I am getting a Parakeet today. Can you give me some advice?

What are some things I need to know? What if I get two? What are some tips, advice, anything. I'm trying to get the feel from other Parakeet owners. :-) Websites would be fine too!I am getting a Parakeet today. Can you give me some advice?
I'm glad that you're gonna give a lil budgie a new home. I hope a bit of this helps.





I first bought 2 parakeets, in pursuit of wanting to handtame them, while knowing that when I'm gone, they will have company around. It did not work out, because its really hard to handtame 2 parakeets, but it can be done. Also, I had one parakeet that was really unfriendly, the other was okay, but i guess was influenced by the other one's fear of humans. I eventually returned these two, and i exchanged it for just one. I loved this one, and I was able to handtame him pretty fast. After a month of bonding with him, i decided to get him a friend. lucky for me, this parakeet was friendly and curious, so when she saw my first one (Sage) perch on my finger, she followed along, so i didn't have to go through the handtaming process again. although, some parakeets actually will refuse to perch on their owner's finger once they have a friend. i'm glad that Sage isn't that way.





here are some tips:





--If you have 2, it will be really hard to handtame, but it can be done. also, they will bond more with each other than you. Even after bonding with him for a month, Sage loved being with Kairi (my second one) after a day of getting to know her, and was closer to her than he was to me. However, they are always happier when they have a friend around.





--Your bird may be a little uncomfortable on the first day, so don't be shocked if he doesn't move/eat when its in its cage. My Sage just sat at the same spot for the whole day. My advice is to put a cloth over the cage at night, and after a while, you'll hear that its starting to eat, or if you peek inside, it will have moved positions. (Sage and Kairi both did this)





--Don't open the cage door, unless your parakeet is already comfortable with you.





--Depending on the parakeet's character/personality, not all parakeets play with every bird toy its given. Don't waste too much money on expensive toys. From surveying, a mirror, perch, and bird playground are usually the universal toy love of most parakeets. Don't get toys yet until you're sure of what your bird likes. I made this mistake, and I have a few unwanted bird toys in the house.





--Something good you could do for your parakeet to get to know you is try just filling his food bowl with a lil bit of food each time, so you can change it more times in a day (if you're home a lot). The parakeet will then associate your hand with the feeding, and it will also make it more comfortable around you.





--the way you treat your parakeet when you're attempting to tame it is very important. I highly recommend the method of if it moves away when you're attempting to pet it/make it perch on your hand or even sticking your hand in the cage, immediately remove your hand from the cage and try again, then try again in a few minutes. This will teach your parakeet that you're not a predator, and also if he's uncomfortable with something, he will just simply move to one side, rather than fly around the cage, run franticly, or even bite.





--water bowl needs to be changed daily, and cleaned often. i recommend putting only a daily sufficient amount of food, and cleaning the food bowl every day.





--don't give an all seed diet, as that's not good for the parakeet. put in carrots, broccoli, apples, (you can google up the rest of the good-for-parakeet fruits+vegetables, these are just the ones that I usually use) also. a specialist recommended me to do 50% seed, 50% fruit/vegetable.





--if you have handtamed your parakeet, and it is willing to come out of the cage, remember not to take him out for more than 30 minutes. after getting to know you more, it might be okay to take him away from the cage for more than 30. I did this mistake with Sage, and he began hating coming out of his cage, until someone pointed out my mistake. After doing the 30 minute limit thing, he felt more comfortable leaving his cage. Now that I've had him for a month, he's comfortable leaving his cage longer than 30 minutes.





--if you are going to stay in the same room where you put his cage, tie the door open, so your parakeet knows that it will always have access back into the cage.





if there's anything else you'd like to know, feel free to contact me. being a new parakeet owner isn't something that's easy, and I understand the fears and excitement of being one. I'm glad that you're giving a budgie a new home :). they are lovely pets.I am getting a Parakeet today. Can you give me some advice?
Well, always feed your parrots and take them a bath every 3 to 5 days. Never leave them unfed. They will drive you nuts! They are usually quiet birds. Good breeding!
there a lot of fun if you only have one then get him or her a lot of toys to play with so you can stop him from being lonley and make sure to hand train it so you dont get biitten and you can hugg it
Parkeets are great beginner pets, welcome to the group! When you go to the petstore, they are not as knowlegable(most of the time). Parakeets need a larger cage than most people think(as large as possible).





If you purchase two they will bond to each other and not you. If you are going to play, train, etc, then get one. If you are leaving it in the cage most of the time get two.





Pet stores usually have their bird on a seed diet. A seed only diet is unhealthy. You may want ot change to pellets if you are not going to feed fruits are veggies, seed AND pellets. A 1/3 of each is recommeded. If your budgie is picky and wont eat the veggies than switch to pellet only. The package will tell you how to convert. Mine switched over in a few weeks. You also need vitamins for the water.





You will want a young bird. Parakeets that are young have lines that go from the nape of thier neck to the cere(fleshy art above beak).





When you get the bird home, put it in the cage and leave it fr a few days. You don't want to stress it out. You will have 12-15 years to bond. Watch to be sure it is eating and drinking.





A vet check is recommended, sometimes bird carry parasites. It's good to know a good vet in the area, incase of an emergency.





Birds need a lot of toys, buy at least 10, as they should be rotated about once a week to prevent boredom.





The bird should be in an active part of the house, and should covered at night. Birds will not sleep if there is any sound and complete darkness will help them relax.





Change water 3-4 times a day. Bird like to bathe, poop, etc in the water and bacteria grows.





In the mornng mist your bird with water(never at nght before the sleep), as they need adiquate time to dry. This will keep the feathers shiny and healthy and encourage preening.
Congrats! Parakeets are fine on their own but if you buy two they will be much happier! ( Pst! Make sure they're the same gender, or else you'll have a lot more parakeets than you bargained for!) Make sure they have plenty of seed and fresh water. And if you have a cat, watch them very closely, my cats have knocked the cage off the table so many times! Happy keet hunting! :)
Here is a suggestion.Before getting any animal perhaps it would be far better to read up on how to care for the animal before you actually go out and get one.To many times people get an animal only to get it home and have no idea how to care for it.Educate yourself before you acquire the animal.You may decide before hand that the animal you are wanting to get is going to require more then you are capable of giving.