3 month Ecclectus communication

[Mamawise]

Hello
I am new here. I am so thankful for all the valuable information on this sight!
I have a new baby male Ecclectus. He is 13 weeks old.
He pretty much refused baby formula when I brought him home two weeks ago.
I soaked pellets in warm formula for a few days but he refused that also. He does like to eat broccoli, carrots, peas, green pepper, etc and pellets that are not treated with color.
He has learned “step up” and “step down” really well! He is learning “kiss” pretty quickly. He loves standing on his perch looking out the window!
He sleeps in his sleep cage 12-13 hours every night
My question
The last few days he has started “screeching” loudly to me whenever I go over to talk to him. Even if I have him on my hand. Or if he is in his cage and I walk over to quietly say hi, he screeches loudly to me. I am wondering if this is a baby phase. I don’t know if I should stand there and keep talking quietly to him, am I telling him it’s ok to screech loudly. I have tried to ignore it but we had been spending such good time together bonding so I don’t want that to end.
Thank you

 

[Emeral]

Hello
I am new here. I am so thankful for all the valuable information on this sight!
I have a new baby male Ecclectus. He is 13 weeks old.
He pretty much refused baby formula when I brought him home two weeks ago.
I soaked pellets in warm formula for a few days but he refused that also. He does like to eat broccoli, carrots, peas, green pepper, etc and pellets that are not treated with color.
He has learned “step up” and “step down” really well! He is learning “kiss” pretty quickly. He loves standing on his perch looking out the window!
He sleeps in his sleep cage 12-13 hours every night
My question
The last few days he has started “screeching” loudly to me whenever I go over to talk to him. Even if I have him on my hand. Or if he is in his cage and I walk over to quietly say hi, he screeches loudly to me. I am wondering if this is a baby phase. I don’t know if I should stand there and keep talking quietly to him, am I telling him it’s ok to screech loudly. I have tried to ignore it but we had been spending such good time together bonding so I don’t want that to end.
Thank you

Big wing hugs welcoming to you and this new baby 🐦

I wish there is an easy instant answer for every thing and for you here too. But life is not as easy as instant noodles. With little clever baby, what works in one situation may not work in another situation. Little bird's squeaking loundly could means so many things like health, asking, or simply talking to you. And each meaning will require different responds.

1) Is it health? If he is eating the same amount and poops is consistent with his food, then....

2)is he calling for attention? In this case, I recommend walking over to see that he is ok. (Not tangled in something) then tell him to stay. This is one of many commands to teach baby birds.

3) Is it just talking? If he is, then talking to him softly will teach him to turn down his volume. Since baby tries to get attention, lower noise in the house will also help here.

Since we human do not understand bird language, and keep guessing and trying different methods, he could naturally feels grumpy and upset.

So I am afraid I will have to ask you for more information instead of giving you a single answer........the more details, the more our members can help.

......his name
......some photos of him and his cage,
.....his personality, is he cuddly, curious?
....his health,
.....his food intake and corresponding poop
....his out of cage time per day
....his morning and evening routine

You may also find these threads has interesting information about bringing new baby bird up happily.

Thread 'Help with Terrified Baby Amazon' https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/help-with-terrified-baby-amazon.91685/


Thread 'Tips for Bonding and Building Trust' https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/tips-for-bonding-and-building-trust.49144/


Hope this helps

 

[Mamawise]

Big wing hugs welcoming to you and this new baby 🐦

I wish there is an easy instant answer for every thing and for you here too. But life is not as easy as instant noodles. With little clever baby, what works in one situation may not work in another situation. Little bird's squeaking loundly could means so many things like health, asking, or simply talking to you. And each meaning will require different responds.

1) Is it health? If he is eating the same amount and poops is consistent with his food, then....

2)is he calling for attention? In this case, I recommend walking over to see that he is ok. (Not tangled in something) then tell him to stay. This is one of many commands to teach baby birds.

3) Is it just talking? If he is, then talking to him softly will teach him to turn down his volume. Since baby tries to get attention, lower noise in the house will also help here.

Since we human do not understand bird language, and keep guessing and trying different methods, he could naturally feels grumpy and upset.

So I am afraid I will have to ask you for more information instead of giving you a single answer........the more details, the more our members can help.

......his name
......some photos of him and his cage,
.....his personality, is he cuddly, curious?
....his health,
.....his food intake and corresponding poop
....his out of cage time per day
....his morning and evening routine

You may also find these threads has interesting information about bringing new baby bird up happily.

