Parakeet Training Record

In the 60's, science had an answer for everything, and vinyl did much more than just supply you with the latest pop tunes. For a mere 98 cents, this 45rpm disc from Hartz Mountain claimed to be able to teach your parakeet to talk using a "scientific new method". The idea, it would seem, was to place your bird near the record player while a "carefully trained voice" recited over and over again a series of banal phrases. "Hello, baby", says the voice. "Hello, baby".

Whether this worked or not is anyone's guess (put me down for No), but judging from the wear on this particular disc, it would appear that somebody gave it a shot. It's actually hard to imagine how much easier using this record might have been compared to the "old fashioned" method it replaced. Considering that each side of the thing is only about 3 minutes long, a dedicated parakeet owner would have had to do an awful lot of record-flipping to generate any appreciable amount of listening time. Weigh that against the disadvantage to having your parakeet learn only those phrases carefully selected by the Hartz Mountain engineers, and -- wait, I keep forgetting. This was the 60's, and these are consumers we're talking about.

It's too bad that the parakeet training concept seems to have been a passing phenomenon. With today's multi-gigabyte MP3 players able to hold hours of sound, it might actually have a chance. Hello, baaaaaby...

Joan (BC1331@juno.com) says:
I had a parakeet for ten years. He died Christmas 2006. He said, "Kiss me, Tweet Tweet,
Pretty Bird" . We had guina pigs and he imitated their cries. If I said "Sic "Em Tweetie!" , he would chase my sons. Coincidence I'm sure. The only thing was he was a very bad lip biter. We'd put him in his cage right way.

Also, if your parakeet thins his body out you know he is in a bad mood! We put "Tweetie" right back in his cage if his body was "thin" and his wings were out a little bit.

Tweetie took a shower under the kitchen faucet.
I'd fill an 8 oz. glass with about a 3" diameter and put it under the faucet with the water running gently. Tweetie would sit on the side of the glass and have his bath. He loved it!

Our new "Blue Tweetie" (old one was green) doesn't like baths under the faucet so we got him a birdbath that attached to the cage.
He bites earlobes and Yeeka!, does it hurt! More than the lip biting. He likes to sit on my ankle and fluffs up and rocks as his eyes close.

Hang in there with your parekeet. They are nice to have and I've enjoyed mine! Good luck!

By the way, if you have clorine in your water,
use store water or distilled water from your automatic water dispenser. It just might be healthier for their little bodies! (09-08-2007)

JEFFREY (FLATBUSH23@HOTMAIL.COM) says:
MY PARAKEET IS ALWAYS BITING ME AND I AM ONLY TRYING TO PLAY WITH HIM HOW CAN I TAKE HIM OUT AND PLAY (08-15-2007)

hema13 (hemapuppi@yahoo.com) says:
hi i need some help so e-mail me....do u know of any good websites that show u how to hold a parakket the rite way and and sites that show how to train a parakeet(s)( i have two and can not get another cage).....iv had them for two months almost and they are still afraid of me!......=( (08-03-2007)

regan (fearstreet32@yahoo.com) says:
hey i study bird!! i read books on them and i write for a magize about them!! so if u are haveing trouble with an bird plz email me i will help u. i will email u back and help u with u bird problems!! (08-01-2007)

regan (fearstreet32@yahoo.com) says:
i think i might be geting a parakeet today i dont know any thing about them!!! ive been surching all day on the wed. plz email me so i dont do any that will hurt it!! im a frist time owner...HELP!! (08-01-2007)

danii (crazy_beautii@yahoo.com) says:
i have a blue and white baby parakeet. I put her outside sometimes for some fresh air but as soon as i leave she starts squeaking like crazy and doesnt stop until i bring her inside. Then she doesnt squeak for like an hour after that.
Does the squeaking mean happy or not happy?
Different websites say different things and meanings! Please Help! I dont want to stress her out. (07-31-2007)

Mico (micocuizon@yahoo.com) says:
Hi i am new at takeing care of a bird
but i think my bird really HATES me
its a rare light blue parakeet
I think it likes its perch better the me
so if you got any ideas for it to like me send me
a E mail and thanks in advanced (07-22-2007)

celynthia (celynthia_crawford.yahoo.com) says:
UMMM...I had my bird for like 7 months now it it still won't talk like a human what do I do.... and I want to give a shout out to my mother Debra Denise Crawford and my family. (07-03-2007)

bobby (nzbros@earthlink.net) says:
My parakeet will perch on my finger for about 10 seconds then shell just fly away.Can someone please tell me what to do. (07-02-2007)

Mary says:
I recently bought two keets I have finger trained and am working on their becoming friendly. It takes time.

