This might be a good context in which to deconstruct the "parakeet as starter pet" illusion.
Q: "Many parents have to respond at some point to their children's pleas to have a pet. They may feel that a dog or even a cat is too demanding, too much work, or too big for their home. And they may say to themselves, What about a bird? A parakeet is small, and inexpensive to buy and care for. It can stay happily in its cage and not make a mess all over the house, while the child learns responsibility and about the animal. Wouldn't something like a parakeet make an ideal starter pet?"