Multiple Parakeets

User Question
I really enjoy your site! I've read a lot of useful info, but still have a question.

I have a female and a male parakeet. I have a cage, 18" X 30" X 33". I want to get more parakeets. For this cage, how many would be too many? Also, I really would prefer males, for the singing, but since I already have one female, should I get another so the males don't squabble over her? Should I have equal number of females as males? Or does it really matter? The two I already have of course are close, but as far as I know they haven't mated.

This next bit is just a curious observation: over time I have had four males and two females. I have observed that the males sing more, and really like to preen in front of mirrors. The females I have had were cranky, didn't sing as much, and definitely ruled the males! They demanded, and didn't return, grooming. Is this typical male/female behavior, or just happened to be their personalities?

Thanks for your time!

Lisa's Answer
Actually I've seen females that are preen-happy and females that love to sing. So it all depends on the individual keet. There really isn't any way to generalize things like that. The number of keets in a cage really depends on the keets personalities. Never just stuff a new keet into an existing cage, always start the keet out in his or her own cage. Train the new keet and then let the new keet choose *on her own time* when to visit the other cage. It can take 1-2 months for a new keet to feel comfortable with an existing flock. I would really say not to get mixed sexes unless you have fully talked with a vet, bought the equpiment and are ready for breeding. You don't want to be calling the vet at 3am when an egg appears, asking what you need to buy and how to handle a stuck egg issue. That's how female keets end up dead.

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