a couple parakeet questions?

Question

I have an albino parakeet that I got a few months ago. I havent held him every day but, almost every day, and he still isnt tame. Im begining to get discouraged. How long does this take??

Also, he was SUPER tiny when I bought him, and a few people mistook him for a canary because he was so small. He's still tiny, and now his cere is starting to change color. I've always just assumed I had a boy, but his cere is really light pink on top, and kind of a purple on the bottom.

is that because he's albino, or is it possible that my little boy is a little girl? (Arent girls smaller than boys?)

Final question- sometimes when I've had him out for a while, he starts doing this thing with his beak. it looks like he's talking but no noise comes out. He does it for a while, when he appears to be content (not happy) while I'm holding him. what does that mean?

Answer 1

Taming can also be a bit more difficult with albino or lutino mutations. The lack of melanin in their eyes really affects their eyesight (as it does in humans with albinism). Normally, birds rely on their eyesight exclusively to avoid danger, so these birds can be a bit skittish.
You have to move slowly and show even more patience with these mutations but if he allows you to hold him you must be on the right track. Keep working with him and remain aware of his somewhat limited eyesight when you feel discouraged.

Answer 2

From what you have explained, it seems that you have a female and not a male. Females do have a purple or blue cere with whitish just around the nostril openings. If you have a mirror, bobbing bird or a happy hut in her cage it will eventually turn the cere brown and crusty as she goes into an egg laying mode. This is the time when you have to be real careful. This is why i don't suggest you use those products in any bird cage. It will also make taming your keet harder to do. They bond with these things and won't bond with you. For this reason alone, you should remove them. You also want to keep her from laying any eggs. Why? Because egg laying depeletes her body of calcium and not all females do lay eggs. Once she gets into an egg laying mode, some are hard to stop and they die. Best to stop this before they start.

As for your final question: She may be trying to talk, you just are not listening close enough to what is being said. Parakeets do not pronouce words as clearly as other birds. They do well with words like "pretty bird" "hello" "aahh choo" "bless you" and things of the like. They use their muscles to talk, not vocal chords like we have. All birds have the same structure for talking ability, so not one bird has the capibility over another. It's how much time you are taking to teach your bird to talk.

As for the size, that depends on the genetics of your bird. Poor genetics are playing a good role in the size these days. The smaller the bird, the worst the genetics. Breeders are no longer breeding for quality but for qauntity now. Which is really sad, but greed took over the power, and comprised the immune systems of the birds. My advice to you is try and keep your bird out of a drafty situation.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

He was small because he was still a chick, he was probably sold to young, keets can only leave the clutch at about 6-10 weeks old. His cere is changing color, because all young keets cere's change color as they reach adulthood. Girl and boy keets are the same size, (ceres: blue for a male, pink/purple for a female.) She makes that noise because she is calling a male to her, she is looking for a mate. Also it could mean that she wants to trim down her beak, get a "cuttle bone" at petsmart this helps keets to keep their beaks trimmed down. It takes months of practice to get keets to get used to your hand, you must finger train your keet. To do this place your hand in the cage everyday for 15-20 minutes and let the keet know your scent. Than go up the keets stomach push a little with your pointer finger and say "up, up, up." Wait for her to step up onto your finger than praise a lot. Repeat until she learns to step up onto your finger. Keets need 2-4 hours of flying time outside the cage everyday, at first she will fly into walls, and maybe the windows, but she will be okay, it takes keets time to Know the "navagational route" of your home. Feed millet sticks and romaine lettuce, keets love that.

Answer 4

no youre albino is a male males ceres are blue , hes still scared and it might take a while for him to trust you , trust comes hard for birds if you love him be patient he will come around ,,

Answer 5

some times it tackies months to bond with your parakeet,

sum parakeets are just little and
its to soon to tel male from female,

hes just yawning and he mite be she be cu'z hes not talking
and he should get youst to you,

Answer 6

try useing food or tip-bits to coax him keep at it, you will get there