Rose-ringed parakeets are highly intelligent birds who make ideal pets. They are also social birds in that they don’t only bond with one person. They do require daily human interaction and toys that will stimulate them mentally, like solving puzzles in exchange for a treat.
Many years ago, the people of India kept these birds as pets, and it was considered a status symbol to have them. The birds’ popularity grew, and later on they were bred by the Greeks.
Taking care of your bird
Rose-ringed parakeets are naturally social animals who flocked together in the wild. Therefore, they bond well with people from a very young age. In fact, the younger the bird, the better he will adapt to his new family.
It is important to spend a lot of time with these birds, feeding them, teaching them new tricks, and challenging their minds with various puzzle games. These smart birds are capable of performing a variety of tricks. Although it does take some patience to train them, you will be rewarded with a vocal bird. Whatever you do, just don’t leave these birds to their own devices, as they can become nippy and unfriendly.
Rose-ringed parakeets have long tails and therefore need a large cage, and the longer the bird spends in the cage, the larger the cage needs to be. Remember that the cage will also have to house many toys and perches placed all over. Ideally, the cage should be bigger than 60cm wide, 45cm deep and 90cm high.
These birds are avid chewers, and it is advisable to supply the bird with various chewable wood toys that he can chew to his heart’s content. Be sure to sterilise these toys often, and when buying the toys, ensure that they are safe to chew. They also love toys they can climb on, such as ladders and swings, and toys that they can push around in the cage. It goes without saying that it is advisable to keep the cage, food and water bowls and toys clean.
Food and water
In the wild, rose-ringed parakeets stay in areas with adequate supplies of nuts, seeds and fruit, and they love wheat, maize, coffee beans, dates, figs and guavas. Therefore, these birds need a variety of these in their food bowl. They should receive a nutritionally balanced diet that includes pellets, seeds, fruit and vegetables. Familiarise yourself with the content of the pellets and supplement your bird’s diet accordingly.
As with other birds, make sure that these birds have fresh drinking water that is placed away from perches. They also need shallow bowls with clean water to bathe in.
So, if you don’t have enough time in a day to spend with these birds, then rather consider another type of bird or pet. These birds can be very loud with shrill screams – do keep that in mind. And if you have a lot of patience, then you can train this lovely bird into an adorable pet.
Rose-ringed parakeet facts
- They are also known as ring-necked parakeets.
- Rose-ringed parakeets are social birds and naturally bond with most members of the family.
- These parakeets are highly intelligent and need a lot of mental stimulation. They need intellectual toys that will keep them occupied.
- They also need daily human attention.
- It is easier to bond with these birds before they reach maturity.
- Because these birds are so intelligent, they can learn up to 250 words.
