So my female Eclectus "Orchid" is about 8.5 weeks (breeder couldnt remember how old she was... fist told me she was 2 months but actually only around 4 or 5 weeks) Ive had her for almost 4 weeks. She seems very well adjusted, quite happy, already said her first word, very social, very mischievous, and interested in almost everything... Last 2 weeks she has been exercising her wings, she likes to climb on top of this triangular pillow and "gets ready for take off". I may have created a monster though... I started playing bird toss with her on the bed. Tossing her a very short distance across the bed back and forth from my girlfriend to me. The first time she didnt protest but wasnt sure what to think. The second time she decided it was fun. She decided she likes a sleeping cage (plastic picnic basket) and she lets it be known when its time for bed. Last night she was playing in her big cage, and in a heart beat decided it was time for bed. RUNNING to the open door of her cage she looked like she was about to jump to the couch to get in her basket, I quickly got up and walked to her just as she jumped into my hands. This morning she was sitting on the table after eating, I was walking around and she RAN to the edge of the table and was watching me. She waited for me to look at her and she FLEW right to me! I know all birds are different, but doesnt it seem shes kinda young for this behavior?
Also having issues with feeding... I usually hand feed her twice a day with syringe (veggies and fruit in her cage to much on throughout the day) She is getting to be a brat when it comes time to feeding. Last night I know she was hungry but angrily attacked the syringe and refused to eat the baby gruel. Sometimes she wants to eat the food from a spoon, sometimes she will eat about half from the spoon then half from they syringe. Last night she wouldnt eat from either. A little food dropped on the table, she reached down and ate it off the table again refusing the syringe or spoon. She did seems quite interested in the food in the mixing cup and was licking the spoon but only if the spoon was in the cup. The last week or so she will eat about half of the gruel from me before refusing any more, then she waits for my girlfriend to feed her and she will eat the other half. Her intake varies (I think) quite drastically, some days she will eat 50-60 cc while other days she refuses after 25. But even after she says she is full and adamantly refuses any more gruel, she will wait till she goes back to her cage then wolfs down her veggies and bean mix or else gets off her table perch and runs to the fruit basket on the table where there are grapes.
I GUESS this is her weaning herself, again isnt 8 weeks kinda young?
I dont know if its due to her weaning but this weekend I noticed a personality shift in her. She will step up on command (most times) and wants to step up much more than she did. Last night was really odd for her, usually if she is on the couch with us she runs around, plays, looks for trouble to get into, likes to sit on her flying pillow... Last night she was just sitting next to my girlfriend looking up at her like "please pick me up" She climbed on my girlfriends lap and just sat there happily. Later I was on the couch eating dinner, Orchid hopped from her flying pillow to the back of the couch ran over to be standing behind my shoulder and stretching her neck to see what I was eating, she climbed onto my shoulder and just watched. I put her on her towel on the sofa and she just kinda relaxed for a while, when I was done eating she climbed onto my lap then onto my arm and just sat there quiet and relaxed.
Im not too concerned about the change in personality, but found it odd at the speed of the change and the degree of change... Hopefully someone can confirm its normal for young birds.
One other thing maybe odd... I read most eclectus dont like to have their head touched, Orchid enjoys having her read rubbed/scratched. She even will lay on her back for belly rubs and blow drying after her showers.
Also having issues with feeding... I usually hand feed her twice a day with syringe (veggies and fruit in her cage to much on throughout the day) She is getting to be a brat when it comes time to feeding. Last night I know she was hungry but angrily attacked the syringe and refused to eat the baby gruel. Sometimes she wants to eat the food from a spoon, sometimes she will eat about half from the spoon then half from they syringe. Last night she wouldnt eat from either. A little food dropped on the table, she reached down and ate it off the table again refusing the syringe or spoon. She did seems quite interested in the food in the mixing cup and was licking the spoon but only if the spoon was in the cup. The last week or so she will eat about half of the gruel from me before refusing any more, then she waits for my girlfriend to feed her and she will eat the other half. Her intake varies (I think) quite drastically, some days she will eat 50-60 cc while other days she refuses after 25. But even after she says she is full and adamantly refuses any more gruel, she will wait till she goes back to her cage then wolfs down her veggies and bean mix or else gets off her table perch and runs to the fruit basket on the table where there are grapes.
I GUESS this is her weaning herself, again isnt 8 weeks kinda young?
I dont know if its due to her weaning but this weekend I noticed a personality shift in her. She will step up on command (most times) and wants to step up much more than she did. Last night was really odd for her, usually if she is on the couch with us she runs around, plays, looks for trouble to get into, likes to sit on her flying pillow... Last night she was just sitting next to my girlfriend looking up at her like "please pick me up" She climbed on my girlfriends lap and just sat there happily. Later I was on the couch eating dinner, Orchid hopped from her flying pillow to the back of the couch ran over to be standing behind my shoulder and stretching her neck to see what I was eating, she climbed onto my shoulder and just watched. I put her on her towel on the sofa and she just kinda relaxed for a while, when I was done eating she climbed onto my lap then onto my arm and just sat there quiet and relaxed.
Im not too concerned about the change in personality, but found it odd at the speed of the change and the degree of change... Hopefully someone can confirm its normal for young birds.
One other thing maybe odd... I read most eclectus dont like to have their head touched, Orchid enjoys having her read rubbed/scratched. She even will lay on her back for belly rubs and blow drying after her showers.