Small and Medium Parrots｜Husbandry and Care (the disease column is covered in a separate article) | Evidence chain

FAQ

What should I know about the small and medium parrot's species／breed and lifespan?

The budgerigar, the cockatiel and the monk parakeet are the three most common beginner parrots; their lifespans are generally longer than those of mammalian pets of comparable size. Specific year counts (AVMA: "Parakeets...live an average of six years, but can live as long as 18 years" "Cockatiels live 16 years on average, but many have lived for more than 30 years" <https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/selecting-pet-bird>, verified 2026-07-30; for the monk parakeet [No single authoritative figure for this item: the whitelisted sources give no reference value for the lifespan of the monk parakeet]). Keepers commonly misjudge this as "only a few years of commitment". The actual judgement still rests with a veterinarian on a case-by-case basis, and this article gives no drug names or dosages.

What should I know about the small and medium parrot's normal physiological indicators?

What to measure: body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, body weight. Measurement methods: body temperature with an avian infrared or cloacal probe (an ordinary household ear thermometer is not suitable); heart rate by counting with a stethoscope against the chest wall; respiration by visually counting chest and abdominal excursions per minute with the beak closed; body weight on an electronic scale, weighed regularly in the morning on an empty crop, with the point being the "trend" rather than any single figure. Abnormal directions: continuing weight loss (a warning sign of occult disease), open-mouth breathing or tail-bobbing respiration (respiratory distress). Specific figures: the Merck Veterinary Manual gives, for most psittacines, a body temperature of "103°–106°F (39°–41°C)", a heart rate in large parrots under restraint of ">250 beats/minute", and respiratory rates by body size of "smaller birds (< 300 g) from 30−60 breaths/minute" and "larger birds (400–1,000 g) from 15–30 breaths/minute" (<https://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/management-of-pet-birds>, verified 2026-07-30; the budgerigar／cockatiel／monk parakeet in this group are psittacines, so the figures apply directly). The actual judgement still rests with a veterinarian on a case-by-case basis, and this article gives no drug names or dosages.

What should I know about the small and medium parrot's husbandry environment?

The cage must allow the bird to spread its wings and hop; perches need to vary in thickness and material to spread pressure across the soles of the feet (avoiding pododermatitis); avoid sharp temperature swings and direct draughts; provide full-spectrum lighting or diffuse outdoor daylight (the light cycle affects moulting and reproductive state); the cage must never be placed near non-stick／PTFE cookware in the kitchen (see column 10). The actual judgement still rests with a veterinarian on a case-by-case basis, and this article gives no drug names or dosages.