The kids had been bothering us for a pet, and the little guy was home from school with a fever, so I broke down and got them a couple of parakeets. Found a shop on Nunez near Ricart, birds were 200 apiece and the cage was 650. Didn't seem too bad. Never really was a bird person, but already I'm getting attached. Does anybody else keep parakeets, will they breed, what should I watch out for? Any advice would be great. I know in NY they die pretty easily, have seen alot of them bite the dust. Are they hardier here?