Question about my new Eclectus

Og_nick_28 · Nov 17, 2015

Hello I'm new to this thread and new to owning an eckkie. I bought him Sunday at a flea market and his previous owner guessed he was 7-10 years old. However, I recently found out that eckkie a have black in there beaks when still young. My boy Percy has a hind of black on the top of his beak and is almost fully faded to orange. I would post pictures but i don't really know how as I am a newbie. I was hoping some more experienced owners could help me estimate his age a little better?

Anansi · Nov 17, 2015

Re: How Many Nuts can Eclectus eat a day?

Here's a link to a thread about starting your own thread: http://www.parrotforums.com/showthread.php?t=49121

Anansi · Nov 17, 2015

Re: How Many Nuts can Eclectus eat a day?

And one for posting pics: http://www.parrotforums.com/showthread.php?t=6287

Anansi · Nov 17, 2015

On average, a healthy male ekkie loses all black on the upper beak by around 1 year old... give or take a few months.

Damage to the beak, sickness or stunted development can slow the process, however. But if your guy is truly between 7 and 10, I'd have to say the process has actually been halted.

If they are indeed wrong about the age, that would be quite odd. Sellers lie in the opposite direction, as younger birds usually sell for more.

Please post pics for us to see, but I'd say you really just need to watch. If his beak lightens further over the next few months, you know the age was wrong. Hey, maybe they heard wrong and the age was actually 7-10 MONTHS. I could see that happening.

Og_nick_28 · Nov 17, 2015

Okay so I uploaded two pictures of his beak maybe you can tell better from the pics

Anansi · Nov 17, 2015

Okay, here are the pics so everyone can see what you're talking about:

There is a lot less black than I'd been picturing from your description. Yet, by 7 years it should have been completely gone.

The only way this will wind up being a probable indication of his youth is if it does fade within the next few months. But if it never does, or takes years rather than months, you'll just have to go by the guesstimate given you by the seller.

While we're talking about your new guy, what do you know about him? What sub-species? How much does he weigh? What was his diet in his previous home, and what is it, now?

lizard · Nov 17, 2015

This is my Jack at just over a year old. He still has a significant amount of black on his beak and it's not that vibrant orange. Just snapped with my kindle so not great quality.

Og_nick_28 · Nov 17, 2015

The seller didn't seem to know much, seems like he just buys parrots for cheap and sells them for more. As fas as his diet seems like mostly seeds and nuts and pellets. I've been given him some fresh fruit recently though as I've read they do better with a raw diet. Today I'm cooking up some sweet potato for him see if he likes that. He seems to love pomegranate lol it looks like some of his feathers weren't as bright and vibrant as his head feathers. The seller said he might be stressed. He seems to really not like hands what's so ever as it is a struggle to get him back in his cage.

Og_nick_28 · Nov 17, 2015

I uploaded a few more pictures I just don't know how to post them as I am doing all this in my phone. You can see them in my albums though they will be under the name Percy

Roanoke · Nov 17, 2015

Speaking of the cage, you are going to buy a bigger one I presume? Just checking haha. Ekkies need a cage around the size you'd use for a Grey or RB2, I think. (Never had one!) And don't forget perches and toys!

Anansi · Nov 17, 2015

lizard said:
This is my Jack at just over a year old. He still has a significant amount of black on his beak and it's not that vibrant orange. Just snapped with my kindle so not great quality.

He's only a year. Some ekkies take a little longer than others to lose the black completely, so no worries.

And as for the lack of "vibrant orange", not every subspecies gets that full candy corn effect, you know. For some, it's more of a pale orange at the top. Vosmaeri, for instance, get very bright orange beaks. Depends on the subspecies. Which type is Jack, again?

Anansi · Nov 17, 2015

Og_nick_28 said:
The seller didn't seem to know much, seems like he just buys parrots for cheap and sells them for more. As fas as his diet seems like mostly seeds and nuts and pellets. I've been given him some fresh fruit recently though as I've read they do better with a raw diet. Today I'm cooking up some sweet potato for him see if he likes that. He seems to love pomegranate lol it looks like some of his feathers weren't as bright and vibrant as his head feathers. The seller said he might be stressed. He seems to really not like hands what's so ever as it is a struggle to get him back in his cage.

