Hi Sodakat,
That makes perfect sense. I was hoping you'd say exactly that. Is there any other advice you our anyone can offer me to make her transition as easy on her as possible? Can you tell me what I should definitely do, and not do with a new ekkie, if you have the time? I hate making mistakes at the cost of my fids, kids, or furkids.
I want to share this well written post by Laurella Desborough regarding bringing home a new bird:
Newly arrived eclectus parrots, young, old, wild, or domestic, want to be
SECURE in their new world. Most do not want to be handled... handling can be
threatening when they do not know you. If this bird was a small baby bird, a
little handling in a towel would be fine. But, with a fully developed, flighted
youngster, handling a new bird in a new environment is nothing short of
extremely frightening. I have seen the calmest sweetest easiest handling birds
become totally different when their environment is changed. That is instinct at
work. Instinct demands that youngsters be wary, or they are dead in the wild if
they are not wary. About half survive to their first hatch day.
Their whole world has changed. They need to feel safe, study the new
environment, the cage, the perches, the toys, the food, the walls, the wall
paper, the photos on the wall, the other pets if any, the people, and all
movement in the environment. They are afraid.
So, move slow around her. Talk to her. Give her the food where she feels
safest...and do not try to handle her until she moves to the perch near the
door and does not retreat when you open the door. Of course, do nothing without
talking to her first...lots of talking. Talking lets parrots know you are not a
predator!
While some eclectus parrots are comfortable in 10 minutes, some can
take up to three weeks. NEVER worry about an eclectus being "cage bound" because
as soon as they are comfortable with their new people and new world, they do
want to come out of the cage and will make that very clear by going to the door
area and marching around or even putting their foot up and some say "step up" so
that you will know they want to come out.
For people who insist on taking the bird out of the cage when it is new
and frightened, they are only extending the bird's fearful experiences and
possibly alienating the bird for months! Then, there are those who want to
stroke and pet the new bird...well that will also alienate it. Stroking or
touching on head or back is too much like a predator when you are the new person
and the bird doesn't know you. These birds are not cockatoos, macaws or amazons
and they do not like head stroking and body touching when they are new.
I hope this gives you some hints about handling a new eclectus.
When she becomes calm and comfortable, she will be fine to handle. Always
remember that talking makes a huge difference.
