Should you get two parakeets

Answer 1

It depends; if you want to hand train them or keep them hand trained, you should get one, since they bond much easier if they are not distracted by another parakeet. If you want them to be happy and don't care about bonding with them, get two.

Answer 2

It depends on what type of bird you are talking about.

The term "parakeet" is a generalised term to cover numerous species of smaller, long-tailed parrots. The word tends to be used in countries outside of the birds' native lands. For example, the term "parakeet" is never used in Australia to refer to budgies, rosellas, lorikeets or cockatiels, yet these birds are commonly known as "parakeets" overseas.

No bird should be kept in isolation if its owner works all day. Of the birds listed above, the budgie is the one best able to cope with being on its own, but it must be given plenty of toys, including a fake toy budgie that can become its companion. If you live in a warm climate, and have a safe place to hang your budgie cage outside (where it will not be stalked by cats, or the budgie attacked through the bars of its cage by butcher birds or magpies), being outside would also give it plenty of mental stimulation.

Having said that, however, it is rather cruel to leave any social animal such as a bird alone all day.