Shopping list help!

Stitchthestitch

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Feb 9, 2020
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Manchester, uk
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Albie - Pineapple Green Cheek Conure - Hatch date 14 Dec 2019 - Gotcha date - 4 March 2020
Hi, I'm new here, but I've been lurking for a while.

My husband and I are brand new to birds and we have decided to add an ekkie to our family. We've been doing our research and we've decided that they would be best suited to our home,as it's just me and my hubby. We have no plans to have kids and we've the time to devote to him/her.

We won't be getting him/her until june/July as we have a lot we need to sort in the house first, like painting the bedrooms and kitchen, new flooring in the living room, upgrading kitchen appliances and cookwear, parrot proofing the areas we will let it be in, to name a few things.

So my husband has asked me to put together an indepth shopping list of... Well.... Everything a new ekkie will need and I need help because I'm out of my depth for what's needed. Buying for a new dog, no problem, I can do that with my eyes closed. New bird, no clue!

Please help. I don't want a situation where I have the bird and then be like "huh I could really use with x item right now"

I already have a CAV that's 10minutes away from me, and I've already chosen the insurance company for the bird, which has extensive cover including cover for theft and lost/found reward.

Thank you for your help!
 

Jen5200

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Mar 27, 2017
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Baby - Sun Conure;
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Tee - Pineapple GCC; Jimmy - Cockatiel
I went through my house and had to replace pots and pans (get rid of teflon), my toaster oven (had non-stick) and a few other small appliances. I ditched all my chemical cleaners and invested in a steam cleaner. After a couple of years of not using my ceiling fan (my birds are flighted) - I purchased and installed a fully enclosed ceiling fan so that I could use it again in summer. It’s good to have a bird carrier to go to the vet in, or if you need to leave the house in a hurry for any reason (I keep all of mine outfitted and ready to go if needed for an immediate departure). Spare bowls for the cages have been a blessing so I can toss the others in the dishwasher and not be without (bowls are often cage-specific, so it pays to get them when you buy the cage rather than trying to find them later). May have more to add later....it’s cage-day so I’ll be cleaning and might think of a few things then :)
 

Anansi

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Hello, and welcome to the Parrot Forums family!

Good point above! Any pans and such with teflon or any other types of PTFE's (Polytetrafluoroethylene) would need to be replaced with something bird-safe. Such as ceramic or copper.

You'll also need toys. Lots of them. Hanging inside their cages. Ekkies prefer soft woods to hard, though, so get some with at least a mix of the two.

A large cage, of course. The bigger the better. The ones that say "macaw-sized" tend to be good.

Adjustable height training stands to help in training for flight and targeting.

Tree stands for their hanging pleasure outside of the cage.

And be ready to start prepping lots of chop with veggies, legumes, grains and fruit. And sprouts, too! Eclectus parrots don't tend to do well on most pellets, so fresh foods are best. Here's a good link you'll want to read through before getting one: fruitandveg That site is gold, and every section is worthwhile reading for your ekkie.
 

Cagzo

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Jan 14, 2020
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One Pineapple Conure.
Hatched late 2018.
Have just read about teflon cookware being a hazard to birds,but can anyone tell me if using a tumble dryer with man made fabric being dried would also be classed as this? I use my tumble dryer very rarely,but if there are fumes I would rather my bird was away from it.
Thankyou in advance.
 

noodles123

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Jul 11, 2018
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Hand- vac with a charger

NON-ionizing/non- ozone producing true hepa air-purifiers (preferably ones that remove VOCs as well)--If they have a sanitize or ozone setting never ever use it in the same home with a bird. Mine have these settings but can be shut off (and that is how they stay all of the time)

Paper-towels (not the extra scrubber type--- just basic paper-towels)

Plain oatmeal (dry/non-sweetened)--for hiding meds etc.

corn starch (in case of bleeding)

purified water in case of a boil order etc

Non-fortified purified fruit/veg baby food can be good in a pinch as long as it has no sodium, no- to-low citric acid and no unsafe ingredients---"Simply sweet potatoes" etc---for a sick bird.

plastic floor mats (the kind people use for carpet runners) to cut up and place around the cage- let them air out outside and wipe them down for like a day before using (they need to off-gas)

A spray bottle or 2 (for misting and cleaning)

A humidifier

a 1 ml syringe

a radio

Stainless cookware, teflon-free cookie sheets....lots of clear pyrex for microwaving and baking

f10 sc (the yellow/clear kind) for cleaning

white vinegar

distilled h20 for humidifier

New allergen reducing furnace filters

Free- and-clear detergent (for your clothes and the bird's cage cover)

Original Dawn dish-soap for washing bird stuff

Portable temperature/humidity meter (cheap---like $5 max)

cage cover

travel cage

a variety of perches (not the kind that have sand-paper on them) but manzanita, pummice etc (avoid dowel)

a gram-scale for tracking weight
 
Last edited:

Cagzo

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Jan 14, 2020
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Mid Glamorgan,South Wales,UK
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One Pineapple Conure.
Hatched late 2018.
An interesting list @noodles123.
I seem to have most of that,but was wondering about the plastic mats. Are these in use instead of newspaper? My girl doesnt go down on the floor often,and this sounds like something more hygenic.

Spraying is something she hates,she wont use her bath,just her drinking water for a head duck!
 
OP
Stitchthestitch

Stitchthestitch

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Albie - Pineapple Green Cheek Conure - Hatch date 14 Dec 2019 - Gotcha date - 4 March 2020
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Thank you for your replies, it's really really helpful. I'm actually looking forward to doing the shopping part!
 
OP
Stitchthestitch

Stitchthestitch

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
Feb 9, 2020
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Manchester, uk
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Albie - Pineapple Green Cheek Conure - Hatch date 14 Dec 2019 - Gotcha date - 4 March 2020
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This is going to sound very dim but.... Is Dawn dish soap the same as fairy liquid dish soap? I am in the UK you see and I've never seen fawn dish soap

@cagzo, the plastic runner mats are placed on the floor under the cage to make meal time clean up easier after messy birds that like to fling their chop out of their cage.
 

noodles123

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Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
An interesting list @noodles123.
I seem to have most of that,but was wondering about the plastic mats. Are these in use instead of newspaper? My girl doesnt go down on the floor often,and this sounds like something more hygenic.

Spraying is something she hates,she wont use her bath,just her drinking water for a head duck!

I put the mats around the cage to cage any poop that goes over the edge- they can be sprayed down/cleaned. I wouldn't let your bird walk around on them a ton because they are a cheap plastic. They are those spiky hall runners that come in rolls-- you can get a roll for under 10 and cut it to pit the perimeter of the cage, but again, do clean it and allow it to air out before putting it in bird area
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
f10 sc has to be diluted so if you get a spray bottle with pre-marked measurments on it then you can make a nice mixture by combining 2 ml F10 and 17 oz H2O
 

Jottlebot

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Aug 29, 2012
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This is going to sound very dim but.... Is Dawn dish soap the same as fairy liquid dish soap? I am in the UK you see and I've never seen fawn soap


I'm in the UK too and I don't think Dawn is the same as Fairy. I think Dawn is a specific brand that is animal safe. I use white vinegar very occasionally because it STINKS and makes me want to eat fish and chips all the time, but usually just very hot water and a slightly abrasive sponge pad for a good clean and Poop Off wipes for spot cleaning of poop (obviously), but also food mess wherever it's needed.
 

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