New eclectus owner

[Ivorbasic]

Do you have any advice for future eclectus owner? Thanks for any respond.

 

[Flboy]

....Earplugs....

 

[saxguy64]

Hello, and welcome! We have quite a few eclectus folks here, happy to help. Much easier if you have something a little more specific you'd like to know. You need only ask. Ekkies are truly unique in the world of parrots. Different dietary needs, different outlook on life in general. Not better or worse than other species, just different. I dearly love mine!

If nothing else, I recommend reading through the stickies at the top of the eclectus sub forum. Lots of great information. From there, other questions you may have will certainly come up.

I wish you well in your research, and again, always feel free to ask questions. That's what we're here for.

 

[Ivorbasic]

Hello, and welcome! We have quite a few eclectus folks here, happy to help. Much easier if you have something a little more specific you'd like to know. You need only ask. Ekkies are truly unique in the world of parrots. Different dietary needs, different outlook on life in general. Not better or worse than other species, just different. I dearly love mine!

If nothing else, I recommend reading through the stickies at the top of the eclectus sub forum. Lots of great information. From there, other questions you may have will certainly come up.

I wish you well in your research, and again, always feel free to ask questions. That's what we're here for.

I have been preparing for my eclectus 2 months now and I want to offer only best for my bird so I just wanted to know if there are some informations that only owners know (I hope you understand what I am trying to say, sorry for my english)

 

[saxguy64]

No need to apologize for your English, it's absolutely fine We have people from all over the world here, so we understand.

Just a few questions for you out of curiosity. What made you decide on an eclectus? Have you met any or spent time with them? Is this a young/baby or an adult bird? It helps us to know your level of experience so we can give you the best information for your particular situation.

As I mentioned, Ekkie diet is different from other parrots, due to their longer than average digestive tract. Because of this, they absorb more nutrients from their food, and can suffer from too much of the vitamins/minerals if you get it wrong. So, no foods that are supplemented or "enriched." The bulk of their diet is grains, vegetables, and some fruit. Seed diet doesn't work for them, nor does most of the pellets, as they pretty much all have added vitamins and minerals, with few exceptions. It really isn't negotiable.

Now, Ekkies are not known for being "snuggly" birds at all. Many of them don't like being touched at all. While many parrots enjoy a good head scratch, especially against the grain of the feathers, Ekkies do not. Their feathers are more hair like, and they do not appreciate having them "mussed up." So, if they allow it at all, always front to back, and only on the head and neck. Anywhere else is considered sexual to them, and can trigger hormonal behavior, which makes for a frustrated bird. This can result in aggression.

Do Ekkies talk? Yes, absolutely they can. They're individuals, so some will and others won't. They tend to have a clear, little boy, kind of voice. My boy usually prefers to whistle and make sound effects rather than speaking a lot.

They are very smart and intuitive. Not uncommon to have them just sit and stare at you. While some people mistake that for being dull or boring, It's anything but. It's a way to study you on a much deeper level than you might imagine. They see YOU. I often say, when they look in your eyes, they see who you are, right down to your soul.

Anyway, I hope this gives you a glimpse into the world of eclectus parrots. (as observed by me) There's so much more, but as I said, it's helpful to know your situation. I'm certainly no expert, but I've learned a lot, and happy to help when I can.

 

[Ivorbasic]

No need to apologize for your English, it's absolutely fine We have people from all over the world here, so we understand.

Just a few questions for you out of curiosity. What made you decide on an eclectus? Have you met any or spent time with them? Is this a young/baby or an adult bird? It helps us to know your level of experience so we can give you the best information for your particular situation.

As I mentioned, Ekkie diet is different from other parrots, due to their longer than average digestive tract. Because of this, they absorb more nutrients from their food, and can suffer from too much of the vitamins/minerals if you get it wrong. So, no foods that are supplemented or "enriched." The bulk of their diet is grains, vegetables, and some fruit. Seed diet doesn't work for them, nor does most of the pellets, as they pretty much all have added vitamins and minerals, with few exceptions. It really isn't negotiable.

Now, Ekkies are not known for being "snuggly" birds at all. Many of them don't like being touched at all. While many parrots enjoy a good head scratch, especially against the grain of the feathers, Ekkies do not. Their feathers are more hair like, and they do not appreciate having them "mussed up." So, if they allow it at all, always front to back, and only on the head and neck. Anywhere else is considered sexual to them, and can trigger hormonal behavior, which makes for a frustrated bird. This can result in aggression.

Do Ekkies talk? Yes, absolutely they can. They're individuals, so some will and others won't. They tend to have a clear, little boy, kind of voice. My boy usually prefers to whistle and make sound effects rather than speaking a lot.

They are very smart and intuitive. Not uncommon to have them just sit and stare at you. While some people mistake that for being dull or boring, It's anything but. It's a way to study you on a much deeper level than you might imagine. They see YOU. I often say, when they look in your eyes, they see who you are, right down to your soul.

