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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Lebensstil
- Sprache: Englisch
Tweet, tweet, parakeet! Your one-stop resource when you're ready to bring home a budgie There are lots of perks to owning a parakeet (also known as a budgie). This book introduces you to your beautiful budgie buddy and prepares you to give that bird a home that other avian companions will envy. Perfect for first-time bird owners and seasoned bird parents, Parakeets For Dummies offers expert advice on adopting a parakeet and introducing it to other fur or feathered babies you might have. You'll also discover the best way to groom and train your parakeet and learn how to teach it to talk. And when your feathered friend appears to be under the weather, you can turn to this book to identify the symptoms of illness and know what to look for when choosing a vet for your pet. * Discover whether a parakeet is a good fit for your family, including any existing birds and other pets * Construct a comfortable enclosure and prep your home so your bird can play safely * Protect your parakeet from common dangers and avoidable illnesses * Feed your parakeet a healthy and varied diet to ensure a long and healthy life This helpful handbook contains the latest tips and tools for parakeet care so your new family member will feel right at home right away.
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Seitenzahl: 213
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021
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Parakeets For Dummies®, 2nd Edition
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2021 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2021939750
ISBN 978-1-119-75524-1 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-75529-6 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-75530-2 (ebk)
Parakeets For Dummies®
To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Parakeets For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Introducing the Parakeet
Chapter 1: Parakeets: More Than Just Pretty, Whistling Birds
The American Parakeet versus the English Budgie
The Anatomy of a Parakeet
Chapter 2: Is a Parakeet Your Perfect Companion?
Knowing What to Expect from a Parakeet
Knowing What Your Parakeet Expects from You
Deciding Whether a Parakeet Is Right for You
One, Two — or More: Increasing Your Parakeet Population
Chapter 3: Finding and Selecting a Parakeet
Choosing a Parakeet: Exploring Your Options
Finding a Parakeet
Searching for a Healthy Parakeet
Chapter 4: Home Tweet Home: Preparing for Your Parakeet
Your Parakeet’s Home
Accessorizing Your Parakeet’s Abode
Recognizing the Importance of Toys
Setting Up the Cage
Keeping Messes at Bay
Parakeet-Proofing Your Home
Other Pets and Your Parakeet
Part 2: Caring for Your Parakeet
Chapter 5: Polly Want a Cracker? Feeding Your Parakeet Properly
Water, Water Everywhere …
FeedingYour Parakeet
Making Some Fun and Nutritious Recipes for Your Parakeet
Chapter 6: Pretty Bird! Grooming Your Parakeet
Thinking about Feathers
Grooming Your Parakeet
Chapter 7: Come Here Often? Getting to Know Your Parakeet
Understanding Parakeet Behavior
Recognizing Problem Behaviors
Putting Your Parakeet to Bed
Part 3: Training and Breeding Your Parakeet
Chapter 8: Good Bird! Taming and Training Your Parakeet
Handling Your Parakeet Safely
Taming Your Parakeet
Talking to Your Parakeet — and Getting It to Talk to You
Dealing with Biting
Finding Fun in Potty Training
Learning Advanced Training Techniques
Chapter 9: Keeping Your Parakeet Healthy and Handling Emergencies
Finding a Veterinarian
What a Healthy Bird Looks Like
Helping Your Parakeet Get the Exercise It Needs
Cleaning Your Parakeet’s Housing
Signs of a Sick Parakeet
Emergencies: Knowing When to Get Help Immediately
Chapter 10: Bouncing Baby Budgies: Breeding Your Parakeets
To Breed or Not to Breed?
Preventing Breeding
Conditioning Your Parent Parakeets
Breeding Equipment
Setting up for Breeding
Waiting Game: The Breeding Timeline
Handfeeding Baby Parakeets
Weaning the Babies
Part 4: The Part of Tens
Chapter 11: Ten Facts about Parakeets
Chapter 12: Ten Fun and Informative Parakeet and Budgie Websites
Index
About the Author
Advertisement Page
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
List of Tables
Chapter 10
TABLE 10-1 Feeding Chart
List of Illustrations
Chapter 1
FIGURE 1-1: The English budgie (left, male) and American parakeets (right, fema...
FIGURE 1-2: All the parts of a healthy parakeet.
Chapter 2
FIGURE 2-1: Children and parakeets can be good friends, but they must be superv...
Chapter 3
FIGURE 3-1: A young parakeet still has barring on the top of its head and the b...
Chapter 4
FIGURE 4-1: Cages with drawbridge style doors are safer than guillotine style d...
FIGURE 4-2: Wooden perches of varying diameters are good for your parakeet’s fe...
