Hello! Thinking about getting an eclectus

Hi my name is Rabecca. I'm 32.I live in Australia. I love gardening and photography. I also love animals. I'm very seriously thinking about getting a eclectus. I was wondering if anyone has any advice about having a bird. I suffer from mental illness and work in a nursery for people with mental illness. My boss breed's eclectus and has offered to raise one for me at a cheaper price. He thinks I have good patience and that the responsibility would be good for me. I have started doing some research but am atad confused. A lot of the information I'm finding is conflicting. I don't want to rush into a decision. Thanks

Re: Hello!

Hello Rabecca, and welcome to Parrot Forums! We look forward to getting to know you and accompanying you on your journey toward getting an eclectus. (If that is what you ultimately choose to do.)

I know what you mean about all of the conflicting information out there regarding eclectus. When I was first researching the species I found the inconsistency of information available downright maddening. It took months of of deep comparative research, sifting through a multitude of often conflicting sources, before I was able to form anything resembling a solid and consistent approach. So anything that I can do to make the process less ridiculously frustrating for anyone else is my pleasure.

Diet:
The biggest controversy regarding eclectus is their diet. Some say they should be fed pellets like other parrots. Others say that pellets are a devil's food for them, and that they should exclusively eat fresh fruits, veggies, legumes and sprouts. And there are a large number that fall between these two extremes.

Here's what I've found. Eclectus are definitely more prone to having an adverse reaction to the average pellet brand than other parrots. This is due to the nature of their digestive process. Basically, they extract more nutrients from their foods than other parrots do, which means that a pellet designed for most parrots will tend to be too rich in said nutrients. Too much of a good thing tends to be a bad thing with ekkies, often leading to nervous conditions known as toe-tapping and wing-flipping. This doesn't happen to every eclectus on a pellet diet, but they are definitely more prone. (They are also far more susceptible to suffering overdoses from supplements and such for much the same reason, so supplements should never be given unless under the guidance of an avian vet who is experienced with eclectus parrots.)

Now, there are pellets on the market that claim to be designed specifically with eclectus in mind. And there are some members on this site who say their ekkies have indeed flourished on a diet of these brands. I can't speak to that, as I haven't tried those brands, but I wanted you to know they were out there. So other members can speak on those.

Me? I haven't really messed much with pellets because I've found that I could provide my ekkies with a complete diet consisting largely of fresh foods. Fruits, veggies, sprouts, legumes. Here's my specific breakdown: (6-8 types per feeding) various sprouts, carrots, bell peppers (red, yellow, orange and green), jalapeno peppers, Jamaican peppers, chili peppers, squash (butternut, green and yellow),pumpkin, blueberries, pomegranates, snap peas, broccoli, cactus pears, starfruit, bananas, grapes, kale, turnips, radishes, brown rice, quinoa, cucumbers, endive, dandelion, sweet potato (cooked), red swiss chard, granny smith apples, papaya, African horned melon, hominy, oatmeal (sans sugar or flavoring), kiwi, barley, calendula flowers, fennel, star anise, chamomile flowers, milk thistle, elder berries, rose hips, hibiscus, bee pollen, chocho beans and garbanzo beans, as well as Volkman's Fancy Soak and Simmer for the majority of his legumes and grains.

Twice a month, I'll give some hard-boiled egg (with the crushed shell for calcium). Slightly more frequently during a molt. And an assortment of unsalted nuts or even millet spray for their treats.

Variety is key.

Miscellaneous:
The rest is a lot less controversial. Frequent baths are important for the quality of their plumage. I try my best to give them a shower every other day. You can experiment with water temperature and pressure to see what they like best. (Jolly currently prefers his water on the cooler side, while Maya prefer it slightly warmer. Both are fine with shower pressure just about as hard as a heavy rain downpour.

Many have found that eclectus are hands-off kind of birds. In my experience, they are not so much hands off as they are more picky about how they like to be petted. Their feather structure is different, so you should only pet them in the direction other feathers. Going "against the grain" tends to irritate them in a way that doesn't happen with other parrots. And while some definitely do enjoy being petted and such, you'd be hard-pressed to find one that is as hungry and enthusiastic for it as a macaw or a conure might be. They do not tend to be cuddle-monsters.

Ekkies are highly intelligent. Right up there with African Greys, IMO. So you do have to keep their minds stimulated. This means lots of toys and foraging activities. Keeping their minds engaged and such lessens the chances of them growing bored and developing behavioral disorders such as plucking or screaming. They also need a good amount of interaction with you and out of cage time.

