help!

[jess]

I have just got a 12 week old baby eclectus, and have fallen head over heels for her in just a few days! I have never owned a bird, or parrot before and want to make sure i am doing everything properly, i've been reading up about parrots for the last few days but thought it may help to actually talk to people who will know... how long should i keep her out of the cage for per day? i am giving her lots of love and kisses but am worried that i may miss out on something important... any tips for feeding? She wont go near any of the veggies or fruit i've given her but she is eating seeds. i know that it is not good for them to eat mostly seed. Any help given will be greatly appreciated, Jess.
(I haven't named her yet either! any ideas for a beautiful loving baby girl? she's very gentle and loves pats on the head!)

 

[Printer bird]

Keep trying with the veg and fruit. There are other members here with ekkies who can give you better diet advice. Sometimes it takes awhile to get a parrot used to new foods. It took me about a month to get my green cheek conure to try some veggies and now he is eating red/orange/yellow peppers and corn (but no green things - but I am hopeful). Try feeding the veg/fruit to her in different ways such as by clipping larger pieces into her cage for her to find almost like a toy. Chop some up in a dish, offer them in her cage and outside of her cage, try to pretend to eat some (or actually eat some) yourself. You'd be surprised how well reverse psychology can work in these situations when you pretend like its YOUR favorite thing and you're just not going to share with her.

You should try and switch her over to a pellet diet as it is much more balanced and healthy for her (note - to be fed alongside the veg and fruit). There are lots of advice sites on the web such as this one:

Winged Wisdom Pet Bird Magazine - Switching Your Bird to Pellets - Pet Birds

If you bring your parrot to the vet (an avian vet) - and you should! - they will also be able to advise you. You can also try a bird mash such as Beak Appetite or make something like that on your own. My bird likes porridge quite a bit and that might make the switch or addition of something else a bit easier if they are already liking that. Good luck, your new parrot sounds really sweet!

ps and I am terrible with names so best for me not to make any suggestions. You can take a bit of time with that too and see what name seems to suit her!

 

[Chris Winkler]

No she shouldn't have any seeds! The eclectus needs a very special diet. They must have veggies and fruit on a daily basis.

Here is a web site that has tons of diet info. Laurella Desborough's Eclectus Center


Sunflower seeds, for example: too many Sunflower seeds cause Fatty Liver Disease in most Parrots.

Read as much as you can on this species because it is very different then other parrots

 

[Pedro]

Hi Jess, I find this site invaluable. You should be able to get a wealth of info from there.

diets

 

[jess]

Thank you all!... i love my little chicky so much and want to give her the best care possible. I'll feed her as little seed as i can until she is on the proper diet... Any other tips or thoughts on caring for a chick? I'm soo glad i stumbled across this site.

ps. the links are great!

 

[Cowtown]

Welcome Jess.... I too am a guardian to a Female Eclectus... I named her Abby... she too is a sweetie..
I got her when she was 12 weeks old. I have not had any issues with her eating her veggies and fruits.
I would get some frozen corn, brocolli, fresh baby carrots and a granny smith apple, and some brown rice. Cook the rice and let it cool and you can freeze the rest to use later.
I give Abby some rice, and the above veggies (warmed up in the micro wave not hot just warmed) and the apple. She loves it.. NO SEEDS.. I have her on Zupreem wild and spicy pellets. I also give her baked sweet potatoe, cooked pasta (no salt or any sauces on it)
Abby is not realy picky, she will eat just about anything.

Just keep trying, remember she is a baby and it will take some time for her to adjust to you, her new surroundings and new food.

I was going to name Abby... Jenn Jenn but chose Abby..

Good Luck

 

[Chris Winkler]

I'll feed her as little seed as i can until she is on the proper diet

I would stop the seed all together. Eclectus should not have any seed unless they are in the form of sprouts. Now some nuts as a treat is OK NO PEANUTS! I give my guys either Walnut or Pecans. They like the walnuts by far the best. In fact Echo will do just about anything for a walnut. Even going into the dreaded cage when I have to leave.

