Marvel's a 20 year old handicapped caique and my unofficially adopted daughter Please appreciate her DISCLAIMER: Marvel's very cute and i totally understand if you want your own birb But i will warn you, all parrots (parakeets/budgies included) are HARD pets. I would argue they're actually the hardest commonly kept animal to care for. They take a lot of time, energy, and money and if yours don't you're not caring for them properly. I have bled (yes, she bites), cried, and sweated over Marvel. She takes more time and attention out of my day than my puppy ever did. I don't recommend any bird for folks under the age of 15-16. That's because they are very fragile and sensitive and require a lot of specialized care. They have to see a vet just like a dog or cat and need a very large cage with a ton of chewable toys and enrichment. If you can't buy all this yourself and take your bird to a vet on your own don't get one. Period. I've heard too many horror stories of kids whose birds are sick, have a broken leg, or are literally dying and the parents refuse to get them treatment. Don't become one of the many sad cases. Hold off on getting one until you're financially independent and have a few thousand dollars stashed away because in an emergency your pet will destroy those savings.
