Should I be hand rearing our Indian ringneck?

[Catherine]

The lady at our local pet shop told us that if we want our Indian Ringneck to be tame, we should have started hand rearing it at 2 weeks. It will be 3 weeks old tomorrow, and I don't know whether we should. I have read lots of contradicting things, some say ringnecks should be hand reared, some say it doesn't matter if you wait until they are weaning, but I know they don't have a very good reputation, I don't know what to do.



We can get some hands on practice from someone experienced first, and birds are my passion, so I'll be happy to do the night time feeds, we have all the equipment and all too, I just don't know. Any help?

[Dee128]

My personal opinion is to hand rear them about now. The younger they are that you start handling them the better off that you will be. And feeding them teaches them at an early age not to be afraid of the hand and to depend on you and trust you. Good Luck

[wacky630]

First the Lady? is quite wrong in telling you that I have bred most Parrot species and I would NEVER advocate this.(45 years).

The parents are the best rearing a baby bird and NO human can excel at this.

An I.R.N. can be successfully hand tamed when it is fully weaned at 12-14 weeks,all it takes is time ,patience and an understanding of the bird.

This Lady is only wanting a quick sale so please do not be taken in, if you have no experience of hand feeding you could loose your bird in the first 24 hours it takes quite a lot of time and patience along with expensive equipment and 24 hour care

If I have misread your question and you have the bird ,then you can always handle it in the nest till it is accustomed to you, but let the parents do the rearing.

[Jack454]

I think what wacky said.