Blog The Parakeet

[Res Judicata]

I am watching my parents' parakeet, Giovanna, while they are gone. I forgot about that bird because I really am not a big fan of her. She's not hand tamed and gets very irritated when anyone approaches her cage.

She still doesn't like me, sheds feathers all over the family room and nips at me when I change her food and water, but she is acting happy here. Today she danced around her favorite perch, moving side to side, bobbing her head, and the like for about half an hour. Also, she does not shut up as long as there is noise in the family room she can chirp happily to.

Unfortunately, she's a quick study when it comes to annoying noises. The smoke detector batteries ran low, resulting in that annoying high-pitched "hey change the battery!" chirp yesterday. Guess who has added that to her repertoire? That darn bird made that annoying noise all morning, looking so proud of herself as she sat there as straight up as a bird can on her highest perch. I have decided I never want a bird.

 

[Feeorin215]

I had four birds. FOUR. I couldn't handle it so I gave the parakeets to my boyfriends mom. She LOVES THEM. She lets them fly around the house all the time. I guess some people are just guinea pig people.

 

[Res Judicata]

I think I am a guinea pig person. That bird's chirps just grate on my nerves and I don't like her shed feathers flying all over the room when the air condition comes on. And the kids end up tracking the empty seed shells she throws out of the cage down the hallway. Ugh. At least hay stay in one place when it is kicked out of the cage. That and I wish I could let her out to exercise, but she is so afraid of us we would never catch her again.

 

[Feeorin215]

Believe me, I understand 100%. I have two birdies now and they are SO MESSY! We hatched them from eggs about 6 years ago, it was an accident. We didn't know she even had the eggs. They were hidden in her old shoe box. Then one day we heard this horrible noise and there they were! She passed away about 6 months ago. They are LOUD too! But, they do say words also which is always fun. Maybe you should try and teach your bird to say some things? Well, for the time being anyway and then you can impress your parents when they come to get her.

 

[Feeorin215]

Also, I wouldn't suggest letting her out. There's way too many things that can go wrong with that.

 

[Kipsie]

Try clicker training and buying her a flight suit.
You can also try giving her cooked whole-wheat pasta as a treat. She'd probably like that. She just needs time.

You can also join a bird forum. There's one called 'bird channel', I think. They'll help you out.

 

[Res Judicata]

Thanks, Kipsie, I'll pass the information on to my parents. I doubt I am going to have her long enough to make much of a difference. I think she'll get used to me feeding her, but that's about it. She seems to like me talking to her as long as I don't make any moves that could be interpreted as threatening to a nervous parakeet.

 

[MaggieMae]

My parakeet lived to hate us. I was so excited to have my own pet and then I realized I did not like birds. My mom loved her though, and really I think she was always my moms idea. I was just the excuse to get her.

By the way, if you have any self cleaning appliances don't run the self cleaning feature while you have her.......... This was information we did not have. I miss her despite her hatred of me.

 

[Germ496]

Birds, when it pecked you it must have hurt..

 

[blackarrow]

Ah, I love 'em, but just like guinea pigs, they're not for everyone, and you have to know what to do with 'em. Hand taming them isn't really hard, and I always got a kick out of how educable they really are. My best parakeet would come when you called him and had a huge repertoire of things he could say, would preen me, etc. I'd have one now if it wouldn't drive my birdy dog straight out of his mind!