New Eclectus Owner

[Codil7]

Hi everyone my name is Cameron. This is my first post so I figured I’d do a little introduction. I’m 25 years old and live in southern Kentucky. I’ve been keeping and rescuing animals for quite some time now. I’ve cared for just about every animal you can think of...from dogs and cats to exotics like boa constrictors, sugar gliders, savannah monitors, and hedgehogs. You name it, I’ve had it haha.

My family has always been bird people and I’ve helped with their parakeets and cockatiels over the years but earlier this year I decided I wanted to take the next step up. After months of research and planning I decided that the Eclectus Parrot would be the right choice for me! Just yesterday I made a long (and rather boring) 4 hour drive to pick up my little guy.

I’m really looking forward to learning from you guys through this forum so I can give him a long and prosperous life with me. Any first time Eckie advice would be greatly appreciated. I’ll be sure to post plenty of pictures as he ages. He is roughly 5 months old now and settling in great. Thanks for having me here!

 

[GaleriaGila]

How nice to "meet" you. Welcome!

We have a nice community of Eclectus folks here. I'm glad you found us.

 

[Anansi]

Hello, and welcome to the Parrot Forums family!

First time Ekkie advice, eh? Here is a good link to start you off: http://www.parrotforums.com/eclectus/52737-so-you-think-you-want-eclectus.html

And since diet can be tricky with ekkies, here is a list of what I currently feed Maya and Jolly: I tend to provide between 6 and 9 types of food per feeding (2 meals per day), weighted heavily toward the veggie side as only 1 of the food selections in a given meal is fruit.
Various sprouts, carrots (a part of every meal due to the high content of beta carotene - precursor to Vitamin A), bell peppers (red, yellow, orange and green), jalapeno peppers, Jamaican Scotch bonnet peppers, chili peppers, squash (butternut, green and yellow), pumpkin (also high in Vitamin A), blueberries and pomegranates (both among the most nutritious of fruits), snap peas, broccoli (high in calcium), cactus pears, persimmon, starfruit, bananas, grapes, kale, turnips, radishes, brown rice, quinoa, cucumbers, endives, dandelion (nutritional powerhouse offered at every meal), sweet potato (cooked), red swiss chard, granny smith apples, papaya, African horned melon, hominy, oatmeal (sans sugar or flavoring), kiwi, barley, calendula flowers, fennel, chocho beans and garbanzo beans, as well as Volkman's Fancy Soak and Simmer for the majority of their legumes and grains.

For food accents I'll add one or two types of the following as well: star anise, milk thistle, elder berries, rose hips, hibiscus, bee pollen and chamomile flowers.

Twice a month, I'll give some hard-boiled egg (with the crushed shell for calcium). Slightly more frequently during a molt.

For their training treats they get an assortment of unsalted nuts (one or two per bird in a given day, broken into small pieces and fed as rewards through the training sessions). And for their "goodnight treat", up to a teaspoon or two of seeds, or even millet spray once in a while.

 

[chris-md]

Welcome Cameron! We are bit fans of photos (hint hint!)

Stephen really nailed it. The diet is not easy, and you can’t cut corners or your birds health will show it quickly. Never default to an all seed Dudley available from big box stores (Walmart, etc). That will kill your boy.

Diet is critical!

 

[noodles123]

Welcome!
I would get some avian safe cleaner like F10 SC (yellow kind, not the green) and also mix a batch of vinegar and water separately (don't use together on the same surface though). Label and store them in chemically resistant spray bottles (in mop aisle at walmart)---I wouldn't use any other cleaners around birds.
Also, go through your house and make a list of everything that heats up (curling irons, blow dryers, pots/pans, baking stuff, rice cookers, drip trays, space-heaters etc ) and start calling to inquire about whether they contain Teflon/ptfoa/ptfe---it is hidden in a lot of stuff and most people just assume it is only in non-stick pans, but it gives off odorless gas when heated that can kill a bird in as little as 5 minutes.

 

[Flboy]

Welcome to you!

 

[Codil7]

Thanks for the helpful diet tips I really appreciate it! I already feed quite a chop combination to my gliders so it shouldn’t be too difficult to buy some fruits/veggies that they both enjoy. And I promise pictures will come after work. I created my account on my phone and struggled to get any to post last night haha so I’m going to try again on my computer after work. So be on the lookout!

 

[Owlet]

Sugar glider diet and eclectus diet are gonna vary greatly. I did some research on gliders a few years back due to potentially getting one but that fell through. Anyways, what i found was that gliders primarily need insects and nectar while eclectus need neither of those. IMO their primary diet shouldn't even have fruit as it's just too much sugar. fruit treats are fine but as a daily diet, it's hard to manage. Vegetables, herbs, edible flowers, legumes, lentils, and a small seed mix is what I've found works best. This is what my boy is eating right now as well as a bunch of herbs and crushed eggshells I mix in every few days due to some of his individual needs

Main:
Acorn Squash (Seeds included)
brocolli
dandelion greens
red bell pepper (Seeds included for all peppers)
orange bell pepper
green bell pepper
Red Lentils
green beans
yam
green lentil pasta



tops: (mix in upon serving)
oats
chia
flax
pumpkin seeds

Also note, I don't know why but just the make eclectus parrots have their beaks grow FAST. I have yet to meet an eclectus that doesn't struggle with their beak growing too fast. I would look for a CAV that is willing to trim their beak WITHOUT an anesthetic

 

[Codil7]

Oh I didn’t mean they would be the same by any stretch but may have a couple that could work for both. My gliders don’t get greens and that’s what I’m wanting to primarily feed my Eckie. But as far as fruits go there might be some common ground. But I do appreciate the advice!