Thread 'Help with Terrified Baby Amazon' https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/help-with-terrified-baby-amazon.91685/


Thread 'Tips for Bonding and Building Trust' https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/tips-for-bonding-and-building-trust.49144/


Hope this helps

Hello Emeril
First, thank you so much for taking time with me to understand my parrot Percy!
Thank you for giving me things to consider.
I will answer your questions and then tell you the conclusion I came to
My husband and I are empty nesters after raising 6 kids. We have 7 grandkids so far. All out of state.
His name is Percy after the green engine in Thomas the Tank Childress series.
he was born October 12
His breeder is very sweet and we text together often.
He goes in a sleep cage in our pantry closet with a bowl of water and a cover and fire closed at 6:00pm.
I wake him up about 7:00
He likes to go o to his stand perch in the kitchen. Then he flies down and walks around.
Since my post I have spent a lot of time reading about his calls or screaming. It seems he was still very hungry for baby formula. I started feeding him a warm batch of Harrison formula mixed with sweet potatoes, pellets and a little millet.
I was giving him this feeding in the morning and late afternoon on his standing perch in the kitchen and I would sit next to him while he ate. This has dramatically lessened the screaming for sure!!
This morning I got him up, put him on a his stand and let him watch me make his breakfast. Sweet potatoe, blueberries, strawberries, broccoli and some pellets. (Harrison’s)
For the first time I put him in his big boy cage to eat breakfast.
(in a week I have to be gone for 4 nights/days so I am trying to get him to eat just in his cage now). Our petsitter for our 2 small dogs is wonderful and said she would change his food and water in his cage. She come 3 times a day.
In his cage he has 3 bowls in spaces attached with doors. One has just pellets and a little dried fruit. The other is for fresh foods and the last is for water.
So for his first time eating in his cage this morning I hear him eating the pellets. I checked and he hadn’t touched the fresh food yet.
I have noticed that he does not seem to drink water or use it to dip his food. When I offer it on a spoon he lifts his head and kind of chugs and makes baby whistling sounds. My petsitter won’t be able to do this so I am spending this eeek watching to see that he actually is drinking.
His poop ish dark green.
He is very adorable. He learned step up by the third day! He also knows step down. He even “spun” around following a Target stick on his perch!!!
He. Likes me to hold him and we walk around the house and check everything out. I put him on his stand perch a couple of a times a day. He is letting me pet his stomach and a little under his wings. He is starting to make sounds like words.
I try to give him dinner, a mix of more vegetables, a little Keto bread, dark lettuce spinach etc with some pellets by 4:00
He goes to bed by 6:00. He always gives a few yells to say he is tired 🥰
So my goal this week is to make sure he is drinking water on his own and I would also like to find some food recipes I can make for him. And figuring out how to portion out the feeding for my pet sitter. Is there any other advice you would have?
He is an absolute dream come true!!
Thank you again for such good thoughts and advice and I’m anxious to see the attachment !!
Lori

 

[chris-md]

hello and welcome. Percy is absolutely adorable!

I suspect this is one of two things: either health issue or weaning reversion.

If you haven’t already, take him to a certified avian vet for a full check up to make sure nothing is physically wrong.
More than likely what’s happened is he has regressed in his weaning. It does happen sometimes where a fully weaned baby, after going to a new home, will revert back to needing formula feedings. It’s a quirk of their psychological development, like a safety blanket. Try offering formula and see what happens. You’ll likely have to offer comfort feedings 1-2x per day for a little while. Formula, not moistened pellets. Maybe some sort of baby food even, heated to the appropriate temperature (ekkie babies are very finicky about food temperature).

12 weeks is the early side of average for weaning age, so it’s not super surprising this is happening. Some babies can take upwards of 7-9 months to wean!

are you able to get the screaming on video so we can hear what it sounds like?

 

[Mamawise]

hello and welcome. Percy is absolutely adorable!

I suspect this is one of two things: either health issue or weaning reversion.

If you haven’t already, take him to a certified avian vet for a full check up to make sure nothing is physically wrong.
More than likely what’s happened is he has regressed in his weaning. It does happen sometimes where a fully weaned baby, after going to a new home, will revert back to needing formula feedings. It’s a quirk of their psychological development, like a safety blanket. Try offering formula and see what happens. You’ll likely have to offer comfort feedings 1-2x per day for a little while. Formula, not moistened pellets. Maybe some sort of baby food even, heated to the appropriate temperature (ekkie babies are very finicky about food temperature).

12 weeks is the early side of average for weaning age, so it’s not super surprising this is happening. Some babies can take upwards of 7-9 months to wean!

are you able to get the screaming on video so we can hear what it sounds like?

Hello Chris
Thank you so much for taking time to reply!
His screaming has pretty much stopped since my post. I did start giving him warmed Harrison formula mixed with sweet potato and a little millet spray. Tonight he ate ALL of the veggies in his dinner bowl!! And good news I found food in both water containers and his sleep cage water bowl was lowered down so I know he is drinking some water !!
thank you for being here!!
Lori

 

[kme3388]

Hi there, and welcome. I too have an Eclectus parrot. Your eclectus is so adorable. I missed the baby years of my ekkie as I adopted him when he was older. I try to live through others who have baby ekkies as they are so cute.

