Our green Indian Ringneck pair are both bonded and proven. They stand at 16.5 inches in length, and while not the most cuddly of the parrot family, their offspring make outstanding apartment pets with soft and soothing tones to relax both you (and your neighbours, if noise is a concern). Unlike some other breeds which can be sexed based on feather or eye color, the Ringnecks require DNA sexing up until the age of approximately two years. After that, you can clearly identify the sex through the following features ... the males display a pink and black feathered ring around their necks and if you have a mixed pair, you will notice that the male displays this proudly to his female as well as dilating his eyes. The female is more subdued. In our case, the hen's feathers remain completely green and show only a slight suggestion of where the ring should be. Don't even expect to see adult plumage until three years of age.
Breeding:
Ideally, the Ringnecks should be housed as single pairs in open flights approximately 12 feet long by 6 feet high, with about 1/4 covered. In the wild, they breed in hollow logs, however we have been successful with a wooden breeder box 12 x 12 x 15 inches high which is hung vertically at the back of their breeding cage. While we prepared the box with 1 inch of pine and 1/2" of cedar shavings, the hen removed all of the breeding material, and two weeks before the first clutch was laid, the male was seen busily re-lining the box with his own mixture of regurged feathers and newspaper.
The normal clutch is four eggs. Our pair has now laid four, two plus two, four days apart. One egg cracked, and the male adeptly removed it from the box. Incubation takes 21-24 days and then the chicks will stay with the parents for 10 days before being pulled and hand fed. (In nature, the young spend 7 weeks in the nest). About the only way you can identify the difference between a fledgling and the adult is the fact that the young have a shorter tail than their parents, but the bodies are approximately the same size as a mature bird at this age. That all evens out within a couple of months when it becomes hard to distinguish them from the mature female. Again, it takes about two years to see the feathered ring, if you are viewing a male.
Feeding your Breeders:
While you want a high fat content during breeding (sunflower seeds cut with peanuts, budgie mix and oats) in addition you should provide warm vegetables (frozen brought to room temperature in hot water) on a daily basis and ensure that their calcium intake is not deficient. Provide lots of greens while they are sitting on their eggs. A sign of calcium deficiency would be a "pea soup" defecation.
Our pair also delights in fresh fruit such as oranges, apples, mangos and grapefruit. I've heard that they enjoy milk thistle and silverbeet but we've never introduced that to their diet.
The parents enjoy plenty of fresh corn while feeding their chicks. You'll find that their appetite is insatiable at this time, and they can easily consume three cobs per day!
Mutations:
The color dictates the price! I've heard of a single pair of lutinos yielding a wide variety of mutated offspring so you really need to know the history of the original pair if you are hoping on a particular result with your own mutated pair. Depending on the colors, prices range from $100 to $10,000 and sometimes even double that!! Some of the more recognized ringnecks now include the Lutinos, Blues, Albinos, Greys, the Grey-Greens, and then you also have the dilutes and pieds. Note that various color matings will produce various results and as a breeder, that promise is exciting :)
Hand Rearing:
Hand rearing is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable parts of breeding any bird. The ringnecks are no different and love the attention. Their chicks need to be cuddled. Enjoy the cuddling now ... later on, they will become more independent. These birds have an outstanding ability to talk.
For pricing information, please contact us at puddy@infoave.net
