My Third Parrot ! Male Vosmaeri Eclectus :-)

It's official, I am now officially a crazy bird lady (specifically eclectus).

I began my journey into parronthood with my female vosmaeri Bella. When I went to get her from the breeder I met her sibling and a few other birds she was living with. I got her home and I felt like she was missing having birdie company so I began looking around for a potential feathered friend (also keeping in mind they might actually hate eachother and I could end up splitting my time).

I found my male red sided Dexter being rehomed super local to me and I snapped him up! He was rather wilful but immediately showed me he was a rather smart cookie and had potential for trick training.

Everything was fab with my duo. I had my snuggle bug Bella and my superstar Dexter.

I was just looking online at local ads and found myself looking at birdies. . . and there he was. A little green plucked flightless ekkie. I did what I usually do, I messaged the seller to find out if there's anything they could maybe do differently, suggest ideas to help, find out if they really wanted to sell him. I looked at his age and he was the same age as my Bella.

The seller said they thought he was a Grand eclectus. Then they told me the name of the breeder... It was the breeder I got Bella from! Confused by this I checked with the breeder and it turned out he had grand eclectus in the past too. It was only after conversing with the breeder and finding out the ring number I discovered that little Gerry WAS Bellas sibling that I had met previously!

So now I have a trio!

I would post a pic, but photobucket is being a git to me :-(

Update to follow. . .

Congratulation! You must be over the moon!

Now that's exciting, congratulations

After bringing him home and getting him out of his carrier and into his cage, I gave him some chop and some water. Originally I intended to leave his cage as it was for at least a couple of days so he could settle in, but I decided to add a couple of toys (his cage was rather bare with just a few perches at feeding bowls). He wasn't scared of the toys and investigated them and had a little nibble.

The next day I moved a java tree wrapped in untreated sisal rope next to his cage in an attempt to enlarge his roaming radius. I figured if he plucks through boredom, his inability to fly and travel would leave him feeling rather stuck and frustrated. He was a little wary of the tree until almond slivers were offered I then added more shredding toys and a stainless steel bell to his cage.

He played with toys, chewed, shredded. . .
and then I witnessed his behaviour.
I had never observed a parrot plucking or self mutilating before, and I must say it seemed far more distressing and disturbing than I had envisioned. He would wrap his tiny wing around a perch, poke his head around the other side of the perch and yank and crunch on his wing very aggressively like a dog with a toy. It was so sad to see So far if I see him preening or chewing or crunching feathers I ignore him and turn away. If he plays with a toy or does nothing I give him attention and praise and treats.

I'm going to take him to the vets on Thursday. I was thinking about if it might be worth giving him a collar until his wings grow back in...

Can anyone with experience of pluckers offer any advice in this matter? I'd greatly appreciate any ideas that might help.

Photobucket might be out of action, but I still have YouTube!

[ame="https://youtu.be/Lt6xqp4DGfo"]Male Vosmaeri Eclectus Parrot (Gerry) investigating toy - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://youtu.be/4qaEWXfoZ60"]Male Vosmaeri Eclectus Parrot (Gerry) shredding toy - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://youtu.be/4xf0EWwb7d4"]Male Vosmaeri Eclectus Parrot (Gerry) investigating new toys - YouTube[/ame]

Sorry about the crazy lighting, I had a full spectrum light plugged in for some of the time.

Finally got my photobucket account working again!


On the java tree after being lured by almond slivers


Some of the toys I gave him


His current set up

He is a looker! How old is he and how long has the plucking behavior occurred? It doesn't look to bad, and the fully feathered chest is promising!

I wonder how long this little lot will keep him going. . .

To a non-birdy person, I understand this may look excessive, but this is just what I think a bored birdy would like, I mean, if I was a bored birdy, I'd like it - wouldn't you?

psychocircus91 said:

He is a looker! How old is he and how long has the plucking behavior occurred? It doesn't look to bad, and the fully feathered chest is promising!

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He hatched early June last year, his wings and tail are pretty non existent at present, but the rest of his body seems fine. I believe the previous human got him at around 3 months old, I've seen photos of him online, back in September last year some feathers look like they have some black stress bands, and as time goes on the edges get more chewed and jagged until eventually virtually no primary feathers and no tail

Here's what his wings looked like in February this year


And here's today


In a weird way it would have been better if he had plucked his chest instead of his wings and tail, at least then he would still be able to fly

Nice toy selections!
Hopefully between life with you, your experience, tips from other eclectus owners, and time, he will ease up on the plucking. Will be interested in what the vet says

Handsome boy!!!

3 months? 12 weeks, was he even weaned by then? I know nothing about the reputation of the breeder, but if he was force weaned, that may play into the plucking.

Well done on your new boy, Gerry. Bella's sibling eh? Do you know how the breeder fed them, syringe? Following Chris' post re being force weaned I wonder if you could try and offer some warm food in a syringe? Complete what was done poorly? Let him refuse it in his own time if he starts to take some food this way? Perhaps part of his evening routine? Plum kept his baby begging responses for years. Hearing a parrot mutilate itself is like having your insides ripped out, horrible and you have to try and ignore it. He is being spoilt rotten, what a lovely amount of toys. I send you all good wishes for taking him and prayers that this hurdle can be overcome.

chris-md said:

Handsome boy!!!

