4,133 answers about birds
Parrots, budgies, cockatiels and finches each come with their own care questions — diet, cage setup, taming, noise and health. This page gathers the bird library of KinsLe Answers in one place, organized by topic so keepers can find a straight answer fast. Every answer is original, written by KinsLe, and tied to a real KinsLe feature.
625 answers in Choosing & Adopting — page 1 of 27
Ask how the hill mynah was reared, what soft foods and fruits it eats, whether it has been checked by an avian veterinarian, and how vocal and messy its parents are, because this talented mimic needs a specialised diet and a home ready for loud, clear calls. Ask about iron-sensitive feeding, since mynahs need a…
Ask how the plum-headed parakeet was weaned, what foods it eats now, how much daily handling it has had, and whether its parents were health checked, because this gentle, relatively quiet parakeet settles best when its early routine is already known. Also ask about sex, since males develop the deep plum head while…
Before getting a moustached parakeet, ask how the bird was reared and whether it is fully weaned onto a varied diet of seed, pellets if used, vegetables, and fruit, because this Asian parakeet needs confident early feeding. Ask how its sex was determined, since adult males develop a coral-red upper beak while hens…
Before getting a regent parrot, ask whether the bird was hand-reared or parent-raised, because regents are gentle Australian parrots whose tameness varies widely with rearing, and ask whether it is fully weaned onto seed, vegetables, and fruit. Ask how much flight space the breeder provides, how the bird's sex was…
Before getting a superb parrot, ask whether the bird is hand-reared or aviary-raised, how its sex has been confirmed, and how much flight space it has been raised in, because this long-lived Australian parrot is a strong flier that matures slowly. Ask what the bird eats, whether it is fully weaned, and what the…
For a princess parrot, ask how much flight length the breeder provides, because this long-tailed Australian parakeet needs room to fly rather than climb in a small cage, and ask whether the bird was aviary-raised or hand-reared for a pet home. Ask what the bird eats, whether young are fully weaned, and how the breeder…
Before getting a kakariki, ask whether the bird is a red-crowned or yellow-crowned bird, whether it was aviary-raised or hand-reared, and how much ground-foraging and bathing opportunity it gets, because kakariki are exceptionally active New Zealand parakeets that scratch, dig, and splash daily. Ask what the bird…
Before getting a lineolated parakeet, ask whether the bird was hand-fed or parent-raised, whether it is fully weaned onto seed, pellets if used, and chopped vegetables, and how much daily handling it currently receives. Ask about the bird's hatch background, its parents' colours, and whether it has been raised around…
For a scarlet-chested parrot, ask how the breeder houses and feeds this sensitive grass parakeet, whether the aviary is kept dry, whether birds are wormed on a routine the breeder can describe, and whether the chick is fully weaned and feeding at ground level. Ask about colour mutations and whether normal-coloured…
Before getting a turquoise parrot, ask whether the birds are parent-reared or hand-reared, what the parents eat, whether the young are fully weaned onto seed and greens rather than still being spoon-fed, and how the breeder houses this ground-feeding grass parakeet. Also ask about the bird's age, sexing if known, and…
Ask whether the spice finch was captive-bred or imported, how long the breeder has kept it, and whether it is eating calmly in an aviary setting. Spice finches are shy, stress-prone birds, so ask what cover, companions, and seed foods it is used to, and whether it has lived outdoors or indoors. A breeder who answers…
Ask how the society finches are housed, whether they live in a mixed flock or family groups, how old a young bird is, and whether it is fully weaned and eating seed independently. Because society finches thrive in company, ask whether you should take a compatible pair or small group from the same aviary rather than a…
Ask a ringneck dove breeder how much the youngsters have been handled, whether a bird is best kept singly with human company or as a pair, and what the parents eat and look like. Ringneck doves are domestic, gentle birds, so ask about cooing volume, how females are managed when they lay eggs, and what length of cage…
Ask a Java sparrow breeder whether the birds are kept as a social flock, how the sexes are told apart, and whether any local rules restrict keeping this species where you live. Java sparrows are sturdy, communal finches, so ask what group size the breeder recommends, what seed and rice-based foods they eat, how much…
Ask a Gouldian finch breeder how old each bird is and whether it has completed its first molt into adult color, because dull youngsters sold too young can struggle. Ask what warmth the aviary is kept at, since Gouldian finches dislike cold and drafts, what seed and soft food the birds eat now, whether the parents…
Ask a diamond dove breeder whether the bird is fully independent on tiny seed, whether it is bonded to a mate or sibling you should take too, and how the parents are housed and fed. Diamond doves are tiny, ground-feeding birds, so ask about floor space, low perches, and what grit and greens the breeder provides…
Ask a Bourke's parrot breeder how the young birds were raised and weaned, what exact foods they eat now, whether parents are on site and healthy, and how the birds behave at dawn and dusk, when this gentle grass parrot is most active. Also ask about flight: Bourke's parrots are ground-foraging fliers who do best with…
Choose a zebra finch if you want small birds who live happily among themselves in a flight cage, and choose a parrotlet if you want one tiny parrot you can tame, train, and handle daily. Zebra finches sing softly, need finch companions, and stay hands-off, while a parrotlet bonds to a person, can learn tricks and a…
Pick a zebra finch if you want an undemanding flock to watch and hear, and pick a macaw only if you want a giant, intelligent parrot who needs hours of interaction, a huge enclosure, and a plan for many decades of life. Zebra finches thrive on finch company and flight space and ask almost nothing of your hands, while…
Choose a zebra finch for a low-demand flock you enjoy watching, and choose a cockatoo only if you can give a highly emotional, very loud parrot hours of daily companionship for decades. Zebra finches need finch company, flight room, and simple feeding, while a cockatoo needs constant social contact, huge housing, and…
Choose a parrotlet if you want parrot attitude in a tiny body and can respect a territorial, sometimes nippy streak, and choose a Senegal parrot if you want a calmer, hardier bird with better talking potential. A parrotlet fits a smaller cage but still needs daily handling to stay tame, while a Senegal parrot costs…
Choose a Senegal parrot unless you have the space, schedule, and experience for a macaw, because a macaw is a much larger, louder, and more demanding lifelong commitment. A macaw needs a very large enclosure, hours of direct social time, and heavy-duty toys its beak will destroy quickly, while a Senegal parrot offers…
Pick a zebra finch if you want to watch a cheerful flock rather than handle a bird, and pick a lovebird if you want a hands-on companion who steps up and plays with you. Zebra finches stay tiny, sing in soft beeps, and need same-species company and room to fly, while a lovebird needs daily personal attention and can…
Choose a lovebird if you want a tiny, clownish companion in a compact cage and can offer daily hands-on attention, and choose a Senegal parrot if you want a sturdier, quieter talker with a longer commitment. A single lovebird bonds intensely and can turn nippy without social time, while a Senegal often plays more…
Can't find your question? Ask it here. We answer reader questions in KinsLe Answers — and we'll email you when yours is published.
KinsLe is launching soon — and the waitlist hears the date first. Join for launch updates and first access when the app opens.
We email you about the launch. Unsubscribe anytime.