Anyway, I hope this gives you a glimpse into the world of eclectus parrots. (as observed by me) There's so much more, but as I said, it's helpful to know your situation. I'm certainly no expert, but I've learned a lot, and happy to help when I can.

I'am 17 and since I remember I loved animals and I wanted a pet and my mom had budgie when she was young so we decided we will get a budgie and our first budgie Indi was fenomenal he played football on our desk, he talked, even singed one song and we fell in love with him but he had heart problems and sadly he past away. Later we had two more budgies but we gave them away to a lady who had many budgies because we were moving and we tought that is best for the bird. In may this year my mom and I decided to get "big" parrot because thay are so smart and we love birds. First we tought about macaw but figured out that macaw is too big. My grandma friend had ekki and african gray so that was first time I saw Ekki. When we decided we will get the bird we went to the farm with parrots and Ekkis were soo beautiful and I did some resarch and we decided we want an Ekki since then I am resarching, I decided to get parrot tricks cook book and even contacted birdtricks. Ekki that we will going to get will be 4 months old. That is my story, I hope you understand everything.

 

[cneuhauser]

I love to read so...

Owning an Eclectus Parrot - Carina Timans

Eclectus Parrots - Katy McElroy

Eclectus Parrot - Roger Rodendale

The Eclectus Parrot - Graham Taylor

 

[noodles123]

Do you have any advice for future eclectus owner? Thanks for any respond.

Eclectus have VERY specific dietry and nutrition guidelines..NO PELLETS for them...It's not safe. Lots and veg, non-fortified grains and some fruit will make up their diet daily.


Here is my copy-and paste for potential owners:
I am going to write a ton here because it sounds like you are very new to this and there is a lot to learn. I don't mean to overwhelm you!

One really important thing when keeping a pet bird in the house is that you cannot use scented products or chemicals/fumes in your home (even things that smell nice to us(---things like smoke, perfumes, air freshener, standard cleaners, vaping, burning food, incense, cigarettes, glue, paint, window sealing kits, polishes, aerosol sprays etc can harm your bird's sensitive respiratory system (which is not the same as mammals'). Using products that heat or are heated which contain Teflon/PTFE/PFCs = very very dangerous. These products off-gas and can kill a bird in under 5 minutes. Teflon/PTFE/PFOA/PFCs are most commonly found in the kitchen (pots, pans, cookie sheets, drip trays, air fryers, popcorn poppers, baking mats, crock pots, toasters, toaster ovens, popcorn poppers, waffle irons, electric skillets etc. They can also be found in space-heaters, curling irons, blow-dryers, straighteners, heat lamps, heat guns, irons, ironing board covers etc. These fumes have killed birds through closed doors and on separate floors of a home, so you should replace your cookware with stainless steel, cast iron or ceramic. You may be thinking-- well, I have used them before and my bird is fine, but they kill very inconsistently and it depends on what you are cooking, the age of the pot/pan, the specific bird etc. There was a member who lost many of her birds from a pan she had literally used for years...then one day, her husband cooked an egg (without burning or overheating) and many of them died, while the rest showed signs of respiratory distress.

You will need an avian-safe cleaner to use within your home (both on the bird cage, but also, around the house). Again, chemical cleaners cannot be used in the home unless avian safe. F10 SC (the yellow/clear concentrate) is a great, avian-safe disinfectant. Other (less effective) options include products such as "poop-off", white vinegar + water, grapefruit seed extract + water, baking soda etc. Peroxide is also fairly safe for disinfecting places like your bathroom, but you do not want your bird to come into contact with it.

Some foods are toxic to them--avocado, coffee (even decaf), caffeine, rhubarb, alcohol, onions/garlic/leeks/chives, mushrooms etc. Salt is also very bad for them, as is most human food. They love it, but it's not healthy.

They should not just eat seed--you will want to feed lots of washed fresh vegetables. Fruit is fine in moderation, but too much can lead to obesity and behavioral issues due to sugar. I feed my bird a mix of high-quality seed (no sunflowers, no peanuts) and pellets (in addition to fruit/veg--pellets for all birds except eclectus). Fruit pits are toxic, as are apple seeds. Corn cob and certain nut shells (if swallowed in big pieces) can cause blockages, so you should be very cautious if you give your bird nuts in the shell. Peanuts can harbor aspergillosis, and should be avoided altogether (even they you often see them marketed towards parrots).

It is important to make sure that your bird's toys and cage are made of safe metals. Stainless steel is safest. They can get metal poisoning from playing with or mouthing objects made of unsafe metals.

They need a set amount of sleep each night (at least 10 hours) and the largest cage you can manage with lots of different perches. You want to avoid the totally smooth/round ones as they can lead to a condition called bumblefoot. Never place a cage near drafts and never allow cool air to blow on a bird. They are sensitive to drafts and any temperature shift greater than 10 degrees can cause a shock to their system.

