Need help with new ekkie. Behavior and eating problem.

[Greenhouse2109]

I just recently(a week ago) got a four months ekkie. He don't let Me touch him. As soon as he sees my fingers he does like he's going to bite it and just bumps the finger, like saying "get away from me".

The other problem is that he don't like being in his cage. He goes to my conures cage, which is the same type of cage he has. I thought it was the placement of his cage and I moved it and nothing. In the mornings when I open his cage, he waits for me to leave and goes to the other cage.

As far as eating, he only likes to eat green apple and pomegranate. I feed him carrots, green beans , broccoli, sweet potatoes and only eats what he likes and either leave it in the tray or grabs it and start throwing it out of tjr bowl to pick his favorites.

 

[DukesAquarium]

I think that's very normal
Just need to take time and train him to eat everything
As far as touching him on the head or body it will take him time to get used to you and most Ekkies do not like to be pet anyways

 

[mygirl]

mylah was like that to start with, we used an oven mitt (glove) until she got used to us it was like she had a fear of our hands, as for the food thing we just fed her what she was used to from the breeder then slowly added new stuff its normal for them to throw it all away, mylah does it all the time there might be something yummier in the bottom!!

 

[noblemacaw]

I got my SI eclectus Joaquin when he was 4 and half months old. He was terrified of my home and all of us. He use to strike out at my hands when I had to go into his cage to service it and him. The first three weeks were kinda hellish as my hands were sore from him snaking at them and biting them.

First thing I did was give him a night roosting cage and would retire him into that cage at 8pm after I hand fed him formula. I also hand fed him warm mushy foods from my hands and he was very very gentle taking the food from me. I also did intensive love therapy which involved wrapping him up in a soft cotton baby blanket, lay him on my chest and sing to him.

I worked with him for three weeks and his personality did a 180 degree as he became the sweetest parrot I ever had. ANYONE could hold this bird and ANYONE could get him out of his cage. I think with Joaquin it involved helping him gain confidence in himself. I have to say I never had any problems in the adjustment period with him eating. I also hand fed this parrot until he was almost three years old. (night feeding only)

I began to socialize him when he stopped biting me. I took him to the bank, shopping, video store, picnic, pet blessing, Renaissance fair (when they use to allow birds) and this helped him grow into a confident healthy eclectus. Unfortunately he passed in Dec of 2005. He had a part of me and I still miss him every day.

This was Joaquin a week before he died. I was blessed enough to be able to be with him when he died. I held him and sang to him is favorite songs and I told him it was okay to go. To this day I cannot sing his songs anymore.

Noblemacaw

 

[mtdoramike]

I got my SI eclectus Joaquin when he was 4 and half months old. He was terrified of my home and all of us. He use to strike out at my hands when I had to go into his cage to service it and him. The first three weeks were kinda hellish as my hands were sore from him snaking at them and biting them.

First thing I did was give him a night roosting cage and would retire him into that cage at 8pm after I hand fed him formula. I also hand fed him warm mushy foods from my hands and he was very very gentle taking the food from me. I also did intensive love therapy which involved wrapping him up in a soft cotton baby blanket, lay him on my chest and sing to him.

I worked with him for three weeks and his personality did a 180 degree as he became the sweetest parrot I ever had. ANYONE could hold this bird and ANYONE could get him out of his cage. I think with Joaquin it involved helping him gain confidence in himself. I have to say I never had any problems in the adjustment period with him eating. I also hand fed this parrot until he was almost three years old. (night feeding only)

I began to socialize him when he stopped biting me. I took him to the bank, shopping, video store, picnic, pet blessing, Renaissance fair (when they use to allow birds) and this helped him grow into a confident healthy eclectus. Unfortunately he passed in Dec of 2005. He had a part of me and I still miss him every day.

This was Joaquin a week before he died. I was blessed enough to be able to be with him when he died. I held him and sang to him is favorite songs and I told him it was okay to go. To this day I cannot sing his songs anymore.

Noblemacaw

Oooooo my, I'm tearing up just reading your post. My heart goes out to you. I have only had Mac for a month and a half, but it would devistate me if anything happened to him. This is why I won't foster animals, I wouldn't be able to give them back.

 

[mtdoramike]

I would also like to add, you need to take off the gloves and handle your Ekkie. Yes, he is going to probably bite you, it probably won't break the skin as most of the time they are warning pinches. If he does bite you, DO NOT SCREAM OUT or yank your hand away. This is the reaction that they are looking for. Either push your hand into them when they bite or if they are on your hand or arm, give a little rolling motion to put them off balance.

Will you get bit YEP, does it hurt YEP. But this is all part of being a bird owner. All birds bite sometime, even hand tame ones.

Mac was hand fed and lived with his previous owners since he was weaned. He was hand tame when I got him, but he was awfully spoiled and didn't want to do certain things when asked, like going back into his cage when we needed to go some where. So when I had to push the issue, he would bite. Now if I left him to his own devices then he would probably never bite me. But ain't no bird or animal going to run my house. So he has rules just like my daughter did when she lived at home.

The previous owners must have played a game with mac when he would bite them. Because Mac will pinch your hand and then say "OUCH" and each time getting progressively harder until he got a rise out of you.