Parakeet From Petco

Four days ago I bought a green and yellow male parakeet from Petco. I know now that I should have bought from a breeder, or even adopted one from a rescue or shelter. Needless to say this boy has had little to no handling, except when he was shipped to Petco and then when the worker caught him with a net and put him in a box.

I'm working with him slowly and gently and named him Oliver. Petco said I had 30 days if I needed to bring him back for a refund, and no doubt he'd love to be back with his "flock", but I hate to send him back there actually where once again no handling or one-on-one care. I'm going to give it time and keep working with him. If I have to I'll get a companion for him but not from Petco.

Has anyone else bought from Petco or PetSmart? If unfortunately I make the decision to send Oliver on it will be to a rescue or individual. I just wonder how other animals fare from Petco once sold, like Guinea Pigs, etc. They had some beautiful Guinea Pigs, but here again no handling.

I bought a betta fish last year from Petco (one of those miserable looking fish in a cup). I didn’t want to have a fish shipped and didn’t know where else to buy one. He is thriving in the 7 gallon, filtered, heated, lighted tank with plants and decorations that I put him in and is pretty interactive (for a fish). He swims right over when you come up to the tank and will follow your finger and jump for food. I bought a leopard gecko at petsmart as a kid and he lived more than 20 years (Yes! You did read that right!) and was very handleable/tame. My amazon parrot, newt and bearded dragon all came from rescue scenarios and in time the bird and bearded dragon became very nice pets. The newt is the most boring pet ever but still in apparent good health after 11 years. It has been my experience, if you care properly for an animal, it will thrive and be what one can expect from the species regardless of where it came from

Also, animals from chain pet stores need and deserve good homes too. I wouldn’t return your bird. He is still very new and needs time to learn that you can be trusted. Birds are not like dogs and cats. It can take months to start building trust with a bird, especially a small traumatized one that has never had positive interactions with humans before.

18wherlsifsteel got his budgies at a pet store, he brought home a male and female. With constant work and interaction he has had wonderful success.

I've gotten a few budgies from chain stores over the years. Give him time and attention and he will come around.

Thank you for the encouraging responses, I too think Oliver will be ok with time. He's gone through a major change and needs time to adjust.

Jasmine333 said:

He's gone through a major change and needs time to adjust.

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Hit the nail on the head! Remember to always try and put yourself in your birds shoes for perspective. In this case, he is a tiny bird who has been moved around a lot in his very short life and has zero control or say in what happens to him. He has also, undoubtedly, had some very unpleasant interactions with humans, who are many times larger than he. And he’s probably a bit bewildered being away from other budgies for the first time.

Now, from what I understand budgies are a bit different than larger parrots in that they really do tend to do better with other budgies but I’d still work with him one on one for at least a few weeks before deciding whether or not to get a second bird. See where a few weeks of consistent, daily trust building interactions leaves you with him and if you think at that point he still “needs” a friend or would benefit more from further one on one interaction with you. Generally, birds are either bonded to other birds or bonded to humans but not to both, regardless of species. That doesn’t mean bonded birds can’t still be hand tame, but they will typically prefer the company of their own kind to you. Just depends what you want out of owning a bird.

I’m also very new here, we have had our parakeet Skye for just over a week. He’s spent his whole life with birds as well. He is making leaps and bounds. What seems to be working well for us is just letting Skye lead the way. Skye is no where near ready to handled, and may never be and that’s okay. Remember each bird has their own personality. We spend several short visits with him and talk to him. He will eventually realize you mean him no harm. Stick with it and you will be rewarded! Good luck with the new baby!


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I noticed this morning Oliver seems to be more active and let me touch him. He won't get all the way on my hand, but sometimes puts one foot on my finger. I don't want to rush it, and sometimes just stand and gently talk to him. At least now he's not so much frozen to the perch afraid to move.

Good luck Ijistcantsayno with Skye also. I was hoping someday to get Oliver to say a few words, but that's a long way off and if he never does that's fine. I just love birds and that happy chirping sound they make, and Oliver has done that some.

Jasmine333 said:

I noticed this morning Oliver seems to be more active and let me touch him. He won't get all the way on my hand, but sometimes puts one foot on my finger. I don't want to rush it, and sometimes just stand and gently talk to him. At least now he's not so much frozen to the perch afraid to move.

