Food and Water
It is important that your parakeet has plenty of food and clean water every day. You can buy parakeet food at your local pet shop. Some parakeets are picky, so experiment with several types of food to see which one your budgie likes. Or, you can ask your keet's previous owner what he or she used to feed her. Birdseed does not need to be changed every day. However, when your parakeet eats, she shells the seed with her beak and eats only the inside. So make sure you blow over her food dish whenever you see dry husks inside. Spray millet also makes an excellent snack for budgies. It's healthy for them, and they love it!
In addition to seeds, parakeets also need fresh fruits and vegetables. Some vegetables you can feed your budgie are: carrot sticks, celery, lettuce (in small amounts), green beans, sweet corn, and peas. Some fruits that your keet may enjoy are: apples, grapes, berries, bananas, kiwis, pears, melons, peaches, and oranges. Other foods include: bread, dry cereal (in small amounts), unsalted almonds, and unsalted sunflower seeds. It may take some time before your keet decided whether she likes a new food or not, but the younger she is, the easier it will be for her to adjust to them.
Water is also a very important necessity. You should change your parakeet's water daily; your parakeet will not drink if she sees dirt floating around in her water dish. Liquid vitamins are optional; if you do use them be sure to put no more than one or two drops in your budgie's water every day. Sometimes your keet will try to take a bath in her water dish. This is perfectly normal and can be very amusing, too! However, if her cage is large enough, you can put a wide, shallow dish inside for a bathtub if you prefer.
Gravel should also be available in your keet's cage. Parakeets need gravel to help digest their food. A cuttlebone also provides a great source of minerals and should be attached to the side of the cage where your keet can reach it.
Certain foods will make you feathered friend sick if she eats them. Never feed her any food high in salt or sugar, but chocolate is the worst because it has been known to kill budgies. Other foods may include: chips, candy, sweets, salted nuts, ice cream, Popsicles, and pretty much any type of junk food. A good rule of thumb is: if it's not good for you, then it probably isn't good for your keet either! Some other foods your parakeet should stay away from are avocados, apple cores (the seeds are poisonous), the pits of peaches and nectarines, dairy products (parakeets are lactose intolerant), dried beans, and anything with caffeine or alcohol in it.
Using common sense, you should be able to figure out what your budgie can and can't eat. However, if you are unsure whether or not your budgie can eat it, click here for a more thorough list of poisonous foods for birds.