The Indian Ring-necked Parakeet

The Indian ring-necked parakeet is best when its owner appreciates its personality. The bird is not a shy one and is not afraid to demand what it wants.  They are also known to be quite talkative.  It is a very social bird which comes in either green with some blue tail feathers and yellow under their wings as well as birds with their dominant colors in blue, yellow or white and can live up to 30 years.  Also, it is one of the oldest species of birds that has been kept as a pet and remains a favorite companion bird today.  Known as parakeets, the Indian ring-necked is also a parrot.  They are called parakeets because of their size and long tailed feathers. 

Obviously, the bird’s natural habitat is India where it is still found in the wild in huge quantities even in urban areas. 

Despite of their history, they are known to be a difficult species to tame.  It helps if they are hand-fed as babies and properly socialized.  They can develop charming personalities if they handled every day and they are known to learn tricks such as waving hello with a foot.  They can also figure out puzzles when enticed with treats and learning to mimic sounds.  

Although it is not guaranteed they will learn to speak, in the past in India they were considered sacred because on their ability to mimic human sounds.  In fact, religious leaders often would observe the birds repeating prayers recited in places of worship.  They are known to learn if not dozens, hundreds of words which they repeat with clarity.  They typically start speaking around eight months to a year old.   

The species are known to be sensitive who need a generous amount of play time and especially time out of their cage to be happy.  If it doesn’t receive enough play time or time outside of their cage, it can develop neurotic disorders that may be difficult to get rid of.  Their most rebellious phase is in adolescence.  Between four months to one year, they can go through hormonal changes that can increase their aggressiveness such as hissing, biting and general resistance to interaction.

The bird needs a larger than normal cage than birds of the same size because of their long tail.  They love toys but are a bit hard on them so keep a nice surplus of them around to replace the ones they destroy.  This behavior is normal.

They are known for a good amount of chattering, some of it loud, and they tend to eat a good amount.  They need a nutritious balance of pellets, fruit and veggies.