ringneck and alexandrine care sheet - the unusual pet vets€¦ · ringneck and alexandrine parrots...
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RingneckandAlexandrineparrotcare!
RingneckandAlexandrineparrotsarefascinating,inquisitivebirdsthatcanmakeverygoodpetsintherighthome.Manyareveryplayfulandvocal.Ringneckparrotsareavailableinawiderangeofcoloursandmutations.
Sexualdimorphism(avisualdifferencebetweenmalesandfemales)isevidentinmaturemaleswhen they forma ringat thebaseof theneck.The ringusually formsafteroraround18-24monthsofage.PriortothistheycanbedifficulttosexvisuallywhichiswhereDNAorendoscopicsexingcomesin. DNA sexing is generally preferred and can beperformedbytaking1dropofbloodfromyourparrot.
Malesandfemalesofeitherspeciescanmakegreatpetsand the sex of the bird doesn’t generally impact howgoodofapettheywillmake.
Diet - Every bird is different and has differing dietaryrequirements so for your own tailored dietary planpleasecontactus.Generalguidelinesforringnecksandalexandrineparrotscanbefoundbelow:
• 40-70%premiumcommercialparrotpelleteddiet• 10-35% vegetables (recommended vegetables include: capsicum, broccoli, chili, corn,
carrot,zucchini,squash,spinach,pumpkin,sweetpotato,beansandpeas)andsproutedseed.
• 10-40% fruits (i.e. melons, strawberries, banana, blue berries, grapes, peaches, pear,apple).Pleaseensurethatallstonefruitsandapplesarefreeoftheirseeds.
• 0-15%qualitycommercialseedmix.• 1-2%snacksfortrainingandastreats(unsaltednuts(i.e.macadamia,cashewandwalnut),
pasta,eggsandbrownrice.)
Housing:Weadviseagoodqualitypowdercoatedorstainlesssteelcageofanappropriatesize.Somepaintedcagescancontainleadelementswhichcanbetoxictoyourbirdsopleasetakecarewhenselectingyourcage.Cagesthathavebeengalvanizedwithazinccoatingcanalsocauseproblemssopleaseselectcarefully.
Stainlesssteelorceramicbowlsaregenerallyrecommendedasthesematerialsarenotporousmakingcleaningeasierandmoreeffective.Plasticbowlscanbecomeporousafterawhileandcancauseproblemsifbacteriabuildupintheseareas.
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Perchesofvarioussizesareimportantforexerciseofthetoesandfeethealth.Theyalsohelptopromotethenaturalwearoftheirtoenails.Natural
perchesfromnativetreesareidealastheygenerallyvaryinsizeanyway.
Pleasedonotprovidestringorropetoysastheyoftenwillfrayovertimeandcancauseagastrointestinalobstructionifswallowed.
Ifyouarefeedingabalanceddiet,thencuttlefishandothersupplementsarenotneeded.
Environmentalenrichmentishighlyrecommendedandencouraged.Simplethingslikeutilizingcardboardtoiletrollstohidefoodcanprovidehoursofentertainmentformanybirds.
Itisimportantthatyourbirdgetsenoughsleepaslong-daylightexposurecanstimulateexcessivemoultingandincreasedreproductiveactivity.Werecommendyoukeeptothenaturaldaylength.Ifyourbirdiskeptinsideinawell-litarea,thenyoucancoverthecagewhenthesungoesdownandplacetheminadarkroomtoensurethattheirdaylengthisnottoolong.
Commondiseases:
Oneofthemostcommondiseasesthatweseeinthesespeciesisanupsetgastrointestinaltract.Theywilloftenpresentforregurgitation,vomitingordiarrhoea.Ifyouseeanyofthesesignswerecommendaconsultationastherearemanydifferentcausesandifleftuntreatedyoumaybeputtingyourbird’slifeatrisk.
Upperrespiratorytractinfectionischaracterizedbysneezingoroculardischargeandiscommoninyoungbirds.Onceagainitishighlyadvisedtobringtheminforanappointmentastherearearangeofdifferentcausesofupperrespiratorytractdisease.Chlamydiainfectioniscommoninyoungbirds,thisisaseriousdiseasethatcanbetransferredtootherbirdsANDhumans.
RingnecksandAlexandrineparrotsaregenerallyverycuriousandsometimesgetthemselvesintotroublewith foreignobjects. It isquite common for them toeator chewon items that theyshouldn’t(jewelry,plastictoys,ropetoys,electricalcordsetc.).Ifyouareconcernedthatyour
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birdmayhaveeatenorchewedonsomethingthattheyshouldn’thave,thenpleasegetintouchwithus.
Reproductivediseasesandbehaviouralproblemsarealsoquitecommon.
Ifyouareatallconcernedaboutyourbirdpleasegetintouchwithus.
Veterinarycare:
Regularcheck-upsevery6-12monthsareimportant,asbirdsareverygoodathidinganyillnessesthattheyhave.Thesecheck-upsallowproblemstobedetectedearlybeforetheyworsen.
Microchipping isalsohighly recommendedaswesee many birds that escape each year.Microchipping allows your contact details to beeasily found if your bird is handed in to anyveterinaryclinicorgoodrescuefacility.Weuseaspecialized small microchip that is inserted intoyourbird’spectoralmuscle;thisisaquick,simpleprocedurethatcanbeperformedinaconsultationtimeslot.
Ifyouhaveanyfurtherquestionsaboutyourparrotpleasedon’thesitatetocontactus.