Lineolated Parakeet
This page is educational reference material for preparing questions. A licensed veterinarian examines the animal, makes the diagnosis, and sets the treatment.
Quick Facts
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Parakeet |
| Size | Small (6-7 in) |
| Lifespan | 10-20 years |
| Noise Level | Low |
| Diet | Pellets, seeds, vegetables |
| Care Level | Beginner |
| Cage Size | 24x24x36 inches minimum |
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Recommended for Lineolated Parakeets
Harrison's Bird Foods - Organic pellets | Lafeber - Nutri-berries & pellets | Chewy - Cages & accessories
Top Food Choices for Lineolated Parakeets
Harrison's Bird Foods - Certified organic pellets | Lafeber - Nutritious bird foods | Chewy - Wide selection of bird foods
The quiet parakeet that still flies
Lineolated parakeets, Bolborhynchus lineola, are about 6 to 7 inches. Lives of 10 to 20 years show up in careful homes. They are often called beginner birds because the noise is low and the diet is straightforward. Beginner does not mean a budgie cage and a seed stick. They need room to fly in short bursts, pellets, vegetables, and a little seed.
They can live as a pair if you accept that the pair will care more about each other than about your hand. A single bird needs your time. They are less likely to scream than a conure and just as likely to pluck if the cage is boring and the sleep is short.
Sleep and a scale
Twelve dark hours change the temperament of small parrots more than a new toy. Weigh a linnie weekly. A thin bird is a sick bird before the feathers look bad. AAV clinics see them. A bird on the floor of the cage is the quiet bird page.
Lineolated parakeet questions
Are linnies quiet enough for an apartment?
They are quieter than a conure. They are not silent. A content linnie chirps. A linnie with nothing to do still finds a noise.
Do they like hands?
Some become tame. Many prefer to be near you and not held. Forcing a skittish linnie makes a biter or a bird that freezes. Let the bird set the pace.
What cage do they need?
Long enough to fly. A tall skinny cage wastes the bird. Width is the point, and a minimum around 24 by 24 by 36 inches is only a start if they never leave it.
Decision Guides for Lineolated Parakeet
Barred parakeets from Mexico to Peru
Bolborhynchus lineola ranges from southern Mexico through Central America into the Andes of Peru, and the fine dark bars are what the word lineolated is describing. Wild birds roost in cavities, so a nest box in a pet cage can flip a calm pair into a territorial breeding pair. Leave the box out unless breeding is the plan. Adults are about 6 to 7 inches and can live 10 to 20 years on pellets, vegetables, and a little seed. Width for short flights matters more than a tall empty tower. Weigh a linnie weekly, because a thin bird shows up on the scale before the feathers look rough.