Ekkie's not playful

[AngelAndMe]

My eclectus Angel and I have been together now for about a year and a half and she's settled into our routine well. She underwent some testing and we found out she had a vitamin A deficiency. After about 6 to 8 months she's good as can be, howe very she'said not very playful. Every now and again' I'll catch her playing with herror bell toy in her cage, but other than that she'll sit on her perch and do nothing. She'll climb out of her cage to the top but she doesn'the like to do much then either. Whenever she'said on a play perch or around toys, she just sits still and watches everyone. She doesn'the even really turn around on the perch. Can you offer any advice as to why she may be do dormant or what I can do to help her?


Thank you!

:red:

 

[MonicaMc]

Whenever you see her touch her bell toy, go over and reward her. If she loves treats, hand her a treat! She may be confused at first, but the more you reward her for touching (accidentally or purposely) a toy, the more inclined she will be to do it again!


You can also place food and treats in and around toys to make them more interesting!

 

[Uglow]

what kind of toys do you have? I've sort of went nuts with toys for Uglow and I've made my own with some of his favorite treats hidden in there. He never liked his tree but I added a lot of rope to it and he loves it now.

one of his favorite things is treats in coffee filters wrapped like a burrito with the ends twisted up. I placed some treats on top originally and then he figured out there was more inside. now he holds them in one foot and eats out of them like a drumstick after tearing into them.

I drilled some holes in his wooden toys and mushed bits of almonds in there. He spends a lot of time trying to get them out.

I placed some bird safe plastic foot toys in his food dish so that he has to grab them all and throw them out. now he plays with them on his flat play area.

Chinese finger traps are one of his favorites to shred up. He growls and flaps his wings at them, then attacks them and shakes them and starts shredding.

leather rope with knots. He spends hours untying them. I discovered this when I found all of the wooden parts of his store bought toys would end up at the bottom of his cage. So now I double knot them and he spends even longer trying to figure them out.

I'm really lucky that windycityparrots' storefront is two blocks away from me. They have a lot of bird safe stuff that one can purchase and assemble toys that you can cater to your bird's likes.

Some of his store bought toys, he wouldn't touch and then one day he can't stay away from them.

Hope this helps and good luck.

 

[Scott]

I too have a female Ekkie who was never interested in playing with toys!
Angel is a 23 year old Vos who has been exposed to most every toy possible and has never shown interest. She was a hand-fed baby and has certainly watched other birds play with gusto. Angel loves to cuddle, but when left alone likes to explore. I place her in the "bird room" and she goes from cage to cage and walks on the floor. (it is safe) Shows no interest in the other birds, though a few will groom her when they are being held by me. They really don't know what to make of Ekkies new feather shafts, and after a while she growls to chase them away.

 

[chris-md]

I feel your pain. My male ekkie isn't playful at all. He has a few bell toys and he'll play with one (it's his girlfriend, he regurges to it), and admittedly he does like to shred. But most of the time he wants to just be a lump on the log and sit on his perch. Most of the time he rebukes my attempts to pick him up cause he's perfectly happy where he is staring off into space.

Admittedly I struggle with it. It's exactly what I wanted, relatively low maintenance. But now that I have it, I feel like I'm missing activity a bit. But, in dog terms, I'm not one who wants to take a dog out for a walk, I'd rather cuddle on the couch. So I just have to remember I have the exact bird for my ownership style.

Just a case of wanting what you don't have.

 

[Peppagirl]

My eclectus Angel and I have been together now for about a year and a half and she's settled into our routine well. She underwent some testing and we found out she had a vitamin A deficiency. After about 6 to 8 months she's good as can be, howe very she'said not very playful. Every now and again' I'll catch her playing with herror bell toy in her cage, but other than that she'll sit on her perch and do nothing. She'll climb out of her cage to the top but she doesn'the like to do much then either. Whenever she'said on a play perch or around toys, she just sits still and watches everyone. She doesn'the even really turn around on the perch. Can you offer any advice as to why she may be do dormant or what I can do to help her?


Thank you!

:red:

My female ekkie was the same, I spoke to the people I bought her off about it and they suggest that I change her toys, I tried that and so far it seems to be working. She must get bored with the same toys. In saying that, if I leave the room she is very quick to jump down and try and find me. She is only happy to sit and play with her toys, is if she can see me.

 

[CherryBerry]

I've had my 13-year-old female eclectus, Cherry, for just over a year now and she's pretty much the same as yours. She doesn't play at all and mostly doesn't move much either (or fly). Although sometimes I feel it would be great to have a more playful and interactive bird, our lovely girls suits us and our lifestyle pretty well -- because she's quiet and seems happy with her own company, we can leave her most days for school and work without her getting bored, lonely and self-mutilating.

Cherry does like some attention, though; in particular, she likes to have a little honk-chat with me after meal times. She also loves music and singing so maybe try some less 'traditional' things with Angel -- although she doesn't like playing she may enjoy something else. It's just a question of finding out what.

Eclectuses are so beautiful... I find it's enough just to sit and look at Cherry. It's taken her a long time to settle in with us (a whole year!) but I know she feels much more relaxed because she will look me directly in the eye now (initially, she wouldn't allow direct eye contact) and just this past week or so she's let us stroke the back of her head and she starts to close her eyes...

Best wishes,

Anita