Many birds have different lifespans, ranging from 2 to 100 years old! When finding the perfect flying companion, you are needing to know how long he or she may live in order to plan your life around them for that specific amount of time. The best thing you want to do for your pet is give them a happy and healthy life, with the length of their lifespan being a part of it. With parakeets being so popular, it is good to know this information.Most budgies live to be around 10-15 years old when given proper care and treatment, which makes them the longest-living parakeet out there. However, many times, their lives are shortened due to stress, sickness, toxic chemicals or some other factor that comes into play. Sometimes, we may not know about it before it is too late.This does not necessarily mean you are not doing the best you can for your bird, but making sure he or she gets a lot of love from you, receives the proper diet, better exercise as well as having the right companion, since your feathered friend is a social animal. Generally speaking, budgies are very energetic and healthy animals, but in this article, we are going to go more in depth on the subject as well as tips for helping your bird live longer.

What Do Budgies Do Before They Die?

The last thing you want to see is your feathered baby dying, especially when you are doing the very best you can in order to avoid this at all cost. Just know you are an excellent bird owner, regardless of what happens. If your budgie shows any of these symptoms, it would be best to call the veterinarian right away and get your bird checked out for a better diagnosis.

• Sneezing or wheezing
• Urinating more frequently
• May be limping
• Vomiting
• Some sort of discharge from their eyes or nostrils
• Skin or feathers change in color
• Drinks irregularly
• May eat more or less

Do Budgies Die Easily?

It seems as if one minute your parakeet is completely fine then the next, they look as if they are dying, as we have already learned. That being said, they are very small and frail creatures, so it may be too late when you notice your little bird passing away. In this, many factors that come into play that we do not realize, such as:

• Toxic chemicals: heavy metals, certain foods, heavy metals, teflon or cleaning supplies.
• Diet: just how we enjoy different meals on our daily menu, it is best to not give your bird only seeds to eat. They need plenty of water and a good balanced diet. Look for a mixed seed brand specifically for parakeets in order to ensure good calcium, which they need. If you provide fruit, do not leave it in their cages all day since it can get bad.
• Heat: make sure you are paying attention to their environment all throughout the day. Are they in a cool area in the morning and is it too warm in the mid-day? Be mindful of these things.
• Diseases: we may not know they have any diseases since the symptoms will not always show. However, if your parakeet is not acting normal, losing their appetite or has fluffed feathers, this can be an indicator that something is wrong.

How Can I Comfort My Dying Budgie?

No one ever wants to be alone, especially our pets, regardless if it is a little bird or large horse. Knowing that someone cares for them when they need it the most is such an amazing feeling, especially for your animal when they are passing away. They have the understanding that you care for them in a deeper way and will receive much comfort from that, ensuring the process is more peaceful.Some things to keep in mind when you know your budgie is going to birdie heaven:

• Don’t make any loud noises near the cage.
• Play soft music in the background.
• Talk to him or her softly and gently, like a baby.
• Keep the cage half covered to make sure they stay warm.
• If you take them out of the cage, find a warm blanket to hold your budgie in.
• They will not resist you as much, so give him or her a last kiss or cuddle.

Is It Cruel To Keep a Budgie In a Cage?

If we wanted to see birds from afar, the generations before us should have kept note of that and not tame them thousands of years ago. The reason why we keep birds in cages is because that is all they have known their entire lives. If we were to take one from the store and immediately let them go, odds are, they will not survive in the wild and will die shortly. It is our duty to keep the ones we have safe and secured.Another main key point to note is the fact that tame birds see humans as their flock and do not know how to find food on their own let alone know that he or she needs to watch out for predators. However, in our next point we will go over what we can do in order to ensure a longer life for our budgie.

How Can I Make My Bird Live Longer?

Enough about the sad… let us talk about something positive! As we know, some parakeets only live to be a few years old, and it is most likely not our own faults. That being said, our goal is to help them get to that 10-15 year lifespan, so here are ways we can help our birds live longer.AVOID STRESSAlthough this might be a given, small birds can get scared or stressed out very easily.

• Do not make loud noises near your budgie.
• Keep your bird in a place quiet, such as your bedroom or a back room with not a lot of heavy traffic.
• Don’t move too quickly. Avoid making quick, jerky movements.
• Make sure their cage is big enough.
• Note what sort of smells they may be inhaling, such as chemicals, smoking cigarettes, perfumes or cooking.

PROVIDE A GOOD DIETAs mentioned above, a reasonable diet for your feathered friend is a must. Having seeds only will not give them the strength or energy needed to keep going.

• Do not use cheap bird food that only contains seeds, but of higher quality.
• Iodine blocks and cuttlefish bones for calcium.
• Lots of raw greens and fruit (avoid soft foods & stick to hard food, such as apples, spinach, cooked pumpkin (cooled off), carrots or parsley.

PROVIDE COMPANIONSIt is not ideal for budgies to live all alone, for they are very social animals. Being alone can develop loneliness, fear and boredom. Another companion can help ensure more socialization, groom each other and see another as their own flock.KNOW THEIR HEALTH ISSUESBeing able to tell what a budgie’s health issues are will ensure some sort of peace and understanding in yourself. Omlet provides a great article on the details of health problems that might occur, but if you are needing a quick list, here they are:

• AGY (yeast) infection
• Candida overgrowth
• Sour crop
• Sneezing
• Parrot fever
• French molt
• Wounds
• Splayed feet

GIVE PLENTY OF EXERCISEIf you have room for a big cage, get one. Otherwise, let your bird fly around your home or one specific room for a while to help them flap their wings and get the best utilization for their wings possible.

Final Word

Although we hate to see our feathered friends leave this world, it is good to know that we can provide methods of ensuring he or she is living life to their fullest potential. Doing your best to love on them and providing a safe and secure environment will help your budgie out tremendously. They will thank you in the long run for it!