Young ekkie with other family members!

So, I think I've got he squawking down. He is an absolute prince... to me. My husband will try to handle him often and even hand feeds him, and when he handles him he will get nippy, not bleeding but like "NO, I want my mom" and flies to me I gave him his favorite nut to feed him while he handles him and he'd rather be on his gym or with me. The reason my main choice was Ekkie was because they didn't choose one person. I feel so bad when he makes my husband feel unwelcome Will this pass with his baby stage? How do I deal with it?

I know there will be a lot of replies that will offer hope that it will pass in time and the more interaction your Husband gives him the more he will come to accept him. You have to realize that he's still a baby and his interests will change. Did you have feed him or was it a breeder? This could be it and why he's preferring females. Your Husband just has to be persistant. Also clipping his wings may help as well so that he can't fly away from your husband and to you. All birds have the ability to become a one person bird. It's up to the owner(s) to train them to go and interact with other people.

I hand fed Nalani and I think that's why she prefers me over anyone else in the family. Plus, I spend most of the time with her more than anyone else. Nalani had a huge aggression issue with my brother. We worked with clicker training and in a few days he could handle her.

Try this: have him on the perch and let your husband approach him. Make sure there's still a good amount of distance. Once he feels comfortable with your husbands presence, click the clicker and reward him with a treat. Continue this step but have him get closer each time. Eventually he'll be able to come "touch" range with him. After he feels comfortable (as in his attention isn't concentrated on your husband) have your husband reproach him but offer his hand for step up. Don't be pushy and let your Ekkie do the work. Keep at and and persistence will pay off. He"ll eventually step up and make sure to click and reward him.

I can't promise you that your Ekkie will "love" your husband, but at least they can live together comfortably without stress on both parties.

Ps: this is great for socializing him and teaching him that people (Esp. you husband) won't give him harm. Because he's young it's imperative that you start socializing him now so that you won't come across future issues with separation anxiety, nervousness, aggression, etc. it's a relief to know that if I were to ever leave town for a few days my brother can handle Nalani and there's a foundation of trust between them.

I cannot guarantee your Ekkie will love your husband but with time and patience he should be able to handle him.

My male was a big mama's boy as a baby and that was fine with me since I am the bird person in the house. All three are MY birds heehee. BUT, once Jax was about a year and a half he started taking an interest in my husband. Now when I have him out he is good with me but when hubby walks into the room he leans and begs to go to him. He really loves the sound of his voice and will press his beak to hubbys mouth when he speaks to get every vibration.

i dont know who told you they will not take to one over the other but who ever it was they were dead wrong, if i have my girl out while im with my partner, she will come and get between us, she will act all nice to my partner then with out warning she bites, an d to the point once straight through the ear, but if im not there she is fine, where as my male, prefers my partner, does not bite me or any thing but will go to her before me and its been that way with a couple of partners over the year's . ive found females eckkies bond with human males best and male eckkies with the ladies.

It's funny how far he can go with clipped wings! He is still being handfed some and we both do it so we can both get some bonding in. He does not get aggressive, he just doesn't want to be there. He will get nippy when he is perched on his hand and won't hold still, meanwhile I snuggle with him and he falls asleep on me.

I had to go out of town for two days and left him with the shop I got him from and he was willing to go to anyone, it wasn't an issue. They had 3 different people handfeeding him, two males and one female.

I've heard so many conflicting stories about females sometimes being sweet and open to everyone and sometimes being protective of one person. I guess every bird is different

My male Oliver prefers me over everyone but I'm the one who feeds him, interacts, and takes care of him. When I'm gone the men in my house only feed and change his paper so he is only held by me and my youngest son when he comes home. When the younger son comes home oh my it's like he is a king to Oliver. He will step-up for anyone but shows no interest unless they are a "birdy" person and then he really enjoys the company.

I have some ideas but I'll admit I'm very discouraged by most of the replies here. I've found Eclectus to be very friendly birds who are interested in meeting new people and who love any attention they can get.

Of course they know who is their caretaker and they learn to love that person, but it doesn't mean they can't love more than one person! If that were the case no one would make friends with a young bird they bought who was hand fed by someone else (the majority of pet birds) and no one would be able to make friends with an adult bird who they acquired.

Think about how Eclectus are instinctually: females expect many males to service them and males expect to service many females. How can a bird who is polyandrous by nature become a one person bird unless it is trained to behave that way?

I think you can encourage your bird to become friends with your husband by praising him when he does anything nice with him. And if he wants to fly to you when your husband is holding him, gently tell him "no" or turn your back. If he can't get the cuddling he wants from you, he will settle for your husband and probably like it!

I don't think we do our birds a favor by making them uneasy with other people. I too am the caretaker for my birds so I understand when a bird is more comfortable with one person. When I have people over who are not afraid and who want to meet my birds, I am thrilled when one of them flies onto a shoulder or lifts a foot asking for a step up. At the very least they know that there are lots of people who like parrots and should they ever need a different home, they will be more able to adjust. IMO.

There will always be a "difference" in how each bird interacts with each person because that is the case with dogs and even with people themselves. But that is okay. Refusing to make friends is no way for a bird to live though. How lonely they will be.

Yes, you make a very good point Kathy in that the eclectus is known to be social and should be encouraged to interact with others. Although Oliver loves my attention and my younger sons he is social with anyone who has interest in him. My husband and older son are cordial but not "into" Oliver. My handyman Eric, on the other hand, has two eclectus parrots and goes gooey over Oliver and believe me Oliver is in birdy heaven. In fact, Eric rubs Oliver's beak...something I definitely do not do--beak chicken that I am. The reason I chose an eclectus parrot, after tons of research, was because they are social and absolutely charming birds.

Even though mine are all technically MY birds, that only means the care and attention comes primarily from me. Jax and Tina will both step up for anyone. They are very social and my family all hold them. Ruby has always been more standoffish. I do not force her to come out when she doesn't wish to do so or I will take a hard bite. She comes to me when she wants and I don't ask others to hold her since she shows no interest.

Sodakat (Kathy) has some great suggestion. Might I suggest you first start by having the hubby interact with your male without you in the room and away from his cage and play gym. Of course your bird will want to be with his favorite person and stuff. I would bite & fly too if it got me what I want the most. Without all the distractions in the room he will learn that the hubby has great stuff to offer as well. I would have your hubby hand feed him only for awhile, again without you in the room.

My male is a man's bird.