 

[Mamawise]

Hi there, and welcome. I too have an Eclectus parrot. Your eclectus is so adorable. I missed the baby years of my ekkie as I adopted him when he was older. I try to live through others who have baby ekkies as they are so cute.

Hi
Thx for replying. He is very sweet! He has settled down quite a bit with screeching, he really did just want to keep his formula feedings I will give it to him for however long he wants it . Are they not allowed pellets? I keep reading some say yes some say none!
I’ll try to post more videos of him

 

[kme3388]

Hi
Thx for replying. He is very sweet! He has settled down quite a bit with screeching, he really did just want to keep his formula feedings I will give it to him for however long he wants it . Are they not allowed pellets? I keep reading some say yes some say none!
I’ll try to post more videos of him

Nico is on a prescription pellet. It's the roudybush brand. He also has harrisons birdie bread that I put his medication on twice a day. Other then these 2 things Nico eats his chop, or his fresh food. Once in a while I will give him an almond sliver, or a caitec oven fresh bites parrot cookie. I am going to make some homemade cookies that terry another member on here posted. I try to keep Nico's diet with minimal additives as I've been warned that ekkies are so sensitive about their diets.

 

[Mamawise]

Nico is on a prescription pellet. It's the roudybush brand. He also has harrisons birdie bread that I put his medication on twice a day. Other then these 2 things Nico eats his chop, or his fresh food. Once in a while I will give him an almond sliver, or a caitec oven fresh bites parrot cookie. I am going to make some homemade cookies that terry another member on here posted. I try to keep Nico's diet with minimal additives as I've been warned that ekkies are so sensitive about their diets.

Hi!
Uh oh I have been giving him a few slices of almonds a day! I really need to try to make chop. As a back up I have frozen vegetables but I don’t think he likes these as much. Do you think I should not give him pellets? They are the Harrison brand pellets.

 

[chris-md]

Please do not give your bird Harrison’s. Have a look at this thread. it explains a lot about the diet your bird requires.

 

[Mamawise]

Please do not give your bird Harrison’s. Have a look at this thread. it explains a lot about the diet your bird requires.

Thank you soo much!!
Reading now !

 

[Mamawise]

Please do not give your bird Harrison’s. Have a look at this thread. it explains a lot about the diet your bird requires.

Ok I have read that article! Thank you so much for taking the time to attach it.
I am happy to give the Harrison’s pellets to my friend that owns a parrot rescue!
Percy is just over 3 months old
He still eats Harrison’s baby formula mixed with sweet potato in the morning and also I give him a little frozen mixed berries a teaspoon of unsweetened apple sauce some fresh coconut pieces or cantelope watermelon etc
I mix it up with the fruit.
At mid day he eats a variety of fresh vegetables like different colored carrots, peppers, garbanzo beans, spinach leaves chopped, a little brown rice etc.
sometimes I give him crumbs of our Keto grain free bread I will check the ingredients. I need to make chop!
I wanted to use the pellets to have something in the cage between feedings and early evenings. This article said TOPS organic pellets are good. Do you agree with this?
Thank you again so much!
Lori

 

[kme3388]

Hi!
Uh oh I have been giving him a few slices of almonds a day! I really need to try to make chop. As a back up I have frozen vegetables but I don’t think he likes these as much. Do you think I should not give him pellets? They are the Harrison brand pellets.

Nico just finished his chop. I’m starting to give him fresh veggies. He started to not eat his chop. I think he may have gotten bored with it. Today I cut up radishes, a sweet potato, and a red pepper (Nico’s favorite). He mainly just sucks the juice out of veggies or fruits. I have yet to see him actually eat them. Do you give your ekkie a lot of fresh food?

 

[Mamawise]

Nico just finished his chop. I’m starting to give him fresh veggies. He started to not eat his chop. I think he may have gotten bored with it. Today I cut up radishes, a sweet potato, and a red pepper (Nico’s favorite). He mainly just sucks the juice out of veggies or fruits. I have yet to see him actually eat them. Do you give your ekkie a lot of fresh food?

Hi! Sorry I haven’t replied!
There is so much to learn about feeding Ekkies! I’ve read not to give them too much fruit. But every morning I give him a little fruit. He loves frozen berries and watermelon. I still add veggies in the morning.
And he is still eating the baby formula. I mix it with oatmeal or applesauce etc.
I found a great hand mixer chopper thing on Amazon. Turns greens and veggies into small chop in seconds!! Even but pieces.
He is still squawking loudly when he is hungry. I’m hoping that won’t last too much longer.
He is just 4 months old.
When I get him out of his sleep cage in the morning he holds his mouth open big and make squawky noises and wants me to hold him.
He loves his big boy cage!
How old is Nico?