Psittacula eupatria 

Alexander's Parakeets or Alexandrines are natives of Pakistan and India. They are found in good numbers in wild. But unfortunately in recent years, private hunters have caught many wild breeding pairs of alexandrines which has caused a major set back in number of these alexandrines

                          Mutations

The original Alexandrine is green in color and available in wild easily. The greens are very cheap in Pakistan and a breeding pairs costs up to 90 dollars or less.

New mutations have been developed in Alexandrines or they should be rather called hybrids as they come in result of pairing Alexandrines with Indian Ringnecks.

Some of the new color are briefly explained here:

Lutino

These have yellow body all over except for the red patches on the shoulders. The feet are pinkish and eyes are red colored. The cocks do have a ring around the neck.

Blue

They have a grey body with grey feet and toe nails. Eyes are black and males have black ring with white shadow. They have grayish white patches on the wings.

Dark Green

Dark green is an incomplete dominant with dark shade of green on the whole body. The feet are dark and eyes are black. It has also a single dark factor like Indian Ringnecks. The wing patches are red.

Grey

They are complete grey with grayish white patches on the wings. The feet are grey and eyes are black. The ring is black with white shadow.

Grey Green

Result by pairing of green and grey. It has a light olive shade or grayish green shade in it. Just like Indian Ringnecks, this color should not be confused with Olive.

Albino

Albino is part of "Ino" family having red eyes, light colored pinkish feet and nails. the wing patches are absent and so does the ring.

Turquoise

This type is Autosomal recessive. The body has a bluish turquoise color. The eyes are black and feet are grey with black nails. The wing patch is of paler red then the normal green.

Sexing Alexandrines

Alexandrines can easily be recognized as males and females.

Adult males have ring around the neck just like Indian Ringnecks. There beak is dark red and eyes are black with yellow iris. The head of males is slightly bigger then the females.

The females do not have a ring but have a shade of grey in the ring area. The beak is slightly lighter and smaller then the males.

                       Breeding Alexandrines

Alexandrines breed all the way from December to May in wild or in captivity. They usually like hollow trees to breed in that is why the box size provided to them is also bigger then the usual.

Alexandrine, if settles in the cage and the environment provided, takes no time to pair up with a new mate and lay eggs.

The hen lays 4 to 6 eggs in a clutch but first time breeders may lay 3 eggs which is normal.

The incubation is for about 28 days.

Alexandrines are not very friendly to other same kind of pairs in the neighbors so avoid introducing a new pair in the neighbors during the breeding season. 

Constant checking of eggs may allow you to have a little bit of friendly relationship with your alexandrines. Otherwise, the hens are very aggressive towards showing their eggs to any stranger.

Some people have this concept that tamed alexandrines do not breed well or do not breed at all as they do not like to have a parrot mate as they like humans more for a closer relationship. But I have seen that the tamed alexandrines can also breed like any other pair and still being friendly with humans.

Baby Alexandrines

Alexandrines are very good parents just like Indian Ringnecks and seldom let their babies die unless the food supply is not enough. The babies are also very strong. You can pick up a baby for hand feeding without having any trouble. They grow up fast and as their pin feathers start to open up, Its the best time for the bird to start taming. The alexandrine lovers, who like talking tamed parrots, like to buy them at this age.

 Alexandrine Diet

Alexandrines, just like Indian Ringnecks, love to have anything at all. They love seeds like corn, sunflower, millets, wheat. They like fruits and vegetables and even the junk food. A tame Alexandrine loves to eat anything that his keeper will eat so nothing to worry to about their diet as long as balance is maintained.

for more on diet

Alexandrine Health

Alexandrines can fight even the strongest diseases and seldom get sick unless they are weak due to worms or diet deficiency.

So to keep your birds away from any kind of germs and viruses, keep them healthy, neat, and provide them calcium, vitamins and minerals.