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That is amazing! Really great news! You do have a keeper!

Jasmine333 said:

I noticed this morning Oliver seems to be more active and let me touch him. He won't get all the way on my hand, but sometimes puts one foot on my finger. I don't want to rush it, and sometimes just stand and gently talk to him. At least now he's not so much frozen to the perch afraid to move.

Good luck Ijistcantsayno with Skye also. I was hoping someday to get Oliver to say a few words, but that's a long way off and if he never does that's fine. I just love birds and that happy chirping sound they make, and Oliver has done that some.

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Awesome! That is super exciting, hopefully soon Oliver will have both feet on your hand.

And thank you for the well wishes, truly appreciated!


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Keep working with him, he'll come around. You actually did the best thing possible to get a "companion" budgie, being a single bird he will look mostly to you for interaction. They need a LOT of attention, which is why budgies are usually paired, but if you can devote most of the day to him he'll be chuffed to bits being an only bird, and probably be right at home in a couple of months with you and your family. As far as "should have gotten one from the breeder/rescue" I don't really agree, you saved Oliver from a miserable existence in cramped quarters, and rescue birds can be problematic for new bird owners who have minimal or no experience with birds that have potentially been abused...they don't tend to forgive easily from my observations.

18WheelsOfSteel said:

Keep working with him, he'll come around. You actually did the best thing possible to get a "companion" budgie, being a single bird he will look mostly to you for interaction. They need a LOT of attention, which is why budgies are usually paired, but if you can devote most of the day to him he'll be chuffed to bits being an only bird, and probably be right at home in a couple of months with you and your family. As far as "should have gotten one from the breeder/rescue" I don't really agree, you saved Oliver from a miserable existence in cramped quarters, and rescue birds can be problematic for new bird owners who have minimal or no experience with birds that have potentially been abused...they don't tend to forgive easily from my observations.

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Actually I haven't gotten a companion for Oliver yet. I've had him now five days and want to see how things develop. So far he's eating and acting ok. I'm sure he wonders where his buddies are, and a couple of the toys in the cage have mirrors so maybe this helps relieve some of the separation anxiety. I've got the cage near a window where he can see out in the day. I check on him several times a day, and he's showing more interest in his toys.

Jasmine333 said:

18WheelsOfSteel said:

Keep working with him, he'll come around. You actually did the best thing possible to get a "companion" budgie, being a single bird he will look mostly to you for interaction. They need a LOT of attention, which is why budgies are usually paired, but if you can devote most of the day to him he'll be chuffed to bits being an only bird, and probably be right at home in a couple of months with you and your family. As far as "should have gotten one from the breeder/rescue" I don't really agree, you saved Oliver from a miserable existence in cramped quarters, and rescue birds can be problematic for new bird owners who have minimal or no experience with birds that have potentially been abused...they don't tend to forgive easily from my observations.

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Actually I haven't gotten a companion for Oliver yet. I've had him now five days and want to see how things develop. So far he's eating and acting ok. I'm sure he wonders where his buddies are, and a couple of the toys in the cage have mirrors so maybe this helps relieve some of the separation anxiety. I've got the cage near a window where he can see out in the day. I check on him several times a day, and he's showing more interest in his toys.

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I think they meant if you want the budgie as your companion, it’s best to only have one. Birds will often prefer other birds over us lowly humans, but if they don’t have another bird friend, we will do just fine and hopefully your little guy will develop a lovely bond with you.


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My two parakeets came from "Pet Supplies Plus," which is basically just like Petco. (My sun conure actually came from actual Petco; she is adorable, very friendly and loving.) I got the the 'keets at the end of January. Then in April or May I had a medical issue & a friend took them in for about a week.

Based on my experience, I'd say that if yours is giving any signs of willingly interacting with you, and you've had him less than a week, you're probably ahead of the game. Mine mainly wanted to huddle together and be scared at the change of scenery for at least two weeks or so when I first got them. Then, when they stayed with my friends for a week, that was again all they would do. They didn't go back to showing their true personalities until a day or so after they returned home.

