I introduce myself.

[MissK]

Hi. I'm new here.

[Jonathan W]

Ohhhh! Yay diet question

Welcome to the forum, even though I myself only joined not even 24 hours ago
Anyway, I am very well experienced in dietary things, and soon, in about two weeks, I'll be able to come up with an almost perfect diet that will improve te life of any bird
Anyway, this is what I feed my budgie and two finches seeing as your bird pretty much lived on seed, add about a quarter of a cup of seed to this

I put all of this in a food processor:

Two hard boiled eggs (including shell)
A quarter of a cup of wholegrain pasta
Two tablespoons of egg an biscuit (if you want, you could put one plain Biscuit in)
Broccoli (just shave off the green bits and that's all you need)
A small handful of raw pistachios
Half a grated carrot
In your case, a quarter cup of seeds

Put it on pulse for 10 sec, and you have about a week and a half of food you can put this in the fridge, but make sure you have a paper towel in the container, because it does have a lot of moisture

[MissK]

Jonathan, thank you for your kind reply. I doubt that wild Ringnecks would have access to this particular diet, however. Aren't finches and budgies wonderful? I am sure we will both enjoy this forum!

-MissK

[MissK]

Here is a photo of Rocky making himself at home.

[fionalouise1989]

Miss K! Finally a photo of Rocky what a gorgeous fella
Fi

[ellieelectrons]

Agreed. He is gorgeous! And inquisitive-looking too!

Ellie.

[MissK]

Thanks you, thank you. That's a slightly older shot, and from my phone but it's what I had to use when the opportunity arose.

-MissK

[subodhhire]

Hi Missk,

I must say he is a handsome dude.

I also want to post pics of my alexandrine, but i am slightly superstitious. In India we dont show the pic of small babies cause there are chances of bad eyes (I really dont know how to say it). But if someone sees the babys pic and feels jealous the baby falls sick.

It is just a superstition but i dont want to take any chances.


Subodh

[MissK]

I think it is perfectly fine to protect your babies! You put up their picture when you're ready, or not at all.


-MissK

[subodhhire]

Hi Miss K,

Evil eye is exactly what i meant. And about the colour.
I always like them in their natural original colour. I somehow dont like the mutations maybe because i am so used to see them in wild.

Subodh

[MissK]

Subodh,

I'm concerned that if I get a second IRN in green I won't be able to tell them apart by just looking.

-MissK

[subodhhire]

Hi Miss k,

If you get a female you will be able to tell them apart. And i would suggest go for a female, It would be really nice for Rocky to have a female companion.

Subodh

[MissK]

Unfortunately, Rocky must be content with his little pink ball.

-MissK

[subodhhire]

Its your decision after all. I just thought of Rockys happiness.

Subodh

[MissK]

Poooor Rocky.

-MissK

[subodhhire]

Miss K,

His natural instincts will always be there. It makes no difference if he sees a girl or not. And i thought you want to keep Rocky as natural as possible.

Subodh

[ellieelectrons]

Hi Miss K

I have a feeling you'd be able to tell two green birds apart. I kept lovebirds when I was a teenager and I had at least 5 green ones at one point and I had no trouble telling them apart. I think if you spend enough time with them, you'll know the difference.

I spent about an hour with a roomful of Alexandrines today. Admittedly some of them were rescue birds and have varying physical disabilities, but I can already start to tell them apart based on the way they carry themselves and of course their personalites.

My vet feels the same way as you about bird breeding. At his advice, I'm trying to modify their diets this year in the hope that they will not want to breed this year! Will see if it works!

We originally planned to get boys too - but when the breeder didn't have any boys that year, we took Janey any way... so after that, if we wanted to get her another IRN friend, I had to get a boy as two females won't usually get along. So far, no breeding but there were eggs (and aggressive nesting behaviours) last year.

Ellie.

[Little Buttercup]

Hi MissK, Truly gorgeous, looking just like my Kiwi. Did you manage to tame him? I'm still trying with my baby. I'm just wondering if I should get a companion for him. Like that he seems contented but in the wild they do not live alone. Or is human company enough? And if I do get a friend for him would I still be able to tame him? Someone please advise.

Ash

[MissK]

People might like it, but people can look after themselves.

[MissK]

I'm interested to know what you're doing in a room full of Alexandrines. That must have been a fine experience!

[subodhhire]

Hello Miss K,

I think your decision is right. I will say no more on this topic.

