Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I’m thinking about getting a pet bird- more specifically, an Indian Ring Neck. However, I’ve never owned a bird nor been interested in owning one until recently. I started working in a pet shop, and over the past several months, our male IRN has been growing on me so here I am doing my homework before making a final decision.

What I’d like in a bird is a companion: a bird I can handle every day, possibly take him with me to run errands (like going to the atm, depositing a paycheck, getting something through drive-thru), and one with an interesting personality. At the same time, however, it would also need to be okay with being alone with its toys and possibly some background music as I work two jobs and only have a day and a half off every week. So my ideal schedule would be to wake up, get it out while I give it fresh food and water, and a treat. When I get home from work, take it out again, give it fresh fruit/vegetables and more fresh water. Depending on if I have to turn around and go back to work or not would determine if I keep the bird out the rest of the evening or put it back up. Either way, I plan on spending a lot of time with my bird. Would this be a good schedule to provide enough attention for an intelligent bird?

Provided that the time I can allot for a bird is adequate, let me tell you about the bird in question:
He’s at least two years old as his neck marking is fully developed; he also has not been handled as he refuses to be touched. However, he is not aggressive as he does not actively try to bite, hiss, or otherwise harm me. I’ve tried to catch him before for customers but he simply runs from my hand, always keeping his head well away from my flesh. If he can’t run, he will walk backwards, beak open, and watching me intently, but as said, he won’t lunge for me unless I get in easy striking distance. He does not scream for attention as far as I can tell. We have a section for birds and we always have at least 15 budgies, varying amounts of finches, parakeets, and larger birds and I can rarely hear this bird over that raucous. Every once in a while, he will scream, but only once. The rest of the time he keeps his noise to mutters, reer-reer-reer sounds, and tiny chirps. He’s not messy. He did tear a perch to ribbons once, stringing it apart like a stick of celery. After that incident, we gave him toys to destroy. However, he doesn’t poop in his water, sling his food everywhere, or try to poop on things outside his cage.

Here is some more information about me:
I currently live in a house and the boyfriend and I have three snakes, about to acquire a fourth; however I don’t intend on keeping the bird in the same room as the snakes. We are possibly going to move into an apartment and we really don’t need the bird to earn us an eviction notice. I don’t have a lot of patience and I’ve never owned a bird. However, I will have at least 30 minutes a day to work with a wild bird. I learned yesterday that the bird in question likes apples and this is the only food I can hand feed him.

And this is where I need input from anyone who has more knowledge than me.
Will being in the same house as snakes cause problems for the bird? Will the bird need a companion? Will 30 minutes a day be adequate for a wild bird or would I be better just buying a tame one from a breeder? Is the fact he will eat apples out of my hand a good indication that I can tame him?

I’ve also been getting mixed signals from the internet. Half the articles I read say these birds aren’t good for apartments, the other half says they won’t get me evicted. Also, these articles say the birds are messy. Based on what I’ve typed, is this bird an exception to the rule, or are his problems getting lost in the noise and mess of the other birds? Is this even a good bird species for a first time bird owner?

Any help is deeply appreciated! =)

Will being in the same house as snakes cause problems for the bird? NO! Snakes can carry salmonella as I am sure you know this "can" be harmful to birds but as long as you use basic washing, husbandry practices it will not be a problem, that being said if your snakes are loose depending on if they are large snakes or small they can kill or injure a bird (again I am sure you know this)

Will the bird need a companion? A bird is less likely to tame to handling with a companion unless it was already tame in the first place.

Will 30 minutes a day be adequate for a wild bird or would I be better just buying a tame one from a breeder? This will differ from bird to bird but I don't know that it would be enough time. If you can divide up the day and give him several small work times a day it might. If you are planning on just one thirty minute session "most" days it will probably not work well.

Is the fact he will eat apples out of my hand a good indication that I can tame him? It is easier to tame a bird that will take treats by hand but it is no guarantee that it will be easy to tame him or that you will be able to tame him.

I’ve also been getting mixed signals from the internet. Half the articles I read say these birds aren’t good for apartments, the other half says they won’t get me evicted. Okay here goes my opinion. I have worked with quite a few IRNs in fact I currently have two. "some" can be quiet but this seems to be more of a special case then a normal occurance. Even my calm quiet IRNs will at times decide to do a car alarm siren and yes too many of them could get you into trouble with neighbors. I have one male who is the sweetest you could hope for that will just at some random time do the loudest scream to rival with my macaws.

