Psittacula krameri manillensis
Other Names: Indian Ringneck Parakeet, African Ringneck Parakeet
Ringneck Parakeets are growing in popularity among aviculturists and pet lovers around the globe, and
the Indian Ringneck is the most popular of them all among hobbyists. They are considered elegant and
beautiful by fanciers.
Like all Ringneck Parakeets the Indian Ringneck is easy to teach and tame. These beautiful birds are
also quite hardy making them favorites for novice and expert hobbyists alike. Of all the Ringnecked
Parakeets, the Indian is perhaps the most popular and widely available. It is for this reason that many of
the other subspecies are confused with it. Unlike some parrots, parent-raised babies are easily tamed,
and hand-feeding is not required to produce a tame loving pet. Instead socialization and regular
handling combined with lots of attention and time is the key. Regular handling is needed to maintain
your tamed Ringneck's friendly personality. If they are not given the proper amount of attention, they
may grow unfriendly and can become nippy. These are social birds, and in the wild they live in groups.
For this reason they must have plenty of attention given to them every day, particularly if they are kept
singly. Some have reported that males make better pets, but others report that females make equally good
pets provided they receive enough love and attention. Some Ringnecks make excellent talkers, though
this is never a guarantee. All of the Ringnecks are highly intelligent and require plenty of toys to keep
the stimulated. They also enjoy chewing, so chew toys are a must. Some Indian Ringnecks learn to talk,
though this is not the norm. The average lifespan of an Indian Ringneck in captivity is between 25 and
30 years.
The Indian Ringneck is sometimes confused with other Ringneck species. The Indian Ringneck is larger
than the African Ringneck and has a larger tail. The Indian Ringneck usually measures 16 inches in
length, whereas the African Ringneck averages a mere 14 inches. The African Ringneck also has a
longer tail than the Indian Ringneck. The Neumann's Ringneck is a little larger than the Indian and is
reported to be slightly more aggressive. In general the Indian Ringneck has darker plumage than the
nominate form (the African Ringneck), and its ring-neck is also darker and more prominent. Mature
male and female Indian Ringnecks can be distinguished visually. Males have a largely dark green
plumage with yellow-green feathers appearing under the wing covets. They have wide black bands on
their cheeks and black chins. True to their names, they have a rose pink ring on the back of their necks.
The females do not have the black markings on their cheeks or chin and are lacking the pink ring.
Immatures can be easily distinguished by their grey eyes, and otherwise they largely resemble the
females. In addition to the normal wild type there are an enormous number of color mutations among
Indian Ringnecks, including lutino, blue, and turquoise. The beautiful color patterns may contribute to
their popularity as pets. They may be as many as 50 to 100 different mutations!
Indian Ringnecks are most commonly found in the open areas of India, but they are also found in
Burma, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and on the Rameswaram Island. In addition to being found in
forests and savannahs, they are also not uncommon in urban areas. They became popular as pets
hundreds of years ago and their popularity seems to be increasing with time. It has even been reported
that pet Indian Ringnecks were documented as far back as 200 B.C. by Archimedes.
Specific Care Information:
The Indian Ringneck is not difficult to care for in captivity, but if they are kept singly as pets, they
require a lot of attention to maintain their tameness. They are avid chewers and toys must be provided to
prevent destructive behavior.
Some Indian Ringnecks do not enjoy bathing. If your Indian Ringneck does not like to bathe it should be
misted weekly. Some Indian Ringnecks do love to bathe, however, and individuals that do enjoy water
should be provided baths frequently.
These birds love fruits and veggies, and they should be given access to both daily.
Breeding and Propagation:
The Indian Ringneck male will reach sexual maturity at approximately 18 months, but males may not
breed for as long as 3 years. Indian Ringneck Parakeets are bred regularly in captivity. If you keep your
breeding pairs in group aviaries, some aviculturists advise separating pairs before breeding and leaving
them separated from the group throughout the breeding season, as they may become aggressive at this
time. In captivity the breeding season of the Indian Ringneck is variable. If your aviary is indoors they
will usually begin breeding in December. In outdoor aviaries some pairs may breed as early as February,
and this can be a problem. In order to avoid early breeding (which may cause egg binding) it is
suggested that nest boxes be removed until April. The average clutch size is 3 to 5 eggs. The incubation
period lasts an average of 23 days, with babies fledging in 7 weeks.
