Top products from r/Parakeets

Hi there! Parakeets are so misunderstood. Depending on how you train and raise them, they can act like a fun cuddly dog, or like a boring fish. If you want him to be a fun exciting pet, here's what you should do:

1.) Week 1, don't touch him. It's tempting to reach in there, but don't do it. He's scared as hell of being dropped into a new environment and you will only add to him being scared. Trust me on this, it gives him time to get used to the natural noises of your house. Instead, go about your normal routine around him, but stop and talk to him and get him used to your voice.

2.) After 1 week, start putting your hands into the cage - and by this I mean literally just putting your hand in and fiddling with things, getting them close to him, but don't touch him. This establishes that the cage is yours and he's just living in it. It will help with respect a lot later. Partway through 2nd week, work on getting him to climb onto your finger. Place your finger directly in front of his belly and say "up." If he does it, put him back on the perch, praise him, and give him some millet as a treat. Do this over and over. Birds LOVE repetition. Once he seems comfortable with this (about week of doing this), use this same method to take him out. Once you get to this point he will be more comfortable with the idea of hanging out with you.

3.) There are pros and cons of having his wings clipped. I've always clipped my bird's wings and that would be my recommendation (it doesn't hurt if a professional does it, it's like a haircut). So I won't give any advice on this except that you should definitely take into consideration if he has a safe enough environment to NOT clip his wings. If you do let him fly around your garage, make sure you "baby proof" it just like you would with a child, but vertically as well. Tools will need to be put away, check for holes or places he could crawl into where you won't be able to get to him.

4.) See #3.

5.) Parakeets are perfectly fine being alone during the day. Make sure he has 3-4 toys in his cage and that you rotate them every 1-2 weeks so he doesn't get bored. When you get home, give him attention. Aim for at least 30min of complete attention per day at a minimum. If no one in the house is home during the day, put the radio or TV on, they like the noise. Speaking of, they LOVE being the center of attention, I'd recommend you put him in a high traffic area of the house if you can.

6.) I have a very well trained parakeet and haven't been able to potty train. What you can do is try treating him for pooping inside the cage before he comes out which helps. You can expect he will go every 10 min or so. You can always pt a towel down anywhere you take him out if it bothers you.

7.) I wouldn't worry about it, he can probably get to it just fine especially since his wings aren't clipped.

8.) I agree with @FlyingPhotog for this. Also recommend searching google for foods that are ok and poisonous for birds. Giving him some human foods can extend his life.

9.) Additional tips:

-Be careful of drafts. Birds are sensitive to cold air blowing on them. Keep his area a consistent temperature and put a towel over the cage at night (this will also help with noise btw, they are pretty good about sleeping whenever it's dark.)

-Be careful of harmful chemicals. Any pesticides, air fresheners, candles nearby can be harmful

-Don't let him out if anyone is cooking. Seems self explanatory, but most bird deaths are caused by them flying into boiling pots of water because their owners were careless :-(

-Cages: Stupidly, every goddam pet store on the planet sells cages with vertical bars (like this:https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Hendryx-Triple-Cockatiel-White/dp/B005S6V4QK/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1468628422&sr=1-2&keywords=parakeet+cage), but they very much prefer the horizontal bars (like this: https://www.amazon.com/Vision-Bird-Cage-Model-M01/dp/B000K67UF2). It will be harder to find but it is much easier for them to climb. I found my Vision one at PetSmart. This particular one also helps keep seeds in.

-I also totally recommend you put pellets on the bottom of the cage (like this http://www.petsmart.com//WFS/PETUS/en_US/-/USD/-zid36-4226/cat-0-catid-0?green=F0B73A16-ADD9-5A58-9BE0-EA09D3A310B1). It's something I've started doing within the last year and it's helped a ton with keeping the area around the cage clean.

-Get him comfortable with you before you have other people hold him

-Be confident. I'm not sure how they do it, but it always seems birds can tell if the person handling them is not confident and they will act up. It's like racing any other animal, you show them you're in charge and they'll respect you for it

-Give him kisses and chat with him. He'll start to chat back. Parakeets won't talk like big parrots do, but they do "chat" and repeat things you say. It's so cute.

Have fun! Parakeets make for fun, adorable, and convenient pets if you put the time in. Love him and he will love you back! Good luck!

You seem young, so I won't be so harsh as to tell you to Google everything, though it would have been a good start.

> 1) What should I do my first week of having him home

Sit near his cage often and talk to him whenever you can. Don't put your hands in the cage often unless you need to (in order to replace food/water/etc)

> 2) How should I go about getting him to trust me?

Talking to him often is good. Coaxing him with millet is great since they find it more or less irresistible.

> 3) When should I let it be able to fly freely around my living space?

