Help! I'm at my wits end with my new Eclectus!

[JoelV]

Hi everyone,

I would have loved to join this forum to share wonderful experiences about my new buddy Loki, but instead I'm pleading for help and advice.

I decided, after a lot of thinking and weighing the pro's and con's, to get another bird. I have had two parrots in my lifetime. The first was a lovely little cockatiel called Boris, who I had from a baby until he passed away at 18 years of age. The second was a rainbow lorikeet who I found in the middle of the road after presumably being hit by a car. I nursed him(?) back to health, and over a few years had him pretty much hand tamed. He now lives with a friend of mine, and is doing well.

A month ago I visited a respected breeder to talk about buying an african grey, and whilst there fell in love with a 10 week old Eclectus. Just in the process of weaning. I left him with the breeder for a while longer, and brought him home 3 weeks ago, apparently pretty much fully weaned. I still give him hand feeds twice a day, though he eats a good diet (pomegranate, banana, paw paw, peas, corn, boiled egg, grapes, a small amount of sunflower seeds).

He was nice and quiet and quite affectionate for the first week. Sat on my shoulder, playing with me for hours at a time.

Then the screaming started. Every time I get near the cage or enter the room, he screams.

He screams in the cage.
He screams out of the cage.
He screams with his crop so full of food that he should be toppling over.

When I am out of sight, he will happily climb around his cage, play with toys, throw food around and eat his favourites.

He will sit on my shoulder or my chest, stare at me, and scream every 3-4 seconds for hours on end, no matter what I do. If I put him on a perch, he will fly to me, climb up my shirt, and scream.

I have tried walking away from him when he screams, but frankly its become so constant that if I did that, he would be forever caged. I make a point of only bringing him out of the cage when he is quiet for a short while, but as soon as he is out, the screaming starts.

The most frustrating part is that when a friend gets him out of his cage, he is quiet, and docile, and even whistles occasionally. then he flies from her arm onto my shoulder and starts screaming again.

I have spoken to the breeder several times, and she's never, ever had a bird act like this.

Can someone please tell me what I am doing wrong with this? I am losing my mind with it.

 

[strudel]

I have no idea, sorry, don't have that issue or know eclectus, just wanted to give you some support and say to hang in there, I'm sure somebody will have some advice for you.

Have you seen this thread?

http://www.parrotforums.com/training/48649-screaming-behavior-mods.html

 

[JoelV]

Thanks strudel

I have seen that thread, and I've spent hours trawling the internet for advice. Lots of advice on intermittent screaming, or screaming at known triggers, or screaming when hungry/unwell etc. But nothing that seems to fit my situation.

 

[strudel]

Well, hopefully some of the "eclectus people" will have some suggestions.

 

[MCaniks]

Hi JoelV, I know exactly what you're going through and all I can say is hang in there!... This is a totally normal thing for eckys, some go through this phase longer than others. I had the same issue with my Girl Ruby when she got to about 4 months of age it started. She became out of control obsessed with me, as soon as she would hear my voice or see me that would be it, the squawking would start. I have a few different things I can suggest but it doesn't mean they will work for you like they have for me just because all eckys have such different characters. First thing I did with Ruby was I bought her a large wooden perch so she is out of her cage more often and put it in our living dining area so she could always be in or amongst family/conversations/dinners etc. I made sure to shower her everyday (if possible, not freezing cold days) this taught her preening and 'Me' time. I zip tied a little radio to her cage and put music on a very low volume so she could listen to the different sounds because at the stage she wasn't talking or singing just screaming! I took out my nephews little stash of Mcdonalds toys for her to play with of which she'd go crazy for and spend hours playing with. Finally I moved her cage closer to our living area so she will always be able to sit with the family when watching TV or having conversation. She had a constant need to be with me because I was her security blanket (still am) but a few months after these changes she completely stopped and became calmer, she trusted in me that I wouldn't leave her.

Best of luck and I'm sure their are going to be great suggestions coming from more experienced Ecky owners soon.

 

[kalypso123]

Ive only been around one very calm eckie so I have no advice to really offer but I would try what MCaniks suggested. I would also try taking her to the bathroom (toilet seat down) and start training her different tricks and behaviors. Such as recall training, stay put training, and diffrent tricks such as spinning around, high five, kicking a ball, etc. Good Luck!

 

[JoelV]

And now I'm past my limit. Sadly, I think this bird has to go.

Well, I went away for 5 days and left Loki in the capable hands if my friend. I received daily updates of his adorable antics. "He's starting to sing". "He's imitating voices". Loki was allegedly showing genuine affection.

I thought that perhaps a week away from me would improve things.

I was wrong.

As soon as I entered the room after getting back, the screaming started. Louder this time. He comes out of his cage, sits on my shoulder, and screams so loud that earplugs no longer dull the pain. I try to scratch him, comfort him (things that my friend can do without provoking more than a purr or tweet), but he simply does not stop.

I'm afraid I've had all I can take.
My home is no longer my own.
It has been more than a month since I have been able to interact with Loki in any way without earplugs.
I dread coming home, because the screaming starts again, and there is it a damn thing that I can do to produce even a brief pause.