Mostly seeds and nuts and pellets? Not good. Sounds like you're doing a great job gradually transitioning him over to a healthier diet, though.

Fruits and veggies are vital for ekkies. Legumes, oats and grains are also good. Sprouts are among the most nutritious foods you can give them.

For the most part, ekkies don't do very well on pellets. This is due to the fact that they overdose on enriched foods far more easily than most other parrots. Some claim to have found a good balance that they feel works for their particular ekkies, but I avoid them. ( I used to use them, but on a VERY limited basis. Only 5 Harrison's Adult Coarse pellets at breakfast, and another 5 at dinner) An overdose can lead to toe-tapping and wing-flipping.

As for seeds and nuts, both are too fattening to be a large part of an ekkie's diet. I only allow my ekkies between a teaspoon and a tablespoon of seeds a day. And nuts are used almost exclusively as training treats.

Your ultimate goal should be for veggies, fruits, sprouts and legumes to make up around 80-85% of their diet. But again, keep the transition gradual.

Anansi · Nov 17, 2015

Og_nick_28 said:
I uploaded a few more pictures I just don't know how to post them as I am doing all this in my phone. You can see them in my albums though they will be under the name Percy

To post the pics you've put into your album, just go to the particular pic that you want to post and copy that page's Web address. Then click on the image icon in your reply window and paste the address into the pop up window that appears.

You can use a similar method to post pics from Photobucket as well.

Anansi · Nov 17, 2015

Roanoke said:
Speaking of the cage, you are going to buy a bigger one I presume? Just checking haha. Ekkies need a cage around the size you'd use for a Grey or RB2, I think. (Never had one!) And don't forget perches and toys!

Good point! Crazy as my day has been I hadn't even noticed! But yes, if that is serving as his cage you definitely need to upgrade right away.

And even if that's a travel cage, you should try to get something more sturdy. Maya especially would snap the bars of that cage within seconds of entering... just for fun. That's a travel cage better suited to a cockatiel.

Og_nick_28 · Nov 17, 2015

Yeah I have a bigger one just getting him adjusted to my house first since its a hassle to get him in the cage hes been in lol. I feel like we progressed a lot thought for two days he's been letting me touch him more and getting out his cage a lot on his own. He even tried to copy me say what you doing, mumbled it super funny. He kinda makes a monkey noise lol it's funny, first time we really heard him make noise. Whatever the age I love him regardless, such a beauty

Og_nick_28 · Nov 17, 2015

Every time I click the image icon it takes out of safari idk why

Og_nick_28 · Nov 17, 2015

I just uploaded a pic of him in his new cage he was a sweet heart and didn't bite me he seemed pretty happy after I fed him the sweet potato.

JerseyWendy · Nov 18, 2015

Og_nick_28 said:
Every time I click the image icon it takes out of safari idk why

The easiest way to share pictures is via photobucket.

Og_nick_28 said:
I just uploaded a pic of him in his new cage he was a sweet heart and didn't bite me he seemed pretty happy after I fed him the sweet potato.

Here is your photo with the 'new' cage

IMHO this cage is highly inappropriate. It may make a nice sleep cage, but he needs at least twice that much room to be in during the day. Height isn't as important as width and depth. There are great deal on eBay for cages that are 3' wide and 2' deep (without the seed skirts). You can also look on Amazon, they have decent cages for good prices.

Here is some good info about Eclectus: http://www.parrotforums.com/eclectus/52737-so-you-think-you-want-eclectus.html

JerseyWendy · Nov 18, 2015

In this thread you can see how my Red Sided Ekki's beak changed over 1 year. http://www.parrotforums.com/eclectus/35750-when-does-beak-change-colour.html

If you are uncertain about what type of Ekki you have, you may want to have a look at this:
Identification of Subspecies - Eclectus-Parrots.com

lizard · Nov 18, 2015

He's only a year. Some ekkies take a little longer than others to lose the black completely, so no worries.

And as for the lack of "vibrant orange", not every subspecies gets that full candy corn effect, you know. For some, it's more of a pale orange at the top. Vosmaeri, for instance, get very bright orange beaks. Depends on the subspecies. Which type is Jack, again?

Jack is a Solomon Island. When he said a little black at the top of his beak, I thought he meant like Jack. Honestly, you have me a little worried that his beak still has that much black yet.

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