A new Eclectus

Yo, LyzGrace, I'm curious.

Is your ekkie cuddly?

I don't think I ever got the back story - Why did you end up deciding on an eclectus? And did you specifically want a male?

GlassOnion wrote:

Yo, LyzGrace, I'm curious.

Is your ekkie cuddly?

Incredibly! I know he's just a baby, and the breeder worked with him a lot, apparently, but I can do anything to him other than stuff that throws him off balance (won't go on his back or anything). I can pull his wings out, reach under them, play with his toes, pet his back and grab his tail - whatever. He doesn't quite get sitting on my shoulder and I don't think he's got the balance yet for that, but he'll sit on my chest and cuddle under my neck for as long as I'll let him. Definitely a cutie!!

patdbunny wrote:

I don't think I ever got the back story - Why did you end up deciding on an eclectus? And did you specifically want a male?

I started off my research with a pretty open mind when I figured out I wanted a bird. I didn't rule anything out, but was initially drawn to the medium-sized parrots and that's just what I researched the most. I'm not sure what drew me initially to eclectus (probably all the pretty colors ), but everything I read about them just made me realize that's what I was looking for. I guess the biggest thing was probably that they have quieter temperaments than say a grey or amazon, which were the only two larger parrots I had previously. I also like that they're crazy good talkers and semi-naturally potty-trained (Yoshi has not gone on me ONCE in all the time I've had him out, knock on wood. The breeders started perchpotty training him before I got him). And yes, I did know I specifically wanted a male since almost every breeder/article I read said that by age 7 most females take on a certain hormonal aggressiveness that males don't. The males are also better talkers and... this wouldn't have been a deciding factor for me, but I DO like the males' coloring over the female

They do talk human crazy well. It seems the eclectus care to speak in a more contextually correct manner than the greys. The greys seem to chatter nonsense all day long just to hear their own voices or something.

I think the eclectus look like stuffed animals. Hormones or not, I love how the females look.

LyzGrace wrote:

The males are also better talkers and... this wouldn't have been a deciding factor for me, but I DO like the males' coloring over the female

I chose my budgies based on their colors. When and if I ever get my @!)&@( lovebird and/or cockatiel, I'll be choosing them based on colors, too. Mostly on the "fit", but the colors, too.

Hey Lyz,

Just putting my inquiry here instead of hijacking the PAA meeting thread.

I knew about the "gronking", but that's not screaming. That's the baby begging noise. Is that what he's doing? I don't think I knew it lasted for so long! I was just reading some of them do it their entire lives?!

A lot of baby parrots make the baby begging noise for a month or so after weaning. I just didn't know it was for months on the eclectus.

No, it's certainly not screaming. Occasionally he does it pretty loud, but it's definitely not overwhelming. It varies, too. It seems as though it's a social thing, not necessarily a begging thing, though he does seem more adamant when I know he's hungry. It's gotten more prominent since the first night (maybe that he's more comfortable now?) and now I can't seem to hold, cuddle, talk to him without him squawking back.

It's still somewhat of a guessing game. At first I thought I was irritating him, so I'd put him away or on a perch and he'd stop. Then because he was being quiet I'd take him out and "reward" him for being quiet and he'd start again. At this point I'm just trying to look at it as him making conversation. I figured as long as I don't let it KEEP me from talking to him because I don't want him to squawk eventually he'll turn it into words *fingers crossed*. Since sidech said that she had a pretty quiet house and hers stopped at about 6 months I'm optimistic that Yoshi will, too. Again, I spent quite a bit of time in the breeder's house and heard not a peep out of her birds except one mama Vosmaeri and her talking was very pleasant.

Since I'm writing though... what is the deal with flying to windows?!

The second day, I took him out onto our back porch, which you get to through two glass doors right next to his cage. Well evidently he thought that it was the BOMB because now whenever I put him out on his perch to get out of the cage he's insistent on flying straight into it. He's clipped, but still floats quite a distance before either sliding across the floor or grabbing the drapes and hanging off them. Even when I take him upstairs to our bedroom and sit his stand on our bed he'll take off for our corner window and hang from the blinds. I'm not worried about him hurting himself since he isn't getting speed or dropping like a rock, it's just plain annoying. These are two specific spots that he is completely enraptured by.

At first I tried picking him up and putting him back. Did that about three times and realized I was being suckered. SO I tried leaving him there for a while to see if he'd realize how boring it was. He just paces by the door/window trying to get out. Upstairs I sat the perch in the windowsill and that seemed to satisfy him for a few minutes until that wasn't enough and he was getting noticeably frustrated and wanted to get out again.

I can't go sit with him for hours on the porch and I'm not going to draw the blinds on my windows so my house is like a cave. Do I just wait this out until he realizes that he just can't be outside all the time?

**EDIT** Sorry if someone's writing a response to my ridiculously long post already... but how many of you keep your birds under full-spectrum lighting? Do you think there's some sort of deficiency he's reacting to?

For Julsiebean I just did it with photobooth, so sorry its a little choppy and faded.

