>>598139Well, that bird looks like a rose-ringed parakeet. It's going to cost much more than $17. A regular old parakeet from Petco will cost about $12, but then you need to sink about $20-50 into a cage, toys, and food. Depending on where you get that stuff of course.
If he really wants a ring-neck parakeet, they're going to be in the $300-500 range, depending where he lives. The need bigger cages too, and more care time invested. I don't think this project will work out.
Birds are a big responsibility. They need a lot of attention, like a dog. They can be picky about food, and need a lot of stimulation to be kept happy. Too many people buy them and think they can just be kept locked in a cage 24/7, but that's really not the case. It'd be like getting a dog and keeping it locked in a kennel all the time, it's really cruel. Besides that, vet visits are much more expensive because you need to find a vet that specializes in birds. They don't need shots, sure, but if a problem does happen you can bet it's going to be pricey.
Birds aren't for everyone. It's good to start off with a cheaper, less intelligent bird to get an idea of what kind of care goes into looking after one. Then realizing they live for 3-4x as long as dogs and cats, understanding that a bird is really a lifelong commitment.
