeding and caring.

Supplies

$10-25 per month

Care Costs

Parakeet Health Care Cost

Even if your parakeet is not sick, periodic testing and annual checkup must be performed on the parakeet. Therefore it is essential to take the parakeet to the nearest veterinarian for proper examination on their denCareCare.

Adding to that, your parakeet may also need some vaccination in the first place. Vaccines don’t need to keep up, but it is still worth putting a bit of money on your parakeet’s health to rule out possible emergencies. Hence, vet visits for parakeets can cost around 35 to $50. It may increase if any test is performed.

Check-Ups Cost

Most typical vets are not well acquainted with birds. Instead of finding a regular veterinarian, you should go with the one specializing in Avian species. Occasional visits can be done to your nearby veterinarian, but an annual trip must be made to the Avian specialist specializing in caring for parakeets.

Typically, your parakeet’s checkup will be inexpensive and easy to bear. It will also be quick. You can expect to pay around $35 to $80 depending upon the type of examination needed in an Avian vet office.

Vaccinations Cost

It would help if you gave a polyomavirus vaccine to your parakeet. It is widely available for domesticated pet birds. Vaccination is unnecessary because it can be a traumatic experience for such a small creature.

But if you feel like your bird needs to be vaccinated, it is best to speak with your Avian veterinarian first. A bird vaccination can cost you around $15 to $50.

Dental Costs

As parakeets have no teeth, they don’t need denCareCare. There is nothing to worry about as long as your parakeet has toys to chew on. So, in this area, The adjustment cost can be integrated into the supply cost of your parakeets.

As long as a parakeet has something they can scrape their beaks on to keep it trimmed, you don’t need any dental Care for them.

Treatment Costs for Parasites

Be sure to offer only organic fresh fruits & vegetables to your parakeet. The fruits and vegetables of a parakeet should always be cleaned thoroughly. It’s not uncommon for a parakeet to suffer from a parasite infection, whether it is kept indoors or outdoors. Treatment for parasites can cost you around $80 to $100.

Preparing For Emergencies 

It would help if you had some savings for a medical emergency to guarantee that you are always ready for an unanticipated cost. It will be best to save and put at least $10 each month, so if the emergency arises, you only have to rush your parakeet to the vet. By having 100-250 dollars per year, you can quickly pay without compromising the rest of your parakeet budget.

Medications Cost for Old Parakeet On-Going Conditions

In case of medication for ongoing conditions, you can expect to pay around 50 to $120 per year. As parakeets age, they are less likely to eat efficiently and process food the way they used to. Old parakeets may need certain supplements to keep them in shape.

Insurance

Insurance for an exotic bird tends to be very expensive. Fortunately for birds like parakeets, it does not always have to be so expensive. However, very few insurances are available for small birds like a parakeet.

Depending upon the breed’s health condition, rarity, and age, insurance will cost you around $10 to $50 per year. If a parakeet is in natural color mutation or pattern, research the insurance cost first.

Interesting Further Reading

Food

Like any other bird, parakeets also need a healthy but varied diet. 70% of their diet should consist of seed mixes and pellets. 20-25% should come from fruits and vegetables.

Make sure that the food is well sourced from a reputable company. You can expect to pay around $150 – $250 per year on food supplies for a parakeet.

Environment Maintenance Cost

For Parakeets, the cage is where they will spend most of their lifetime. Environment maintenance is necessary to keep the cell excited for a parakeet to play and be healthy. Parakeets are very Messy Birds, but they do prefer a clean environment. You can expect to spend $15 to $25 per year on maintenance.

They are changing the liner of the cage bottom multiple times a week at up to the cost. You can also recycle paper or newspapers to rule out the price. Make sure to clean the cage once a week using a chemical cleaner.

Entertainment Costs

As parakeets are active and furious, bird toys are an essential part of their life. They will need something to engage with and keep their mental stimulation up. If a parakeet is left in an unstimulating area for too long, it will exhibit self-destructive behaviors. You can expect to pay around $120 to $240 on toys, perches, and other essentials.

Total Annual Cost of Owning a Parakeet

The total annual cost of owning a parakeet is around $250 to $ 450. The total yearly cost of owning a parakeet doesn’t have anything to do with the first cost of buying the cage and the bird itself. Once the initial prices are out of the way, you will pay between $250 to 450 dollars each year.

These costs include feeding them, maintaining their cage, buying them toys, annual vet visits, and medical expenses. It is possible to own a parakeet on a budget; however, keeping them happy is necessary.

If you can’t provide their necessities, avoid adopting one. The only area where you can skip the expense is getting new toys & features for their Aviary.

You should never avoid these things because they can become self-destructive if you don’t get them. Parakeets can also start plucking their feathers or picking at their skin out of boredom.

FAQ

Conclusion

Depending upon how you decide to adopt a parakeet, you can look to spend about a couple of hundreds of dollars. You will always want to invest in a high-quality cage with a bar spacing of a minimum of half an inch.

The parakeet should have a secured lock to make it escape-proof. You must also have the amount to spend on treats and toys for a parakeet. Nothing here is negotiable regarding your parakeet care.

The initial cost of having a parakeet can be more than $400. The annual fee for caring for a pair of parakeets properly is closer to $350 minimum. However, the range mostly has to do with the amount you spend on treats and toys.

As Birds like parakeets are not meant to be ornamented, being a caretaker, you have complete responsibility for their quality of life. It would help if you did whatever you could to improve your parakeet’s life.