I hung a swing below my desk lamp and put them on it while I work at my computer every day. This has helped the most to earn their trust. Its cute because we talk/chirp to each other while they are there. Occationally, I stick my finger out for them to step on and off of.

One is definately more friendly and less afraid than the other. This works fine as the more confident bird encourages the less confident one.

My male, Keet, bites much more than the other, but you have to stay steady and not scare them when they do, no matter how much it hurts. A young parakeet uses his beak to grab hold and step up on your finger..he really does not mean to bite. Try gloves if you are afraid of being bit. It is important to handle them no matter what...this is how they learn to be handled.

I set my birds on my shoulder and they hide under my hair while I do my household chores like vaccumming. My little female, Chick, will run across the floor to jump on my finger when she flies down to the ground. It didn't happen right away, and took lots of finger training. Try holding a branch of millet in your hand just a few inches away when coaxing your birds to first come to you. Then hold it further and further away as they learn it is rewarding to sit on your finger.

I wish you all good luck with your birds and know you will find success as long as you devote genuine time with them and talk to them often.

~~Mary
I play online classic games like backgammon, Yahtzee and chess at http://GoldToken.com so if you have questions about training your parakeets, you know where to find me. (06-27-2007)

melissa (melissa@mbarker.com) says:
I just convinced my English Parakeet Willy Longfeathers how to sit on my finger, and have to share my method. I put perch covers on most of his perches. After letting him get used to them for a day, I trimmed one and put it on my finger. I rested my hand in his cage while holding a millet spray. Within minutes, he was perched on my finger eating away. It was a great way to earn the trust of this wonderful bird. Hope this helps someone.

He does love to nip me though. Any advice would be welcome. (06-24-2007)

loren (Hisgrace4us@comcast.net) says:
i don't have my parakeet yet but i will get him next Friday i have 5 toys for him but i think its going to get to crowed so how many can i put in?..... anyway i got the perfect name for him! i want to call him.......peep so i am getting the best kind its a hand raised one!.... but my problem is that its in Santa Fe! and thats one ower away! i just have to wate that long! i wanted one for my 8th birhday! and gues what!? i have to wate and pay for it!and i allreddy bote the cage and toys i set up the cage and i put the toys im my cage is blue and thats good becuse thats my fravret color it costed $42 and i had $127 and thats alot for my age becuse i am only 7 yers old! and that may be it for now with me so i can say goodby for now from loren99 pet lover (06-01-2007)

kimberly183 says:
Joy - get Emily away from the male. Once she starts self-plucking she won't stop and can actually kill herself. It's a sign of extreme stress. (05-23-2007)

blue penguin (blue_penguin6@yahoo.com) says:
I really want to teach my parakeet to talk and come on my hand whenever I try to put my finger in but them she trys to bite me and I just wanna teach him a few tricks and how to talk and stuff it's just very hard because it really hurts when she bites!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (05-15-2007)

brianna says:
do anybody know how to train a parakeet and i wanna teech him how to say sumthin and he dont really squeek or anthing unless he dont wanna be touched. he really sweet and nice and wont bite.but i neeed to know how to train him! can anyone help me? pleeeeeeeeeez thanks (05-07-2007)

Joy says:
I got two Budgies for a few years now, but they've been tough and difficult ever since. They're different species (blue and white) and they're very afraid of me. I love my birds, but they always hate me for obvious reasons. And my blue bird, Emily's tummy is puffing up, and she's losing feathers! Me and my sister are trying to figure out what's wrong, and we're feeding her so much vitamins and healthy things that mighte heal her! But our parents say she doesn't need to be taken to the vet.

And my second bird, Tyler, the blue one is so fierce!He'll do anything to run away from me, and he'll fight with Emily too! I think he has some issues, but I don't know anything about it! My friend's birds are so calm, and they are not EVER afraid of her! They'll just jump right onto your finger no matter what! And if you let them our in your house, then call their name, they just come back!

I need desperate help. Can you help me? (04-10-2007)

kyi says:
my friend has a bird and she is trying to train thebird to wistle or talk, I will show her this websited to see if this might help her it is her first time having a bird and she is doing well.i hope this well help her. (04-10-2007)

emily gibbs (krazeblonde15@hotmail.com) says:
I just recently got a new parakeet about a month ago and it is very agressive it likes to bite you if you try to move or touch it how can i get it to be nicer and train it to talk ect...??? (04-08-2007)

Michelle (michelle@webco-mn.com) says:
eh i have a parakeet, named tinkerbell. she used to be so fun, & now she's so mean. i can't hold her without her biting me. what do i do! (04-03-2007)

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