Parrot flew on my porch!

[randomparrot]

Ok so here's the deal. This parrot, I think is an Eclectus flew on my porch. I'm not exactly sure what to do with it. My parents are out getting it a cage and were going to put ads around looking its owner. It's pretty calm and is sitting on my shoulder as I type. Help??
Here's a picture...

ETA:The pics not working...and I think it might still be kinda young because of all the grey fuzzy feathers

 

[JessAnn1]

Wow, I cant even imagine what the owner is feeling right now. Just some tips- I belong to another forum and there was a posting of a lost bird that some lady found and SOLD to a pet store to get money, so along with flyers, and found ad's be sure to let your local pet stores know you found the bird. Some people are really crooked and will do anything for money even at others expense. I hope you find the owner.

 

[TexDot33]

Ok, yes, does look like an Eekie ... but, probably not a young one ... If at all possible is there any way that you could post another picture, maybe just a little bit better quality? Looks like there is something else going on with him, but I need a different picture to see more clearly. We would love to help you out and get you all the information that you can use ... (P.S. I have updated your account and pictures and links will now work for you)

For right now fresh water, and food should consist of fresh fruits and veggies (no avocado, no raw onion, no chocolate, no alcohol as these are all potentially deadly to parrots ... also, put away the Teflon pans and don't cook with them.) If this becomes a long term situation (like you can't find the owners right away) you should look into finding a nice pellet food for him (Like Harrison's, RoudyBush or Zupreem)


Good luck in finding the owner, hopefully this is a beloved pet that got loose and not just a situation where someone let this guy loose because they didn't want him anymore ...

Keep us updated ...

:50:

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Do put up fliers.... but inline with what JessAnn said it might be best if those fliers are fairly vague, that way the true owner can tell you something to identify him that WASN'T on the flier. There are very few parrot owners who don't have pictures of their parrots, so this could be a good way to prove that they are the true owner.

I know if Auggie got out I wouldn't need to see a flier - I would be putting up fliers saying he was lost. So keep your eye out for those too.9

 

[randomparrot]

So, we got it parrot food that has mostly sunflower seeds and we had some mango so it had some of that. He (or she) seemed content with that as food. Since the cage we got was kind of small we let it walk and sometimes fly around. We are going to put up vague flyers and ads tomorrow since today is Easter and every thing's pretty much closed.
I was starting to look at pictures of other parrots and they don't have the grey fuzzy feathers like this one. Is it possible he's sick? I really hope he's not becuase I heard (correct me if I'm wrong) that people and other pets can get sick from them. I have a dog that actually had gotten along quite well with our little stray parrot (supervised of course!)
Here are more pictures...sorry about the quality, all I have is my camera phone..

 

[Lori]

It is definitely an Eekie.. It could have been a plucker.
I would also notify 911parrot..
hope he find his owner.. If not are you prepared to keep him? If so you may want to look up their diet it is different from most parrots. Best of luck...

 

[TexDot33]

It is definitely an Eekie.. It could have been a plucker ...

I was thinking the exact same thing ... looks like a plucker (a parrot that self-mutilates his or her own feathers ... many causes of it, most are environmental) but I always thought that eekies didn't pluck ... or at least were less known for it ... For the record, this is a male, so it is a HE. Eekies are the only visually dimorphic parrot out there ... males are beautifully green and hens are scarlet red ...

No, you can not get sick from most bird diseases, and the diseases that you can get sick most companion parrots have been tested for and usually do not have ... not a big deal. This bird is more likely a plucker than sick.

As for the parrot food ... sunflower seeds aren't the best diet for them ... please see my previous post about food options, especially if there is a possibility of you keeping him for the long haul.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

While feather condition is a sign of general health the "fuzzy feathers" could also be other things. Very young feathers, on a young bird, or fresh after a molt can look "fuzzy". So by itself this says nothing about his age.

Feather plucking referred to by others has a number of environmental causes, overall stress being on of the biggest. I imagine any situation that leads to a parrot winding up being found on someone else's porch would be a stressful one. If you do end up keeping him long term hopefully he will adjust to his new surroundings. With proper care and feeding - and a visit to an avian veterinarian - the plucking might become a thing of the past.

I second both of Tex's points on food, and diseases. If you keep him long term seeds should not be a major part of his diet. Pelleted food (available from any good pet store) and fresh fruits and veggies are better. Mango is a great food to offer him.

