Pet Parakeet Care : Parakeet Training Tips

If you're getting a parakeet, you may be wondering how to train it to do tricks, or even to talk. So, here are a few tips to help you out.

First of all, don't give your parakeet access to any distracting toys during training sessions. Also, don't have any distracting music or TV programs on. Another good idea is to cover mirrors and close windows, so that your parakeet isn't distracted by its own reflection or by passers by outside.

Next, get yourself a training clicker or decide on a specific noise that you can make when the parakeet does well. Also, get an appropriate reward to offer your parakeet for a job well done. Most parakeets love a treat called millet, which typically comes on a stick.

When you're training the parakeet to talk, be sure not to confuse it by changing words. For example, to you and I the words "hello" and "hi" mean the same thing. To your parakeet, though, they won't even make sense yet. So, he won't know that they mean the same thing. Choose which one you want him to learn and use it consistently in training.

Finally, remember that parakeets have short attention spans, but decent memories. That means that your training session should be short, but frequent, if you want the best results. Ten minute training sessions 2 or 3 times a day is better than one 30-minute session. Although, regardless of session length, you have to have patience. It can take your parakeet quite a while to learn new words. It's not done in a day.