How long do parakeets live? The answer to this question isn’t that easy because there are more than 200 species of parakeets around the globe.
The diversity of parakeet species is so enormous that you’ll find them in different colors and body structures, sizes, etc. And of course, with differences in their color, size, and body structure, the lifespan of different parakeets is also not the same. In this article, we’ll talk about how long do parakeets live and how to know what age is your parakeet.
Where some parakeets live only for 25 to 30 years, others have a lifespan of more than seven decades. If you are intrigued to know the lifespan of parakeets, then it is important to understand the below-stated facts.
What Affects A Parakeet’s Life Expectancy?
A parakeet’s life expectancy is much more if they are on their own to live freely in their wild habitat. Whereas a captive/pet parakeet lives shorter in comparison to a free parakeet and not one or two years less but 25 to 27 years less than a free parakeet. This can make any parakeet owner intrigued to know how long do Parakeets live.
Now why this exactly happens is not a hard-core science to understand. For one thing, free parakeets who have to look for their food and shelter on their own tend to get more physical activity in comparison to the captive ones who don’t have access to such large areas and get their feed in their nest. Moreover, free parakeets can fly around with their friends as and when they feel like it. Perhaps the saying God has arranged food for every bird but outside their nest has more deep meanings than we can gauge.
Also, free parakeets are not attached to their caretaker as captive/pet parakeets. It is observed by wildlife experts that captive/pet parakeets who get separated from their caretaker because of their death or any reason, are psychologically affected and lose the willingness to live and can’t make a strong bond with a new caretaker anytime soon.
On the other hand, free parakeets are majorly deprived of healthcare facilities, in case they get sick. But if they are taken care of well in a comfortable environment, their life expectancy can increase. Moreover, they can be safeguarded from plausible enemies in a comfy environment to some extent better.
Another thing that is worth mentioning here is that parakeets are in a good state of mind when surrounded by a fellow parakeet. They stress relatively more in seclusion.
How Long Do Parakeets Live?
As discussed earlier, there are 200+ species of parakeets on the planet. It’s not possible to cover all species, nevertheless, commonly found species have been covered in this article. So let’s know how long do parakeets live:
1. Monk Parakeets
These are the most typically found species of parakeets. They have fresh chilli green color and are expected to live for 15 to 20 years if held as pets, and 20 to 30 years otherwise.
2. African Gray Parakeets
If kept captive as a pet, African Gray Parakeets have a life expectancy of 20 years or a maximum of 30 years. In contrast, free parakeets can live to double the time pet African Gray Parakeets do, i.e., 40 to 60 years.
3. Amazon Parrots
Amazon parrots are expected to live anywhere between 25 to 75 years, whereas many captive/pet Amazon Parakeets have been discovered to live more than 50 years.
4. Budgerigar
Typically found in the Australian habitat, Budgerigars possess blue-green or yellow color and are expected to live for 5 to 9 years in captivity. Budgerigars who live freely have a relatively lower life expectancy (6 years).
5. Indian Rose Ringed Parrot
The green-colored Indian Rose Ringed parrots or Indian ring-necked parrots usually live for 20 to 30 years in their natural habitat, the highest being documented for 50 years. On the other hand, captive/pet Indian Rose Ringed parrots live 15 to 25 years.
6. Cockatoos
In general, Cockatoos have a life expectancy of 45 to 70 years, with an exception for Sulphur Crested Cockatoos who live for 10 to 15 years.
7. Plain Parakeets
You can expect a plain parakeet to live for about 7 to 15 years in captivity and for around 18 years in natural habitat free.
8. Cockatiels
If left on their own in their natural wild habitat, Cockatiels can live up to 10 to 15 years. Captive/Pet Cockatiels live for about 15 to 25 years.
9. Eclectus Parrots
As pets in captivity, Eclectus Parrots might live for 20 to 28 years and free Eclectus Parrots have a life expectancy of 30 to 50 years.
How To Find Age Of A Parakeet?
You’ve just learned how long do Parakeets live, but it is also essential to know their age at the time when you decide to have them as pets. Although not every other person is an expert in identifying the age of a parakeet, here are a few ways to reckon the age of a parakeet:
- Young parakeets have more bright-colored wings than the older ones.
- Parakeets who are still in their green days are found more active than the older ones.
- One can tell if a parakeet is young or old by looking at their eyes. Most young parakeets have black colored eyes which change color as they grow old. The elder parakeets usually have a yellow lining below their eyeball. But this does not apply to parakeets like Albino Parrot since the color of their eyes does not change at all.
Why Do Parakeets Die Suddenly?
We’ve discussed earlier in this article how long do Parakeets live. However, there can be numerous reasons for their sudden death that relate to their habitat, diet, health conditions, etc. Here are possible problems that can result in the sudden death of a parakeet:
- Tumor: Elderly parakeets are more prone to tumors.
- Trauma: Parakeets can die if they are afraid of an attack or go into depression in solace.
- Gout: When uric acid starts to get deposited in the body parts of parakeets (generally in feet), they tend to feel pain and have difficulty in movements.
- Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD): This is a deadly infection that can cause the death of a parakeet. Diarrhea, feather loss, mucus, and bleeding are a few symptoms of PBFD.
- Certain Fragrances: Fragrances of lily flowers, paint, air fresheners, Incense, and scented candles can cause the death of a parakeet.
The Bottomline
Parakeets are adorable creatures and have the longest lifespan among all the birds. How long do Parakeets live depends on a plethora of factors discussed in this article. Considering the factors that affect their life expectancy, they must only be held captive or pets if it is for their betterment and you’ve all the necessary healthcare facilities and can provide them with their natural habitat in which they can freely fly, play and grow. For this purpose, one also needs to be aware of:
- the species of their parakeet
- how long do parakeets live , and
- the age of the parakeet.
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