Bomb Proof Eckie?

OutlawedSpirit

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Apr 12, 2016
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Northern Illinois, USA
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So I am not sure if I got a bomb proof Eckie, or if she was just really that uncomfortable at the rescue, even though she was there over a month. So when I got here, this is where we were:

I was told I could have her cheaper, if I took her when I did. The reasoning was that if I waited to take her, then more time would be put into working with her to get her handle able, then her adoption fee would be more. Logically, it makes sense to me. A rescue has to recoup their resources, and I had no problem working with her. If I did, I should not have been getting a rescue. So, she was just to the point where she could be gotten out of her cage without involving a towel, and she would step up from the floor if she needed to be rescued. You couldn't really touch her anywhere. You could get about 2 fingers on her chest, then she would bite. I was told that it would take some time to get her comfortable being handled, because she was most likely hand-fed, but then left in a cage and not worked with once she was weaned.

I have had her home for 2 weeks now, and I can do just about anything with her. She will step up out of her cage, off the floor, from my hand, and I can reach behind me and have her step up off my shoulders without a bite. I can pick her up off of just about anywhere with two hands wrapped around her, and she is fine with it. I can flip her onto her back, she is fine with it. She will put her beak on my fingers, but doesn't apply pressure. In fact, she licks me more than anything. At least she isn't slobbery like the dogs. :09: I can lift up both her wings without protest, and I can cup my hand over the top of her head and she is fine. I have even started working with her with the dog leash, since I don't have a harness for her yet, and she is fine with everything I've done. I've made "loops" to slip over her head and to pull her wings through, and she is fine with everything I've done. I use the leash because it is thin and light, like a bird harness, and I can make "loops" that aren't connected to anything, so they can be released if she were to panic. It hasn't been an issue though.
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So I don't know if she is just bomb proof now that she is starting to be worked with, or if she was worked with a lot more than I was told, and she was just never comfortable enough at the rescue to come out of her shell. That wouldn't surprise me too much, considering how well Eckies tend to not handle a lot of activity, and that a rescue has different people and birds in and out all the time. What are your thoughts?
 

Scott

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Aug 21, 2010
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Parrots
Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
Your narrative suggests an Ekkie waiting for the right person, and you choosing the right bird!! Thanks for sharing a nice story!

Aria has come a long way, but don't be surprised if there may be small setbacks as you continue working with her. I've never used a harness for my birds, so others can give you great advice.
 

Brittany741

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SI Eclectus (Ruby) - 11 / Eclectus (Wrangler) - 7 / Eclectus (Pinto) - 6 /
Red Sided Eclectus (Oliver) - 4 mos. /
White Bellied Caique (Dan) - 2 /
Foster Congo African Grey (Molly) - 6
I could have written your post almost exactly about Persie. She hadn't been out of her cage in five years. They said she bites and screams. We were actually hesitant to get her.

Turns out, I only got one pinch from her beak when I tried to move a toy. Otherwise, she is so gentle with her beak. She does do a loud mating call type thing every now and then, but definitely NOT screamer status. It amazes me what people will say or do to justify rehoming a parrot they simply don't want.

My honest opinion based on my experience with Persie? Female Eclectus are misunderstood and given stereotypes that simply aren't true as a whole! I've never met a sweeter, more appreciative bird than Persie.

I would not hesitate to rescue another female Ekkie, not for ONE second. She doesn't care for it unless I hold her into my chest, but she will tolerate scritches on her head feathers. She doesn't like body rubs (she's pretty naked) but she does like when I lay a small microfiber towel over her back and cup her whole back with one hand. She likes being warm and will actually lay down on my chest (maybe she likes the security, LOL!) and go to sleep!! It's so sweet. She also loves cuddling under the down comforter while watching parrot shows or specials on TV/Netflix.

I think our babies may just be soul sisters ;)


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OP
OutlawedSpirit

OutlawedSpirit

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Outside of her cage, I will let Aria grab me with her beak with no problem. The only time she really applied any pressure with her beak was when she got hold of my ear, but that wasn't even really her fault. She was trying to "steal" my glasses, and grabbed my ear with them. We are trying to work on learning that my glasses are not a toy, but she says they come off so they are fair game.

