How to Care for an Aging Parakeet
How to Care for an Aging Parakeet.
by Becky Roth
Parakeets can make great pets. They are social, talkative, entertaining, and have a manageable size. Many people who want to have parakeets as a pet have one question – how long do parakeets live? The answer is they live to be 10 to 15 years old, and some might also live up to 20 years. So, it’s no surprise many pet lovers are caring for older parakeets.
If you have adopted an aging parakeet, you need to take the proper care of it. Here are some suggestions to take care of an aging parakeet.
Easing Transitions
Like humans, parakeets also get nervous in new environments. If you have recently shifted house or adopted an old parakeet, you need to take steps to ease the transition to the new environment. The parakeet needs time to adjust to new people and smells in the house.
Ensure the new cage you have brought for the parakeet is safe and the new part of the parakeet world is a nice one. You will notice the parakeet is relaxed and accepts its new home after a week or two. During the transition period, make sure the parakeet is fed well and the water is fresh.
Now that you know the answer to how long do parakeets live? How to ease the transition if you adopt an aging parakeet? Here is more information on caring for older parakeets.
Weight Monitoring
Aging parakeets must be closely monitored for weight loss or obesity. As these birds grow older, their metabolism slows down, and their nutritional requirements change. You need to re-evaluate their calorie requirements periodically to keep them in good health. Nutrition is an essential part of parakeet caring, and weight monitoring is necessary to keep their weight in check.
Grooming Their Nails and Beaks
Some aging parakeets also suffer from bone and joint problems or arthritis. These birds often neglect to clean their body with their beaks or nails. If you notice such a thing with your aging parakeet, you need to help them groom themselves. Malnutrition and hepatic problems lead to overgrown nails and beaks.
You need to pay attention to the grooming of nails. Neglecting overgrown nails or failure in trimming them can result in accidents. Provide a variety of perches with different diameters and textures that is essential to make aging birds comfortable.
Depigmentation of the feet in spots, thinning of the skin on the feet, and stiff joints are common health problems noted in aging parakeets. Perches and cage setup need to adapt to your aging feathered companion.
Wellness Screening
Many aging parakeets suffer from hypervitaminosis that leads to renal failure. X-rays, Urinalysis, and blood chemistry need to be performed for an accurate diagnosis. You should also consider a complete eye scan for degenerative vision conditions, cataracts, iris color change, or corneal disease.
To sum up, as your pet grows old, it needs more love and care. Though Parakeets are talkative, they cannot tell you about their health. It would help if you recognized the change in their weight, activities, and behavior to know they are not in their best condition as per their age.
The information given in the post draws your attention to important aspects that will help you care for the aging parakeet in a better manner.
