IndianRingNeck.com

Oh God do pet shop owners and employee's annoy me. I went away for the weekend to Scotland for my sister's wedding (it was an amazing day, i still blub like a baby when i think about it hahahaa). But my boyfriend didnt start looking for somebody to care for Spit while we were away in time so his step-mum had to pop in on a morning and night to feed him and make sure he was alright. I was UBER stressed about leaving him and i had loads of arguments with my boyfriend about it, because for one: he wasnt getting enough attention, two: he HATES strangers and he freaks out if anyone other than me or my boyfriend go near him. three: his step-mum was going to be bringing the kids with her (a 4yr old, a 2yr old, and a 3mnth old baby) and Spit is terrified of them. Theyve been over twice before and ive never seen him so scared of anyone in my life.
Anyways, we came home and he had bald patches on his shoulders which i am pressuming he plucked and he had shredded the bed sheet that goes over his cage on a night. So to suck up to him i went to an "Exotic Pet Specialist" pet shop to buy goodies for him. They have Macaws, Cockatoo's, Conures.. and they had loads of tiny baby Grey's. I mentioned that we had an Indian Ringneck and they guy started giving us a lecture on how bad a pet they are and that we should buy Spit a friend immediately and put him in a 6ft long flight aviary in the garden, and keep him as an aviary pet. He also started saying they need 14-16 hours a day flight and that they get stressed easy. I mentioned Spit pacing on his perch when he wants attention and he gave me this massive lecture about how it isnt wanting attention or him being hyperactive it was 100% stress and its not healthy or fair on him. Also started ranting about how bad a pet they are because when they hit adulthood they get aggressive and "thats when the problems begin".

MY GOD!!! I wanted desperately to be able to show him this website and all your pictures and videos just to proove him wrong. It's not just that one guy that has this oppinion. Im not sure about the rest of England but in the North-East this seems to be a shared oppinion. It infuriates me. I had to have a rant hahaha, sorry guys

Thats terrible you should have mentioned how all your friends on here have their ADULT irns inside and they are fantastic so could he please stop talking out of his bottom Sounds like he doesnt really know alot about them

Indian ringnecks have a bad rep, and it comes from the fact they arent a bird for everyone. Some birds like Sun Conures for example... are crazy, puppy like even, almost naturally... ringnecks have to bond / socialise with their owners...

I am the last person to say they are hard.. but im also the first to say they take a loving family to really shine.

I have not used a pet store in about 2 years now (cept for seed) the rest i get from friends in the business and online. I gave up supporting the majority of bird stores / pet stores a long time ago.

Rarely you come across a gem in the bird shop industry... but every example has been owner run, or family run... purely in lines of birds they enjoy working with.

Don't you hate how some people consider themselves experts and feel the need to inform you of everything wrong with your bird and his care? I've been told by the owner of our local bird specialty store that ringnecks "aren't a real parrot," that they "make terrible pets," because they "can't be tamed," and will "die if they are potty trained." All this from a store that sold me bug-infested seed and tried to make me feel guilty because we chose not to buy a third-time rehomed untamed cockatoo for $1200.

Patrick wrote:Don't you hate how some people consider themselves experts and feel the need to inform you of everything wrong with your bird and his care? I've been told by the owner of our local bird specialty store that ringnecks "aren't a real parrot," that they "make terrible pets," because they "can't be tamed," and will "die if they are potty trained." All this from a store that sold me bug-infested seed and tried to make me feel guilty because we chose not to buy a third-time rehomed untamed cockatoo for $1200.

Gosh thats some horrible pet shop
Im pretty lucky the main pet shop i use are nice they sold me billy and told me they knew nothing about irns but tried their best and like to hear his progress but at least they dont pretend they know something they dont like alot of pet shops do

I havent come across a pet store telling me that my boy is bad pet etc, i have taught pet stores a few tips on their IRN's that they have in small cages etc.

Some people just have no idea, when they start a rant do what i do, and look at them say get your fact right before you talk and leave me alone:)

hahahaa i think i shall try that next time Amazon. ill also give them the web address for this place. they can read up on everything then and learn when they are wrong

The keepers at my local bird store were very pleased to hear that I had chosen an IRN for my first bird. They went on and on about how charming and clever they are and how they fit so much attitude into such a little package. They even wanted me to bring it over for a visit!