Alexandrine

Some Advantages

Laid back
Less physically demanding
Good speaking ability
Can learn tricks

Some Challenges

Can have an attitude
Not snuggly
Requires large, tall cage
Requires ongoing handling and training

Size
21 to 24 inches in length, including the long, slender tail

Weight
250 grams

Colors
Primarily green. Males have a black cheek stripe, whereas the females do not. A wide range of color mutations are available in the pet trade, including white, light green, fallow green, light blue, turquoise blue and yellow.

Life Expectancy
Genetics and diet play a strong role in the longevity of a bird. Alexandrines have been known to live 30 years or more.

The easygoing alexandrine parakeet (Psittacule eupatria) is the bird you want it to be. If raised with ample petting, it will enjoy it. If trained to speak, it will talk. If taught a few tricks, it will perform. In short, the alexandrine is what you put into it.
General Information:
The alexandrine parakeet can be very affectionate and loyal to its owner, even if it isn’t cuddly like a cockatoo. When hand-fed and well-socialized, an alexandrine can be gentle, loving, laid-back, playful and friendly. It may even enjoy sitting on your shoulder or preening your hair, and can be trained to like spending time with every member of the family.

The cage should be a minimum of 24 inches deep by 30 inches wide by at least 36 inches tall. If space allows, select a cage measuring 30 inches deep by 48 inches tall and 48 inches wide. A taller cage allows more room for the alexandrine’s long tail, and leaves room for plenty of exercise, with perches and toys at many different levels. Include a cotton or sisal swing, rope ladders, perches of various diameters and textures, and a few large toys. A variety of destructible and indestructible toys is best. Offer a mix of hard wood and soft wood toys, along with vegetable-tanned leather toys and brightly colored acrylic toys.

The alexandrine is a voracious chewer. Food and water dishes should be made of ceramic or stainless steel, otherwise the alexandrine will chew plastic food and water dishes to pieces. Offer an ample supply of perches and hard nuts.

You’ll also want to purchase a playgym as an alternative to letting the bird play on the cage top, because this will help prevent cage-based aggression. Place the cage and the playgym where the family spends most of its time, like a living room or family room. An alexandrine will be much more outgoing if it is in the middle of what is going on with the household.

Alexandrines can learn to speak frequently and clearly, but training is required, and it seems to work best if started by about one year old (or sooner). They can learn several sentences or phrases, but are unlikely to sing a whole songs the way an Amazon can. They are skilled at mimicking sounds, like the beeping of the microwave or ringing of a telephone. Most describe the vocalizations of an alexandrine as being a pleasant, medium pitch (as opposed to the high-pitched squawking of a quaker or the distinct cry of a ringneck, for example). They are not as loud as an Amazon, but are louder than a cockatiel.

An alexandrine that is raised with hands-on attention and that receives it regularly will enjoy it. It will accept head and neck rubs and scratches in the head area and even on the bottom of the feet, cuddles on the chest under the chin and back petting. An alexandrine not raised with petting will not require, and may not enjoy, physical attention. Of course, interaction with the owner is still important, such as step-up practice, feeding special treats (like chopped fruit), trick training or speech training.
Health:
In the wild, alexandrines eat the seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, leaf buds, flowers and nectar found in their natural ranges. In captivity, a primarily pelleted diet (about 85 to 90 percent) can be supplemented with dark green leafy vegetables, red peppers, carrots, berries, kiwi, and melons. Various nuts, such as almonds, macadamia, and hazelnuts, can provide essential fats, but sunflower and safflower seeds provide too much fat.

Alexandrines on a pelleted diet will not need additional supplements, cuttlebone or mineral blocks. Additional protein can be fed during a molt, such as a mashed hardboiled egg. Nuts and beans are other sources high in protein.

The Ideal Owner:
The alexandrine is the right bird for an owner with the right expectations. It isn’t as brilliantly colored as a sun conure, it isn’t cuddly like a cockatoo, and it will not be comical like a green-cheeked conure or a caique. But, the Alexandrine is an excellent choice for s omeone who has owned birds before, who is looking for a less physically demanding bird, who has room for a large cage, and who can handle medium noise volume.