New baby Eclectus advice and tips please!

[gynecocracy]

I have a three month old female eclectus and would just like to explain her behavior to see if it sounds like shes happy and doing well and her diet and would love any advice or tips!

Everyday she gets a warm bird street bistro mash, eclectus special pellets, various fruits like peaches, berries ect. She also gets carrots and green beans and little snacks throughout the day depending on what ws are eating like pasta, chicken, oatmeal ect. She eats like you would not believe, she almost eats constantly some days and if im making food in the kitchen she flys in to steal food, tries to get into the cat food and even jumps IN the bag of pumpkin seeds when i try and put some in her bowl. Is this normal?

As for personality and behavior. The last few days she has been flying to me and coming to find me when im in other rooms. I can pet her for a few seconds but i get the stink eye. If she doesnt want to be touched she growls at me! When i chat with her she chats back by squaking but the last two days she has been screaming at me and i can tell she wants something but i dont know what. I never close her in her cage, she has large natural wood perch stands on top of her cage and in my room and along the tops of my cupboards. She doesnt care for toys yet. She likes to just sit on my hand and stare at me while i chat with her. She enjoys showers and blowdrys. Just wondering how her disposition sounds and if her diet is good. Thanks for any advice! I got her about a week and a half ago.

 

[MikeyTN]

You just have to watch the pits if your feeding peaches, even apple seeds....im sure you've read on it already. I don't feed mine pellets but we cook like you do, also they love pomagrantes and sweet potatoes. We also give ours hard boiled egg along with some egg shell.

About your free roaming bird. When you give them free range like that, they can end up having behavioral issues if you ever have to lock her up for any reason. Newly weaned babies eat and eat and eat.......

 

[gynecocracy]

The breeder told me I needed to give her lots of free roam to learn how to fly, not good advice? She lovesss pomegranite!

 

[Link]

My Ekkie (4 months) eats like a cow too. That is perfectly normal and healthy for a young bird. I don't do pellets with my boy. I've heard pros and cons to a pelleted diet. I suppose if it is specifically designed for Eclectus Parrots, it would be okay. I cook and prepare fresh foods daily as well as supplement with dried fruits and veggies and a small amount of an Ekkie seed mix. Like MikeyTN suggested, my boy LOVES pomegranate and sweet potato as well as carrots, mango and red chilli peppers.

I don't have much advice on behavioral issues, as I am just learning how to appropriately address them myself.

 

[Link]

Oh, I forgot to add... Link also very much enjoys sprouted seeds.

 

[MikeyTN]

Yes you need to allow her to learn how to fly to begin with yes! But not free range! Flying needs to be controlled.

 

[Pedro]

I can't add any more regarding the food, only that i never cook food for my eclectus, i always feed fresh fruits & veg as they retain more of the necessary vitamins my birds need. I do also feed pellets as a treat more so than a complete diet. No problems so far.

On behavior, you are going to have to start teaching her better manners. Rather than try to explain what your doing wrong I will post some links for you to read.

Bird Behavior & Training

I have a young hen not long weaned, she is caged until i have time to be with her. I take her out to have a fly around & hang out with me. I would never free range a parrot, it needs to be trained to come to me, step up & down when asked. Be willing to obey the commands I ask of it. Besides the home is a very dangerous place for a free rangeing parrot.

If your girl isn't set guidelines then this behavior continues she will become out of control & you will be looking for a new home for her.

Today is a good day to start on positive reinforcement training.

 

[mrob]

More Veggies and Fruit!

Leafy Green Veg is important. Spinach, kale, silverbeet. They are also fun to shred!

 

[tlouiselle]

Stewie is almost 6 months old and is a FOOD HOUND. Just like your girl...whatever we are doing in the kitchen he is there right on our shoulder. At dinner time he gets his own plate of whatever we are eatting otherwise he is stealing from our plates.

I work from home so he is out of his cage all day. He will follow me or fly out to the lanai, but for the most part he stays on his gym on top of his cage in the living room where he can watch me work. I HATE locking him in his cage, but it is good for them to have a secure place to go. Once of twice a day I put him in his cage to sit and calm down while I am doing things around the house.

When he was learning to fly he flew into the window and fell on the track of the sliding door. He was rushed to the emergency vet who said he may have permanent damage. He could not walk for a week. I was so worried. THANKFULLY he is ok. However, I partially clipped 4 feathers off of each wing to slow him down while he learned to fly. He can still fly all over, he is just a little slower

I have taught him to "come" on command when I put my hand up. I started with a treat (sunflower seed) each time. I started close to him then increased the distance and direction for him to get control.

I feed Stewie noodles, brown rice, beans (the love garbanzo), sprouts, fruits and veggies (they love corn, pamagranete, and HOT peppers...the hotter the better). He also gets a small mixture of dried fruit and a few pellets (I am undecided about pellets. I hear bad things but have also found an eclectus pellet...have not bought it yet).

It sounds like she is adjusting well Give her time to trust you and develope a relationship. It doesn't happen overnight with these guys