FIGURE 4-3: Parakeets like mirror toys, just make sure that your bird doesn’t b...
FIGURE 4-4: Parakeets love to climb around on ladders like this one.
FIGURE 4-5: Be very careful if you have flighted parakeets and ceiling fans.
Chapter 5
FIGURE 5-1: Parakeets are ground feeders, meaning that they naturally fly to th...
FIGURE 5-2: Parakeets should be given greens and other fruits and veggies every...
FIGURE 5-3: Parakeets love millet spray as a treat.
Chapter 6
FIGURE 6-1: A healthy parakeet’s feathers are clean and sleek, like with this f...
FIGURE 6-2: Offering your parakeet a separate bath encourages it to bathe there...
FIGURE 6-3: This parakeet is molting. You can see the new pin feathers peeking ...
FIGURE 6-4: For a proper clip, trim the first seven primary flight feathers.
FIGURE 6-5: Try not to cut into the quick when you trim your bird’s nails.
Chapter 7
FIGURE 7-1: A parakeet in a crouched position like this is generally ready to g...
FIGURE 7-2: Parakeets who live together may enjoy mutual preening, called
allop
...
FIGURE 7-3: Parakeets often sleep with their head tucked backwards.
FIGURE 7-4: A parakeet puffed up like this might be feeling chilled.
Chapter 8
FIGURE 8-1: This parakeet is being hand-tamed by its human companion.
FIGURE 8-2: Parakeets enjoy a gentle scratch on the head.
Chapter 9
FIGURE 9-1: An overgrown beak may be a sign of malnutrition or mites.
FIGURE 9-2: This parakeet’s cracked beak should be seen by an avian veterinaria...
Chapter 10
FIGURE 10-1: These parakeets are nesting communally in a breeding colony.
FIGURE 10-2: This is a “true pair,” a female and a male budgie, engaging in fee...
FIGURE 10-3: This female parakeet keeps her babies warm.
Guide
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
Index
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Introduction
Many people remember having a parakeet when they were a kid, and many kids (and plenty of adults!) today either have one, want one, or will receive one as a gift. As a companion, the parakeet has it all. It’s little enough for even the smallest apartment, is as affectionate as any lapdog, and can out talk even the largest of parrots. What more could you ask for?
About This Book
Parakeets For Dummies is for people interested in parakeets — whether you want to know more about parakeets before you acquire one, you have recently brought a parakeet (or two) into your home, you’re a parent buying this book your child, or you’re a young person buying it for yourself. Maybe you want to discover the essential scoop on getting your new bird set up properly, as well as general care information. Perhaps you simply need a refresher on the best way to take care of your feathered companion or want to understand it better and start some advanced training. Perhaps you’re ready for a new bird but aren’t sure if a parakeet is right for you and your family. If any of the above describes you, then you’ve come to the right place.
As you read, keep an eye out for text in italics, which indicates a new term and a nearby definition — no need to spend time hunting through a glossary. And monofont points out Web addresses for additional information worth checking out. You’ll also run into a few sidebars (the occasional gray box); although the information in the sidebars is good, it’s not essential to the discussion at hand, so skip ’em if you want to.
Foolish Assumptions
In writing Parakeets For Dummies, I made some assumptions about my readers:
You’re one of the millions of people who wants a parakeet or who has a family member who wants one (or more) and you’ve come to this book to learn about their care and training.
You already have a parakeet, or two, or twenty, and you want to brush up on parakeet care and learn a few things that you don’t already know.
Maybe you’re a volunteer at a parrot shelter or rescue and you want to be able to educate your adopters more thoroughly.
Perhaps you want to begin breeding these popular little birds and want some information on how to make that process go smoothly.
Whatever the case, whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned parakeet guardian, there’s something in this book for you.
Icons Used in This Book
While reading Parakeets For Dummies, be on the lookout for these icons, sprinkled here and there:
This icon flags tips and tricks that will help you be the best parakeet pal you can be.
This icon points out information that’s so important you’ll want to be sure to remember it.
This icon highlights information on things that could harm you or your parakeet.
This icon flags information that you can use to impress your friends with your amazing bird knowledge, but it isn’t absolutely necessary, so don’t feel the need to memorize it.
Beyond the Book
You can find a little more parakeet-related on https://www.dummies.com/, where you can peruse this book's Cheat Sheet. To get this handy resource, go to the website and type Parakeets For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the Search box.
Where to Go from Here
Parakeets For Dummies is a reference, so you don’t have to read it in order from start to finish. Begin with Chapter 4 if you need basic set-up information, flip to Chapter 7 if you’re trying to learn parakeet-ese, or head to Chapter 2 if you’re still undecided about adding a parakeet to your family. (Although if you prefer to start at the beginning and read until you reach the back cover, you’re welcome to do so.)