3 months? 12 weeks, was he even weaned by then? I know nothing about the reputation of the breeder, but if he was force weaned, that may play into the plucking.

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plumsmum2005 said:

Well done on your new boy, Gerry. Bella's sibling eh? Do you know how the breeder fed them, syringe? Following Chris' post re being force weaned I wonder if you could try and offer some warm food in a syringe? Complete what was done poorly? Let him refuse it in his own time if he starts to take some food this way? Perhaps part of his evening routine? Plum kept his baby begging responses for years. Hearing a parrot mutilate itself is like having your insides ripped out, horrible and you have to try and ignore it. He is being spoilt rotten, what a lovely amount of toys. I send you all good wishes for taking him and prayers that this hurdle can be overcome.

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I know the breeder leaves the babies with the parents for a couple of weeks or so before pulling them from the nest, then a different person does the hand feeding somewhere else. From my understanding, fruits and vegetables and soak mixes are gradually introduced and feedings reduced until stopped.

I don't know how likely being weaned too soon is the cause of his behaviour, but it could well be a contributing factor.

I have been feeding him cooked, warm, smushed butternut squash in the evenings. Hopefully he finds this comforting.

Saw the vet today and she suggested lots of play and training and interaction and leaving the room if he plucks. (Which I agree with.)

She also suggested that after he's more settled (maybe in the new year) we could look at removing all the damaged shafts from his wings so that his new feathers grow in together. She said all the ragged bits are annoying like when a fingernail has a rough bit that keep catching (makes sense), so it might be more comfortable for him and stop him wanting to nibble at them.

She also recommended putting him (and the others) on Harrisons High Potency (as well as their current diet). I'm in two minds about it. With Gerry I can understand that his body could need more nutrients to help regeneration of his feathers and general condition. But I'm a bit wary about adding pellets to Bella and Dexters diets... What about toe tapping and wing flipping?
She recommended building up to 2 tablespoons each per day. I guess I'll order some to mix into Gerrys food and see how it goes...

Violet_Diva said:

Saw the vet today and she suggested lots of play and training and interaction and leaving the room if he plucks. (Which I agree with.)

She also suggested that after he's more settled (maybe in the new year) we could look at removing all the damaged shafts from his wings so that his new feathers grow in together. She said all the ragged bits are annoying like when a fingernail has a rough bit that keep catching (makes sense), so it might be more comfortable for him and stop him wanting to nibble at them.

She also recommended putting him (and the others) on Harrisons High Potency (as well as their current diet). I'm in two minds about it. With Gerry I can understand that his body could need more nutrients to help regeneration of his feathers and general condition. But I'm a bit wary about adding pellets to Bella and Dexters diets... What about toe tapping and wing flipping?
She recommended building up to 2 tablespoons each per day. I guess I'll order some to mix into Gerrys food and see how it goes...

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A huge dilemma! In your shoes I would be very wary. Please have a look at posts by Anansi, Stephen has listed what he feeds Jolly and Maya and seems to have a steady ship.

Gerry had a jelly pot treat and waved it around, it made me laugh because he reminded me of when wine experts are sloshing the wine around the glass to release the 'bouquet'!

What a posh little man

[ame="https://youtu.be/m3OX0gnJwzs"]Male Vosmaeri Eclectus Parrot (Gerry) having a jelly cup treat - YouTube[/ame]

Ah looks like it's a winner, definitely savouring it! I tried these with Plum and just got it thrown at me LOL.

Initially little Gerry seemed incredibly focused on wanting to come out of his cage - running around the bottom of the cage near the front like a panicked animal, pacing the perches like a depressed zoo animal, sitting on the door perch and mutilating his wing feathers in an aggressive way in protest...

Then if he was out of the cage he just wanted to sit on the top of it, over-preening and chewing up his feathers and not wanting to go back in.

One week later...

He's already being much more comfortable with being in his cage and has found that being in his cage can be fun. He's been so into his shredding toys that he seems to have forgotten he's in the cage at times. Obviously I still let him out but usually for multiple short periods. I want him to be used to going in and out alot and not having it be a big deal. Hopefully he will learn that he won't get shut in for long periods and that if he goes in - he gets to come out again.

I'm still finding little bits of feathers at the bottom of his cage each day. At the moment, I'm bagging a weeks worth at a time so I can compare them week by week and see if he reduces his habit at all.

I still have hopes of him being able to fly again! It's so sad to see him wanting to fly and not being able to.

Have you a playstand you can put right by the open cage door for him to climb onto? An increase in movement would be good and if he can pick and choose where he wants to be that would be good.

plumsmum2005 said:

Have you a playstand you can put right by the open cage door for him to climb onto? An increase in movement would be good and if he can pick and choose where he wants to be that would be good.

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Violet_Diva said:

The next day I moved a java tree wrapped in untreated sisal rope next to his cage in an attempt to enlarge his roaming radius. I figured if he plucks through boredom, his inability to fly and travel would leave him feeling rather stuck and frustrated. He was a little wary of the tree until almond slivers were offered

Click to expand...

I already did

Great minds think alike!