New Eclectus mommy!

[RiahWillow]

Hi all,

I have been lurking in the forums for a few months now, and decided to join when I brought my Eclectus home on Friday.

I have had a McCaw in the past (lived with me for 5 years while a friend got settled in life and could care for him again.) I worked for an exotic vet that specialized in avian vet medicine for the better part of 15 years. I recently had a friend dump all of her pets at my home (a year ago, it was supposed to be only for one month.) so she could move and get situated.
I got my new Eclectus named George Burns on Friday and am anxiously awaiting the birth of his soon to be wife Gracie Allen My friend left me with a 10 year old Senegal named Kiki (a boy but she didn't know).

I have trolled the postings here for a bit and learned things I didn't know and wanted to say thank you. Even though I worked for an avian specialist as the lead vet nurse for so many years, I am not an expert and have learned that things change with the years in the rules of the doo's and don'ts for any animals especially birds.

I hope to one day be a help to others as you all have helped me in preparing for my new baby to come home and the impending birth of my next feathered friend.

Thanks again,
Riah

 

[ShellyBorg]

Welcome and Pics please!!!!

 

[RiahWillow]

Thank you,

I uploaded some pics to my profile, I am unsure how to upload them into a msg just yet (been a while since I have been involved in a forum).
I also have set up a facebook fan page for my family and friends to be able to see the pictures and vids of my babies progress it is in my contact info here as well

Riah

 

[antoinette]

Welcome
Glad you have joined us
Omg you sure have your hands full
Enjoy our wonderful forum

 

[JerseyWendy]

So glad you joined us, Riah! Welcome welcome welcome!!!!

 

[sodakat]

Not too many Grands on the forums so this is very exciting. I think your plan of getting a female while George is young is sound. Odds are so much greater that they will get along and become friends when they are raised together.

 

[RiahWillow]

Thank you all for your welcome.

I am glad I staggered getting them rather than finding a pair and bringing them home at the same time. George is a handfull right now as he has regressed to total formula feeds. He is healthy according to my vet (great avian vet). Yet he just nibbles on his food then squawks until I break down and give him formula. I was going to take him down to one formula feed a day but he demands a morning and evening and then pecks at his food bowl the rest of the day. He loves the seed/ pellet balls but expects me to hold them in my hand while he eats rather than hold it himself. I think he is getting a bit spoiled. I dont mind because he is with me all day but for his sake I worry about when I am not around or available and his eating. I would much rather he be able to eat from his cups for the days when I cannot take him with me where I go.

Any suggestions? I tried doing soft pellet for him soaked in his formula, NO GO
I tried giving him his fresh vedge with his dried formula sprinkled on top NO GO
I tried putting everything in a cup with his Gerber Sweet Potatoes .. NO GO...
I tried just giving him 4 bowls in his cage and keeping him in all day and putting multiple choices in the bowls.. NO GO..
He Likes corn, sweet potato, mango, papaya, peanuts, walnuts, almonds and cashews.. as well as some seed mix.. but he wants me to hold it for him and essentially be his human cup LOL.. Sometimes I think he is training me rather than my training him.

He has started to try to speak, he laughs at times, and he said hello and HI yesterday several times and he says something that sounds like his name... So I figure he is happy.. He LOVES to get on my chest and cuddle under my chin, so that tells me he is attached to me... But like I said I want him to also be a bird because I do not want to handicap him for the future if that future does not have me in it for some unforeseen circumstance. I love having him so close but that is the selfish part of me and I know it is not in his best interest...

Help?
Suggestions?
Or am I just in love with a bird who loves me?
Riah

 

[sodakat]

He will eventually wean. Keep offering the fresh foods, plain, with nothing on them. Try putting the foods on a flat surface where he can stand and eat without having to reach into a bowl and where he can see each kernel of corn, each pea, each little cube of apple etc.

 

[MikeyTN]

Hey Riah, which avian vet you go to???