Also, these articles say the birds are messy. All birds are going to be messy it just depends on how much of a mess you can handle and how long you can spend cleaning. They will throw their food they will get poop outside the cage even if you think it impossible, they will make a mess. That being said if you have a seed catcher and can allot at least a small amount of time a day to run a quick vaccuum and change papers you should be good.

Based on what I’ve typed, is this bird an exception to the rule, or are his problems getting lost in the noise and mess of the other birds? I am going to guess it could be a bit of each. One bird amongst many birds will many times seem quieter or better behaved and may or may not continue this when away from the others.

Is this even a good bird species for a first time bird owner? Well taking into consideration some things you have said I am not sure I would suggest it. You admitted to a lack of patience and time and you will need both to work with a wild possibly loud bird. Even if the bird is not noisy it will need work daily multiple times to get used to people, to come out of the cage and get used to being played with but in the end the decision has to be yours not a strangers over the internet, but I would be happy to hear what you decide

=) Thanks for the info! The one at work may not be the one I get, I am willing to buy from breeders over petshops and there are two that sound promising I've found in this site's classifieds section that I'm trying to contact.

As for the thirty minutes a day, that's all I could devote to a wild bird to work with it in one sitting, no way to really spread it out. Would a tame one be better? The way my (possibly naive) mind is thinking about this, if I don't have to earn it's trust, I can just take it out without hassles and just keep it tame. Or am I really showing just how little I know about keeping a bird?

And the final decision depends on what experienced keepers tell me. I don't want to get a bird, be a horrible owner who can't provide for my pet, and have to send it to a rescue. =) I like doing as thorough of research as I can before getting a new type of pet.

As for my snakes, they're little. =) Two kings (one yearling, one hatchling) and one corn (5ft adult) all in top locking critter cages. So no, our little Houdinis don't roam free lol. And the fourth snake we're getting is another morph of corn, so no worries from it either.

Hmm.. I've read that leaving some kind of music on in the background helps keep the birds quiet. Is that in any way true, or will the bird just scream over the music?

If it proves I can provide for this species, I think I'm leaning toward a hand raised one.. unless by some miracle this bird stays at the petshop over the next few months and I'm able to tame it there... which is doubtful.

Thanks for your input and I look forward to reading your next answers. =) Hopefully there will be more answers soon so I can get as much input as possible.

Hello,

I've read your post, and I must say this rather bluntly. An Indian Ringneck is not a good parrot to start out with in my opinon. I'll tell you why; IRN's are known to be rather nippy and have an attiture that is such "It's my way or the highway." It takes alot of experience in order to know how to deal with these little birds and their rather LARGE ego.

30 minutes a day will not tame a bird sad to say. It could get it used to you, but it would take nearly FOREVER at that rate to be shoulder tame and "Go to the atm" with you.

The snakes are not a problem Just make sure you keep the parrot in another room so you dont risk disease if it should happen to pop up.

I don't think you would be a horrible owner, cause hey! Every bird owner had to learn at some point! But I strongly suggest you not to go with an egotistic IRN. You would be so much happier if you went with say a cockatiel, or (I strongly suggest) A species of Pionus (Apartment friendly, not agressive, and loving not to mention love to be pet, just check it out!)

About music, the only time I have ever seen music shut a bird up is a budgie, and even then it didn't work for long. Parrots love to get as loud as the music and squawk at the top of their lungs

This is your decision, but in my experience (and owning an IRN) I really suggest you shy away from that species until you are more familiar with how to handle a parrot. These birds are beautiful, but they really unfortunately have an attitude to go with it, and will walk all over you if you don't know what you're doing.

If you have any questions, I will be checking everyday to help you out.

Parakeet

Lol, yeah, I'd be the perfect carpet for it then. Thanks for your help as well. =) I guess my final decision is no birds since the one I was referring to is sold and I'm moving into a place where I'm definitely not going to be allowed to have a bird. But I'll check out the species you suggested, may decide it'd be a good pet for later down the road.