Subodh

[ellieelectrons]

I'm interested to know what you're doing in a room full of Alexandrines. That must have been a fine experience!

Actually, I should add, there were more than Alexandrines in the room. There were 2 African Greys, 2 lutino IRNs (Charlie's parents) and in the room next door were cockatiels, a plumhead and baby IRNs (Charlie's siblings)... I think that's all!

Their owner has kindly said I can have a go at doing some training with them. They're all adult birds so it's been really different to working with my guys - especially when there are so many birds in the room! They're tame but a bit wary of me. At the moment, I'm more or less just getting them used to me. I think it will take a while but it's good fun. I've only been working with the Alexandrines so far, but I'd really like to work with the greys one day, if they ever learn to trust me.... one of them has started plucking and I wonder if more mental stimulation with training might help... but it's hard to say... they are a bit resistant to change. Some of the birds have medical conditions (eg. deformed feet/legs, some of their ducts not working, back problems) - the owner used to run a pet store and people would give him birds with disabilities that they didn't know how to look after / want to look after, or they'd come to the store as babies and the disability became obvious with time, so he looks after them and gives them a lovely life.

I guess I figured that I give lots of advice to people about taming their birds, I thought it was time I tried it with more than my two! However, when you only see them once a work, I think progress is going to be a lot harder to achieve!

Ellie.

[Little Buttercup]

Hi Missk, thanks for your tips. I will wait a while before deciding to get another one for Kiwi. I do have a cockatiel so Kiwi is not so very lonely. Coco seems to need a companion so I will get another cockatiel as soon as I find a suitable one. At least Rocky sits on your wrist, how I wish Kiwi could just sit on my hand or even take a seed from me. I have to drop his treats in a bowl only then he would take it. I've never been bitten by him, when I put my hand in his cage he stays far.
Ash

[elrohir]

welcome, two green look very nice together.

[MissK]

Hi Ash,
best wishes

[subodhhire]

Hi Ash,

I totally agree with Miss K. I have had similar experience with budgie and alexandrine.

Subodh

[Little Buttercup]

Hi Missk, thanks for the tips, will try it out. Yes Coco is tame and handreared. I bought him since a baby and had 3 weeks left on formula. So I spoon fed him those last weeks, first time for me, but it was a nice experience. He weaned nicely. I do leave Kiwi and Coco in the same room and place their cages very close together at night, taking care Kiwi can't reach through the bars at Coco. In the mornings I open them up and they seem to get on quite well, in other words, Kiwi does'nt bully Coco, but Coco is a bit wary and keeps a watchful eye if Kiwi is near. But I have noticed Kiwi wants to play with Coco but he seems on the scared side. Kiwi does a funny dance around Coco. But I do separate them if I won't be around, just in case, but they can still see each other through the glass door. In the afternoons I leave them outdoors in their own cages. I will try interacting with Coco more in front of Kiwi, usually I take him and go in another room to spend time with me. Kiwi loves to say 'coco'.
I think Coco is a he but not very sure, I have heard female cocokatiels don't talk, is this true. Coco have learnt few words. Any tips on differentiating between girl and boy cockatiels?

I'm just thinking now I did'nt even introduce Kiwi when I got him It was such a busy time for me and I didn't even have time to visit this site for quite a while and when I came on I just started writing about him. I was still heartbroken for my Buttercup. But I did mention him a bit in the rainbow bridge section, if you saw. I have him for 4 months now. I think he is aviary raised but not too sure. He has a ring on. Does all bird rings say the age? I would like to know how old is Kiwi, but I would have to towel him and check his ring. But i'm not too keen to towel him.

Thanks alot, Missk

Ash

[Little Buttercup]

Hi Subodh, Was your alexandrine an aviary bird? And you managed to tame him?

[subodhhire]

Hi Ash,

Alexandrines are not bred in aviary in India, as it is easier to obtained from the clutch of wild birds (It is illegal). You can say they are as good as wild, but babies. You then have to hand feed them and hand tame them. Many times it happens that they remain wild throughout their lives.

Subodh.

[MissK]

Hi Subodh,

Where did you say you got your birds?

-MissK

[subodhhire]

Hi MissK,

I got the bird from a pet store. But they buy it from nomadic people who take them out of the clutch of wild birds (It is illegal in India). My effort is to encourage the breeding in captivity of these birds so gradually no chicks are separated from their parents.

Subodh

P.S. Even IRNs are obtained in the same way and sold in local market here and also exported (Illegally).

[Little Buttercup]

Hi Subodh.

Don't you think these beautiful birds will become extinct in the wild? if they chicks are taken everytime? Could'nt the petshops there buy from neighbouring countries and then breed their own, or private breeders can breed as we have here? Then the wild chicks don't have to be taken from the nests.

Ash

[subodhhire]

Hi Ash,

All the countries where Alexandrines are found are facing the same problem of extinction. I have done a bit from my side. I used to know a nomadic group who used to remove the chicks from the nest of wild birds for selling. I cannot directly tell them to stop, But I made them understand that dont remove all the chicks from the clutch or they wont find any chicks to sell after some years and their children will suffer. So they promised me that they will keep some birds in the nest. I dont know whether they are still following it or not. But i tried.

So now my intentions are to breed these birds in captivity. Initially i wont be able to make any difference but am hoping that breeding in captivity will increase and lots of chicks will be available for the pet trade and wild ones will be left alone.

Subodh

[ellieelectrons]

Hi Subodh

I did not know that Alexandrines are facing extinction in the wild. I probably should have known this but I didn't.

It is great that you are trying to do something.

In the end I guess the responsibility falls on the government to enforce the law; but I guess the government has lots of problems they are trying to solve and making wild birds a priority isn't top of the list.

Is there a tourism industry around seeing these birds in their natural habitats? I don't know if tourism is generally a good thing or a bad thing for species, however, I know it can raise awareness.

Here in Australia, our National Parks services provide eco-tourism services for the public to see turtles laying eggs as well as the hatchlings when they emerge (http://www.bundabergregion.org/destinat ... s/turtles/) and to see penguin parades (http://www.penguins.org.au/). I think they do it for two reasons:
1) to supervise the experience to ensure the animals' safety and continued existence.
2) to raise awareness of the animals so that the public will continue to protect them.

When I was a teenager I did a week of volunteer work for the turtle program and it was an amazing experience. I got to help the Scientists by measuring the shells of the turtles, recording their tracker tags, counting the eggs, making sure the eggs were laid in a place safe from erosion and I also got to answer the public's questions.

Next week I am going to see the penguins in the wild for the first time (just as a tourist). I'm really looking forward to it!

Sorry, I went a little bit off topic there, got carried away in my excitement on going to see the penguins!

Ellie.

[subodhhire]

Hi Ellie,

I wish you luck for seeing the penguins. Now when we are talking about tourism things work very differently in India. To encourage people to some and see these birds in their natural habitat is asking too much. I think people who are really crazy about these birds will turn up maybe just you and me for e.g. So its not going to work unless something else is also involved like mountains, rope ways etc. I am sure when you are talking turtles you are talking about a sea beach, which is a natural tourist destination. I hope you understand by what i mean.

Yes their number in the wild is decreasing rapidly because of the demand in the pet trade. In India and Pakistan it is illegal to catch these birds or trade them. But sorry to say still these birds are sold in broad daylight in urban cities. That too in regular pet shops. The major problem according to me is they remove the chicks from their clutch. And around 50% die during transportation from one place to other. Also if you see the way these chicks are handled and fed while in transit, you will wish you never had seen it. I am only a commoner but am trying to do what i can.

Subodh

[MissK]

Hi,

I have read that the law protecting IRNs in India is not enforced at all.

[subodhhire]

Hi MissK,

These birds are not a pest to agriculture in India. They attack very few crops like the one that i mentioned to you before. Now that crop is not the daily crop on which the farmers are depended. So its ok even if they eat the entire crop.

The main reason why poaching is not taken severely is because of corruption. Believe me there is a lot of money involved in trading of these birds especially smuggling out of India. Everybody is getting their share of the booty so very less efforts are taken to stop it.

But still there is hope as some bird lovers are putting in their efforts to at least reduce the poaching to some extent. Hope it will be controlled very soon before we lose these birds forever.

Subodh

[Little Buttercup]

I think if a few bird lovers like you Subodh get together and become breeders and offer the birds to the pet stores at a cheaper price than what the nomads are selling, they will go out of business and will have to stop their poaching. Oh shame those poor babies in transit I can only imagine what they must be going through. Poor innocents.

Ellie, you lucky to have been with the turtles and now the penguins. Good luck and hope you enjoy the experience.

Ash