Baby Eclectus - Watch him grow![Photos]

[Kinny]

Thank you labell! Very helpful!

We are planning to drive at night/early am so that the 3 kids just sleep through the trip, so the Eclectus would probably be in a secure box instead of a cage.?

Oh my, that is a fair bit longer. O_O

 

[labell]

Please keep in mind I am an absolute push over when it comes to weaning babies. If they cry around me, they get fed. Jolly who is a Solomon kept me feeding him until he was 7 months old! I don't believe in force weaning and that last few months with Jolly was a very small amount and more of a time with mommy comfort thing.

There are tricks to getting them to give it up once you know it's just for comfort such as feeding them in a different room, on a different stand but to me it was never a big deal to just feed them until they were ready to give it up. I would not try this approach with cockatoos lol you'd be feeding for years!

What do you mean by box? Cardboard? Wood? I would rather use a travel cage or carrier and cover it if you want to keep it dark but I would want to be able to peek and see what/how the baby is doing on that long of a trip.

 

[Anansi]

If you wind up taking her(?) in a travel cage, I've found that using Bixby's (and now Maya's as well) travel cages as their nighttime cages gets them more used to being in those smaller confines for longer periods of time. I guess they come to see it more as cozy than cramped, and are less likely to be stressed out about it on a long drive.

 

[Kinny]

Haha labell. Thank you ^^ I could try what i do with my other parrots at weaning, once they start chewing on things i put some soaked seed, fruit bits etc in their cage/brooder, and some dry pellets just for them to have some tasty chew toys so to speak. So maybe if i just 'encourage' the eating of real food s/he'll take to it.?

I meant moreso our small dog/cat carrier. But then the cage would be better as he'd have more room to move around. I usually get my babies used to going in that carrier (food galore and cuddles afterwards) so when i need to take them to a Vet they don't freak out, and instead look forward to cuddles and EDIBLES!!!

Thank you Stephen, that's actually a very good idea.

And.. NOOOO! I think its a female.. She grew again overnight.. She's bigger than my hand now! Lots and lots of down everywhere now and its completely covering her underside.. It looks like the dark charcoal.. And the beak keeps going darker, light, dark, light.. So its confusing me -_- Nu! I want male! Haha

 

[Allee]

Precious baby photos! Thanks for letting us watch this little one grow.

 

[Kinny]

No worries. Will try and upload a video later today. ^^

 

[Kinny]

Sorry people! I can't seem to find the program that was on my computer for downsizing video size.. But on the upside I just took some more photos (SO FLUFFY!), and I'm convinced I know what gender the baby is.. Just going to feed the kiddies dinner, and then I'll upload the photos! Hopefully the kids behave, otherwise there won't be any more photos for another 3 hours...

 

[Kinny]

Photos! Pretty sure it's a she. Can you tell the beak is darkening? Flash on the camera was on, so you can't see it properly but her down is very, very dark.

Sen, I believe, is on eggs again. Tai keeps spending time with her in the nestbox and is feeding her again being the big happy beautiful Mate that he is :smile015: :smile015: :smile015: If she is, she'll be getting a break afterwards.

 

[Anansi]

Wow! I love these pics! She seems so bonded to you, already! Does she show signs of excitement when she sees you, yet? Or is it too early for that kind of thing?

 

[Kinny]

Wow! I love these pics! She seems so bonded to you, already! Does she show signs of excitement when she sees you, yet? Or is it too early for that kind of thing?

She is! (How on earth can you tell from photos!? lol) So much more bonded than others I've raised... going to be so hard to let her go!!! HECK yes! As soon as i speak in the room that the brooder is in, she starts 'honking' loudly and squeaking... (does it when my husband talks too, but she only does it quietly) and when I open the lid and put my hand in the brooder next to her she tries to climb up onto my hand. so CUTE!

EDIT: Forgot to mention she also started flapping her little wings today whenever she heard movement. ^^

EDIT #2: It's been decided she will be staying at our Grandparents house (10 minute drive) when we go to that City. So it'll be easier to get her used to them and their place..much easier and less stressful than travelling in a car for 8 hours there, brand new place new people, then 8 hours back the next day.

EDIT #3:In fact I haven't been this attached to a parrot I'm raising since my Muta... Maybe it's because she's the only one? If it's up to my husband she'll be sold. But if it's up to me.. NU! ^^ We'll see. If Sen is on eggs again then he may be more open to keeping her...though he's more keen on keeping a male.

I know I often like the attitude-y birds the most, but a female Eclectus who will want to 'rule the household' with an attitude and 3 young kids probably isn't the best mix...right?

 

[labell]

Not all female's get hormonal and have attitude, some can act just like the males do their whole lives.

 

[Anansi]

Not all female's get hormonal and have attitude, some can act just like the males do their whole lives.

Yup! Maya's only two, but so far so good!

