Hi

[AandMandFam]

Hi
My name is Melissa.
I've always loved birds. I got my first budgies in high school, and they bred, so I got more for nothing ;)

Now I have my own aviary full of 7 cockateils, four hand reared (two reared by me), 2 button quail and 11 budgies. It is the most coolest hing to be able to walk into my aviary and have the birds come and land on you!! Even the aviary reared birds will land on me, because of the example of my hand reared babies!!

Anyway, I'm looking at getting a young Indian Ringneck to finish hand rearing, so I can have an indoor baby. I'm open to any advice!!

I've hand reared cockateils before, from 2-3 days old, I'd never do that again! Not with any bird of any size!!! Unless it was absolutely necessary, as was this time (the parents abandoned the babies!!). So the Ringneck I get will be about 3-5 weeks old when I bring him/her home.

Thank you in advance for any advice

[InTheAir]

Hi Melissa,
welcome to the forum.

you're aviary sounds lovely

I've been reading a lot lately about socialization for young parrots and there appear to be some links to being raised isolation from other parrots that increase the likelihood of common problem behaviours in companion parrots. As far as i remember, the critical period of socialisation is from fledging to after weaning, they learn a lot of the important aspects of being a parrot in this period. I am gathering some info for our parrot club so I can post some links in the next week or 2. If you do an internet search you will find some interesting info. Try greg glendells page for starters, that's the only one I can think of off the top of my head.
I have 2 irns, one hand raised by the breeder and one by parents in an aviary. Both are very tame and obliging pets for my boyfriend and I despite us having nothing to do with their early upbringing.

Regards,

Claire

[MissK]

We all know I have nothing to do with baby birds (or baby humans) but, unsurprisingly, I have an opinion on hand rearing parrots also. I think they should be raised by their own parents. Sure, let humans interact with them as well, but it just seems obvious to me that for their well-being they should eat exactly what has naturally developed as the right thing for them, as it is delivered by the parents. There is an ad campaign here, for humans, that says "Breast feeding is Baby's best start". If you bother to read the label on the packaged infant formula, you may agree. I think both bird and human babies can survive on man-made formula but, if it is at all possible, don't you want the absolute best for them?