Perhaps not for a while. Make sure you don't have any bare windows it could accidentally collide with. Maybe a few weeks? I recommend the bird be tame enough to perch on your finger before you let him fly freely in the house.

> 4) (This is kind of a follow up question) I have no door in my room and my mom doesn't want bird droppings everywhere so she told me to let it fly in the garage but I'm worried it will be hurt by everything in there so what should i do in this citation?

Parakeets only poop every 5-10 minutes and it's among the easiest thing to clean. It comes right out with water from pretty much any surface... wood, carpet, upholstery, skin, etc. It should definitely be allowed to fly around a room that isn't too big -- perhaps a bathroom or a walk-in closet?

> 5) I go to school during the day from 7:00-2:45 and work during some days. What happens if I'm not around to watch him? Will he be lonely during the day or will he be able to keep himself entertained?

Generally they're pretty much OK alone. Make sure he has toys (but not too many) and he might bond with one. Our parakeet, Kiwi, is bonded with a little yellow disk toy. When we travel with him we make sure to bring that one toy since he's very attached to it. He spends the day talking to it and cuddling with it. Don't leave a mirror in the cage or it may become obsessed with it. I sometimes leave talk radio or classical music playing at a low volume if we'll be gone and he seems lonely.

> 6) Can I train him to use the bathroom in his cage and if so how?

Nope. Larger and smarter parrots you can train to go over a certain colored/textured area, but this is pretty much impossible for parakeets.

> 7) The cage is setup so the swing is kind of far away from any perch. Should I put it closer or can he jump to it?

If the cage is reasonably large enough, he will be able to fly in the cage. So, I wouldn't worry about it.

> 8) What should my schedule be with food, cleaning the cage, and bathing the bird?

Daily fresh food and water. I recommend Harrison's Superfine pellets since they're around the same size as seeds but much healthier since they contain vegetable matter:

https://www.amazon.com/Harrisons-High-Potency-Super-Fine/dp/B0040QAESI

If you're feeding him seeds, he will shell them and it may look like he hasn't eaten. You still need to give him fresh water/food every day.

If you can give him green leafy vegetables on a daily basis, it's highly recommended. Not as essential with the pellets, but they still love fresh fruits and veggies. Google for lists online about what is/isn't safe. Just remember no fruit seeds or pits -- or avocado. Kiwi enjoys lettuce, spinach, celery tops, kale, apple (no skin), banana, boiled egg whites, small unseasoned cooked pieces of chicken, etc.

Bathing as needed, maybe every week or two. Never hot water. They will bathe themselves if they're interested.

You want to clean the cage every few days. More often for a smaller cage. Less often for a larger cage.

> 9) Are there any tips one can give me about parakeets if so please tell.

Every bird has a different personality and food preferences. You'll learn quickly what the bird likes and doesn't like, however, keep in mind that when feeding them new foods, it may take multiple exposures to the food before they will try it.

Enjoy your new bird. They're fantastic pets!

In order, answering your questions, but first off congrats on having two new birds!
1:training. Training is the best idea for your birds, it helps them stay active and helps you bond with them. As far as perching on your hand, its not too late, its never too late, but it may take time. You cannot force them to step up, that will only hurt your relationships. If you ever heard of touch training, I suggest looking into it and begin asap. It will help tons in the long run. What you can do (and make sure its the birds choice: youll know) is to give them treats from your hand. Give them a treat. Let them finish. Wait a second. Repeat. When you feel they are beginning to trust you, and your hands, then you can put your finger infront of them and hold the treat out: just enough so they HAVE to climb onto your finger to get it. You can do this in the cage, or in a room, doesnt matter.

2: cage size. The sky is the limit, the bigger the better, but for two regular sized budgies, the minimum cage requirement, i can't remember off the top of my head, but here is a good starter size on amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075DX5LD1/ref=cm_sw_r_fm_apa_i_eI02Db0N9CR46

Whats in the cage should be varying perches, no dowel rods, no sand perches. Nothing grainy, ever. This can cause bumblefoot because stuff can get caught in their toes. Cloth, or basic rope perches are amazing, and are fairly cheap

It takes time with an older bird to build their trust. I’ve had mine about 6 months and while we’ve made some progress, the trust isn’t there yet. Get him (or her?) comfortable with your hand, Put the cage near where you sit, put your hand on or in the cage and just be still. Once they trust your hand, then you can do more with teaching to step up and hand feed. Some birds are never comfortable being handled. Be patient.

Regarding the food, one thing I did was purchase an extra seed cup. It’s really shallow and I’ve introduced fruits and veggies by offering them in this cup. I coat the food by dipping it in seed so the bird realizes that its food. I’ve has some success. The other thing you can do is slowly introduce a more founded food along with the seed like pellets or Zupreem.

