The Alexandrine Parrot is chock full of personality and can learn a variety of tricks.
This is one of the best pet birds you can have, and this article will explain why.
Appearance
This bird has a fairly slender built with green plumage, a bright red beak, and some red on the wings as well as round its neck.
These birds can grow up to 23 inches long with a maximum weight of 9 ounces. They have an average wingspan of about 8.5 inches, which is fairly impressive.
Alexandrine Parrot Lifespan
An Alexandrine parrot can live up to 40 years in captivity when it is given a balanced diet and safe/clean enclosure.
The Alexandrine Parrots Personality
There is no question that these parrots are extremely playful and fun to have around. They are fiercely loyal birds that establish a deep bond with their owner right from the start. You will be able to teach this bird tricks fairly easily, especially if you begin at an early age.
The affectionate nature of these birds makes them a good choice if you have small kids. These birds are very rarely aggressive in any way. You should be a fairly experienced bird owner before taking on one of these parrots though. They are fairly high maintenance in a number of ways, so it is not something to take lightly.
You should not be surprised if this bird takes to one person in the house more than all of the others. It is fairly common for these birds to develop a strong bond with one human in particular (usually it is the one they see the most).
There are a variety of bonding techniques that can be highly effective with these birds. This will help you handle them a lot easier in general. They get along well with other of their own kind, but you should think twice before putting them in a cage with other species.
Because these birds can be pretty loud, you’ll want to avoid getting one if you live in an apartment. The last thing you want is to drive your neighbors crazy with your persistently noisy parrot.
Natural Habitat
You can find the Alexandrine Parrot in the woodland and forest regions of eastern India. These birds also favor agricultural areas where they can find fresh fruit and vegetables.
Alexandrine Parrot Care Guide
1. Alexandrine Parrot Diet
A balanced diet is absolutely essential for these birds. They need to get plenty of healthy seeds, grains, vegetables, and tree nuts on a regular basis. You should also look for a good quality formulated pellet product to give this bird. These pellets should make up most of its diet, but all of the other foods are still very important.
Some of the vegetables this bird can eat include mustard greens, potatoes, yams, carrots, broccoli, and even zucchini. They can also eat fruits like bananas, apples, plums, and pomegranates.
Make sure that you take out all of the seeds and pits from any fruits that you give this bird, as they can be toxic. The proper diet is necessary for giving your bird a long and healthy life.
Nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and peanuts are also good for these birds. You should only give your bird fatty seeds in moderation, as too many on a regular basis could harm it. Sprouted seeds can be given to these birds on a daily basis though.
When it comes to meat, you can give these birds canned salmon and tuna. Cooked pasta, cheese and yogurt are a few other foods that are acceptable in small amounts.
If you are going to feed your bird a pelleted diet, look for pellets that are very colorful. This will likely get the bird’s attention and encourage it to eat. Since these birds can be a bit finicky, this is a particularly good idea to consider.
2. Environment
You need to make a point of keeping this bird in a cage that is no smaller than 14 inches long. These birds tend to do a lot of chewing, which means that they need plenty of toys in their cage. Make sure to get them softwood toys so they stay occupied and don’t begin chewing on the cage or even themselves.
You’ll want to get a cage that measures at least 36 by 24 by 24 inches with ¾ inch bar spacing. This will ensure that your bird has enough room to move around but won’t be able to escape. These birds cannot survive in temperatures under 40 degrees or over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that if you are uncomfortable inside the house, your bird is as well.
It is also a good idea to get a parrot stand for your pet. You can have this stand on top of the bird’s cage or as its own unit. You should also put things like ladders, bells and ropes in the bird’s cage. This will do wonders for keeping them stimulated.
3. Common Health Problems
One of the reasons that people love having these birds as pets is because they are fairly healthy. They are, however, prone to certain diseases like polyomavirus and apergillosis, as well as bacterial infections.
Alexandrine Parrot Price
You can purchase an Alexandrine Parrot for about $600.
Conclusion
- The Alexandrine Parrot can live up to 40 years when it is properly taken care of on a daily basis.
- These birds are incredibly loyal, affectionate, and easy to handle once they have been properly socialized.
- There are a number of different bonding techniques that you can use with these birds.
- Make certain that your bird is kept in a large cage where it will have room to fly around at will.
- A pellet-based diet is best for these birds, but they will also need the occasional fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts in moderation.
- It is important that you keep your bird physically and mentally stimulated.
- You can keep your bird’s feathers clean by offering it a bowl of water in its cage to bathe in.
