Can Parrotlets And Parakeets Get Along? (Find Out Here)

Can parrotlets and parakeets get along? When you love both species but only have one large cage, this question becomes increasingly essential to answer. I was wondering this myself, so I thought I’d bring you (and me) the answer. 

Most parrotlets and parakeets are friendly, so they can bond with each other if you take precautions. Ideally, they should have different enclosures, but they can cohabitate if their cage is spacious and they have different food and water bowls. 

Can Parrotlets And Parakeets Get Along?

Parrots either live alone or with the same species. Some species of parrots have similar behaviors and characters, just like in the case of parrotlets and parakeets. 

Parrotlets and parakeets are social animals, so they tend to develop bonds and friendships with their human companion. 

While parrotlets and parakeets have similar characteristics, they also have differences. For instance, parakeets are more social, while parrotlets are dominating.

That said, can parrotlets and parakeets get along? 

Can You Put A Parrotlet And Parakeet In One Cage?

Parrotlets and parakeets both came from the family Psittacidae. For this reason, they have similar personalities and behaviors. These characteristics make it possible for parrotlets and parakeets to live together. (source)

However, it would be best to be cautious and observant when trying to cohabitate with these birds. While they have similar personalities, they also have differences, which may hinder them from getting along.

When putting parrotlet and parakeet in one cage, you need to observe how they will do. It would be best to make sure that these birds are not hurting each other. Their cage must be spacious, and they need to have their own food and water bowls.

You also need to place their food and water bowls away from each other as these birds are territorial.

Additionally, it is essential to note that not all parrotlets and parakeets will get along. Some of them can be too territorial, so they may find it difficult to adjust to having a companion. 

If you already have either of these two birds for some time, you need to take note of its behavior before getting a companion for it. (source)

A Huge Cage Is Vital In Keeping Two Birds Together

Parrots are territorial. But that is not the sole reason why you need a large cage when keeping parrotlet and parakeet together. 

Your birds should have ample space to open their wings without hitting the cage bars or anything inside the cage. They also need space to fly and hop to keep them from boredom. 

Boredom is one of the major enemies of parrotlets and parakeets. So, they need to have toys within their cage to keep them busy. (source)

Is Parakeet The Same As Parrotlet?

Parakeets and parrotlets look very much alike. However, they are two completely different birds with different personalities. (source)

Parakeets

You can differentiate a parakeet from a parrotlet by looking at their ceres or nostrils. Female parakeets have a pinker (sometimes light gray) cere than parrotlet, while males have a bright blue cere. 

Parakeets are also less noisy and calmer than parrotlets. These species live in Australia, while the latter is common in South America. 

In addition, parakeets can live in flocks. On the other hand, parrotlets are less friendly and may or may not be able to live with a cagemate.

Parrotlets

Parrotlets are famous for their short tails, a lot shorter than that of the parakeets. Their beaks are also more prominent, and their feathers have a lighter color, without the stripes, you will see in parakeets. 

Additionally, parrotlets are more territorial than parakeets. You will be less likely to see them with a company in captivity. The reason is that some parrotlets are more territorial than others. Hence, they may fight with their cagemates. (source)

Introducing A Parrotlet And A Parakeet To Each Other

As mentioned, you can keep a parrotlet and a parakeet together. However, parrotlets do not like sharing, and they may fight with your parakeet without a proper introduction. 

If you want to place these two birds in a single cage, you need to gradually introduce them to each other. It would be best to feed them separately, as parrotlets are large and fast eaters; they may bug your parakeets during feeding time. 

If you plan to keep your parrotlet and parakeet together, here are the ways that you can introduce them:

Quarantine Your New Bird

After getting your new bird from the pet store, please place them in a different room from where you keep your other bird. Your new bird might have a contagious disease, and you do not want your older bird to get the same infection. 

Quarantining also lets your new pet adjust to its new surroundings. 

Same Room, Separate Cage

After ensuring that your new bird does not have any disease, place its cage in the same room as your other bird’s cage. This way, they will be able to become familiar with each other. 

You should expect that one of the birds will show dominance, so you need to be there to prevent them from fighting. 

Move The Cages Next To Each Other

After some time, your parrotlet and parakeet will become familiar. In this case, you can place their cage next to one another to see if they will bond. 

Let The Two Birds Bond

Once you see that your parrotlet and parakeet are getting along, you can practice bonding techniques with them. For instance, you can try: 

• feeding them with a single treat
• letting them groom each other
• play with each other

But if your birds show any discomfort during the process, you need to discontinue it immediately. Let your birds take time to become comfortable with each other’s presence. 

It is also possible for your parrots to never accept a companion. So, it is ideal you prepare an alternative arrangement like separate cages. (source)

Final Thoughts

Can parrotlets and parakeets get along? Some of them can, while others cannot. You can try introducing your parrotlet to a parakeet, and they may get along after some time. 

It is also essential to be cautious when keeping these two birds in one cage. There is a possibility that they will assert dominance, resulting in aggression. 

If you are trying to bond parrotlet and parakeet, stop the process once one of them starts showing discomfort. It is also possible that your birds will not get along, so you need separate cages for them.

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