Читать книгу Parakeets For Dummies - Nikki Moustaki - Страница 16

Parakeets need as large of a cage as your space and budget can afford. If you can’t buy a large cage, then save up until you can. A cramped parakeet will be quite unhappy.

A parakeet’s environment needs good lighting. It can be indirect natural lighting with some direct sunlight during the day (though the bird should always have half the cage in a shady spot where it can retreat in order to avoid sunstroke). Or, you can use special bird lamps, which you can get at the pet shop or online. A clip-on lamp and a full-spectrum bulb meant for birds should keep your parakeet healthy.

Ideally, the temperature in your parakeet’s environment should be between 68° F and 72° F (20° C and 22.22° C). Make sure that your bird doesn’t get too cold or too warm, and that it has clean, fresh water at all times in hot weather. You can tell if your bird is too cold if it sits with its feathers fluffed up; if it is too hot, it will open its wings at the shoulder joint and pant with an open beak. If your home is below 68° F (20° C) at night, make sure to cover the cage to keep in the heat and keep out drafts. (Chapter 4 offers some advice on how to keep your bird warm in the cooler months.)

Before bringing your parakeet home, make a space for his cage in an area where he’s bound to get the most attention. I like to place my companion birds’ cages in an area where they can see me most of the time, like in a family room or living room. They get the added bonus of being able to watch television (and believe me, they like it!). Your parakeet is unlikely to get a lot of attention in a garage, child’s room, or patio.