Can you keep an Eclectus alone?

[Bub]

My partner and I have recently gotten 2 Eclectus parrots after doing months of research and consideration. We initially just wanted to go for 1 Eclectus for bonding reasons, but since we both work we went for 2 so they can keep each other company during most days. Yet there have been some doubts to that decision lately... We really do notice they are bound to each other instead of us, and there seems to be no foreseeable change in the future.

Our situation is that 3 days of the week, one of us is always home. The other 4 days of the week, the birds are alone/together for about 10 hours a day. Would it be a bad idea to sell off one parrot and only continue with a single one for bonding purposes, or can they not be kept alone under such circumstances?

 

[LaManuka]

Really I would think that if you have already committed to two birds and they appear to be bonding with each other, they would be much happier remaining together. I have never had an Eclectus so I cannot advise regarding whether either one of them will ever bond with you (whatever your interpretation of that term means to you) but I don’t think I’d be inclined to “sell off” one - how would you decide which one to sell anyway? And you may find yourself regretting that decision too. If they are happy together and content with you I would say keep both and continue slowly building trusting relationships with them, you will find plenty of support and helpful advice here on how best to go about that.

 

[Anansi]

I agree. In taking them in, you've already made a promise of sorts to them both. And now that they've bonded to one another, separating them would be tough on them.

Now that said, this doesn't mean that you can't bond with them yourself. It'll just be a bit more of a challenge. Best approach, initially, is to just work with them separately. Are they hand tame at all? Will they even step up? If you give us a better idea of where they are socialization-wise, we might be able to help a bit with developing a bond of your own with them.

 

[ChristaNL]

If they are on their own for 10 hours a day, 4 days of the week it would be cruel to make them go through solitary confinement.
(just my humble opinion)

They are groupbirds by nature, so if you have 2...well done!

Are they a couple as well as bonded?
Do you have a male-female combo or a same sex?

Because if they are same sex it would be easier to bond individually.

Ekkies are weird that in the wild the females are territorial als they can be, but have many males around feeding/courting etc..
So they are not particularly picky about a third party joining the fun- as long as there is profit to be made. (Food glorious food etc.)
The males all hope for well "a part of the action" (the one that produces chicks) but kind of tolerate the competition, so you have a way in there as well.


So ... join the flock and be happy

 

[Bub]

Thanks for all the replies and giving me this nice insight To answer some of your questions:
They are handtame but VERY aggressive in/on their cage. Outside of their cage, they're absolutely sweet. They occasionally step up, depending on the treat and their mood. Also the color of the clothing we wear works wonders, they love stepping up on our white hoodies. They are 'couple' as in different genders, but they're only 8 months old so far too young. They spend most of the day teasing each other, occasionally pecking and arguing. But every night they sleep together and cuddle up in the same ring

 

[ParrotGenie]

Do not separate, or sell one of them, they are bonded to each other now. Never "ever" break a bonded mated pair, that likely will cause serious issues and down to plucking and health issues. A bonded mating couple will usually be protective of each other and cage at first. You have to train and get them use to being handle while they show hormonal behavior and yes you will likely get bit a few times in the process. I have a bonded couple of umbrellas, it took me a while to get them not to bite at all while they were together and for me to learn their behavior and body language. Even though individually they are fully bonded to me before. Now as a couple they are bonded to me as well and no longer try to protect each other around me.

The only time you don't handle a couple is when they are actively breeding and female lay eggs. Don't go to close or you get the worst type of bite the Fear bite. They usually will warn you and open wings, or flap them at you. If you want to discourage breeding/nesting behavior, that a whole another topic.

Had to over this quickly this as you claim to have a bonded mated pair and is different then handling separate birds, as you will notice odd hormonal and breeding type of behavior.

If you want to break the cage aggression? Just move stuff around in different places in cage. If you start to notice your bird protecting a certain toy, removing it and etc. Birds becomes very possessive and protective of their territory, or items, which is usually the cage. Also moving cage to different room also may work to break aggression. Also separating them in different cages close by some times works. You have to eventually stick your hand in cage a lot, so your birds get use to you being in their cage and get them to step up from out of the cage, since it the problem.

 

[ChristaNL]

(unless the couple are brother and sister and you are planning to let those eggs hatch!)