Inside her cage, she can be a bit more snippy, although even that is getting better. When she realized that I was not playing games and that if she is snippy, she doesn't get to come out, she stopped trying to bite nearly as much. The only times she is really nippy now are first thing in the morning, and when it starts getting close to bed time. To combat the morning issue, I make sure I give her breakfast before I try to ask her to come out. She is one grouchy birdie when she is hungry. Then she doesn't come out of her cage after like 8 at night. If she is already out, she is fine to stay out, but she isn't taken out after then.

I still say she is almost as bad as a 'too when it comes to being needy. She doesn't need to be touched constantly, but she wants to be touching me constantly. She is okay with being petted, as long as you don't mess up her feathers too much. I can touch her anywhere without any complaint, if I just run my hands in the direction her feathers lay. I wanted to make sure she can be handled completely, because I think it's important in case she ever needs to be handled in an emergency. About the only place she likes scritches, is the sides of her neck, just above the wing joint.
 

Brittany741

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SI Eclectus (Ruby) - 11 / Eclectus (Wrangler) - 7 / Eclectus (Pinto) - 6 /
Red Sided Eclectus (Oliver) - 4 mos. /
White Bellied Caique (Dan) - 2 /
Foster Congo African Grey (Molly) - 6
Yes, this exactly! Persie couldn't give a hoot about playing with toys or exploring. She ONLY wants to be on me.


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OutlawedSpirit

OutlawedSpirit

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Northern Illinois, USA
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Bo - DYH ~ Gus - CAG ~ Twitch - Linnie ~ Apple - Pineapple GCC ~ Goliath - Quaker ~ Squish - Peach face Lovebird
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Yea, out of all of her toys, she has one she will chew on every once in a while, otherwise she is a perch potato unless she is out with me.
 

Birdman666

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Sep 18, 2013
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Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
Much like amazons, they bounce right back when you treat them well, and feed them properly...

Parrots that don't get handled don't stay tame.

Parrots that do get handled, even if they haven't been in awhile, BECOME tame.

Forget the "birds with baggage" nonsense. It's about the interaction factor. You get out of it what you put into it.
 
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jtidwell

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Charlie (Hahn's macaw, 25 years old), and Hope (Eclectus, 15 years old)
I love reading these adoption stories about female Ekkies. Thanks for sharing them!

Hope was supposed to be a biter when we adopted her, and she's been nothing but gentle to all of us. She's an absolute snuggle-bug on my shoulder -- right now, she's leaning into my neck and hair and just sitting quietly. So warm and soft!

In her very broody and flirty state right now, I don't dare put my hands on her back. She might, um, take it wrong. :) But she's been awfully sweet about letting me touch her head and beak. I can even kiss her on the head.

One thing she does is cute. If you tell her to "step up" when she doesn't want to, she will gently take your finger in her beak and politely push it away. (Sometimes we have to force the issue, in which case she grudgingly does step up, but we try to respect her wishes most of the time.)

She's never bitten anyone in our family, and we've had her for quite a few weeks now. But she's kind of entitled to. We have to force-feed her antibiotics twice a day for a low-grade bacterial infection, and she's ferocious with the towel. Yet once we put her back in her cage -- and she flashes her eyes and threatens to chomp the towel -- she settles back down quickly, and I can pick her up again in not too long a time.

It amazes me how resilient she is. I wonder if she's super polite because she's scared of being rehomed again, and isn't fully secure yet? That's an issue with some adopted human children, but I wouldn't assume it's true about parrots.
 

AsaiahMom43

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Apr 9, 2016
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Aaiah, a male Eclectus, solomon Isalnds
Remi- Female Timnah African Grey
These are all great stories guys. Thanks for sharing!
 

Anansi

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Your narrative suggests an Ekkie waiting for the right person, and you choosing the right bird!! Thanks for sharing a nice story!

Aria has come a long way, but don't be surprised if there may be small setbacks as you continue working with her. I've never used a harness for my birds, so others can give you great advice.

I agree wholeheartedly with Scott. You are probably just the right person for her. He also makes a good point in preparing you for the possibility of small setbacks. It's not a certainty, but it could happen. Sometimes after they've been in the home for a while, they begin to test boundaries. If she does, just be consistent with the boundaries you set and all should be fine.

Sounds like she's head over heels for you. And as for harness training, seems she's most of the way there. Nice!

And I definitely agree that female ekkies tend to be misunderstood. They have so much love to give.
 

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