Can an Eclectus learn to eat with their foot?

Chris Winkler · Dec 28, 2010

Just wondering since Tobi does hold toys with his foot and watches Echo eat with his foot. Is it possable in time Tobi will hold his food also?

Cowtown · Dec 28, 2010

Yes Chris... Abby is starting to hold food in her foot.. I started giving her bigger pieces and she will hold it while she eats.

Chris Winkler · Dec 28, 2010

Good to know. Hopefully Tobi will get the idea at some point!

Aussie Ben · Dec 28, 2010

They sure can

Eddie started doing it within a few weeks of being home. He holds everything in his feet from toys, to food and even big paper balls with treats inside (Which is really quite funny to watch

)

cwekeybb2350 · Dec 28, 2010

how amazing that your bird can eat with their foot
Is that you do specifically trained him to do so ?

Aussie Ben · Dec 29, 2010

cwekeybb2350 said:
how amazing that your bird can eat with their foot
Is that you do specifically trained him to do so ?

There is more science to it than this, but basically parrots, unlike other birds have a unique toe arrangement (two toes forward, two toes back) that allows them to do things with their feet that other birds can't. They can climb, swing and grab things much easier than other birds. Holding things in their feet to eat them such as fruits and nuts is quite a natural behaviour, you can see parrots in the wild doing it all the time. It's usually the larger species that pick things up with their feet, but I have seen my tiel pin a toy to the perch with her foot before while she plays.

Chris Winkler · Dec 29, 2010

Yeah my grey Echo did so almost right away but I had read somewhere that Eclectus don't usually do so. But when I saw Tobi using his foot to hold a toy I started to wonder why not the food also. He is still only 25 weeks old he has not started to hold his food as of yet.

I guess he will when and if he thinks of it..

Rani · Dec 30, 2010

Hello everyone,

Rani(female ekki) tries to hold her toys and food with her leg but most of the time the item will fall down in a few seconds. She does not seem to have a strong grip seems like.

Also when i bring her to the dining table and hold some food to her beak she will try to eat but then when the food falls down on the table she wont even bother to bend down and grab it. Does your ekkie do this?

chrisi

Cowtown · Dec 30, 2010

I forgot how old is Rani?

Abby is just going on 8 months old and she is just now using her feet to grab toys and food.. I do not think it is a matter of strength just getting use to using her feet..

Pedro · Dec 30, 2010

As far as i have noticed most of the small Australian seed eaters do not hold food in their foot. My small exotics such as GCC'S do use their foot to hold their food. I guess it all depends on the species & the type of foods they eat.

Eclectus do use their foot to hold food but first they have to learn to balance. Some learn this quicker than others, I guess it all depends on the individual bird. I sometimes have young holding things in their foot as early as 3 months. For the most part all my eclectus will stay at their fruit & veggie bowl & eat from the dish. But if i hand them an almond or chillie they will take it with their beak & then hold in their foot to eat it.

Chris Winkler · Dec 30, 2010

How funny that I had asked and tonight Tobi held a cracker with his foot and ate it! woot woot my boy is growing up so fast!!

Cowtown · Dec 31, 2010

Chris Winkler said:
How funny that I had asked and tonight Tobi held a cracker with his foot and ate it! woot woot my boy is growing up so fast!!

That is cool... now get a video of him doing that.. and let us all see...

Rani · Dec 31, 2010

Rani is 14 months old. I have only had her since september 2010

Chrisi

Cowtown · Dec 31, 2010

Rani said:
Rani is 14 months old. I have only had her since september 2010

Chrisi

I received guardianship of Abby in Aug 2010, she was hatched on May 12 2010.

afisher1120 · Jan 1, 2011

Both mine have used their feet for eating without any training whatsoever. I have a male Red sided and a female Solomon.

2Birds3Kids · Jan 5, 2011

I read that ekkies last don't hold things in their feet, but my late ekkie held ONLY her favorite treat in her foot - walnut on the half shell. My boy chewed on an almond in the shell for a little while but gave up on it when he dropped it and it fell to the ground. I have only seen my Lulu ekkie hold the hazelnut cranberry bread from TJ's in her hand so it's my supposition that they only will hold their favorite treat in their foot.

Chris Winkler · Jan 9, 2011

Here he is holding a toy. He will hold food too but not as much as he does the toys.

Aussie Ben · Jan 9, 2011

aw cute lil' fella. I think ekkies have that cute-face look down to a fine art lol

Can an Eclectus learn to eat with their foot?

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