Parakeets

[3kids4me Super Moderator and Super Mom Find all posts View Profile Close 3kids4me]

So this is our school vacation week, and since we're not going anywhere, I offered to parakeet-sit for a classmate of my daughter's. I was told by the mom that the parakeets are very low maintenance and chirp pleasantly throughout the day, but are quiet at night when the cage is covered.

So they dropped off the parakeets today, and all I can say is that "chirp pleasantly" is an understatement. These birds are loud! And the chirping doesn't stop!

I really do hope that when the cage is covered, that the birds really do stop chirping....

Anyone have parakeets here? Do they "chirp pleasantly"?

Sharon

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

I don't know about the "chirping pleasantly" but when we had birds all I remember was how incredibly dirty they were. There was bird cr*p all over the place.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Do they chirp pleasantly.

uh...NO. They are raucous.

My mother's 'keets were not only raucous but VICIOUS. I've yet to recover from the mental scarring. Although I have met small parrots that are very sweet,I can't let them near my earlobes.

You can can cover the cage at night but the best chance is to also put them in a room that is not on the east side of your house.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

They chirp all the time but not at night when the cage is covered. Be sure they have fresh water and don't keep them to close to a window draft. You may want to keep a chew toy for them. That might keep them occupied and there mouths shut.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

We had a parakeet and...it did chirp pretty pleasantly. I thought it was quite a nice pet. Maybe two of them are noisier?

If you decide you like the parakeets, I have a cousin who is looking for a good home for her very chatty parrot.

[Ann-Marie Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ann-Marie]

We had parrakeets many years ago, and loved htem. We just adopted 2 on Saturday. They are noisy, and chirp all day. I find it ver outdoorsy souding and pleasent. When they are covered at night, they sleep, just like us.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

I knew somebody who got a bunch of finches because they're so pretty, those little buff-colored birds with the orange beaks. But they HATED the finches because not only do they chirp like mad, the chirp sounds like a computer chip. Really annoying.

Finally all the finches died of old age and there was only one finch left. The owners went on vacation, leaving the finch with a friend. They came back and picked up the finch and they were thinking, "Darn, the finch didn't die while we were away!"

So a couple more years go by and this damned finch is the oldest surviving finch in the history of finches, still making that awful computer-chip noise. Every so often they see the friend who watched the bird, and he always asks about the bird. Finally they say, "Would you like to have the bird? We would be happy to give it to you, except you should know it's incredibly old."

And the guy goes, "You don't...like it?"

And they say, "No! It makes this terrible annoying noise and we just can't stand it. We've been waiting and waiting for it to die!"

And the guy says, "Uhhhhh. It DID die. It died while you were on vacation that time. But I thought you really loved it and I went to every pet shop in town looking for another finch that looked like it. I finally had to go to Chinatown to find one!"

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

OMG! Wacky I'm DYING!

My mom's finches really loved the B-52s song "planet Claire" and would chirp to it very electronically.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

OMG! Wacky I'm DYING!

Me, too. That is just hilarious!!

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

It's such a weird story that it sounds made up, but it isn't. They couldn't believe that they hadn't seen that the old bird had suddenly gotten all young and healthy, but apparently they just didn't ever look at it all that carefully.

[mshatty Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close mshatty]

And the guy says, "Uhhhhh. It DID die. It died while you were on vacation that time. But I thought you really loved it and I went to every pet shop in town looking for another finch that looked like it. I finally had to go to Chinatown to find one!"

I love it!

[falmouth3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close falmouth3]

Hi Wacky,
Where does your cousin live? I know of two families who live in upstate NY who may be interested.

Sue

[3kids4me Super Moderator and Super Mom Find all posts View Profile Close 3kids4me]

Oy...these birds were up at the crack of dawn...even with a blanket over their cage.

It's the basement next!! Unfortunately, it's a walk out, so there will still be light...

Sigh....

[Carol C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Carol C]

OMG! Wacky I'm DYING!

My mom's finches really loved the B-52s song "planet Claire" and would chirp to it very electronically.

I love that song too...it's one of my faves of theirs (along with "Dirty Back Road"). I chirp along pleasantly to that band...yay Athens GA!

[Oracle Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Oracle]

In the bird world; 'keets chirping is pleasant compared to other birds.

We have lovebirds, which are a little more annoying, but not too much. Our kids complain about it when they come to visit (including the one who originally bought the birds), but we have just become accustomed to it.

Some parrots scream and screech with ear splitting volume.