Ask Lafeber

Breeding parakeets

Is it safe to breed first cousin parakeets to their first cousins

Hi,

Definitely not – you should never allow related birds to breed. Many parakeets are already badly inbred, and this is why they do not live very long. You should only breed birds that come from different sources so that they probably are not related. Never breed birds from the same breeder or pet shop unless they can guarantee the birds are not related. In the wild, the parents chase the offspring away as soon as they are weaned. They do the same in captivity if they can – this means offspring should be removed from the parents as soon as they are weaned, and then separated by sex. If this is not done, the parents may kill the chicks, or they may breed with them which again should not be allowed.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda