Rescued Ringneck
Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 8:25 am
Hi everyone! This is my first post, so I figured it would be fitting to introduce my lil' bugger and her rather unusual story
I was never into IRNs (caiques being my one true love as far as parrots go), but I was pretty much pushed into owning one after comming home to a rescued baby IRN two weeks ago. I live in Belgium, where we have a wild population of these guys, as well as Quakers and Alexandrine parakeets, and there was a pair of IRN nesting in our garden. The baby was already fledged, so it was flying around, but it caught the attention of a flock of crows that also live in our garden and they started ganging up on it. My mom scared them off her (we just kinda decided its female lol...) a cuple of times, but I suppose they finlaly got her two weeks back when my mom found her covering in some bushes next to our door. She took her in and after consulting an avian vet and breeder I decided to keep her until she was properly weanded and fledged (because the crows tore her tail/flight feathers).
I had already hand raised my lovebird, who unfortunately died last year of an infection (RIP...), so I knew how to go about it. I went to a local breeder and baught some of the formula, as well as taking her to an avian vet who said that, appart from her mangled feathers from the fright, she was in great condition. I also bought some specialised bird kibble from him and started wokring on her.
First I figured that it was a wild bird and it would stay wild. Boy was I wrong about that.
By the end of the first day (in barley 6 hours) she went from wanting to kill me to sitting on my shoulder without any hissy-fits.
Within a week she knew how to step up and started showing her more curious playful side, exploring the wonders of my room (I keep reptiles, and so have many terrariums which she finds extremely interesting to explore (from the outside ofc lol!)). And now, two weeks and two days since I got her, she has learned the layout of the house, flying from my room to the kitchen and bathroom without a problem. She's also learned that going into the kitchen and screaming will make me come and feed her (hah manipulative animal xD) as well as landing on the pipe in the skin meaning she will get a bath or a drink of water (she has a bowl, but prefers running water). She has also turned quite talkative (obviously just mindless chatter, no actual words yet hehe) and has prooved to be quite the character. She is quite possesive, but unlike my previous lovebird who bit me whenever she got overly excited about something (yes i know its normal parrot behaviour), she simply gives me a light tap on the finger with her beak closed telling me to leave whatever shes fiddling with alone (usually bottlecaps), but even if I forecefully remove it she doesnt get too pissy and simply moves on to the next interesting thing she can find.
She's also turned very snuggly, enjoying the occasional headrub, but what i find cutest is how in the evening she refuses to sleep on her perch and always nestles under my neck. Especially if Im laying down watching some tv haha
Anyways, I've pretty much decided to keep her, since amongst other things, she doesnt seem keen on flying away. I've been outside with her on my shoulder and she simply sat and watched, never gave any sign of wanting to fly (which she can).
It was unexpected and unplanned, but Im very happy with her, and the more research I put into these guys the more I like the species haha!
Her name is Aada by the way.
I was never into IRNs (caiques being my one true love as far as parrots go), but I was pretty much pushed into owning one after comming home to a rescued baby IRN two weeks ago. I live in Belgium, where we have a wild population of these guys, as well as Quakers and Alexandrine parakeets, and there was a pair of IRN nesting in our garden. The baby was already fledged, so it was flying around, but it caught the attention of a flock of crows that also live in our garden and they started ganging up on it. My mom scared them off her (we just kinda decided its female lol...) a cuple of times, but I suppose they finlaly got her two weeks back when my mom found her covering in some bushes next to our door. She took her in and after consulting an avian vet and breeder I decided to keep her until she was properly weanded and fledged (because the crows tore her tail/flight feathers).
I had already hand raised my lovebird, who unfortunately died last year of an infection (RIP...), so I knew how to go about it. I went to a local breeder and baught some of the formula, as well as taking her to an avian vet who said that, appart from her mangled feathers from the fright, she was in great condition. I also bought some specialised bird kibble from him and started wokring on her.
First I figured that it was a wild bird and it would stay wild. Boy was I wrong about that.
By the end of the first day (in barley 6 hours) she went from wanting to kill me to sitting on my shoulder without any hissy-fits.
Within a week she knew how to step up and started showing her more curious playful side, exploring the wonders of my room (I keep reptiles, and so have many terrariums which she finds extremely interesting to explore (from the outside ofc lol!)). And now, two weeks and two days since I got her, she has learned the layout of the house, flying from my room to the kitchen and bathroom without a problem. She's also learned that going into the kitchen and screaming will make me come and feed her (hah manipulative animal xD) as well as landing on the pipe in the skin meaning she will get a bath or a drink of water (she has a bowl, but prefers running water). She has also turned quite talkative (obviously just mindless chatter, no actual words yet hehe) and has prooved to be quite the character. She is quite possesive, but unlike my previous lovebird who bit me whenever she got overly excited about something (yes i know its normal parrot behaviour), she simply gives me a light tap on the finger with her beak closed telling me to leave whatever shes fiddling with alone (usually bottlecaps), but even if I forecefully remove it she doesnt get too pissy and simply moves on to the next interesting thing she can find.
She's also turned very snuggly, enjoying the occasional headrub, but what i find cutest is how in the evening she refuses to sleep on her perch and always nestles under my neck. Especially if Im laying down watching some tv haha
Anyways, I've pretty much decided to keep her, since amongst other things, she doesnt seem keen on flying away. I've been outside with her on my shoulder and she simply sat and watched, never gave any sign of wanting to fly (which she can).
It was unexpected and unplanned, but Im very happy with her, and the more research I put into these guys the more I like the species haha!
Her name is Aada by the way.