They need lots of safe toys and safe wood to chew. Not all wood is safe, so don't just assume you can give them any kind you want.

They hide illness and so you have to watch them to make sure they are eating normally and pooping normally etc. You should try to find an avian vet (certified avian) if at all possible and take your bird AT LEAST 1 x yearly for an exam. An avian vet is NOT the same as an exotics vet who sees birds--- so if a certified avian vet is available within a few hours of where you live, you will want to set up care.

All parrots can easily confuse the relationship with their human for a sexual one. You don't want this to happen, even though it seems sweet at first. Stick to petting on the head and neck only (the rest is sexual) and do not allow your bird to play in shadowy places, like boxes or under furniture, as these spaces are similar nesting sites and are hormonal triggers. NO SNUGGLE HUTS/TENTS!

Food and water should be replaced daily--- wash the containers daily. Never leave wet food out for more than a few hours (as it can lead to bacterial growth). Never try to medicate a bird via drinking water and never add vitamins to water. Vitamins can be over-dosed easily and harm a bird. Plus, when you add things to water, it makes it impossible to know how much they have gotten and it also encourages bacterial growth. Sometimes it can prevent them from drinking adequately if they don't like the flavor of whatever it is you added.

These birds have the intelligence of a 4-year-old human, but they are wild animals (not domesticated like dogs). This means that they see the world (and humans) in a very unique way and so you must learn about their behavior in order to prevent problems (screaming, plucking etc). They need lots of time out of their cage daily and a lot of interaction (at least a few hours). At the same time, you don't want to spend TOO much time with a bird of they will become overly dependent and not know what to do with themselves when you go to work etc.

Finally, baby birds are ALWAYS sweet compared to adult birds. When your bird hits puberty, expect that it will exhibit some annoying and problematic behaviors (much like a teen). A through knowledge of behavior and setting expectations at an early age will make your life easier when that time comes, but do prepare yourself and expect that things will not always be so smooth-sailing. Think about a baby human compared to a teen...

I am sure there is more...but that is a basic overview of caring for birds.

Here is an excerpt from another post (which you may want to reference when shopping/ calling about Teflon:
The most insidious is the Teflon/ptfe/pfoa/pfcs because you have to call the company to verify that anything that heats or is intended to be heated does not contain these substances ("PTFE free" doesn't mean PFC free and so there are a lot of marketing gimmicks out there to make people buy what seems like healthier cook-ware, even though it still contains a version of the same chemicals). Also-- these chemicals can be woven into fabric, mixed into metal during the moulding process, applied as a powder, applied as a clear-coat, or mixed with a colored coating. You cannot assume that you will be able to identify them visually, so, when you call, you must provide all abbreviations and full names + spellings of each chemical compound (and then they usually give you "the run around" for a week or so IF they ever answer your questions at all---because sometimes it's a "trade secret"). It's all very sketchy and DuPont (manufacturer of Teflon) claims that off-gassing only occurs at really high temperatures, but there have been numerous documented/scientific and anecdotal reports of birds passing away at temperatures in the 300 F range (and again, it kills through closed doors and on different floors).
FYI- Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
A perfluorinated compound (PFC)
Teflon (a common brand-name of non-stick cookware containing these chemicals)

10- 12 hours nightly for sleep, so if you get up at 6 and make a bunch of noise, you will wake the bird up (even if they are still covered). If they wake up at 6, bed should be between 6-8. You want to keep it around the same time if possible (because that's how it is in nature).

Food- I leave a high quality mix of pellets and some seed in my bird's cage (no peanuts, no sunflowers, avoid fillers like corn etc)..Fruit/veg daily (more veg than fruit if at all possible--and not too much fruit). Citrus and fruits high in vitamin C should be given in extreme moderation because they can cause "Iron Storage Disease" (for a cockatoo, 1 small tangerine slice 1-2 times a week was okay, according to my vet). She gets something interesting/ cooked (no salt or sugar or unsafe spaces-- like a grain) 2x daily as well but she is picky as heck, so you have to watch it because some birds will fill up on one thing and not get proper nutrients or they will eat too much and become obese.


OH-- something I didn't mention in my last post-- stainless steel is really one of the only safe metals for them. Research the heck out of your cage and make sure that if it uses a powder-coating it is truly non-toxic. Birds can get metal poisoning from playing with sketchy toys (many made in China do not adhere to best practices) and just mouthing things like money, bolts, locks etc can cause toxic impacts...A man I know allowed his bird to play with un-used toothbrushes and (unbeknownst to him) there were small copper bits that held the bristles in place-- this nearly killed his bird even though the bird didn't actually swallow the pieces.

ALSO- AND NEVER EVER BUY A BABY THAT IS UNWEANED!! IT WILL NOT HELP YOU BOND BETTER. THIS IS A MYTH!!!! SERIOUSLY!