Parakeets are among the most popular species of all to own as pets.
They are great pets for a lot of reasons, including their calm temperament and affectionate nature.
But when you’re thinking about getting a parrot, one of your first and biggest concerns is always going to be about how much it will cost to buy in the first place.
So, how much do parakeets cost?
On average, parakeets cost around $40 to $70. It can vary hugely depending on the breed, the pet store, the breeder, and many other factors. As parrots go, though, parakeets are certainly a cheaper option. This is in part because they are so popular and in high demand.
In short, then, parakeets do not cost very much at all.
There are, of course, rarer and more exotic breeds that are going to be more expensive.
But the general cost of widely bred and available parakeets is typically less than $100.
Let’s find out more.
How much should parakeets cost?
There are a couple of ways of looking at this question.
Let’s first consider the simple angle: what should you reasonably expect to pay for a parakeet?
Well, as I’ve said, the price may be surprisingly low.
At most you can expect to pay $70-80 for any parakeet breeds that are commonly available and widely bred.
More commonly, the price will probably be around $40-50 and even as low as $30.
So, as far as you are concerned about getting the best price, this is where you can expect the cost to sit at most pet shops and private breeders.
However, if we are asking how much they should cost, then there’s another thing we should keep in mind.
These are living creatures, obviously, so their welfare is extremely important.
When an animal becomes this cheap to buy, it is typically because of practices surrounding their sale and breeding.
I’ll go into more detail on that shortly, but you shouldn’t allow yourself to be roped in by an offer that seems too good to be true.
If a parakeet is being sold for an extremely low price, then there are probably less than ethical practices taking place which you do not want to contribute to.
Don’t pay less than $40 for a parakeet.
You don’t really know what you’re going to get, and the early stages of a parakeet’s development are vital to its temperament.
Do you need to have two parakeets?
Yes, you should, is the simple answer.
Parakeets are highly social animals even as parrots go, and in the wild they almost always mate for life.
This demonstrates an incredibly highly developed social brain, that absolutely needs companionship in order for them to be happy.
Parakeets should always be kept in pairs, and never alone.
Even if you were able to be around it 24 hours a day, it still wouldn’t be fully satisfied without a companion in its own species.
They will be withdrawn and ultimately lonely, and if they are raised without one, then they will likely end up demonstrating extremely problematic behavior as they get older.
So, yes, you need two parakeets in order for them to be properly happy.
So, how much does two parakeets cost?
How much are two parakeets?
Well, in most cases, you’re just going to be paying for two parakeets—so just double the price of what I’ve already quoted.
For a pair of parakeets, you’ll pay somewhere between $80 and $150.
Pet shops and breeders will encourage or even require you to get a pair, but in most cases, you won’t be able to just buy them as a pair.
You’ll have to buy them separately.
That said, some breeders may well have special deals on pairs of parakeets, though this isn’t going to be very common.
Even where it is, you still need to be very wary of how little you could actually be paying for two parakeets.
If you can find a pair of parakeets for cheaper, say, than $90 to $100, then this is probably an indication that something is amiss, and you should shop elsewhere.
So, with all this said, let’s consider exactly why you need to be so careful with cheap parakeets.
Why are parakeets so cheap?
Firstly, why exactly are they so cheap?
Well, it’s due to a couple of factors. Some of them are simple economic reasons.
Parakeets are very popular, and thus there are a lot of them.
Supply has risen past the point of demand, and that has driven down the price.
This is a basic principle of economics and applies to all sorts of commodities.
The more there is of something, the easier, and thus the cheaper, it is to get.
But let us not forget that these are animals we are talking about.
Complex animals with rich interior lives, deeply susceptible to pain and suffering.
They are not like raw materials which you can extract or products that you can easily make.
They must be bred and raised.
Many breeders are not interested in the welfare of the birds or indeed in birds at all.
They see it as an easy way to make money.
Just as you find kitten mills and puppy mills where animals are bred without any concern for their welfare and raised without any thought as to their quality of life, bird mills exist for the same purpose.
Thus, the real reason parakeets are so cheap is that they are raised en masse, without any thought to their health or welfare.
This can mean you end up with a parakeet without the right temperament because it has not been raised properly.
Such practices are a huge issue in the modern pet industry, and this is why I encourage you so strongly to seek out responsible and reputable pet breeders and pet shops.
You should avoid supporting the bird mill industry at all costs, however much you may want a cheap parakeet.
How much does it cost to keep a parakeet?
So, even purchased ethically, a parakeet really doesn’t cost much to buy.
So, how much does it cost to keep?
Well, you may be surprised again to learn that the costs generally are not that high.
On average, the cost of maintaining a parakeet for a period of one year will cost around $185.
This includes basics like food and bedding.
You will have other initial costs beyond the bird.
You’ll need a large cage and many toys for it to play with, which can sometimes total even more than the bird itself.
But the other big thing you’ll need to consider is vet bills.
Vet bills are high to begin with, but with exotic animals like parakeets, they can get exorbitantly high.
For a regular check-up including blood work and other vital tests, a typical bill will cost around $250-300.
Parakeets, however, are just as prone to sudden and unexpected illnesses as other pets are.
This is another cost you’re going to need to account for.
If your bird needs any kind of live saving treatment, the bills could be significantly higher depending on the situation.
Are parakeets good pets?
Yes, parakeets make great pets!
They are friendly and inquisitive, affectionate, and playful and will love spending time with you and even being handled.
Every parakeet is different, and they can have very different temperaments, but they are by and large extremely friendly and loving birds.
The most important point to reiterate here is about the sociability of parakeets.
They won’t be great pets if you don’t have a pair.
One parakeet on its own will be dejected and depressed, and you alone won’t be enough for it.
But a pair of parakeets that are well cared for make great pets that will love you for a long time.
They do become deeply bonded with their humans as well as with each other.
Also, while parakeets do make good starter parrots, owning a parrot is still very different from most other kinds of pet.
Their care is unique and you need to do a lot of research before you can comfortably take care of one, so be sure you understand what you’re getting into with a parakeet.
So, while it may initially seem great for you that parakeets are so cheap, you do need to take a pause for a minute.
The reason the price is so low is largely because unethical mills breed parakeets with no thought to their health or wellbeing.
Finding reputable breeders is one of the most important things about buying a parakeet, or you do not know what you might end up with.
We need to combat these practices, and that cannot be done by buying cheap birds from such breeders.