 

[ParrotGenie]

(unless the couple are brother and sister and you are planning to let those eggs hatch!)

inbreeding, then try to separate early on, or if they are mating already and lying eggs, boil egg and put back, so they give up, but they are still to young, so can be separated if they are bother and sister. A whole another topic? I had to separate my Cockatiels for that reason and she eventually now has a new mate and they are now bonded. You can break the bond, but have to replace with another quickly and doesn't work all the time, as they can be picky. Not sure with a Eclectus that will work, as not that familiar with them?

 

[EllenD]

I'm sorry that this isn't working out for you guys the way you wanted it to, honestly leaving any species of parrot alone for 10 hours a day isn't good for their physical or mental health...So yeah, getting them a "friend" can help, but usually the chances of them liking each other or bonding to each other are slim to none, then you end-up with 2 birds that hate each other and that are alone...In your case the birds bonded together, which leads me to also ask the question of whether or not you got them from the same breeder/place at the same time and they were already together...And if so, they may very well be siblings...If that's the case then they cannot live together in the same cage, and can only be together out of cage under supervision, otherwise you'll end-up with inbred babies...

If they aren't related and they just happened to bond with each other, then that's a good thing for them...However, neither of them will likely bond extremely closely with any people because they prefer to have each other...HOWEVER, that doesn't mean you can't have a happy family and a good relationship with both of them, they just won't be bonded closely with you...

That being said, if and when they start breeding, that presents another issue...They are both apparently territorial about their cages/cage, and that's perfectly normal for all birds...Just allow them to come out on their own and don't reach your hands inside except to feed/water them, and do that when they're both already out...That will solve that problem...It's their "safe space", their territory, and you have to respect that or they will usually become aggressive...But, if and when you allow them to breed, their relationship with you may or may not dissipate, sometimes breeding pairs become very secluded from their people...So that's another reason to not allow them to breed at all...

You did make a commitment to these birds, and "selling one off" like it's a TV or a used car is not the way to go about doing this...In fact, you have no idea what the other bird will end-up being like if you were to re-home it's bonded-mate at this point, as there is no guarantee that the remaining bird would bond closely with either of you, and they could and probably would become severely depressed and this usually leads to Feather-Destructive Disease, Self-Mutilation, and aggression...So the best thing you guys can do is to keep providing a loving, caring home for both birds, allow them to be together, but you may want to consider keeping them in separate cages right next to each other, so they can't breed, and only let them out together under your supervision...Breeding birds is very difficult, trying, frustrating, heartbreaking, and expensive...plus it may just strain what relationship you do have with both birds...So I would suggest keeping them separate when you're not home but right next to each other so they can spend the days together talking and can see each other, and then be out together when you get home, so you don't end-up with a prolific breeding-pair of birds...

 

[ParrotGenie]

Breeding birds is very difficult, trying, frustrating, heartbreaking, and expensive...plus it may just strain what relationship you do have with both birds...So I would suggest keeping them separate when you're not home but right next to each other so they can spend the days together talking and can see each other, and then be out together when you get home, so you don't end-up with a prolific breeding-pair of birds...

Yep this is very true, especially with larger birds, as a lot of things to consider as you have to worry about. The big one is male bird can be to aggressive toward mate as yes a male that not use to a female bird and more the person he bonded to and will try to corner her and control her and can attack and injury, or kill her, then male bird usually gets depressed as well as he was bonded to her. There are certain techniques I use to break aggression, but take time. I had a friend that lost his female Amazon this way, as he cracked her beak pretty much right off and couldn't be repaired and vet had to put her down unfortunately. Then I ended up taking the male Amazon and re-homed him, as friend no longer wanted him for obvious reasons. Then you have hormonal behavior issues on both birds have to be worked out Then one of the things people forget is that you have to change diet to High Potency for balanced nutrition during breeding season as female bird can become egg-bound due to a lack of calcium, plus a couple of vet visit for female to check her levels and etc. Then you have to have a completely different cage setup with breeding box, or area.

If anything I try to discourage breeding nesting behavior. I remove stuff that can be used for a nest. Take away and hide boxes. Watch and block off areas that they try to go under to be nest, as they like hidden enclosed areas. Keeping separate cages at night a good idea.