New Parrot Basics

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coopedup

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Apr 8, 2016
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7y/o eclectus Wrangler
N

It seems that many of us are getting new birds and/or babies (including me) so I have a bunch of questions about what to expect when you're expecting. Im getting a 4 month old and a lot of what I read has been tremendously helpful but sometimes applies to more adult birds.

1) does the baby need shots for virus protection?
2) Is banding essential, should they wear it or not?
3) When should they be microchipped?
4) What skills should be taught first? When do they start to fly/ when is introducing misting/showering a good idea? How to introduce new foods when they are coming off a zupreem diet? Hellllllp!

What were your most important "unexpected" moments that you learned when you first got your bird?
 
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It's great to see you doing so much research before the arrival of your baby!! :)

I'll try and answer all your questions. Let's see....

1. No, vaccines are not necessary

2. Some breeders band their birds, while others opt against it. It's a personal choice. I've had leg bands removed on 2 of my birds because my oldest Amazon developed a callus, and my younger Amazon got caught in his.

3. If your bird is not banded, OR if you opt to have the band removed, then microchipping can be an option. That procedure can be performed once your baby is home, but ONLY by an Avian Vet.

4. At 4 months your baby should be flying pretty effortlessly (unless the breeder clipped the wings - which I HIGHLY discourage). You can start showering him a few days after he's settled into his new home. Give him at least one thorough soaking a week, but 2 or 3 won't hurt either. ;)

As for the diet, I'll give you some links, particularly because using pellets for Eclectus is highly controversial. Most ekkis that are raised on a varied diet of fresh foods are all but picky. In fact, they are little piggies when it comes to food. :D

http://www.parrotforums.com/eclectus/52737-so-you-think-you-want-eclectus.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/eclectus/49445-pellets-diet.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/eclectus/48375-eclectus-diet.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...afe-fresh-foods-toxic-food-lists-sprouts.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-food-recipes-diet/57416-sprouting-made-easy.html

Please don't hesitate to ask more questions. :) Sometimes it happens that a thread/question gets overlooked. Believe me, it's NEVER on purpose. A gentle bump and/or nudge will bring the topic back on top. ;)
 
Skills they should be taught.

Generally speaking, they need to know basic step up and go down.

They need to know no bite, and control you bite pressure when playing.

They need to be taught to use their indoor voices, and not be rewarded for screaming.

Some birds actually need to be taught to play with toys, while others need to be taught that, no, actually the window blinds and the curtains are NOT one of your toys...

Potty training is always nice.

Flighted birds need to be either recalled or harness trained, especially if they go outside.
 
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  • #4
Thanks for the super helpful responses, I appreciate the support. I asked the breeder to leave Liesl unclipped and to not put on her band. She is supposed to be working with Liesl on potty training (does anyone have a better command than "bombs away") and harness.

I plan on getting her chipped when I take her to the vet---when should I take her? Does she need a health check when I get her?

What books/sites discuss target training and other skills training in more detail (props to Chris-Md's thread on clipping)
 
I use the simple every day "go poop." command.

Unfortunately, so does my CAG, Tusk... Usually when I'm holding another bird instead of him! :D STINKER!!!
 
I think it's great that the breeder will work on potty and harness training.

I'm with Mark. A simple and direct "Go poop" works for my flock, too.

I'm not sure about when is safe to have a bird chipped, but yes, you should definitely take her to the vet for a checkup soon after getting her. Birds are infamous for masking any signs of sickness. You want to get her checked out so that you'll know if there are any issues. And even if it turns out there aren't any, it's always good to have a record of your bird's baseline values for comparison in the event anything ever does go wrong.

As for links on training and such, doing a search on this site will yield a wealth of information. You can also go to the Training sub-forum. But to get you started, here are a few links that I think are rather informative. Again, a search will show you lots more, but this is a sample that you might find helpful.

Biting: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/57935-brainstorming-biting-parrots.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/questions-answers/58911-bird-bites-always-2.html

Startle Desensitization: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/52891-startle-desensitization-training.html

Clicker/Target Training: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/60435-clicker-target-training.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/eclectus/49381-target-training-getting-over-fear-video.html

Harness Training: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/59374-harness-training-videos.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/eclectus/57748-guess-who-finally-got-her-harness.html

Tricks: http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/28647-fargo-trick-training-videos.html

Step Up Training: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/57538-not-stepping-up-doesn-t-understand-stepping-up.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/training/48810-need-help-step-up-training.html#post435993

Station Training: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/56274-flighted-bird-training-advice.html

Socialization: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/48648-socialization-game-pass-birdie.html

Touch Training: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/48598-touch-training.html

Flight Recall: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/44769-building-success-flight-recall.html

Flight Training: http://www.parrotforums.com/eclectus/57030-teaching-how-fly.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/questio...-s-teaching-birds-fly-one-baby-step-time.html

And one of my favorites, a discussion on the merits of the old school approach vs the new school: http://www.parrotforums.com/training/43631-old-vs-modern-techniques.html
 
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  • #7
thanks for the links. I followed one i found earlier but most of the sites they linked to were no longer valid :( I hear about target training, etc, but the How's and why's are rarely covered.
 