If you do get an ekkie from that breeder, you should ask that he complete hand-feeding the baby before handing him/her over to you. It is a myth that they bond better with the person doing the hand-feeding.

Also, I'd recommend that you request that your ekkie be allowed to fledge rather than being clipped. Fledging is largely important for a bird's cognitive development, regardless of whether you intend to ultimately have the bird flighted in your home. And being allowed to fledge means they fully learn flight. So many feel that a bird has fledge after flying two or three times. Learning to fly is a big part of their natural development. Once they've learned to fly, whether or not to clip is up to you. (Personally, I never clip.)

Visit your bird frequently while he/she is going through the weaning process. This is important for bonding and will help with the transition to your home. And working on harness training from early on would be something you'd never regret.

Hope all of that helps. Pay a visit to our Eclectus sub-forum for more info. And here is a link in particular that you'll want to check out: http://www.parrotforums.com/eclectus/52737-so-you-think-you-want-eclectus.html

Good luck!

Welcome home Rabecca! We are happy you found us, and keep up the great work asking questions. About the biggest mistake you can make with parrots as a first time owner is going in completely blind, and you are already well on your way to 20/20 birdy vision!

As far as general bird advice, the link Terry provided is a great place to start. And I would like to add, your boss is the breeder, that is *really* great, because it means you have a first hand relationship with a great source. The fact that he is willing to raise a bird and sell it to you low tells me that someone who knows birds, and you, has faith in your abilities, and that's also a great sign.

Do you have any specific questions?

Welcome Rabecca, we appreciate you joining the forums! Having had two Eclectus, (currently one) I cannot think of another word to add to Stephen's (Anansi) blockbuster post!

I believe pet companionship is extremely beneficial to most folks with mental illness. Decades ago my mom wanted to do such research for her doctoral thesis as prelude to becoming a psychologist. She had a large animal shelter onboard and great ideas for proving the concept, but her chairperson refused on the grounds of "what would that prove?" Arghhhhh!

Welcome! You are still below the legal "welcome" minimum!

Rabecca, welcome! I personally think Ekkies are wonderful birds, although I may be a bit biased. Ekkies are extremely intelligent birds, so they can be a challenge at times. I have noticed, in addition to not being very cuddly, that my female has times when she just doesn't want to interact directly, and I am okay with that, but make sure you are prepared for the possibility. I will put her on her playstand, and sometimes she will let me know that she just doesn't want to be picked up and played with, she is content right where she is.

I think due to their intelligence, they can be rather pushy, just to see what you'll let them get away with. I find it is easier to interact with them if I think of them as children, as opposed to birds. What I mean is that if your child was to say they don't want to play right now, that's fine, they don't have to. However, if you're going to go somewhere, whether back to the cage or the grocery store, are you going to let your child just stay home? It can be a matter of just picking your battles.

I think that Ekkies truly are unique in the bird world, aside from just their diet, as Stephen has so wonderfully detailed. In my experience, if you were to compare them to a more "standard" pet, Ekkies are sort of like cats, personality wise. Some of them like to be cuddled and get attention all the time, but some would rather just sit and observe from a playstand or the back of the couch a good part of the day. I just want to make sure you are prepared to have a more stand-offish bird if you decide to get an Ekkie. I'm not saying it will be, but I think it's a possibility, more so than with some of your other species.

I also have a mental illness, and my birds are lifesavers. Caring for them is something that I never slack on, even if I do nothing else. They get me up and moving in the mornings, regardless of my plans for the day. They give me something to focus on when everything else gets too hard.

If you have any other questions, please ask. We have a wealth of information and wonderful people here who would love to share their experiences with you.

OutlawedSpirit said:

...I find it is easier to interact with them if I think of them as children, as opposed to birds. What I mean is that if your child was to say they don't want to play right now, that's fine, they don't have to. However, if you're going to go somewhere, whether back to the cage or the grocery store, are you going to let your child just stay home? It can be a matter of just picking your battles.

I think that Ekkies truly are unique in the bird world, aside from just their diet, as Stephen has so wonderfully detailed. In my experience, if you were to compare them to a more "standard" pet, Ekkies are sort of like cats, personality wise. Some of them like to be cuddled and get attention all the time, but some would rather just sit and observe from a playstand or the back of the couch a good part of the day. I just want to make sure you are prepared to have a more stand-offish bird if you decide to get an Ekkie. I'm not saying it will be, but I think it's a possibility, more so than with some of your other species...

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Just had to quote this section of your post, because it bears repeating! Excellent comparisons!!! Both to children and to cats. Nice!