We have a hand fed parakeet, and he is the best pet ever. Extremely easy to care for, and very personable. He is a member of the family and spends all day with us. He has a large vocabulary, and amuses us by saying "I love you!" Whenever he sees us. He is extremely affectionate and interactive. They are a true parrot and very intelligent. They therefore require a lot of human interaction. Ours has free range of the house all day long, although he chooses to spend many hours in his cage.