You're welcome!

Hopefully you'll find the links I provided somewhat helpful. Please don't hesitate to post if you have any further questions.
 
Re: N

There is SO much to learn when bringing home a new bird, it is overwhelming if you don't have the resources.

I recommend the Eclectus book for a good overview. For diet, I recommend this site: http://www.eclectusparrots.net/diets.html

I feed nearly 100% fresh vegetables/bean mash, and fruit (less fruit than veggies, though.) This is the #1 difference with Eclectus from other species. Their diet requirements are absolutely more demanding, but with planning and organization, you can make it easy and a lot less work. See my thread about making mash.

One topic I see and hear a lot of is getting the right cage. The smallest cage I would do for any Ekkie is 3.5' wide x 28" deep. You don't have to have a super tall cage, but one tip I can suggest is look for cages that offer 1" bar spacing. These are typically larger cages.

Other practicality tips:

Buy an extra set of stainless bowls from the cage manufacturer. You will be washing a lot of bowls every day with an Ekkie needing two fresh meals per day.

You can offer puréed baby food in a pinch or hurry.

A king sized sheet works as a cage cover, you don't need to spend $120 on a cage cover initially or at all.

Puppy pads make excellent cage liners. Publix store brand are the best puppy pads you can buy. No other pads work this well. I have 6 tiny chihuahuas who can't go outside due to Hawks we have, and they use puppy pads exclusively. The Publix pads are head and shoulders above every other brand, and we've tried them all. They are absorbent and easier to change than paper, which can stick to the tray with urine becoming like glue.

Poop-Off spray works really well. There are other solutions some members have recommended and I would like to try them.

I personally prefer a dome top cage to a play top cage. Many birds are cage territorial and don't like to come down from a play top. A dome top offers more space and a separate play stand can go with you throughout the house.

I recommend buying a pack of the large Amazon Basics yellow microfiber towels. They are twice the size and work perfectly over the shoulder to catch poop until your bird is potty trained.

One tip, be careful with your language and noises. I cuss nearly every other word and a cussing bird is NOT cute after awhile. My daughter screamed in the house literally ONE time and Molly our Grey foster, does it every five minutes. And this is a blood-curdling scream of my 8 year old daughter.

Smile when you talk to your bird. They respond to facial expressions just like a little kid. They are deeply emotional and sensitive babies.

And lastly, just like a baby, if you find you're getting frustrated and at the end of your rope, put them in their cage and walk out of the room before you say or do something you can't undo. Just like with a crying baby who is safe in the crib even though unhappy, it's best to walk away if you find your frustration is turning to anger. Birds can be trying at times and they are toddlers who never grow up. That's a huge responsibility [emoji4]

I'm rambling but hopefully there were some helpful tips in there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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  • #10
Brittany741 said:
There is SO much to learn when bringing home a new bird, it is overwhelming if you don't have the resources.

I recommend the Eclectus book for a good overview. For diet, I recommend this site: diets

Which book is this? Ive heard that there is one Ekkie book out that isnt very accurate so Im hesitant to purchase without recommendations from solid bird people. Thanks
Click to expand...
 
Re: N

Brittany741 said:
There is SO much to learn when bringing home a new bird, it is overwhelming if you don't have the resources.

I recommend the Eclectus book for a good overview. For diet, I recommend this site: diets

I feed nearly 100% fresh vegetables/bean mash, and fruit (less fruit than veggies, though.) This is the #1 difference with Eclectus from other species. Their diet requirements are absolutely more demanding, but with planning and organization, you can make it easy and a lot less work. See my thread about making mash.

One topic I see and hear a lot of is getting the right cage. The smallest cage I would do for any Ekkie is 3.5' wide x 28" deep. You don't have to have a super tall cage, but one tip I can suggest is look for cages that offer 1" bar spacing. These are typically larger cages.

Other practicality tips:

Buy an extra set of stainless bowls from the cage manufacturer. You will be washing a lot of bowls every day with an Ekkie needing two fresh meals per day.

You can offer puréed baby food in a pinch or hurry.

A king sized sheet works as a cage cover, you don't need to spend $120 on a cage cover initially or at all.

Puppy pads make excellent cage liners. Publix store brand are the best puppy pads you can buy. No other pads work this well. I have 6 tiny chihuahuas who can't go outside due to Hawks we have, and they use puppy pads exclusively. The Publix pads are head and shoulders above every other brand, and we've tried them all. They are absorbent and easier to change than paper, which can stick to the tray with urine becoming like glue.

