Evening star., 1951-08-01
PARAKEET.


(From Mrs. T. C. A.. WashingtonJ
I have enjoyed the Readers
Clearing House immensely ever
since its beginning and have
benefited many times by its Won
derful recipes. household hints,
etc. The following is my reply to
a query from Mrs. D. c., Chevy
Chase, on the training and care
OF her parakeet.
We have been the proud owners
of beautiful blue parakeet for
the past year and would not take
anything for him. He is named
Pretty Boy, and is joy and
pleasure to the whole household,
as well as friends. I have found
they are very easy to care for
and in time become quite tame
and affectionate. I have been his
chief trainer since am with him
all the time. He has a vocabulary
OF about IS words and can !mi-
tate most all whistles he hears. I'll
you want him to talk and initiate
you, start now. while he is young
to gain his confidence in you by
repeating the same word over and
over in a gentle baby-talk voice
Never speak loudly or harShly toI
him. At first it may take him al
week or more to learn a word, butt
have patience and don't give UP: itI
just takes time. AS they grow older
they learn more quickly. We were
told at the pet shop to Keep them
in a cool place, never In the sum
or too warm a room as that will
make them shed or mott. Cover
the cage at night, unless it is ex-
tremely hot. Give him fresh food
and water every day, changing the
water often during the summer.
They do not like to bathe every
day but will occasionally if you
attach plastic bird bath (soId I'M
any pet supply shop in the door
way. The book says to give them
something green to nibble on and
l was told that kale or spinach
Ieef is better than lettuce, which
could cause dysentary, often prov
ing fatal. Ours is so tame now
that he is let out of the cage toI
ny around or perch on our
shoulders and objects around the
house. I hope this has not been
too lengthy and you will get some
help from it. Good luck to you
with your parakeet.
tFrom Mrs. D. T. B., WASHINGTON }
would suggest that you 60 to-
a pet store and get book on para
keetS. 1t is large subject, and
numerous books have been written
on the subject. They cover most
OF the ground, but some give more
information on care and food and
others deal principally with breed
ing and showing. while others go
into training. A. pet store on Wis
conSln avenue near the Calvert
Theater and across the street has
quite library of books on pets
OF all kinds. We have a book
which tells quite a lot about train
ing them to talk. 1t is The Bud
gerigar or Shell Parakeet as
Talker," by Cessa Feyerabend,
published by the American Bud
gerigar Society, and saw a copy
of it in the store mentioned above.
1t takes time and patience to
teach them to talk, and we haven't
given much to ours, but he can
say pretty boy" and whistle call
we have used in the family for
years. I haven't had any luck
with Yankee Doodle" 1t is a.
fascinating pastime for a shut-in
or Semi-invalid. We have a play
yard for our bird. 1t has ladder
swing and string of paper clips
with bell on the end. There are
also parallel bars, some bright
pennies and marbles and mirror,
which he loves. He will sit by
the hour and look at himself and
Groom to his reflection. He has a.
fine time with a piece of cello
phane or tissue and likes to be
swung on a cord. They eat para
keet food, which you can buy at
any pet store, and ours loves the
heads of millet sold in pet stores
or large store on F and G streets
with the Irish name between
Twelfth and Thirteenth streets.
Some like lettuce and celery, but
ours will not touch it. Fresh wa
ter should be provided every day.
Temperature is not very impor-