Anyone know about raising parakeets?

[icymist]

Three days ago my house-mate and I were driving our car through the AMPM lot. As I drove I noticed what looked like a piece of trash in front of us, but as I got closer, it had a face and was looking right at me. I straddled the car over it and stopped, got out of the automobile, and went over to the small bird there. It's a baby parakeet that still has the white and blackish baby feathers with the blue feathers just coming up in it's tail. My friend and I took the little bird to the local pet shop and the owner helped us get started by selling us a cage and some millet still on the stems. I'm not sure how to handle parakeets, but am trying. The first few days I left the little baby alone because I figured it'd been through a lot. Today, we took it into the living room with a spray bottle of water to ward off our two cats. The parakeet was stretching it's head up and down and seemed excited. On returning to the pet store owner says that we should always keep the bird lower than us and demand that it touches us. Oh yeah, the pet store parakeets are twice the size of ours which the owner says is a baby.

[Qanisqineq]

1. I have a parakeet

I can't say I know much about raising them and nothing about babies. Mine was full grown when I got him and same with the 2 parakeets I've owned in the past. (Note: I recently moved overseas and my parents are babysitting for a few months until I get settled and come back for him.)

I taught my parakeet to sit on my finger and make kissing noises. Then he made friends with one of my cats and now I am just the person that feeds him and a nuisance. :cry:

They like lots of toys, colorful toys, lots of bells and lots of mirrors. Swings and ladders (although mine doesn't give a hoot about his), etc. Change the toys every so often to fight boredom. They can also get really lonely so many people I know have two parakeets. I gave my guy a fuzzy thing to cuddle with (sold at pet stores) and he, um, humps it. A lot. They say to get a color close to the parakeet's color.

I've been told to feed parakeet mix (different seeds and pellets) and add extra pellets because they are full of vitamins. Right. Mine picks out the pellets and throws them on the floor. Get a cuttlebone. Also, a perch made of calcium (or something) to keep his/her nails down somewhat, plus they will chew on it some to keep their beaks down (in addition to the cuttlebone). Have different diameter perches (or a perch that is different diameters throughout its length) for the foot muscles.

I also give mine vitamins. One to put in the water and one to mix with the food. I can't remember the names since I haven't used them in the last couple months, but I'll find some links of toys and stuff my parakeet really likes and see if I can find the vitamins, too.

This is one of the vitamins, I couldn't find the other:
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441776704&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025513&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023691&bmUID=1141701644474&itemNo=7&In=Bird&N=2025513&Ne=2

His favorite toys:
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441777175&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025515&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023691&bmUID=1141701747589&itemNo=19&Nao=12&In=Bird&N=2025515&Ne=2

http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441779586&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025515&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023691&bmUID=1141701747702&itemNo=20&Nao=12&In=Bird&N=2025515&Ne=2

http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?R=1780&PC=productlist&Nav=269&N=25%20101&cp=3&Nao=24&sku=555320&familyID=6599&

His favorite treats:
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441806418&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025516&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023691&bmUID=1141701821151&itemNo=3&In=Bird&N=2025516&Ne=2
(and other varieties of this brand)

His cuddle buddy (and other uses he found :eyes:):
http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?R=3771&PC=productlist&Nav=269&N=25%20101&sku=721085&familyID=4446&

That one perch I was trying to describe (& there are many other good ones):
http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?R=7085&PC=productlist&Nav=264&N=25%20124&cp=2&Nao=12&sku=210404&familyID=2703&

These are just a few of the things I have for him. He also likes to play on the bottom of his cage with a cat toy. It's a plastic ball with a bell inside that he rolls around. He has dozens of toys that I rotate through and different treats he likes. I also string air-popped popcorn and tie it in his cage. He LOVES this.

[icymist]

2. Thank you for all the links to your keets' favorite toys and such.

The one I have described above is still a baby, not yet able to fly. He/she has been through a lot last week and I suspect is still a bit traumatized. There are times, however, when this bird will react to me and it's surroundings. We've brought her/him out into the main room of our house for a little bit and the parakeet perked up for a little while and then went back into the laying down on it's belly and closing the eyes for a time. Last night I tried putting a little bit of fresh kiwi into the cage and this went untouched all night. I'll be taking the small critter to the vet sometime this week (haven't yet made an appointment, waiting for him/her to perk up a bit more). Again, thank you for all the toy suggestions, but right now I think too many toys and such might overwhelm it.

[Kat45]

3. It's best for birds to have balanced diets.

A lot of parakeets refuse to eat vegetables, only will eat their seed and millet. But since this is a very young bird, you might have some luck in giving him vegetables. Always have seed in his cage for him, and millet is also good because they usually love it. Just introduce a different vegetable at different times as an additional food. Sometimes it will take a while before the bird will try it, if he ever does, but when the bird sees the same veg over and over he'll get familiar with it. He needs to recognize that it's food. After you've had him for a while and the two of you have bonded, take a food you'd like him to eat and eat it in front of him; he will see that it's food, and because you're eating it he'll probably want to eat some of it too. FYI, never give avocados or chocolate--they're toxic to birds.

Birds are social creatures; give him attention and talk to him a lot when you're home. Never let the bird and the cats be in the same area unsupervised; the cat's instints could kick in. And yes, as someone already said, toys are important.

I'll be happy to answer any questions. I've had a number of parakeets and have parrots now, so I have experience with birds and have also read a lot about them. You also might want to get a book about caring for parakeets.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

4. I have an African Grey, big talker. My dad has a parakeet that

also is a big talker. His name is Peety bird and he learned to fly to over the range soffit and when he talks into to the wall his voice is magnified. Parakeets are great pets. I would say like those above, birds are social creatures and the most important thing outside of providing food and water would be to provide lots of love.

Be careful what you say, because they love to tell on you! Good luck with your baby.

[icymist]

5. An update about this parakeet.

I took it to the Vet yesterday and found that this bird has a possible fracture on the right wing and an old broken left foot that has since healed. It is doubtful that this keet will ever fly again. The vet also explained to me that he/she is malnourished so we've taken it off the millet and introduced vitamin enriched pellets, regular seed, fruit and vegetables. Antibiotics were also prescribed. The budgie has become more alert and perky. I guess this bird was outside longer than first thought and it's a good thing we brought it indoors, right before another cold snap in the weather. I've installed an extra-wide perch for this bird and it seems to favor that. Well, that's about all for today.

[Kat45]

6. It's a good thing you found him. You saved his life.

How's his eating? Is he eating all the foods you're giving him? Sometimes they don't recognize pellets as food and won't eat them.

[icymist]

7. After trying dried bananas and apricots....

I finally found a fruit that the budgie seems to like: dried prunes! The bird is eating regular seed with gusto, sometimes nibbling at the pellets. I've recently acquired a digital camera. After I learn how to operate the new-fangled device, I'll post a picture of whom we've named Lucky Lu. (no relation to Lucy Lu)! Lucky seems to be gaining some weight. He/she still doesn't seem to trust us when we have to give the ABO (antibiotic) by putting up resistance and screeching a 'I will bite you' chirp!
We're keeping it warm with a heating pad under the cage in my bedroom with the door shut and radio on low.