Here’s the link to the shallow cups: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CNR3TXD/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I highly recommend "Dr Harveys Our Best Parakeet Blend Bird Food". I started feeding it my parakeet and he had so much energy that I could barely keep up with him. You can go to his website where they talk about why it's such good food or you can buy it from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001B13ZRM?refRID=A3SCVKVKB7XKSCVW481E&ref_=pd_ys_c_rfy_rp_2619533011_0

I have heard that pellets are best but good luck getting a bird to switch once they are used to eating seed. Mine won't even look at pellets.

The best idea is to go as big as possible. I have two parakeets in this cage, and they seem pretty happy in it, because there's plenty of room for them to fly around and also have plenty of toys and perches! I got rid of the dowels and put natural manzanita wood branches in.

https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Hendryx-F050-Products-Hammertone/dp/B0002AQ228/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=prevue+parakeet+flight+cage&link_code=qs&qid=1558140390&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Edit: Just watch these videos and hopefully you can learn something


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DyFCiHSEeo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF9sYIkQSzI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q34H2VhwPjU&t=9s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjyWXJMrBbA&t=101s

----------------------------


You could spray him with a spray bottle (they're sold at Dollar Tree (and sometimes Walmart) if you don't have a clean one (with no chemicals/chemical residue))... but it would be hard to make a budgie bathe. I've owned lots of budgies over the years, and only a few willingly do it on their own.

https://www.dollartree.com/colorful-plastic-spray-bottles-10oz/177821

I see you have a water tray already that looks similar to the "budgie bath" that is sold on Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/Classic-Budgie-Bath/dp/B004J1VTK6

You could also consider having something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MYWQOE1/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

... But the bird would likely be afraid of it... and since it isn't tame, there probably wouldn't be a good place for it outside the cage anyway.

Birds usually have to feel safe and comfortable to want to bathe

I have this [GreenLife set]
(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071X9PTYV/ref=sxts_hf_cd_wol_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3311825502&pd_rd_wg=q8VbC&pf_rd_r=02W7QDADX96G41XFNHNP&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B071X9PTYV&pd_rd_w=pRhKk&pf_rd_i=ceramic+cookware&pd_rd_r=d649ef55-d2d9-4c23-8776-dc145db91825&ie=UTF8&qid=1510676121&sr=1) and absolutely love it! Very easy to clean, too.

You can either get them from a bird shop and they'll have a nice little wing nuts and threaded bolt on them. You can also just go pluck them from some trees in your area. Make sure to debark and disinfect them and also make sure that they're in budgie safe tree. I use cottonwood and crabapple for my babies because they grow in my area. Also be sure to sand down any sharp bits. Any size between your finger and wrist size works well for budgies. I just jam them between the bars

https://www.amazon.com/Grinding-Accessories-Parakeets-Cockatiels-Lovebirds/dp/B07SWSTQYR/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?keywords=natural+wood+perches+for+parakeets&qid=1566506039&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=natural+wood+perch&sr=1-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyV0FBVU1KQ1VGQk9WJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzM1MTM3MVkwNENWTUoxTkw0TiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDQ4MDc5M0xVWTRIU1o4RVA1RCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

Use happy huts at your own risk. Lots of injuries and deaths happen because people put these huts in their cages. I think a lot of people on here would not recommend the use of them at all unless you are very very careful. Check the hut over daily, trim loose strings, discard if it is damaged. Not only are those things a safety hazard they can also encourage nesting behaviors in your bird. Which can lead to behavioral issues. Another thing you see come up is heated perches. These are also risky, if they malfunction you can burn your bird's feet. Probably the only method of keeping your bird warm that I've seen be mostly safe and successful is a heated panel you can put on the side of the cage.

I got a cage for my parakeets off Amazon. They love it in there. It's pretty big so they can fly around.

I got this one from another website. I bought separate bowls though.

Do you have pictures?

How big is the cage? Sounds like they just might need more space in the same cage.

I just bought this for my 2 boys and I really like it. You could also look for used ones. Just make sure the bar spacing is no bigger than 1/2".

This is a great one for two budgies/parakeets and is affordable IMHO.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005S6V4QK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JcMNDbM24ADCA

I used this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DRQZ4E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It opened from the back so it could sit flush against the cage. Worked great for me.

I got it from Amazon, though I think you could easily make this. A square of wood and some quartz sand plus some mounting stuff.

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B2GXQRB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Parakeet Nest Box, Budgie Nesting House, Breeding Box for Lovebirds, Parrotlets Mating Box 848102 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y2B6JP5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_KXBYCbCJ5APGV

It's a travel cage like this one. It's for short trips, to the vet for example, or for keeping stubborn birds from hurting themselves while you clean their cage. (They work for guineapigs and rodents too.)