Other Names: Indian Ringneck Parakeet, African Ringneck Parakeet
Ringneck Parakeets are growing in popularity among aviculturists and pet lovers around the globe, and
the Indian Ringneck is the most popular of them all among hobbyists. They are considered elegant and
beautiful by fanciers.
Like all Ringneck Parakeets the Indian Ringneck is easy to teach and tame. These beautiful birds are
also quite hardy making them favorites for novice and expert hobbyists alike. Of all the Ringnecked
Parakeets, the Indian is perhaps the most popular and widely available. It is for this reason that many of
the other subspecies are confused with it. Unlike some parrots, parent-raised babies are easily tamed,
and hand-feeding is not required to produce a tame loving pet. Instead socialization and regular
handling combined with lots of attention and time is the key. Regular handling is needed to maintain
your tamed Ringneck's friendly personality. If they are not given the proper amount of attention, they
may grow unfriendly and can become nippy. These are social birds, and in the wild they live in groups.
For this reason they must have plenty of attention given to them every day, particularly if they are kept
singly. Some have reported that males make better pets, but others report that females make equally good
pets provided they receive enough love and attention. Some Ringnecks make excellent talkers, though
this is never a guarantee. All of the Ringnecks are highly intelligent and require plenty of toys to keep
the stimulated. They also enjoy chewing, so chew toys are a must. Some Indian Ringnecks learn to talk,
though this is not the norm. The average lifespan of an Indian Ringneck in captivity is between 25 and
30 years.
The Indian Ringneck is sometimes confused with other Ringneck species. The Indian Ringneck is larger
than the African Ringneck and has a larger tail. The Indian Ringneck usually measures 16 inches in
length, whereas the African Ringneck averages a mere 14 inches. The African Ringneck also has a
longer tail than the Indian Ringneck. The Neumann's Ringneck is a little larger than the Indian and is
reported to be slightly more aggressive. In general the Indian Ringneck has darker plumage than the
nominate form (the African Ringneck), and its ring-neck is also darker and more prominent. Mature
male and female Indian Ringnecks can be distinguished visually. Males have a largely dark green
plumage with yellow-green feathers appearing under the wing covets. They have wide black bands on
their cheeks and black chins. True to their names, they have a rose pink ring on the back of their necks.
The females do not have the black markings on their cheeks or chin and are lacking the pink ring.
Immatures can be easily distinguished by their grey eyes, and otherwise they largely resemble the
females. In addition to the normal wild type there are an enormous number of color mutations among
Indian Ringnecks, including lutino, blue, and turquoise. The beautiful color patterns may contribute to
their popularity as pets. They may be as many as 50 to 100 different mutations!
Indian Ringnecks are most commonly found in the open areas of India, but they are also found in
Burma, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and on the Rameswaram Island. In addition to being found in
forests and savannahs, they are also not uncommon in urban areas. They became popular as pets
hundreds of years ago and their popularity seems to be increasing with time. It has even been reported
that pet Indian Ringnecks were documented as far back as 200 B.C. by Archimedes.
Specific Care Information:
The Indian Ringneck is not difficult to care for in captivity, but if they are kept singly as pets, they
require a lot of attention to maintain their tameness. They are avid chewers and toys must be provided to
prevent destructive behavior.
Some Indian Ringnecks do not enjoy bathing. If your Indian Ringneck does not like to bathe it should be
misted weekly. Some Indian Ringnecks do love to bathe, however, and individuals that do enjoy water
should be provided baths frequently.
These birds love fruits and veggies, and they should be given access to both daily.
Breeding and Propagation:
The Indian Ringneck male will reach sexual maturity at approximately 18 months, but males may not
breed for as long as 3 years. Indian Ringneck Parakeets are bred regularly in captivity. If you keep your
breeding pairs in group aviaries, some aviculturists advise separating pairs before breeding and leaving
them separated from the group throughout the breeding season, as they may become aggressive at this
time. In captivity the breeding season of the Indian Ringneck is variable. If your aviary is indoors they
will usually begin breeding in December. In outdoor aviaries some pairs may breed as early as February,
and this can be a problem. In order to avoid early breeding (which may cause egg binding) it is
suggested that nest boxes be removed until April. The average clutch size is 3 to 5 eggs. The incubation
period lasts an average of 23 days, with babies fledging in 7 weeks.
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