 

[Kinny]

In general though, females have attitude.? But then if she did get hormonal after 2-3 years of us having her and it didn't work with the kids, we would get less money for her (this is how my husband thinks.. He wants to get money back from buying the pair/cost of the food they eat etc. >.> ) so if its a girl who gets an attitude he'll want money back for the food she ate (one of our biggest disagreements) so which would be best in your opinion?

Keep this female and possibly have to sell if an attitude kicks in later.....or..... Wait for our pair to produce 2 males and keep one.?

Awww Stephen your Maya is a sweetie!

Just wondering if it's best to keep her or wait.

 

[Anansi]

Honestly, Liana? I think when you're taking in a bird you have to go all in. You shouldn't take her if you're going in with the mindset of possibly selling her.

If you take her in, you'd be accepting her into your family... potential warts and all. If an issue comes up with nippiness, be prepared to work with her to get it under control.

It sounds like you have the beginnings of a special bond. You'd likely regret it if you didn't keep her. But you should only do so if you're prepared to go all in. All in, Liana, or not at all. That's my take. Hope that helps.

 

[Kinny]

Mmm, I agree with you. They become a part of your family, some unhelpful behaviour doesn't mean they deserve to be 'tossed' away. Like with my Muta. He was such a HUGE part of our family, even though he was a moron half the time like viciously attacking my feet when he got grumpy, but we still loved him. My husband tried to get me to sell him once he hit maturity and got all mischievous etc, and I nearly did due to 'pressure'.. but now i look back and am SO SO SO GLAD I didn't! I'd have regretted it forever, (and I'm sure you all know how bonded I was to him).

And with our Jenday Kioko. She bit, hated hands, had severe cage aggression etc. And after only a month of working with her she didn't do ANY of it anymore and ended up being the sweetest bird I've ever owned. Any other birds we took in she decided she was the Bird Nanny.

I'm speaking about the Eclectus more from my husbands point of view.. Because if something doesn't go right he will try to make me sell her. If I went into it not thinking about the possibility of selling her, I would let myself get completely attached. And if my husband wants to sell her later on I'll be utterly heartbroken. So I just wanted some advice from other Parronts.

Aww you really think so Stephen? I guess it's just harder for me to see at the moment.. either that or I don't want to see it if she has to be sold. *gets inquisitive* How can you tell? >.>Haha

 

[labell]

Males can become unruly, cage aggressive, humping everything, biting, plucking, screaming. There are no guarantees with any bird male or female that there won't be issues to work through down the line.
Female eclectus are the protector of the nest in the wild so yes they will always be more of a handful, just as male amazons tend to be a little more tricky than the girls but there are always examples that break the stereotype. Eclectus girls that stay sweet and actually some I know of that are breeders AND pets or male amazon's that are total love bugs. It all comes down to the individual temperament of each bird.

Any breeder, well any GOOD breeder of any type of animal is going to tell you that you are never going to get rich breeding and selling animals. Most of the time you will be lucky to break even. If you are doing it for the love of it and never compromising the BEST interest of the animal.

Frankly it always irritates me to no end when I talk to a dog breeder and find out they are feeding Purina or Pedigree or some other truly garbage food to the mothers and puppies that they are selling for huge amounts of money. Trying to save a buck on something as important as nutrition.. the very thing that makes the building blocks of health for that animals entire life!
Medical care and food cost are part of and rolled into the hobby of breeding. The food you feed the parents will have a direct impact on the future health and well being of the babies. Being abundantly weaned will make for a better well adjusted baby. These are cost incurred that can never be calculated or recouped as they are the responsibility of a good breeder and no good breeder would ever compromise in those areas to make more money over the long haul. The fact is a good breeder knows that good nutrition will matter more than most things over the long haul.

Sure there are breeders who cut corners and try to up their bottom line through less than admirable means but in the long run they pay, pairs stop producing, eggs are effected, fertility is effected.

So I guess my point in all of this is your husband cannot factor in food cost of a bird you chose to keep, that is just part of being a good breeder or owner. If cost of food for one bird has become a factor than can I be so bold as to say you maybe in over what you can comfortably afford now. I hope you don't take that wrong or think I am being harsh but seriously if things are that tight that food for one becomes an issue than what happens if you have a truly expensive cost incurred, vet bills such as an egg impacted female, medical emergency with a baby or any number of things that could happen.

 

[Kinny]

Yeah, I can completely understand that (it's like that with every species, really, there's always an odd one out). Precisely! That's exactly what I think. The whole reason I got into breeding birds was for the love of it, and that every single bird deserves a great start to life. Our kids (especially our Daughter) absolutely LOVE having pet parrots inside. Our love for birds helps my daughter and I get along.. we are so alike we already get on each others nerves haha. He was actually the one who said he wanted bigger pairs like Eclectus or Macaw.. (to get more money from the offspring sold) but no way do I want to BREED Macaws.. have one as a pet, yes, but not breed them! So I found a pair (Tai and Sen) and my husband agreed to get them. I was happy to get them because I was planning to breed Eclectus at some point anyway, but I did advise my husband that we don't know when they will breed, how many babies, or even if the babies would survive. It's only recently that he's started saying I need to earn back that money and for all the food they eat... :20: I have tried to tell him breeding birds is not about money. But it seems that flies over the top of his head.

