A proper intro...

I bought a parakeet this summer and named him Louie.  I kind of wanted a parakeet, but when my sister mentioned she was thinking of getting one, I decided to get one.  I noticed he looked like the youngest of the bunch, his head was full of stripes and he didn't have many spots at the bottom of his beak.  The guy who caught him actually got him out of a full cage of his friends and relatives, I was relieved but uncertain.

Before Louie I had Clyde, Clyde lived to be a few years old but got into something not good for him and passed on.  I was heart broken.  Clyde became people friendly fast and was pretty funny. 

Once I got Louie home, he bit me so hard I wasn't certain he'd ever warm up to people.  Patience and perseverence prevailed.  Now, he speaks and is the cuddliest bird I've ever had. As you see in the lower pic, he isn't freaked by my hand and he loves being pet.  He also love his cage... Only comes out a few times a week to stretch his wings and will occasionally land on me or a high plant.  He likes whistling, will only speak if he can hear the TV, other birds, or sees me washing dishes... Which, for some reason sets him off!

Rest of my family might be a little jealous of my success with him and if you're wondering how to accomplish taming a parakeet my advice is to let them (the parakeets) decide.  I'd just try to feed him from time to time, and would leave my and in his cage for him to get use to it.  Parakeets are inquisitive and once they figure out it's not a threat, they'll investigate. From there, it's an exercise in figuring out how it will let you play with and pet him and winning trust.  Unless you buy a hand raised 'keet, it takes a lot of time and patience.