And their true personalities, being wildly different from each other. My white one, Calliope, could have happily been a loving & interactive little singleton if I had brought her home first. However, I didn't, and instead she is happy to be Jefferson's companion. If yours is even a little interactive already, then yours may well become a wonderful loving pet also.

My Jefferson, on the other hand, is less interactive -- but actually more communicative. He does Not want to be touched, but he Does want to tell everyone what to do. (Including me.) He is really good with body-language, for those of us who don't speak budgie. He was so very resentful the second time I got their wings clipped that I resolved to let them grow out. Now that he can fly again, he absolutely & intentionally refuses to "Step-Up."

I am convinced that if I had not gotten my attention-thief Sunny, and had instead kept Working With the budgies, I might have one or possibly both very friendly & loving budgies by now. (Instead, I have three happy birdies, one of whom (Sunny) is friendly and loving, and the other two whom I enjoy serving as their concierge, housekeeper, & waitstaff.)

Anyway, your parakeet is in process of bonding to you. I'm sure you've read all the other suggestions on this and other websites about bonding with & taming your parakeet. Follow them; there is lots of good advice. Your little birdie is scared by change, but it is already starting to bond to you. IF you were gonna take him back you should do it already (but please don't), and please don't give him up even if you don't see a bond (but I think you are seeing signs already).

Oh and one more tip. Whatever progress I did see with my budgies (when I was more actively attempting to "tame" them), took place mostly at night. Move slowly & speak gently, and a sleepy nighttime budgie will be much more approachable than a hyper, earlybird morning budgie. (Then during the day, some of that progress will disappear - but not all of it - and so I found overall more progress in general when I worked with them at night.)

Good luck with your Oliver, I am sure you will do well with him.

Oh also you mentioned toys. The fear of new things applies here also. Any unfamiliar toy will often take a week or two weeks before they will approach it. After the waiting period you will be able to figure out whether he likes it or not.

At suggestion of my friends I had started clipping lettuce in their cage for chew toys soon after I got my budgies. They entirely refused it! Now here we are 8 or 9 months later and Jefferson gets quite upset if they don't get substantial pieces of fresh lettuce and broccoli in their cage Daily.

Oliver didn't act like he wanted to be rubbed on his belly this morning, so I won't press him about it. Just like us, they have their moods. I'm going to give him time, and even if he never does talk or tame completely I just like having a bird.

I've been playing soft music for him and he quietly listens, but yesterday I played more folk/pop-type music and he softly trilled the whole time. Perhaps he was singing?

Well it's been one week today since getting Oliver from Petco. He was letting me touch him when I gently put my hand up to him in the cage, but the last two days and today he steps this way or that way on the perch and doesn't act like he wants to be touched. Reminds me of a crab walking sideways.

I left the cage door opened a few minutes, as he was flying in the cage a little and I thought he might like some time out of the cage, but he shows no interest in leaving the cage so I closed the door. Worries me because if I had to take him to a vet it's going to be hard getting him out of the cage without traumatizing him.

Jasmine333 said:

Well it's been one week today since getting Oliver from Petco. He was letting me touch him when I gently put my hand up to him in the cage, but the last two days and today he steps this way or that way on the perch and doesn't act like he wants to be touched. Reminds me of a crab walking sideways.



I left the cage door opened a few minutes, as he was flying in the cage a little and I thought he might like some time out of the cage, but he shows no interest in leaving the cage so I closed the door. Worries me because if I had to take him to a vet it's going to be hard getting him out of the cage without traumatizing him.

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I totally get it! Just keep working with him. He will get there eventually. I tell myself and my daughter that every single day. We have to go by their comfort level. They are so tiny compared to us people, plus their prey nature... it’s pretty amazing they learn to trust us at all!


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Things may be looking a little more positive with Oliver. There is a swing attached to the top mid portion of the cage, but Oliver usually sits on the perch just behind it. Well today I stood by the cage and he got on the swing as if to be closer to me. I had to go away a few minutes so he went back to the perch. I then stepped up to the cage and he got on the swing closer to me again.

Could he be starting to decide he wants to be friends? As I'm typing he is still on the swing watching me.

Took me a month for my cockatoo to allow me to touch her (other than day 1 when I was the least terrifying thing around a new space--she was a re-home). You are doing fine-- way ahead of schedule too...