My husband is just becoming far too focused on Money. Apparently I need to increase my Art skills so that we can get lots of money for my Art... It's kind of taking the fun away from Arting.. Art for me is for sheer fun and joy, not purely a 'Job'. He tends to see birds as 'not very important', and he thinks that people should not have pets. This is all very recent and he knows how much I need birds in my life.. they are a part of me. He believes I love birds too much. >=[ Sometimes I wish he was an avid bird lover too.

It's hard trying to be the best breeder/owner I can be with my husband every now and then urging me to do something or not do something that I disagree with. Like the Eclectus, he believes they don't NEED lots of nutrition and fruit etc. (however I continue to feed them their great pellets, fruit and vegies, nuts which are mixed in with the pellets they get, and every now and then I will mix a little bit of vitamins in with their pellets.. moreso when Sen is broody) He just wants to feed them something small that will 'keep them alive'. >.> Yes, I've almost lashed out at him since I treasure ALL of my birds, but I'm the silent type.. so I turn hostile for a day or two. Seems to get his act back in gear... for a while.


We aren't that tight on money, (only one kid on formula, and we get many, many benefits from the government so we have it quite easy, money-wise) and since we have so many birds (that surprising don't eat as much as we thought they would) we get special deals on bulk orders. And also since we eat healthy we ALWAYS have fruit and veggies in the house so sparing a bit for the birds is nothing. So I really don't see why he has such a problem with the 'food' side of things.

Actually, he probably gets jealous that I snuggle the birds more than him haha.

 

[Anansi]

Only you know the reality of your situation, Liana. It sounds as though your husband is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a bird person. (Or a pet person in general.) But not everyone can be.

You won't be able to change that. It's just part and parcel of who he is. But while you'll have to accept that about him, he should likewise accept what birds mean to you. Just my two cents.

But like I said, only you can know the reality of your situation... and whether that reality will allow for this new addition to your family. That said, however, I do hope that it does work out for you to keep her. I say this only because I've read what you've written about Muta. I know how much she meant to you. So I know the significance of your comparing what you feel for this bird to what you once felt for him.

But if your reality does not allow for this to happen, then don't put either yourself or your precious new baby girl through it. You know what I mean?

Oh! And on a different note, you really should never give vitamins to an eclectus. Well, save for the instance when you are so advised by an avian vet experienced with eclectus. You also want to either severely limit or eliminate altogether pellets from their diet. (I personally only allow Bixby and Maya 10 Harrisons Adult Coarse pellets each per day.) Their digestive tracts are far longer than those of most parrots, which allows for more efficient extraction of vitamins from their foods. As a result, enriched foods such as pellets prove far too rich in vitamin content for them. An overdose of these vitamins can lead to toe-tapping, wing flipping, increased aggressiveness and even plucking.

A large variety of fruits, veggies and legumes is best for them.

Btw, still looking forward to more pics! And any luck getting that video uploaded? Some of us are rather anxious over here.

 

[Kinny]

Thank you for that Stephen. Good to get a Mans point of view.

Well when I was having a cuddle session with her this evening, after her nightly feed, my husband reached over, said "What a fatty!" and started giving her a head scratch and playing with her... she loved it! Of course as soon as I laughed and spoke she honked and chirped and went back to trying to cuddle me she's responding now every time I say "Hello" ... SO CUTE! *suspicious glance* He may just be warming up to her. This is a good sign! She also attempted to nibble and cuddle with our 3 year old daughter today, it was so adorable! Miss Eckie's just making me fall for her even more.

Thank you. Yes he meant so much to me and was such a big part of the family. I will never be able to put into words just how important he was to me.. And even though we only had him for 7 months I cherish all of it, and don't want to pass up the opportunity to have another bond like that.. I honestly didn't think I'd feel this way about a bird ever again.

I do indeed know what you mean, and I have to agree with you. I hope my husband will agree to keep her, but if not I'll have to just grit my teeth and do what's best for the little Miss.

Yeah I've been reading about that lately. They don't get much pellets, and not much seed either, but they haven't been getting fruit every single day (the fruit here at the moment is bad quality). Veggies they get every day, but not fruit. Also started doing sprouted seed (mainly sprouted Mung Beans) and more legumes again. But I will certainly keep that supplement out of their diet for the time being, unless advised by an Avian Vet.

Haha, well here's a couple more! No D: It's almost a minute long and that darn program has grown wings and flown away! So I'll have to ask my husband (Loki) to do that for me.. These were taken less than an hour ago.

 

[Kinny]

Oh dear... is it bad that a name just popped into my head for her..? :54: While I was working on a commission so wasn't even thinking about her!