Part 1
Introducing the Parakeet
IN THIS PART …
Finding out if a parakeet is perfect for you
Preparing to bring your parakeet home
Feeding your parakeet properly
Chapter 1
Parakeets: More Than Just Pretty, Whistling Birds
IN THIS CHAPTER
Understanding what a parakeet is
Telling the difference between the English budgie and the American parakeet
Discovering the life of a wild parakeet
The word parakeet is a generic term for any smallish, slender bird in the parrot family that has a long, tapered tail. But when most people think “parakeet,” they think of the small, brightly colored bird common to most pet shops and to almost everyone’s childhood.
Parakeets are about 7 inches in length (with the English budgie at around 9 inches), and most of that length is taken up by the tail. This species, Melopsittacus undulatus, also called the budgerigar (budgie is its nickname), is found in large flocks in the grasslands of the Australian outback. The English budgie has the same Latin species name, even though it is much larger.
WHERE PARAKEETS COME FROM
Parakeets arrived in Europe around 1838, brought from Australia by British naturalist John Gould and his brother-in-law, Charles Coxen, who raised the first clutch (batch of babies). Europeans found that these birds were easy to breed, and wealthy people fell in love with them. They soon became popular in Germany, Belgium, France, and Holland.
A yellow mutation occurred in Belgium around 1875, leading to other color mutations, including olive, dark green, gray-green. Companion parakeets were simply green, as they are in the wild, until around 1881 when a Dutch bird keeper found a blue chick hatched in the nest boxes. This blue bird was responsible for other mutations: cobalt, mauve, slate, gray, and violet.
The parakeet arrived in America around the late 1920s, but didn’t become popular as a companion until the 1950s. Today, there are hundreds of color mutations and variations. Even so, the most common colors are the most popular: green, blue, yellow, and white.
The American Parakeet versus the English Budgie
Though the American parakeet and the English budgie both got their start in Australia, the American parakeet is more similar to its wild cousin than the English budgie. The English budgie is what hobbyists call an exhibition bird or a show budgie, because it is often shown in large budgie shows (kind of like dog shows, but for birds). It’s nearly twice the size of the American parakeet, and it claims its English name because the British, who received the exhibition size budgie from Western Europe, sent the exhibition budgie to America.
The English budgie is basically domesticated, which means that it has been changed from its wild form using selective breeding practices. This kind of selective breeding (choosing to breed only the animals that have desired traits so that the young will also have and pass on these traits to future generations) is what humans have done with dogs for thousands of years. (Notice how different dog breeds look so dissimilar from one another — it’s hard to imagine that they all originated from a couple of species of wild dog.) Though no parrot is truly domesticated, the English budgie is the closest.
Though technically called the budgie, the terms parakeet and budgie are interchangeable (see Figure 1-1). Some people call the larger version of the parakeet the budgie and the smaller version the parakeet — but it really doesn’t matter which term you use. For the purposes of this book, I refer to these little birds as parakeets. The basic differences are as follows:
Size difference:
The American parakeet is smaller, thinner, and more streamlined than its British counterpart. The English show budgie is stately looking, with a full, prominent chest and forehead. Its eyes are barely evident and its beak is tucked into the feathers of its face. It is 8½ to 9½ inches long, whereas the American is about 7 inches long.
FIGURE 1-1: The English budgie (left, male) and American parakeets (right, female, male).
Temperament:
The American parakeet is feistier than the English budgie and may be more active than its mellower cousin. Both birds are good companions. Whichever type you choose, you can tame the bird into a wonderful pal, or keep a pair to watch and add some liveliness to your home.
Lifespan:
Lifespan is one of the primary differences between the parakeet and the budgie. The big English budgie lives about 7 to 8 years, and the American parakeet can live 14 years or more with the proper care.
The Anatomy of a Parakeet
Knowing your bird’s anatomy will help you describe a problem to an avian veterinarian if you ever have to do so. You can also speak like an expert with other hobbyists. Here are the primary parts of your parakeet (see Figure 1-2):
Crown:
The crown is the top of the head.
Nares (nostrils):
The nares are at the top of the beak.
Cere:
The
cere
is the fleshy area above the beak that contains the nostrils. It becomes blue in mature male parakeets, and brown in breeding condition females. When parakeets are young, it’s white to light pink. The cere is a purplish-pink in males and a whitish-blue in females (when females are not in breeding condition).
