As a new parakeet owner, I found this book very informative. It includes tips on:
- Telling the difference between the English budgie and American parakeet, and how to decide which you want
- Behavior, and what to look for when selecting a bird
- How and when to get started training
- Signs of illness/injury, first aid, and how to make a hospital cage to keep your bird in until you can get him/her to the vet
- Feeding: what overall type of diet is best, which foods are safe and which to avoid
- Basic cage setup
- Acclimation and taming
- Wing and nail trimming
- One parakeet, or a pair of 'keets?
- Bird-proofing your house or a room
- Teaching your bird to talk (Did you know male parakeets can learn *hundreds* of words and phrases? I didn't!)
Doesn't include much information on specific vocalizations or housetraining. It's also a little repetitive, but the information presented is good.