And since my friend can interact with him quite comfortably, I have to come to the conclusion that it is ME that he hates, or just wants to scream at until I break.

I'll give it perhaps one more day, but I'm pretty sure I'll be giving him away.

 

[labell]

Some eclectus, most really.. go through this and a breeder who says she has never seen it is full of it or only has contact with the babies to feed them and that's it! That baby see's you as the parent, the person who feeds. Eclectus are not like other babies they will scream for their "parent person" even right after getting fed, even while they are sitting there looking at you. THIS is the very reason I tell people to let your breeder completely wean. I am pretty sure I have said this over and over on here when people are upset that their baby screams when they see them.

I can't tell you how many times I have seen or heard of this and the person ends up resenting the bird! THIS is not the babies fault, he is being a baby! The reason he is different with your friend is because you are seen as the provider of food. Even if that person fed you are primary. They DO outgrow this..why not ask the breeder to take the baby and wean it as they should have done to begin with?

 

[Sunset_Chaser]

Everything Laura said!

 

[JoelV]

It's not that he screams before and after meals, it's that he screams the entire time I am in sight. For hours and hours. I can try to entertain him, scratch him, sing to him, anything. He ignores everything I do. He just screams. Full belly, empty belly, morning, noon, night.

This cannot be normal.
I have spent ages on the phone with the breeder (who drove 2 hours to me to drop off some special feed free of charge), and she put me in contact with another breeder who has a few decades of experience. They are both entirely baffled.

 

[labell]

I have been feeding baby eclectus for 25 yrs and it can be very normal for them I assure you. Yes I understand, screaming ALL the time, anytime he sees you. Plays without screaming if you are not in sight, you come into view screaming starts and is non stop, yep that's not uncommon. Until they are completely weaned and for a few weeks after they are fully eating on their own this will happen. It will stop, I have seen it and dealt with it many, many times first hand. I get to the point where I have my husband play with babies so they don't see me. I also play but only in short frequent sessions or my ears would bleed. I promise you it will stop. I hope you have the patience to see it through. I really don't think breeders should sell any babies until they are fully weaned and certainly not eclectus unless the person is very experienced and fully aware of all that comes with it.

 

[labell]

To stress that I really do get the extent of screaming you are talking about I have had babies that were so dependent that they didn't even need to see me, just the sound of my voice would set them off!

 

[strudel]

I promise you it will stop. I hope you have the patience to see it through.

What's the time frame for that to happen, and does the OP need to do anything, or just put up with it until the bird gives it up?

 

[RavensGryf]

Laura (labell) really does know her Eclectus and gives the best Ekkie advice. I figured that when you said the age, that he wasn't done weaning yet. It's not even a training issue at this point.

 

[Taw5106]

We've had Venus for about 6 weeks and she is 10 months old. We got her at 9 months old per the pet store. She is rather quiet and has screamed 4 times at the most in a day. I'm not sharing this to make you think there is something wrong with your baby but seeing Labell's response, maybe seeing the age will help. I'd hate to see you give up the baby, you are his chosen one, but I understand about the screaming. My dogs run in panic when Venus sounds off. She's louder than Buddy my GCA and he never shuts up, lol.

 

[labell]

I promise you it will stop. I hope you have the patience to see it through.

What's the time frame for that to happen, and does the OP need to do anything, or just put up with it until the bird gives it up?

There is not really a time frame except to say a few weeks after being completely weaned. Eclectus will often go down to one feeding and then back up to two for a few days then back to one again. That last feeding is always the hardest. I never rush it and let the bird tell me when they are ready to wean.
You can have other people work with him, playing, training, socializing and keep your interaction to feeding and short sessions of cuddles and comfort.

 

[MCaniks]

To stress that I really do get the extent of screaming you are talking about I have had babies that were so dependent that they didn't even need to see me, just the sound of my voice would set them off!

Absolutely true!... My Ruby would hear me answer my phone from upstairs and start screaming. It does get unbearable but very normal.

 

[Delfin]

JoelV
I suggest that you get some Professional advice, One being Barbara Heidenreich and the other is Rob Marshall.

 

[RavensGryf]

Several people have suggested training, which is not the issue now... It's great I agree for after this bird is old enough to focus on anything other than being weaned! As it was pointed out, it's not regular behavioral screaming, it's BABY screaming.

It's too bad breeders don't take the time to make sure they're completely ready for their new homes (and especially Eclectus which is one species who really needs an expert to wean), rather than looking at the money and telling the new owner it's easy.

 

[Anansi]

Hi, JoelV.

I hear your frustration. Just to add to the testimonials you've already received, I was visiting with one of my ekkies, my dearly departed Bixby, since he was just over a month old. I say visited because they kept him at the store until he was fully weaned, which was at around 4 months. And let me tell you, Bixby went through this stage something awful! Just every few seconds that ear-shattering shriek would come out of nowhere! It's an eclectus thing.

But it passes. Truly it does. For Bixby, he quit it right around the time he was ready to come home with us at four months. For his hatchmate, it was closer to three. The time varies, but it does stop. Just wait it out. It will be worth it.