Poop-Off spray works really well. There are other solutions some members have recommended and I would like to try them.

I personally prefer a dome top cage to a play top cage. Many birds are cage territorial and don't like to come down from a play top. A dome top offers more space and a separate play stand can go with you throughout the house.

I recommend buying a pack of the large Amazon Basics yellow microfiber towels. They are twice the size and work perfectly over the shoulder to catch poop until your bird is potty trained.

One tip, be careful with your language and noises. I cuss nearly every other word and a cussing bird is NOT cute after awhile. My daughter screamed in the house literally ONE time and Molly our Grey foster, does it every five minutes. And this is a blood-curdling scream of my 8 year old daughter.

Smile when you talk to your bird. They respond to facial expressions just like a little kid. They are deeply emotional and sensitive babies.

And lastly, just like a baby, if you find you're getting frustrated and at the end of your rope, put them in their cage and walk out of the room before you say or do something you can't undo. Just like with a crying baby who is safe in the crib even though unhappy, it's best to walk away if you find your frustration is turning to anger. Birds can be trying at times and they are toddlers who never grow up. That's a huge responsibility [emoji4]

I'm rambling but hopefully there were some helpful tips in there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

The Ultimate Guide To Eclectus parrots is awesome if its not in its not worth knowing about. There are also video's in there on how to do things I downloaded the book its awesome. I have contacted the Author aswell for tips etc she happily repliedThe Ultimate Guide To Eclectus parrots is awesome if its not in its not worth knowing about. There are also video's in there on how to do things I downloaded the book its awesome. I have contacted the Author aswell for tips etc she happily replied http://www.eclectusbook.com
 
Re: N

Brittany741 said:
There is SO much to learn when bringing home a new bird, it is overwhelming if you don't have the resources.

I recommend the Eclectus book for a good overview. For diet, I recommend this site: diets

I feed nearly 100% fresh vegetables/bean mash, and fruit (less fruit than veggies, though.) This is the #1 difference with Eclectus from other species. Their diet requirements are absolutely more demanding, but with planning and organization, you can make it easy and a lot less work. See my thread about making mash.

One topic I see and hear a lot of is getting the right cage. The smallest cage I would do for any Ekkie is 3.5' wide x 28" deep. You don't have to have a super tall cage, but one tip I can suggest is look for cages that offer 1" bar spacing. These are typically larger cages.

Other practicality tips:

Buy an extra set of stainless bowls from the cage manufacturer. You will be washing a lot of bowls every day with an Ekkie needing two fresh meals per day.

You can offer puréed baby food in a pinch or hurry.

A king sized sheet works as a cage cover, you don't need to spend $120 on a cage cover initially or at all.

Puppy pads make excellent cage liners. Publix store brand are the best puppy pads you can buy. No other pads work this well. I have 6 tiny chihuahuas who can't go outside due to Hawks we have, and they use puppy pads exclusively. The Publix pads are head and shoulders above every other brand, and we've tried them all. They are absorbent and easier to change than paper, which can stick to the tray with urine becoming like glue.

Poop-Off spray works really well. There are other solutions some members have recommended and I would like to try them.

I personally prefer a dome top cage to a play top cage. Many birds are cage territorial and don't like to come down from a play top. A dome top offers more space and a separate play stand can go with you throughout the house.

I recommend buying a pack of the large Amazon Basics yellow microfiber towels. They are twice the size and work perfectly over the shoulder to catch poop until your bird is potty trained.

One tip, be careful with your language and noises. I cuss nearly every other word and a cussing bird is NOT cute after awhile. My daughter screamed in the house literally ONE time and Molly our Grey foster, does it every five minutes. And this is a blood-curdling scream of my 8 year old daughter.

Smile when you talk to your bird. They respond to facial expressions just like a little kid. They are deeply emotional and sensitive babies.

And lastly, just like a baby, if you find you're getting frustrated and at the end of your rope, put them in their cage and walk out of the room before you say or do something you can't undo. Just like with a crying baby who is safe in the crib even though unhappy, it's best to walk away if you find your frustration is turning to anger. Birds can be trying at times and they are toddlers who never grow up. That's a huge responsibility [emoji4]

I'm rambling but hopefully there were some helpful tips in there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

No offense intended, Brittany. I just want to mention, puppy pads in general should not be used as cage liners, most parrots can reach them even if they are on the bottom tray beneath the grate. All brands may not be toxic to parrots but I think it's safe to assume many, if not all, probably do have elements that are highly toxic to parrots, odor illiminators and perfumes, not to mention the absorbent materials if chewed.

You can order custom fit paper liners, buy a huge roll of brown paper and cut it to fit, or use newspaper.
 
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