Disease-wise there are VERY VERY few diseases that he could have that could affect you or your other pets. Avian physiology is sufficiently different from dogs and humans so that anything that thrives in them will not survive in a human or canine body. If you want to be fully (or overly) informed there is a link below that goes over some of the diseases that possibly COULD go from a bird to a human. However they are all quite rare. In fact the odds of you being hit by lightning are probably higher than any of these diseases being a concern:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PS019

As alluded to above, it would be a good idea to have an avian veterinarian check him out. Although that could be a pricey endeavor for a temporary care-taker; no one wants to pay a vet bill just so someone else can then take him home. It'd be worth a shot though calling around to local vets and telling them your situation - you may just find one that will check out the bird for free. In any case local vets would be one place to inform and put up fliers.

 

[RSRosey]

I hope you find his owners. I would be worried sick if my parrot (still working on a name) got away. It sounds like he is very friendly. Which is a plus if you will be "sitting" until you find the owner.
Rhonda

 

[NicoleN]

Definitely notify the local pet stores and veterinarians. I was in a similar situation about 7 years ago when Sisqo flew away. We went to 'our' pet store and it just so happened that someone had called them a few hours before and told them that they had found a bird. Seems wonderful, but then the people fell in love with him and didn't want to give him back and....well...we'll save that for another thread at another time.

Main Point: Contact stores & vets, just tell them you found a bird and where you live. Definitely go onto to Parrot911.com (or whatever that website is) and report that you found the bird. Maybe even take out an ad in the local paper.

Oh, and try not to get too attached. I know it's hard, but it's easy to fall for cute, cuddly birdies

 

[TexDot33]

We went to 'our' pet store and it just so happened that someone had called them a few hours before and told them that they had found a bird. Seems wonderful, but then the people fell in love with him and didn't want to give him back and....well...we'll save that for another thread at another time.

Nicole, I think that story is around here somewhere ... isn't it?

 

[TexDot33]

would like an update on this situation ... did you find his owner? Have you kept him ... give us an update please!

 

[randomparrot]

Update:

So we still haven't found his owner. After calling many vets, all lost parrot ads in the surrounding cities, and putting up found fliers and ads, still no luck.

I'm pretty sure were going to keep him seeing as the owner still hasn't come up.

I guess this is where I ask for help on how to take care of this little guy!

We bought him a much larger cage he is quite happy in, we feed him a variety of fruits and vegetables every day with the occasional seeds, and give him a shower 2x a week. There are even a few feathers growing back here and there on his stomach! He seems quite happy and is pretty talkative, squeaking when people go by his cage or let him out to play.

Any thing other important things I need to know?

BTW, we named him Chives haha

 

[Lori]

How are the feathers. You said looks like some are coming back!! That's great
Make sur he is getting out of cage time, eating well, Has plenty of toys for chewing, shredding and playing.
He should have a few different perches, Diameter and texture for his feet.
Keep it up and update us. Thanks for taking him in.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Good news / bad news I suppose. Its a shame his previous family can't be found, but since they haven't popped up looking for him there's a chance he wasn't provided with the best home. Now he has a good home, and you've got a new friend.

One thing to look into is his diet. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies is great, seeds tend to be fattening so they should be in moderation. Pelleted foods (Zupreme, Harrison's, etc) should make up the majority of most parrots' diets. However I have heard Ekkie's dietary needs are unique, so some others here can comment on whether pelleted food would be right for him.

Have you brought him into an avian vet? If not it would be good to find one. Not only can he be checked out for any health concerns, but they can give you the best advice on food and care.

If you haven't done so already read through other threads in here. Other than diet air-quality is probably the next most important issue. Household cleaners, air-fresheners, smoke, any kind of vapors such as those from an electric space heater and improperly used non-stick cookware can all pose a deadly threat to birds while we humans wouldn't even notice them.

Its good to hear that some feathers are coming back. That shows you're on the right track. Keep it up and Chives may be back in great shape in no time.

 

[Dominique]

Hi! My name is Dominique and I am the owner of one (possibly 2) female eclectus. Congrats on your new baby! He appears to be rather plucked, but with a good diet should improve. I personally stay away from seeds because most commercially packaged are vitamin fortified. However, if you can sprout seeds, beans, etc, they make an excellent, very healthy part of the diet! Add a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, especially those that are high in beta cartine, will be best. I also cook for her (I recommend buying The Healthy Parrot Cookbook). No pellets; they are very concentrated. I would compare it to a person eating a lot of protein bars. Healthy on occasions, but too much of a good thing can cause problems. And combine that with a eclectus digestive system...I would just recommend staying away.

My female, Lucy, is a plucker as well. I give her baths twice weekly and after each, mist her down with an aloe vera water mixture. I am glad to hear you have a nice large cage for him! Ekkies also love toys, especially those that they can forage with! www.landofvos.com is a GREAT site!

Gook luck and congrats! Have you decided on a name?