Specific behavioural issue - need some help

Hi folks



I have a rather specific issue. First up this isn’t my first parrot and I have read extensively on all aspects of parrots generally, training, Eclectus’ specifically etc
Oxxy is my male Ekky, he is about two and a half.

At the moment my Ekky is houses with a ‘carer’ as I am in between places. He is happy enough there, see’s me every day and has 4-6 hours a day out of the cage
The issue – I normally have very short hair, essentially a shaved head. I had somewhat recently grown my hair a couple of inches long, he loved this and would spend ages on my shoulders preening me.
I have been under immense and ongoing stress for a while and have skin flaking off the top of my head, when I re-shaved my head, Oxxy (I can only guess in an attempt to clean me) puts the tip of his upper beak into my head and drags it over my skin. This breaks the surface of my head, causing mild bleeding. As I get tiny scabs there he is wildly enthusiastic to clean these too.

I tried a couple of hats and he has no trouble at all removing them to get back to preening me, its has in a very short amount of time become nearly an obsession for him.

I am fairly pain tolerant, but the top of my head is now routinely ‘red raw’ and it makes spending time with him very un-enjoyable at the moment.
Moreover just yesterday he has start doing this behavior nearly any part of my body, ‘cleaning me’ by dragging quite hard the tip of his beak across my skin (upper arms/shoulder mainly)

Normally I would try distraction/positive reinforcement here, but this is somewhat unusual. Given he sees me for 1-2 hours a day, and he is flighted, he is quite capable and insistent on being with me as soon as I arrive. Also, given I am sure he sees this as ‘cleaning’ me or preening, it is something quite important to him and an activity I would normally encourage. Given I only see him as much as I do, I am finding it hard to deny him the bonding routine as he needs it, but I simply cant tolerate the behavior anymore

I have tried caging him when he does it, and putting him down etc. But he can come straight to me, and if I spend the hour or so I spend with him ‘fighting’ him over this issue, then the lack of quality time will only make things worse

Happy for any and all feedback and suggestions, more than happy to answer any questions to clarify his behviour or history

Cheers!

Why not go for a walk or take him for a drive to stimulate him during that 1-2 hour time period instead of having him on you? You could get or build a pack to put him in. It you live where it's warm then a walk or bike ride with the pack would be great.

sodakat said:

Why not go for a walk or take him for a drive to stimulate him during that 1-2 hour time period instead of having him on you? .

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I did have a harness that I used for months in games with him to get him used to it. Even after that, although not scared of it, he hates having it on, and can get a little bitey when i try. Seems i will have to persist as it will no doubt have great benefits.

Thanks for the suggestion Sodakat

hmm, the closest behavioral issue I have with my ekkie to yours is that Nalani is fascinated with my glasses (which I wear whenever I am home). All she wants to do is snap them to pieces. I guess I still haven't found a way to correct or stop the behavior. But what I've learned that somewhat works is 2 techniques.

1. I say "no" in a really angry tone and stare her down. This will stop her for a while, but it is a temporary solution and she's back at it after a few minutes.

2. Give her time out. I guess it's what you've been trying... I put Nalani back on her perch and a few minutes later try again. I don't like to use the cage as punishment, because it's such a positive space which she really enjoys. But it seems like you don't have much choice since he is flighted. Oh boy, totally contradicted my idea there... :20:

Sorry I know it isn't much help. But this is the only input I have, hopefully others on this forum can give you better advice/info.

Thanks for the suggestion moni.k

Seems to me that Oxxy very quickly learned to say "no" back at me. Which nearly turned into a game so i stopped.

Funnily sometimes when i ask him to do things he says "NO" and stamps around all high and mighty like.

Although i could use a different label instead of "no", he either dosnt understand, or more likely dosnt care. He can be extremely persistent even when i am sure he knows i want him to stop a given behaviour

hehe Oxxy sounds so adorable! Nalani has yet to learn how to talk but she tries in private . I'm hoping one day she'll surprise me with a word.

moni.k said:

hehe Oxxy sounds so adorable! Nalani has yet to learn how to talk but she tries in private . I'm hoping one day she'll surprise me with a word.

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Oxxy is quite verbose, he knows about 72 words now, and can speak in small scentences - i love him to bits

EDIT - Interesting you are listed as being in CA. Are Ekky's 'rare' over there? expensive?

I wouldn't say that ekkies are rare in CA, but they aren't often seen in rescues and if they are, they aren't available for long. As for price range, at a bird store/pet store they're about $1000, but if you find an at-home breeder they can go for about 750-1000. That's the general price for SI eclectus, I know a local bird store that breeds vos and red sided. She sells them from 1100-1300. How much do they go for in Australia?

moni.k said:

How much do they go for in Australia?

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Oddly enough, those prices are roughly on par with Australia, its around $1000 for a hand raised bird, sometimes lower for lower quality birds

Mine cost $750.

He likes to think he is worth every cent

I am from California too, Santa Barbara - Maui was 1,000. I pick him up three weeks ago from San Diego, California - 4 hours south of Santa Barbara.

I'm in California too! It's been 10 years so I can't fully remember, but I think it was about 600-650 ea. for my birds. I got them all as re-homes from the same family.

Peeker said:

I'm in California too! It's been 10 years so I can't fully remember, but I think it was about 600-650 ea. for my birds. I got them all as re-homes from the same family.

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Nice work, its always good to see people adopt re-homed parrots rather than just getting chicks

Moreover its good to see so many Ekky's in the states - had no idea