My Copy: 0764110187 (image from bn.com)

One thing I’ve learned about wanting to learn new things–and using books as a major resource–is that when it’s a Barron’s publication, you’ve got few worries.

The same goes for The Parakeet Handbook. I like this book. It could use a few more illustrations, perhaps, but it’s not overly technical and is rather helpful as a way to start, whether you’re a newbie parakeet owner or maybe you think you might have a pregnant one all of a sudden… yeah, I’d get this little guide. It’ll at least give you enough info to start with if you have questions, have made observations, and want to go talk to a pet store person or breeder for help or answers.

The Parakeet Handbook is just shy of 150 pages and is loaded with basic tips and gives a lot on each stage of the parakeet’s life, and the differences and behaviors of those in the wild versus captivity, or males and females. There’s a lot on how to treat a parakeet if they live alone in the cage, no other bird around, but you want them to bond with you. It tells you ways to make that relationship successful to a point so the bird isn’t terribly lonely.

I got this book shortly after I got Sky and Pickle, but hadn’t had a chance to do much more than thumb through it a little. Now that I have my other two, and they’re being far more lively and one’s exhibiting some kind of nesting behavior… I figured now was a good time.

The book was printed 20 years ago, so there may be some things that have been updated over the years, tips to try or arrangements to avoid illness or whatever. But it’s a great start regardless, and will probably have a new edition out sometime in the next year or so. Otherwise, use this and THEN get on the internet if you choose.

Worth a shot.