He is SO incredible. I just seriously squeeeeeeeeeeed so loud I woke up the cat. My husband came over and said "Oh God, you want one of those don't you." HAHA! Thank you for "sharing" Yoshi with me, you made my night. He is a beautiful baby boy.

Ok Im seriusly jealous of your baby. Mine is terrified of having her wings touched let alone pulled open. (Im going to find a way to steal him)

coldtrance wrote:

Ok Im seriusly jealous of your baby. Mine is terrified of having her wings touched let alone pulled open. (Im going to find a way to steal him)

Everyone wants Yoshi. Lyz is going to have to keep a really good lookout for ninjas.

Sleep with one eye open Lyz.....I've got dibs on Yoshi!!!

What a sweetheart! He's so cute!!!

patdbunny wrote:

For LyzGrace tomorrow!!!

Congrats!!

How do we throw a cyberbaby shower?

you just did all she needs is a few toys and a night light so she can peek2 am

evil chicken wrote:

Everyone wants Yoshi. Lyz is going to have to keep a really good lookout for ninjas.

Add me to a club named: "I think is adorable."

Haha, yikes!! Better not let the little guy read all of this... it'll go straight to his head... Thanks for the heads up on the ninja attacks, too!

I know the feeling of running out of room in the house as I have a breeding pair of Double Yellow Headed Amazons that are in a cage that is 5 feet high and 4 feet wide and 4 feet deep takes up half my kitchen and beside them is my Lovebirds large flight it is 5 feet high with a dome and is 3 feet deep and 3 feet wide then there is my Male Goffins cage which is 4 1/2 feet tall with a play area on top and is 3 feet deep and 3 feet wide then there is my Female Goffins cage next to that and it is 5 feet tall and is 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and I just got my Sulfur Crested Cockatoo and he comes with a huge cage that is at least 4 feet high with play stand on top and at least 4 feet deep and 4 feet wide and I am trying ot figure out where it is going to go. I also have 2 outdoor cages for the 2 Goffins that are 5 feet high by 2 feet deep and 3 feet wide that sit out on my small open deck for there outside time lol now to just figure out where to put Buddy's cage when it gets here maybe hang it from the ceiling lol I would not have it any other way

I do have a web site if any one is interested in viewing it let me know

I'm interested in viewing.

GlassOnion wrote:

I'm interested in viewing.

Likewise!!

Oooooh I wanna see too!!!

LyzGrace wrote:

patdbunny wrote:

Did you find anywhere in your research of eclectus that they scream a lot the first six months or so? I had never read that anywhere before the "other forum". I've been wondering about that.

Oh yeah - put a low perch for about the first month while the baby's getting coordinated. And no covered food and water bowls during the first month or so. Sometimes newly weaned babies aren't too bright and won't stick their heads into a covered crock to eat.

The only place I'd ever read that screamy-for-six-months thing was from sidech on the other forum. Honestly, though, the lady I'm getting him from breeds nothing but eclectus and she said they rarely scream because they're in her house and it's quiet. When I went to look at the babies I was there meeting and greeting and asking her questions in her living room with maybe 6 or 7 of her birds for close to an hour and a half. Not one of them made a peep while I was there other than one of her breeder ladies making a sweet Mrs. Doubtfireish "hellOOooo!!"

And thanks - I don't have a floor-length cage, so it's not crazy tall, but I'll put some low perches in there, too. I just have regular food bowls, too, so that should be okay. If you think of any other baby tips throw em my way

Josie and i meet a bunch of amazons today outside a beach store on Anna Maria Island,The zons and macaws all said hello to all of the people who walk up and talk to the birds EXCEPT for the male SI Eclectus ,he was a screamer,louder than even the macaws who where very well behaved,I don't think the eclectus liked Jake!! Man that bird was loud.

Why am I just seeing this! GAH!!!
YAY BABIES! I didnt read the whole thread. You are getting a baby birdy, right?

henpecked wrote:

male SI Eclectus ,he was a screamer,louder than even the macaws who where very well behaved,I don't think the eclectus liked Jake!! Man that bird was loud.

Of all the birds I've been around, the eclectus are the only ones that make me cringe with their screaming. I'll take being surrounded by screaming macaws and cockatoos over one eclectus. . .

patdbunny wrote:

Of all the birds I've been around, the eclectus are the only ones that make me cringe with their screaming. I'll take being surrounded by screaming macaws and cockatoos over one eclectus. . .

Really? I didn't know that about Eclectuses... Just out of curiosity how about comparing Ekkie with a TAG?

Margaret wrote:

patdbunny wrote:

Of all the birds I've been around, the eclectus are the only ones that make me cringe with their screaming. I'll take being surrounded by screaming macaws and cockatoos over one eclectus. . .

Really? I didn't know that about Eclectuses... Just out of curiosity how about comparing Ekkie with a TAG?

Ekkie's aren't that "loud", but the tonal quality of their screams really bother me. My teeth rattle when they go off. I am so grateful they don't go off constantly. Might just be me. You really need to listen to them and see if it bothers you.

TAGs mimic stuff. Greys can learn annoying noises that grate on the nerves. Other than the growl, I'm not really too sure what are natural grey noises.