some advice from ringneck people please :)

[ECF10]

Hi everyone,
I was browsing at a local chain pet store today and came across a yellow ringneck who was left there for the manager to try to adopt out. The poor guy was in a decent size cage but was isolated in a storage room with snakes and lizards. There were no toys in his cage and although the kids that worked there said the manager was trying to work with him it was pretty obvious that this is not the case. He seems like a cranky guy but I know my wife and I would give him a good home and we have been thinking about adding another bird to our flock. Hadn't been thinking about a ringneck but this guy needs some love. I heard one of the employees say as I was leaving "maybe we'll finally get rid of that bird."

Can someone tell me a little bit about ringnecks and what I can expect and how I should proceed? The adoption fee is $20 and includes the cage he is in. I have no idea of age or if he has been to a vet. I figure that for $20 this is a no lose situation for me or him and it is definitely a win for this little guy. Honestly I don't care if he becomes a great pet as long as his quality of life becomes monumentaly better which it will. If he becomes a sweetheart all the better because he will be loved. Thoughts please!

 

[Renae]

Indian Ringnecks need a lot (and I mean A LOT) of one-on-one time, if tame/planning on taming him/her - they will go back to being "wild" if not interacted with enough, losing the bond, and having to re-tame/train him/her, finding it maybe even harder doing it all over again then the first time. To sum it up.. they are considered to be needy birds. I thought I'd mention this before anything else, just a heads up.

Apart from that, I find they are, and can be, pretty sweet. Affectionate.. not so much. They are the type of bird that will have an "I can do anything I want, and I'll do it" type of attitude, they are a bird that will keep themselves entertained as well, but not for long periods of time, not in my case anyway. They need plenty of toys too, my Indian Ringneck loves anything he can shred, to keep their beaks busy while in their cage.

You do know they're very loud, right? If not, you do now! I've only just found out how loud Keiba really can be.

THAT ASIDE, I love Keiba, he can be real sweet, he loves my mum, but has come around to me being "an okay person to be on" (BTW, they can chose their 'chosen one' and become a one-person bird) I love hanging out with him and being able to have him on my arm while I'm on the computer typing away, he'll happily sit with me for however long he feels like, otherwise, he's off somewhere else doing other things. I got Keiba while he was young, he was about 7 or 8 weeks old I think, was not fully weaned, but I finished hand-feeding him and he weaned himself not long after.. he was and still is socialized with people, like family members, so that he's comfortable being around other people, hence why I think he's grown up to be a fun loving bird who will jump on anyone when he has the chance. He's never bitten hard, or out of aggression, he has never been cage aggressive and I hope never will be. He also has his out-of-cage time with Leila, my Green Cheek Conure, but I don't recommend doing this if you get the Indian Ringneck, due to not knowing previous history and what his personality is like.

If you're going to plan on taming him (if you adopt him), it's possible, but you need to have a lot of patience and time.

Good luck making your decision, I'd suggest thinking about it for a bit more, many people get one and end up re-homing them due to them not "fitting in" or because they're loud. Even if you go and spend time with him, get to know him more and see what he's like, and if you think he would be a good fit for yourself, your wife and current flock. (or bird in your case)

 

[KimKimWilliamson]

Renae has it right! They are far from affectionate, but deffinitly "lovable" in the sense that they pay close attention to you, want to be near you, but not really "snuggled" or touched a whole lot. Pru LOVES to shred paper or fabric the most, and utilizes EVERY square inch of her cage (which is intended for a much larger bird but suits her perfect).
They are super smart and pick things up quickly, or at least mine, but she can get frustrated easily and once the temper acts up, it take a few hours of alone time to calm her back down again.
My ringneck is NOT loud - she only calls out in the morning when she wants out of her cage, and at dinner time when she can hear me preparing her meal. Otherwise, she is super quiet and only chirps/quacks and mumbles at a normal level otherwise.

Laslty, as far as your guys age, if he has a ring you know he's at least 3 or more because they dont get the ring until they are mature.
I would suggest moving SUPER slow with him when trying to tame him cause they seem to hold a grudge, my husband learnt the hard way.
But the good news is, Prus hardest bite hasnt broken skin and hardly hurts
Good Luck and thanks for saving this guy!

 

[Chicklette]

Well they are very independent. Chiquita is loud, very loud. They are excellent talkers. The one thing they need is A LOT of attention or they regress, every single day they need to come out. They can be difficult bird due to their independent nature. Chiquita is very bold and always in trouble, lol. You have to watch them like a hawk when they are out.