Lucky Update

ordenrahl

New member
Nov 9, 2006
48
0
VT
Parrots
Lucky, a 10 year old Eclectus
So lucky has been home for almost a week now, and I’m really excited about his improvements. He steps up and comes out of the cage and lets me pet his back. He doesn’t mind me touching his feet, and he will tolerate me touching under his wings, though he usually tries to sidestep away. He’s only pooped once out of the cage, which is great as I am trying to potty train him.

I wasn’t sure if lucky was actually talking or just making whistles that I was associating with words, but my girlfriend confirmed that he definitely says Hi, and Hello. This came as a big surprise as the owner I got him from said he didn’t talk.

I was a bit worried that he’d have a shrieking problem, but so far, I haven’t heard any shrill calls from him at all. He gets pretty vocal when I play my Xbox or do anything at my computer, and he likes to imitate the sounds he hears from the videogames I play.

Lucky seems to like his cage, he moves around and perches in two different spots, but I have been having trouble getting him to play with his toys. I’m starting to wonder if he had many toys at his last home, and with the owner having 40 other birds, I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t. I’ve been taking the toys out and playing with them myself offering them to him, then drawing them back and playing with them some more. He’ll usually beak the item once but then seems to loose interest. Right now in his cage he has, a Boing, A vine wreath with paper weaved in and out, a flexi toy (blocks of wood and leather skewered by a cooper rod that you can bend into different shapes), a puzzle box, and an indestructible bell. I also have a couple shredding toys that I haven’t put in the cage yet.

Anyone have any ideas how I can encourage him to play with his toys? I work 10 hour shifts and I don’t want him getting bored and finding negative things to do, like pluck.

Overall, I think things are going very well, better than I had realistically hoped. My girlfriend likes him too, which is a definite bonus.

Thanks for all your help guys!
 
Last edited:

Peta

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
Sep 7, 2006
4,376
19
That is great news, he certainly seems taken with both you and your girlfriend which is great.

I’ve been taking the toys out and playing with them myself offering them to him, then drawing them back and playing with them some more

If he didn't have many toys in his last home, then he's probably not really sure what to do with them. At the moment they are foreign objects to him, what you are doing is great, when he beaks them you could make a fuss of him telling him what a good boy he is. He'll soon get the idea that these things are good things and fun to play with.

When you are at work, would your girlfriend play with him or is she at work also.? I would carry on praising him up everytime he touches them, also you can put the shredder toys in, most parrots love to shred paper and seem to catch onto that very quickly.

All in all I think you are all doing just great. Great Job. :D :D In no time at all you'll me moaning cos he wants to play with and won't leave your xbox alone. :D :D
 

Eclectica

Member
Oct 8, 2006
412
Media
7
3
South Africa
Parrots
Dory - Cockatiel
You can try one of those fruit and nut bells, it worked for me, it looks like a toy and encouraged mine to start chewing on it. His first toy was also untouched for about maybe 2 weeks and he grew up with them.

Give him time, eckies arent chewers, my boy chews his toy sometimes, loves shredding newspaper though:D . So i throw in a whole sheet of fresh newspaper in for him, where he cant poop on it and he comes down and "kicks" it and then start to shred it up.

The toy that he chews is wood, and it takes ages before they chew it up. He has a bell, dont show much interest in it. I usually take him out and "introduce" this new toy to him on a seperate place, his curious then and will often when put on a place where there is nothing but the toy, start beaking it. Then i can put him back and make a great fuss when i put the toy back and he'll sooner or later starts playing with it.

Its great hearing he is coming round and accepting you and your gf! Nice job done already!!
But im yapping again, just give him time, as i said mine grew up with toys but only started showing interest after 2 weeks. Good luck!!!
 

Eclectica

Member
Oct 8, 2006
412
Media
7
3
South Africa
Parrots
Dory - Cockatiel
O yeah, check out the photo gallery under the ekkies and you'll see in the corner where his favourite chew toy is, they like those!
 

Peta

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
Sep 7, 2006
4,376
19
O yeah, check out the photo gallery under the ekkies and you'll see in the corner where his favourite chew toy is, they like those!

Bucc has one similar to that, he chewed all the bark off the wood very carefully then went at it luke a nutter. He had managed to demolish it in about 20 mins. :D Now I have to get him the really BIG ones they last a bit longer.:eek:
 

bill

New member
Jul 2, 2006
134
0
victoria,Australia
Parrots
lorikeets and gc conures
Play with the parrot toys yourself with your parrot and make a big deal of it all and that should get him/her excited about it all.
 

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