What about tips as far as how long to wait til attempting any step up training and that sort of thing? I haven’t attempted anything since I first moved him into his larger cage. He was docile as can be but after about 24 hours you could tell he was becoming very protective of his territory which I expected for the first little bit. It seems everywhere I read there are contradictory topics saying you should leave him be and others saying you should “assert dominance” and work with them as soon as possible in a positive manner.

 

[Amsterdam]

Welcome!! Cool introduction

 

[Ekkyparrotlet125]

Welcome! Can't wait for pics of the little guy! And I second the beak predicament.. make sure you have someone lined up that is able to trim it safely. And frequent showers help keep their feathers in good shape.. Get him used to them gradually.. my guy LOVES his shower! Good luck!!

 

[Anansi]

...Also note, I don't know why but just the make eclectus parrots have their beaks grow FAST. I have yet to meet an eclectus that doesn't struggle with their beak growing too fast. I would look for a CAV that is willing to trim their beak WITHOUT an anesthetic

While some eclectus parrots have have a genetic predisposition toward beaks that grow beyond what they should, it really isn't an "eclectus thing" so to speak. If a particular bird has that issue, yes, a certified avian vet experienced with such beak care would be invaluable. None of the three ekkies I've had have had that genetic predisposition, however. I've just made sure they have all the necessary rubbing surfaces in their cage to wear down their beaks. Remember, in nature they wouldn't have anyone to do it for them. So LOTS of chew toys, as well as one concrete type perch in each of their cages. (*The perches also do wonders for their nails as well.)

*Remember also that abnormal beak growth can also point to dietary issues (not in Lincoln's case, Owlet) or liver problems.

...What about tips as far as how long to wait til attempting any step up training and that sort of thing? I haven’t attempted anything since I first moved him into his larger cage. He was docile as can be but after about 24 hours you could tell he was becoming very protective of his territory which I expected for the first little bit. It seems everywhere I read there are contradictory topics saying you should leave him be and others saying you should “assert dominance” and work with them as soon as possible in a positive manner.

Hmmm... how long you wait depends largely on where you and your bird are in terms of trust. If he's still apprehensive about you, I suggest you don't push further than he is comfortable going. You'll want to focus on building a bond between you. Forging a trust so that he does not fear you. And often with these flying piglets, the quickest way to their hearts is through their stomachs. Find his favorite treat (nothing blatantly unhealthy, of course) and give it to him whenever you are spending time with him. You want to build the association in his mind between you and yummy treats.

Then, as he gets more visibly happy to see you, you can start making him work a bit for said treats. If he's still at the skittish stage, you can start off with target training through the bars of his cage. (Here is a target training link in case you are unfamiliar: [ame="https://youtu.be/HaOicTtwIZo"]Beginners guide to target training parrots - YouTube[/ame]) And eventually get him to the point that you can target him onto you.

But if he's progressed to the point that his excitement to see you is overcoming his apprehension, you can attempt positioning the treat in such a way that he would have to step onto your hand to get to it. As he performs the action, you can tell him to "step up", and once he has completed it, you say "Good boy!" or some such.

Either way, target training is definitely a skill you want him to learn. And later, this will transition nicely into recall training.

 

[Codil7]

I know I promised pictures so now I’ve come to deliver! Here’s my boy Ekko (finally decided on a spelling �&#56834

 

[chris-md]

He’s adorable! Hi ekko!!

 

[Laurasea]

Pretty posing parrot!!! Lol that was fun to say! Welcome a d beak looks good to me

 

[noodles123]

Hello and welcome! I just wrote 2 other "new owner" posts, so I am copying and pasting (not for lack of love, but for lack of time )


Do not use any cleaners besides vinegar+water or something avian safe like the yellow variety of F10 SC...bleach, windex, air fresheners, lysol etc can ALL kill birds due to their VERY sensitive respiratory systems. They need a lot of oxygen to fly etc, so do not even try to compare them to mammals.

Look out for Teflon/PTFOA/PTFE in HIDDEN places (curling irons, blow-dryers, drip trays, straighteners, humidifiers, irons, ironing boards, space heaters, hot-rollers, bake-in-a-bag meals, microwave popcorn bag coatings , self-cleaning ovens, rice-cookers, air poppers/fryers etc)---many items that heat have Teflon coatings inside and they still give off fumes.
Do not use perfume, hairspray, Sharpies, scented products like candles etc ...even essential oils can kill..PERFUMED ANYTHING=BAD, when scentless things can kill. Burning oil/food is also very dangerous.
Ensure that your bird has enough sleep (10-14 hours)--this impacts immunity and behavior. This means that your bird will need a fairly consistent wake-up and bedtime.
Avoid feeding too much fat or protein. A few seeds mixed in = okay, but pellets and fresh veg are a daily "must".
Wash water dishes daily and make sure no soap residue remains.
Find a CAV (CERTIFIED AVIAN VET) ASAP and get a CBC blood panel, gram stain and cloaca swab to rule out very basic issues.
Research sick birds and know that they are ABSOLUTE pros at hiding illness (weakness gets them killed in the wild)
Spend a lot of time socializing and providing enrichment for your bird, but do not start what you cannot roughly sustain.

NO JUNK FOOD/DAIRY/CHOCOLATE/ALCOHOL/SALT ETC (a teeny tiny bit of salt won't kill if it is like once a week, but remember how small birds are compared to humans and food labels)

Research ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) and bird behavior in order to avoid reinforcing bad behaviors by mistake!


RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH AND PREPARE TO BE BITTEN-- baby birds are sweet compared to those going through young-adulthood etc.