Description

The Ring Neck Parakeet, often referring to the popular Indian Ringneck Parakeet, is a slender, elegant parrot instantly recognized by the distinct black and rose-colored ring around the male’s neck. They are known for their strong personalities: intelligent, confident, and sometimes exhibiting a characteristic “bluffing” behavior during their hormonal phases. They are excellent talkers and can amass an impressive vocabulary with consistent training. However, they are also prone to loud, screeching flock calls, particularly when excited or startled, making them a bird to consider carefully in close residential settings.

Tamability and Maintenance: Ring Necks are highly tamable and make very devoted pets when hand-raised and consistently socialized. They are a moderate to high maintenance bird. Their intelligence requires extensive daily mental stimulation through complex foraging toys and training sessions to prevent boredom, which can lead to aggression or screaming. They also require 1–2 hours of out-of-cage time daily for flying and interaction. A tall, sturdy cage is needed to accommodate their long tail feathers and climbing habits. Their lifespan is impressive, often reaching 25-30 years.

Diet: The base of a Ring Neck’s diet should be a high-quality, medium parrot pellet formula. This must be supplemented daily with a wide variety of fresh fruits (apple, grapes, mango) and vegetables (corn, peas, peppers). Seeds should be limited to treats, but they have a higher tolerance for occasional healthy nuts like almonds than some other parrots.