New Member with 7 1/2 yr old Male Eclectus

[sudee]

Hi,
I have a 7 1/2 year old male Eclectus that was abaondoned at a pet store. I socialized him and his 1st words were "I love you" to me while I was helping my friend out who owned the pet store when he was about 7 months old. I ended up adopting him. I previously had a female eclectic that is now 17 yrs that my sister in law has.
We all live in southern Oregon. E first was hormonal about 3 years ago in the spring and tried to bite for several months. then he returned to his sweet easy to handle self. Recently we took care of a friend's biting male Amazon for week after these friends keep E for two weeks. Since this Amazon left (cages were side to side upstairs in south facing window] E has returned to biting.
I recognize that this is hormonal. Read in another blog that 24 hour sun light for full spectrum light would stop egg laying in females. I am wondering if this also works for males hormonal behavior (Yes, I know males do not lay eggs)? I do not want to wait for the several months it took E to return to being his sweet self. I will try to attach a picture.

 

[Flboy]

Welcome to the both of you!

 

[Anansi]

Hello, and welcome to the Parrot Forums family!

I've never heard of using light, full spectrum or otherwise, for 24 hours as a deterrent to egg-laying (If I've misread what you were saying, let me know). Such a practice would seem, to me, to be detrimental to a bird's health. They need around 10 - 12 hours of sleep a night. So I wouldn't advise attempting that with any parrot, male or female.

Typically, the advice given to cut down on hormonal behavior in birds is quite the opposite. Cutting down on the hours of daylight can help, as longer hours often trigger hormonal responses. More daylight = spring/summertime = time to make babies! So you'd want to shut things down for your bird earlier than you currently do, making it nice, quiet and dark.

Another strategy is to modify their diet. Foods high in sugar and/or fats also serve as a hormonal trigger. Why? Because abundance of food = spring/summertime = time to make babies!

This is all assuming, of course, that the issue here is indeed hormones. He could also be having a reaction to the change in his circumstances (the loss of his amazon pal), exhibiting territorial behavior (does he get as nippy when in a room other than the one that houses his cage?), or reacting to an as yet unidentified medical issue.

What is his current diet? Has his weight remained consistent? Have their been any changes to his surroundings? (Other than the amazon leaving.)

 

[Scott]

Welcome to the forums! Beautiful Ekkie, nice pose!!

 

[sudee]

Hello, and welcome to the Parrot Forums family!

I've never heard of using light, full spectrum or otherwise, for 24 hours as a deterrent to egg-laying (If I've misread what you were saying, let me know). Such a practice would seem, to me, to be detrimental to a bird's health. They need around 10 - 12 hours of sleep a night. So I wouldn't advise attempting that with any parrot, male or female.

Typically, the advice given to cut down on hormonal behavior in birds is quite the opposite. Cutting down on the hours of daylight can help, as longer hours often trigger hormonal responses. More daylight = spring/summertime = time to make babies! So you'd want to shut things down for your bird earlier than you currently do, making it nice, quiet and dark.

Another strategy is to modify their diet. Foods high in sugar and/or fats also serve as a hormonal trigger. Why? Because abundance of food = spring/summertime = time to make babies!

This is all assuming, of course, that the issue here is indeed hormones. He could also be having a reaction to the change in his circumstances (the loss of his amazon pal), exhibiting territorial behavior (does he get as nippy when in a room other than the one that houses his cage?), or reacting to an as yet unidentified medical issue.

What is his current diet? Has his weight remained consistent? Have their been any changes to his surroundings? (Other than the amazon leaving.)

Hi Anasi and Scott, Thanks for quick reply and concern.
The 24 hour lite was recommended for parrots in trouble with batch laying which my first parrot had trouble with and had to have eggs surgically removed for being egg bound. My sister-in-law gives her CA supplements and she has been well for a couple years having reached age17. Eeyore is a Vosmaeri Eclectus and his diet has not changed. Normally, I take him all over the house and even have a carrier for him to take him outside. He travels with us often in his carrier and then in cages in our trailer. I always cover him at nite but for two nites now I am starting earlier. We have inside and outside cages and his wings are clipped, sadly. He has a huge vocabulary and hates my husband when I am around.

 

[Scott]

Beautiful pics of Eeyore, love the name! His nippiness may be both hormonal and situational with you and husband together? Will be interesting to see if increased rest/sleep improves his mood.

Ekkies require a unique diet as compared with other parrots. Pellets are especially discouraged due to their longer digestive tracks.

My male Vos had one of the clearest voices of any parrot in my experience. Sasquatch sounded like a little boy and had a good range of expression.

Curious about the darkish hue to some of his green feathers. Is this lighting, dampness, or something new over time?