once it's tamed it hops onto your shoulder if you walk into it while it's sitting still. getting hit or going in water knocks it off, so you'll be picking it back up a lot.
seeds. wheat, melon, pumpkin or beetroot seeds all work, just keep feeding until hearts show up, can take a few. find them in jungles. and please don't give them a cookie, it kills them, lot of people learn that one the hard way.