Hello Fellow Ekkie Lovers

Hi,

I am new to the forum. Fourteen years ago my husband bought me a five week old cockatiel for Christmas. We spoiled him rotten, had a custom made cage for him, 8ft. high, 4 ft. wide and 3 ft deep. We opened the door each morning and he flew around the house all day always returning to his cage each night to sleep and throughout the day to eat and drink. He became ill suddenly this past August we rushed him to the vet and x-rays revealed he was in heart failure. He died at the vets while recieving oxygen. I was devastated, I was sure his good care would give him twenty to thirty years of longevity.

I called a rescue and told them I wanted a bird that does not bite and does not chew furniture so I could have him out and about all day like my little Scooter. Believe it or not she told me she had the perfect bird for me and invited me to the rescue. She introduced me to Rio, a beautiful male Solomon Island Eclectus. I knew all about Ekkies because for years I had contemplated adding a second bird but I worried my new bird would not like Scooter, so I never did get another bird. However, I loved the Eclectus and always thought it would be a good fit with our family.

Rio came to live with us in the middle of September and he is perfect for us. He has tons of personality, talks like crazy and is very sweet. He is very dependent, not independent like my cockatiel. My cockatiel did his own thing all day spending some time with me but also doing his own thing. Rio wants to be with me every minute of every day, so he is pretty much my constant companion.

I live with my husband, 11 year old daughter, 16 year old Labrador, 18 year old Himalayan cat, 1 year old Havanese and Rio who will be 3 years old April 7th, 2012. Rio and my pets instantly got along and it feels as if Rio has been with us always. I will always love my cockatiel Scooter and he is deeply missed, but I feel very blessed to have Rio in my life and I look forward to many, many years together.

Such a lovely story... If you want you Ekkie to be more independent, I'm sure you can train that by ensuring he doesn't spend all his time with you, but close to you...

I have always taught my birds and other animals independence, because I can't handle something always hanging on to me... At least animals are easier to teach than a husband... lol

Hi & welcome,

I have to say congrats, on owning an eclectus & yes they are sweet. However Rio has been taught to be dependent on humans it's called being human imprinted. Usually these parrots if bought up correctly are the most independent companion parrots. It is so hard to to retrain a human imprinted bird, I have been trying to for the last 6 years with an eclectus male i took in . He is such a sweet bird but also a challange. Very slowly we are getting there & he doesn't want my undivided attention as much.

I love having my ekkies loving me like the way they do. Very different from any parrots I've owned before and we love them dearly! My male needed training at first but now he is the most loving bird we own!!!! He used to be a closet talker, now he talks to me all the time. We're all very blessed to have them around!!!

What a great story! Welcome!