Bird of the Week: Rigby the Indian Ringneck Parakeet

Name:

Rigby. He also answers to "Baby" and "Riggs."

Species:

Indian Ringneck Parakeet (Psittacula krameri manillensis.)

Sex:

Male

Age:

1 year.

Favorite Foods:

Rigby is known for his large appetite. His mom, Sarah, says that he practically eats everything in sight! "He has pellets and seed," she says, "but he always ends up eating everything on my plate too."

Favorite Toys:

Rigby loves to play on his playstand and to climb his little wooden ladder. "I think he'd die without his ladder," jokes Sarah. "He's content to climb and dance on it for hours at a time."

Favorite Perches:

Rigby is quite bonded to Sarah and prefers to go wherever she goes, when possible. At home, he can usually be found perching either on her shoulder or on a t-perch that Sarah takes with her around the house.

Dislikes:

According to Sarah, Rigby's biggest pet peeve is having his pinfeathers scratched. "He likes it when I rub his head," says Sarah, "but the moment I go for those pinfeathers, he gets so mad at me!"

Special Talents:

Sarah says that Rigby's neatest talent is his seemingly "psychic" abilities. "Without fail, he knows every time my husband is about to come home from work. I'm not sure if he can hear the car or if he just senses it somehow, but he always starts chirping loudly about 5 minutes before my husband walks in the door. He gets off work at different times every day, so I know it's not that Rigby knows the time!"

Life with Rigby:

Sarah has been infatuated with Indian Ringneck Parakeets since she was very young. "I got my first Ringneck when I was 8 years old." she says. "I've loved the species ever since!"

About a year and a half ago, that Ringneck, "Jo-Jo", passed away. Sarah was devastated, but after a few months began looking for a Ringneck breeder in her area.

"Jo-Jo was green, and I knew that I wanted a blue one this time." Sarah says. "It took a bit of digging to locate a breeder that had Blues. But I finally came across a lady that not only had beautiful birds, but obviously cared about them deeply. I knew right away that I'd be getting my bird from her."

When Rigby and his siblings were 8 weeks old, Sarah visited the breeder's home to pick out her new baby. "When I first peeked in at the babies," she says, "I thought there was no way I'd ever be able to decide on one. After a minute, Rigby stretched his little neck up, bit my finger, and then squealed. I figured that was his way of picking me!"

Sarah took Rigby home that day, and they've been inseparable ever since. "My husband gets jealous of him." she jokes. "But I just tell him that he would get more attention if he was as sweet as Rigby is."

Congratulations, Rigby, for being chosen as "Bird of the Week!"

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