Why Are Caiques So Expensive? Read This Before Buying One!

Why Are Caiques So Expensive? Why do they cost so much more than other pet birds around the same size? Why is the price of a caique parrot always on the rise, while most other birds on offer at your local pet store stay relatively stable in price?

These are all questions that you might ask yourself if you were considering buying a caique for your very first time. But before you make any impulse buys, make sure to read this article first.

Here’s some information about why these birds are generally more expensive and how their prices change over time. You’ll also learn about what features set them apart from other animals commonly kept as pets.

I hope this article helps answer any lingering questions about the costs of keeping these wonderful creatures as pets and also, how you might be able to keep the costs down.

How Much Do Caiques Cost?

Female caiques are more expensive than males.

This is because females tend to be calmer, making them popular pets for owners who want an easy-going pet with few (if any) needs in training or socialization.

However, you should expect higher prices if your parrot has already been trained and developed by someone else before coming into adulthood!

The average price for a caique ranges from $1-2K but can be as low or high depending on factors such as gender and age (younger males).

How Much Does Caique Food Cost?

Food is an interesting topic when it comes to caiques. Parrots like caiques and other pet birds have highly sensitive digestive systems that can make them sick quickly if they eat something that disagrees with their system, so be careful what you feed your feathered friend!

For this reason, we must be conscious about everything they give us and avoid foods that can’t be eaten.

Aside from their digestive problems, caiques seem never-endingly delighted with a number of the meals we consume on an everyday basis, such as nuts fruit, which is something most people already have at home

A few avian vets say it’s because parrots overeat due to sensitivity in digesting certain ingredients like xylose (a carbohydrate found within animal flesh) or lectins – natural toxins produced by plants when attacked by them.

So what are some good food choices for caiques? First of all, they enjoy most types of fruit. While they can’t eat citrus fruits like oranges, tangerines, lemons, or grapefruit due to their acidity levels, most other fruit is safe for them to consume!

Make sure you remove any pits or seeds from the fruit before giving them to your caique.

In fact, most veterinarians recommend that their diet consist mostly of fresh produce.

The Cost Of Caique Housing and Cage Requirements

Although they are considered to be medium-sized birds, caiques are extremely active and playful, so it’s important not to get them an overly small cage.

For their housing requirements, you’ll want your pet bird to have at least 10-square feet of space.

If you’re really on a budget, there are some ways that you can make their play area more interesting by making their cage more “bird-friendly.” You can find branches to use as perches and make your own DIY caique toys!

Caique Cage Costs

The cost of the cage will be your highest cost. At around $150 – $350 for a large one, their cage needs will be a permanent fixture in your home.

Bedding & Substrate Costs

While these are not huge costs, they are ongoing costs.

You’ll want to invest in something that will absorb the mess your pet makes so you don’t have to keep buying new bedding unnecessarily.

Cage substrate should always be a non-toxic option, such as natural wood chips or other materials that are safe for your pet! You’ll want something that will remain clean and fresh smelling.

House-keeping & Cleaning Costs

The cost of any bird-safe cleaning supplies, as well as time, will be needed here.

Make sure you keep a clean play area for your caique so he or she can stay healthy and active! This cost will vary depending on the size of the play area and your own cleaning habits and frequency, of course.

But it should be mentioned that their cage and play area must be cleaned on a regular basis, with special attention to hygiene given around food and water bowls.

This is because of the spoiled food risk, as well as the pooping situation mentioned earlier! Providing multiple sets of bowls for food and water will make clean-up easier but be sure to switch them out regularly.

If not, your bird can get quite sick because of the bacterial growth in un-cleaned food and water bowls.

Training & Behavioral Costs

Training is a must with caiques, especially if they’re going to be living in the same house with you. If you are unable to train. your bird yourself, you will need to hire a professional to do it for you.

Training is particularly important because of their love of chewing and their habit of getting into trouble when they’re bored!

A professional trainer will be able to stop these and other negative behaviors through the use of positive reinforcement techniques.

Training can be expensive, but it doesn’t. have to be if you shop around. Nonetheless, it is a cost that you should consider when budgeting for your pet caique.

The Cost Of Caique Toys, Exercise & Enrichment

These birds love to spend their time on the floor!

The caique might be active and prefer walking over flying; it seems that these little guys have something specific in mind when you put them down – like exploring every inch of your home or office space!

This is because caiques are known for being semi-aficionados with floor playtime (can’t blame ’em).

They’ll hop all around if given enough room, so make sure there isn’t anything dangerous on the floor. They are also known to have a fondness for shiny objects, so be careful not to leave any expensive things out – your caique might think it’s just another toy!

Of course, you’ll need plenty of toys for their playtime. These can include swings, ladders, bells, or other hanging objects.

Toys also help enrich their lives and keep boredom at bay by encouraging natural activities such as foraging, climbing, chewing, digging, etc.

Caiques are very intelligent parrots, so they can get bored easy which is why you’ll want to provide them with a good variety of enrichment opportunities, and this can become quite expensive.

Playtime also aids in the maintenance of the beak, which helps keep it healthy.

The Costs Of Taking Your Caique To The Vet

Vet visits are an important component of a caique’s existence, much like food and stimulation. Caiques may develop a variety of health problems throughout their lives. Of course, the better their diet and routine are, the less likely they are to suffer from any of the issues that come with it.

A standard parrot checkup to the vet costs $50-$200 depending on location and services offered by them.

Caiques have a long lifespan of around 40 years if well-looked after, so you can expect to take them to the vet quite a few times in their lifetime!

Caique Pet Insurance Costs

Nobody likes paying for insurance, but it is one of those things you need to do, and the same goes for your caique.

You’ll want to protect yourself from sudden vet expenses in case anything unforeseen happens – like a broken beak or injuries sustained during accidents.

Most insurance policies will reimburse you up to 90% for vet visits, surgery, hospitalization, and other medical issues.

Caique insurance can cost anything from $5.00 to $40.00 per month depending on the policy you choose, so this should be factored into your budget if you’re thinking about getting a caique.

It’s also important to know that while some pet insurance companies will reimburse you for veterinary expenses, they may not cover pre-existing conditions!

Why Buy A Caique As A Pet If They Cost So Much Money?

So, why buy a caique with all of these expenses considered? Why not just get a budgie or cockatiel? Well, people love caiques as pets as they are smart, outgoing, affectionate, energetic, and funny!

They are ‘happy’ little birds spending their days climbing around your house or playing with toys.

Most caique owners will actually tell you that they are well worth the money. You will have to take a trip down to a pet store or breeder to see for yourself!