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Post by peachy on Sept 28, 2008 12:55:39 GMT 10
Hi everyone, Im getting a hand raised (male) Alexandrine in about 6-8 weeks, from a very good breeder, and hopefully will get to pick out of 2 males (they are just waiting on the DNA sex tests to come back). This will be my first Alex (Ive previously lived with a galah for 2 years which was my ex's, and as a kid, had budgies and a cockatiel) I did get a GCC 2 months ago, but just cant bond with her, so Im currently looking for a new home for her while I wait for the Alex to be handraised.  Anyway, I was hoping to pick the brains of you lovely Alex owners. ;D If I get to choose from 2 males, they will be about 6 weeks old, so what should I be looking for? (quiet, friendly, outgoing?) What I would like to know is what toys I should be getting organised for the Alex. Do they do better with foraging, puzzles, chewing toys? Any favorites they seem to go for? Also, what is a good feeding regime, and what is the usual sized cage required? I have an 80 x 50 x 100 cage, but not sure if its strong enough. I bought my GC's toys from the PRC, but Im thinking they will be too small for the Alex. Any other tips on being a good owner? Thanks in advance, and sorry for all the questions.  |
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Post by just4birds on Sept 28, 2008 13:18:28 GMT 10
I dont own one .. but have cared for a number of them ... and they are chewers .. soo anything wood or softish plastic they will chew to bits ... They need a pretty big cage .. cause if they are cared for right and have a good diet their tail can grow quiet long .... so they need room to turn around without there tail banging along the cage ... thats about all i can think of .. seeing i do own one ...but there are others one here that do |
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Post by petiel on Sept 28, 2008 18:50:59 GMT 10
Peachy will your baby be 6 weeks when you get it or see it? I think you are saying it will be 6 weeks when you can go and pick it out and the breeder will keep handrearing it until its old enough to leave. At 6 weeks it will be hard to see much personally I would wait until its about 8 weeks. The breeder would be able to help you pick out one which is nice. Look for nice red wing patches and big head.
My babies love a mix of different foods when I am weaning them. (milk arrowroot biscuits,nuts,coloured pellets,corn,peas,carrot,apple,grapes,bread,cherrios, seed,etc)
They are not big chewers when they are babies so wood toys are great. Vincent my alex loves the chain toys with heaps of different toys threaded on to them like wooden balls, raw hide, coloured plastic beads and a bell at the bottom, this toy would be his favourite and he is on his second one which last about 6 months.
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Post by peachy on Sept 28, 2008 22:25:42 GMT 10
Peachy will your baby be 6 weeks when you get it or see it? I think you are saying it will be 6 weeks when you can go and pick it out and the breeder will keep handrearing it until its old enough to leave. At 6 weeks it will be hard to see much personally I would wait until its about 8 weeks. The breeder would be able to help you pick out one which is nice. Look for nice red wing patches and big head. My babies love a mix of different foods when I am weaning them. (milk arrowroot biscuits,nuts,coloured pellets,corn,peas,carrot,apple,grapes,bread,cherrios, seed,etc) They are not big chewers when they are babies so wood toys are great. Vincent my alex loves the chain toys with heaps of different toys threaded on to them like wooden balls, raw hide, coloured plastic beads and a bell at the bottom, this toy would be his favourite and he is on his second one which last about 6 months. Sorry, should have worded my post a bit better lol. Im getting the Alex in 6-8 weeks time, but by then he will be 12-14 weeks old. (when fully weaned). So in about 10 days I get to go and pick one out (or see the bub I will be getting). Thanks for the other info on the toys, Ive heard they are big chewers when they get older, but wasnt sure on puzzle type toys etc, if they like those kind of things. Do you feed pellets (as well as the vegies & fruit, nuts etc)? |
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Post by rainbowfeathers77 on Sept 29, 2008 1:44:27 GMT 10
Hey Courtney (Courtzrocks)....I think your 3 cents worth are wanted here ;D ....Courtney has a naughty Alex ;D  and had some trouble with her, well thats what you get with teenagers and too much heavy metal ;D |
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Post by peachy on Sept 29, 2008 15:01:02 GMT 10
Would that be the very beautiful "Matches"?  (Ive been reading all the Alexandrine posts lol) |
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Post by vankarhi on Sept 29, 2008 20:43:21 GMT 10
yes that is the lovely Matches.
I have 3 alex's (not including the 3 baby girls) and they are lovely pets. My female is just so lovely natured. Even in the aviary she flies straight to my shoulder to check out the ekkie eggs with me and when her chicks were in the nest box she would sit on my shoulder talking to me and giving me kisses while I checked her bubs. Never ever made an effort to bite me. She did get a little upset at times when they were eggs, but never ever showed any aggression.
My pet alex boy is lovely too and they talk well. My aviary male is a bit wary of us......but he is getting much better with me.
They do love to chew things and Takoda can destroy a wooden toy in 10 mins...........guess a destroyed toy is a loved toy ;D
They can be taught tricks too.
Good luck with yours and can't wait to see pics.
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Post by peachy on Sept 29, 2008 21:23:38 GMT 10
Your Alex's sound so sweet. You certainly have your hands full with 3 babies as well (Ive seen their pics, and arent they gorgeous!!) Looks like I had better stock up on toys for chewing and destroying lol |
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Post by rainbowfeathers77 on Sept 29, 2008 22:19:33 GMT 10
Yeah, that would be MATCHES! She's very cheeky !!! ;D
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Post by julesn52 on Mar 1, 2010 9:03:26 GMT 10
I have just got my Alex home  His name is Clyde and is 10 weeks old He is hand tamed and a joy! he eats non stop so I am wondering when he should be wormed? maybe someone can help us both here He loves a bath too I am really happy with him and I hope yours is as good as Clyde Jules |
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Post by vankarhi on Mar 2, 2010 9:07:17 GMT 10
Hello Jules and congratulations on getting Clyde ;D
I worm my birds probably about 2 times a year.....my outside birds. Before I had aviary birds I rarely wormed my birds because they did not have contact with "outside or wild" birds. But now I put my pets or inside birds out on the verandahs and I have outside cages for them too and we get lots of sparrows hanging around and we get the odd king parrots and other birds coming in so I now also worm my pets when i worm the aviary birds. I also try to worm my baby birds before they are ready to go to their new homes.
I buy a bird wormer for caged birds from the local pet shop or feed barn and go by the instructions on the container. I withhold water usually from the afternoon to the next morning to ensure they are thirsty and drink heaps and I don't give them fruit during this period either as they can get their fluids from fruit too. It is however more accurate to go to the vet and get bird wormer and they might even administer it for you via a crop needle. But so far I have not had problems with the way I do it.
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Post by julesn52 on Mar 30, 2010 6:40:01 GMT 10
Thank you ;)We did worm Clyde this week He is getting really big now! seems to have grown so much in just four weeks He loves corn the best! How many Alex's do you have? Jules  |
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Post by vankarhi on Mar 30, 2010 9:41:51 GMT 10
Not sure who you are talking to when asking how many alex's they have.......but I have 4 now. 2 pairs and 3 of them are tame and talk and jump on me when I go into the aviary.
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and had some trouble with her, well thats what you get with teenagers and too much heavy metal ;D 
(Ive been reading all the Alexandrine posts lol)
