How to Get Your Parakeet to Drink

Closely observe your parakeet on a daily basis to familiarize yourself with his normal behavior and eating and drinking patterns. If your pet bird stops drinking, immediately take him to an avian vet to rule out underlying medical conditions. Birds are prey animals and conceal their illnesses to avoid predators. Early detection of behavioral changes increases your chances of a quick recovery. A veterinarian can examine your bird, make a diagnosis and recommend proper treatment.

Just like you, your parakeet won't drink dirty, stale water. If you've neglected to regularly clean his water, his droppings, food pellets or other debris might befoul it, making him refuse to drink it. Wash your parakeet's water bowl or bottle daily with detergent. Then spray it with vinegar and thoroughly rinse it to get rid of all traces of the detergent. Fill it with fresh water.

If your parakeet isn't drinking, maybe he doesn't know where his water is. Young parakeets might need an introduction to the water bowl or bottle. Swish the water around in the bowl or have it drip from the bottle nozzle so that he can see the liquid. If you're trying to switch your feathery friend from using a bowl to a bottle, have both available until you're sure that he knows how to use the bottle.

If your parakeet's sick or eats a diet that mainly consists of seeds, a veterinarian might recommend giving medicine or supplementing with vitamins and minerals. Often these are added to the bird's drinking water and might change its taste, making your parakeet refuse to drink it. These additives can also promote the growth of bacteria in the water. Consult a veterinarian to see if there's a different way to medicate your bird or supplement his diet so he continues drinking water.