Beak:
The upper and lower
mandibles
(jaws) make up the parakeet’s beak. The parakeet is classified as a
hookbill,
meaning that the beak is shaped like a hook and is perfect for cracking seeds and breaking twigs.
Ear:
Your parakeet has small flat holes for ears, and they’re covered by thin feathers that protect the ear. This is why you can’t see them unless your bird is wet.
Eyes:
The parakeet’s eyes are on either side of its head so that its field of vision is about 300 degrees. By contrast, a human’s field of vision is about 120 degrees. This wider view of the world is because the parakeet is a prey animal and needs to be constantly on alert for predators. Parakeets, like many birds, have a third eyelid called a
nictitating membrane,
which is a thin, semitransparent lid that washes the eye like a squeegee and closes for protection.
Throat:
The throat is just beneath the beak and extends to the breast.
Nape:
The nape is the back of the neck.
Shoulder:
The shoulder is at the top of the wing nearest the parakeet’s back.
Breast:
The breast is just below the throat.
Foot:
Everything that most of us think of as a bird’s leg is actually a bird’s foot. That’s why the “knee” appears to bend the wrong way — it’s actually the bird’s heel. The parakeet’s foot is
zygodactyl,
meaning it has two toes in front and two in back, perfect for grasping and climbing.
Vent:
The vent is where your bird eliminates. In a human, this would be a combined anus and urethra. Birds’ urine is not separate from their droppings; urine is combined with the fecal portion of the dropping as a small wet outer ring.
Primary feathers:
Parakeets have ten long primary wing feathers that aid in flight.
Secondary feathers:
The secondary feathers on the wing occur after the primaries, closer to the body.
Rump:
The rump is beneath the primary flight feathers on the parakeet’s lower back.
Mantle:
The mantle is the back area between the shoulders of the parakeet.
Crop:
The crop is a sac-like organ that’s kind of like a “first stomach.” It’s where the food goes immediately after being swallowed and is located at the top of the breast.
Syrinx:
The syrinx is equivalent to vocal chords in humans. It allows parakeets to talk and vocalize when air is pushed through it.
FIGURE 1-2: All the parts of a healthy parakeet.
Chapter 2
Is a Parakeet Your Perfect Companion?
IN THIS CHAPTER
Understanding what a parakeet will bring to your life
Knowing what parakeets need from you
Figuring out whether you and a parakeet will be a good match
Becoming a two-parakeet household
Understanding what is involved in breeding
If you’re trying to decide whether to bring a parakeet into your home, you’ve come to the right chapter. Even if you already have a parakeet, this chapter has something for you too. Here you’ll figure out what to expect from a parakeet (from its bubbly personality to the dreaded messes it makes) and what your parakeet expects from you. I walk you through the challenges posed by children and companion animals (whether birds or cats or dogs). I also give you information on keeping more than one parakeet.
Knowing What to Expect from a Parakeet
As wonderful as they are, parakeets are still considered wild animals, just as are all companion parrots. Though parakeets are about as close as a bird comes to being domesticated (other than the canary), they still have their quirks. Knowing what to expect from your parakeet — from personality to lifespan — will make your relationship with your bird better and stronger.
A great personality
As with humans, each parakeet is an individual with its own individual personality. Some are sweet and affectionate, while others may always remain fearful or aggressive. What you receive from your parakeet depends a lot on what you put into it. In general, a kind, careful guardian can tame a parakeet into a loving companion.
If you buy two parakeets that look similar, you may worry that you’ll never be able to tell them apart. After you get to know them, you’ll see that they have personalities of their own, likes and dislikes, different mannerisms, and different aptitudes for talking and training.
Noise and talking ability
If you require an absolutely quiet home, then parakeets are not the bird for you. You’re never going to prevent noise. They chatter, sing, and even talk for a good part of the day, though they do have their quiet moments. Fortunately, parakeets aren’t loud, but they are persistently noisy. Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, loudness is in the ear of the hearer. Some people aren’t bothered at all by parakeet noise, while others may be annoyed by the constant chirruping.
A healthy and happy parakeet is quite noisy. Beware the silent bird — it may not be feeling well. Birds tend to hide signs of illness very well, so being quieter than usual is definitely cause for concern.
Parakeets are excellent talkers. They can even out-talk some of the larger bird species. Parakeets can learn hundreds of words and phrases and say them clearly and interchangeably. Cocks (male birds) are more apt to talk earlier and more frequently, but hens (female birds) have been known to do their share of chatting as well.
Companionship
One of the best reasons to get a parakeet is for companionship. Parakeets are affectionate companions and bond readily to any human who is patient and kind. Your parakeet may love to stand on your shoulder while you do your chores or watch television. He’ll preen your eyebrows and sing into your ear.
