Looking for a small bird companion? Budgies (parakeets), cockatiels and lovebirds probably come to mind, and for good reason as they can make for endearing feathered friends. But perhaps it’s time to make room on the perch for another small parrot that can also be a great companion — the lineolated parakeet, or simply, the linnie. Never heard of a linnie? Let me tell you all about them!
Lineolated parakeets, Linnies as a short version, or Barred parakeets, named for their fine lines or barred markings, are one of the calmest, quietest and non-destructive members of the parakeet family. They are, also, one of the best options for people with allergies as its feather dust is minimal.
Forget what you thought you knew about birds!
These little birds prefer climbing and walking to flying. Their flight is fast (think hummingbird style!) and can change direction very quickly, and despite their looks, the flight is not heavy and buzzing, but they still struggle on long distances. However, they aren't always the greatest flyers, and can be clumsy with landings. Sometimes mistaken for budgies, lineolated parakeets or "linnies" are quite a bit stockier with a stub tail. And, unlike budgies, these birds enjoy walking about as much as they do flying. Some actually prefer it!
Also unlike budgies, Linnies like to walk, sleep and perch with their bodies almost horizontal to the ground, while budgies sit or stand upright. Remember everything you read about how a bird on the cage bottom is not a good thing? Throw that out the window where Linnies are concerned! They will often be found sitting, sleeping, or walking around the bottom of the cage, or hanging by one toe from the top! These comical little birds also love to play in the water!
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In captivity their lifespan reaches around 15 years, size wise as adults are about 16cm and weight around 50g. Although being parakeets, they behave in a way which resembles parrot's ( e.g. holding items with their feet). They are comical little pets and very social by nature.
Linnie Noise Level​ and Speaking Capabilities
Lineolated parakeets are known for their soft chatter and low noise levels, making them ideal apartment pets. They can sometimes make louder noises, but this is normally due to distress or their food dish running low. These birds are also known for their amazing ability to talk quite well and imitate noises they hear.
Not all individuals will speak, and normally the male of the species is more vocal; but there are ways to increase the chance of a bird learning words or sounds, including:
Starting when the birds are young. Normally they learn the most words while they are less than two years old or moved into a new environment.
Using imitation games, which start by rewarding the bird after it imitates a noise that the bird is already known to make and then moving on to words or noises once the bird has caught on to the game.
Saying phrases in an excited noise or when the bird is in an excited state. Having the bird spend time with a bird that is a known talker, especially if it is the same species, or playing videos of birds saying phrases.
Sometimes they will mimic a specific person's tone, normally the person they spend the most time with. They might additionally learn to imitate noises that are undesirable for them to repeat. Unwanted vocalizations can be minimized by not rewarding the bird with laughter or attention, or redirecting by getting the bird to perform another known trick. While you might think such a cute little bird uttering a naughty word is cute today, you won't find it so cute years from now when you're on an important business call and that's all your feathered friend wants to loudly yell.
Temperament
When properly cared for and hand-raised as babies, lineolated parakeets develop charming and even-tempered personalities. They are incredibly social birds by nature, and they love to spend time with (and sitting on) their owners. About the same size as a budgie or lovebird, it usually has a calmer disposition than either bird.
Known to make comical little pets, the highly social lineolated parakeet makes a very entertaining family member, always eager to spend time playing with its human flockmates, and will enjoy time with all humans in the house that interact with them, not just one favorite person.
Caring for the Lineolated Parakeet
This is a small bird that doesn't require a huge cage, although bigger is always better. For a single lineolated parakeet, the bare minimum is a 24-inch square cage, provided you are giving the bird ample outside-the-cage time each day. These birds also do quite well in aviary environments with other linnies or related small species, but be aware that small flocks may be a bit noisy.
Although they are not notorious for damage, lineolated parakeets, like all parrot species, will chew and gnaw, so provide your bird with plenty of acceptable chew toys and natural wood branches that will help it distinguish when chewing is acceptable.
Your lineolated parakeet should be allowed out of his cage to interact with the family for several hours each day. These birds like to walk about on furniture and floors, and some owners report that the birds like to burrow under blankets and fabrics.
Like other parrots, the lineolated parakeet can go through a problematic adolescent period (called the Bluffing Phase) where they may attack and bite, but this soon passes and is generally not much of a problem, as the birds aren't large enough to do severe damage. This adolescent period soon passes and gives way to an adorable pet.
The nails on a lineolated parakeet grow quite fast and will need regular trimming. As it is a rainforest bird, linnies love to bathe in a standing water dish. They enjoy weekly or even daily showers with a spray bottle filled with luke-warm water. Make sure your bird can preen and dry off in a space that is not drafty.
Diet and Nutrition
In the wild, this bird eats various seeds, fruits, insects, and larvae. As with any hookbill species kept as a pet, it is essential to make sure that captive lineolated parakeets are fed a diet of high-quality seed and pellet mix, along with a variety of bird-safe fresh fruits and vegetables. Linnies are not budgies, and should be fed more than a budgie diet.
A bird will eat up to 1 tablespoon of food per day. Offer fresh fruits and vegetables every other day, along with its seed and pellet mix. Also, provide more vegetables than fruits. Fruits can sometimes cause digestive issues. If you notice watery feces, cut back on the frequency of the fruits.
Lineolated parakeets enjoy fresh sprouts and spray millet. Offer calcium in the form of a cuttlebone or a mineral block. For the Linnies dry seed and pellet mix, we use and highly suggest the species specific Linnie Mix food combined with Hari Tropimix for Cockatiels and Lovebirds, mixed at a 50/50 ratio, and given fresh daily, along with their sprouts and fresh foods. This mix will give an appropriate blend of seed, pellet, and dried fruits and nuts.
Exercise
Lineolated parakeets are very active birds that spend a lot of energy in the wild playing and interacting with their flockmates, foraging for food, and making sure that predators are not targeting them. In captivity, a lineolated parakeet needs 3 to 4 hours of out-of-cage playtime per day to get sufficient exercise. Potential owners should make sure that they can supervise their birds in a safe, bird-proofed area during these play sessions.