Here is a quote from this web site about peanuts. http://ezinearticles.com/?What-to-NEVER-Feed-Your-Parrot&id=464871

Feeding your parrot shelled peanuts is one of the most common nutritional miss-habits in bird care. A lot of popular diets contain peanuts among their ingredients, but they fail to specify that these should be raw, stripped peanuts of good quality. The reason why shelled peanuts are so dangerous is that they can easily produce Aspergillus Fungus, a disease that will cause serious problems to your parrot's respiratory system. In addition, shelled peanuts can be toxic, as they produce aflatoxin, a powerful carcinogen (a substance that can produce cancer in animals).


Eclectus parrots will eat seed, but they are not seedeaters. Their diet in the wild consist of native fruits such as figs, native berries and native nuts. The main thing most people forget or do not know is that Eclectus Parrots are arboreal in habit. Tree top dwellers, they forage for food in the canopy of the tropical rainforest.

So in general give her fresh and frozen veggies especially the green leafy veggies like kale and dandelion. Watch the sodium content in the frozen veggies some of the brands are rather high in sodium.

Tobi gets veggies for breakfast and a mix of both fruits and veggies for supper.. He has also decided that one of my house plants (not poisonous) is an awesome snack. He also eats like a tank. Absolutely anything I give him he will eat..

Just continue to work with the veggies and she will come around.. Also you could try warming them up a bit. A baby will be sure to go towards the warmer foods. Just like us a warm breakfast is an awesome way to start your day..

 

[Chris Winkler]

I'm soo glad i stumbled across this site.

Yes in deed. Having other parrot people to share experiences with is priceless!

 

[Pedro]

Chris you are absolutely right although they do come to ground when food is scarce or to eat from the clay licks. They also eat bugs & a they don't just eat the fruits but are more interested in the seeds of some of the fruits.

Jess if you offer your little one a variety of different foods in the beginning you shouldn't have to much of a problem. When i am weaning my eclectus babies i sprout a sprouting seed mix to which i add equal parts frozen mixed veg, chopped apple, celery, pear or what is in season at the time. They get this mix twice a day. My birds will try any new foods i give them. They also have access to a small amount of dry small parrot seed & a few Pellets. I feel they do benefit from some of the oils in the dry seed. Good for their skin. I am still not sold on the fact pellets are a good option as a total food for feeding eclectus. What ever you feed your baby make sure its healthy food.

Gee you know she seems a bit young to be weaned at 12 weeks. I like to keep my babies for at least another 4 weeks to make sure they are truly independant. My advice is if your not happy that she isn't eating enough, try giving her one feed a day of hand-rearing formula.

 

[jess]

I've decided to take Lola (found her name) to an avian vet today, she is breathing a little funny, sort or a wheezy purr, and sitting on the floor of her cage. She wont eat or drink anything and has stopped chirping completely... i googled that you can give them a strong black tea with organic melaleuca honey to get them to drink, just wanted to run it by you guys before trying it. I've now had her for three days and was thinking that she could have been sick all this time... it would explain the trouble I'm having feeding her. Everyone else I have spoken to has had no trouble at all.
I've only been giving her organic fruit and veg, I heard that it is important? I just hope she's not sick from anything I've done~
Pedro i think you may be right... she prefers to drink her water from my(clean) finger like a chick would with its mother, she doesn't seem able to do much by herself really, and has fallen off her perch a couple of times... Im trying my very hardest to keep a really close eye on her... very difficult when i don't know what to look for! But im sure the vet will help. All the diet info is really great, thank you all so much.
Jess x

 

[Pedro]

Jess i feel Lola has been sold not completely weaned. By all means get her to the Vet, could have a possible Crop infection. Either way go to the Pet Store & get some hand rearing formula. Just make up a small amount about 20mls see if she will eat it. If you need more help just let me know.

She is probably in a weakened state from not eating for a few days. Get her some help ASAP.

 

[Chris Winkler]

Hand-Feed Parrots

Heres a link with hand feeding info. I hand fed both Echo and Tobi. The temp of the formula is very important! You will need a digital thermometer.

 

[jess]

hi just thought i'd write in. My baby died this morning... she spent all yesterday and last night in intensive care... the vet said that she had severe malnutrition (among other things), too severe for it to have occurred in three days. I'm beside myself that she could have felt so bad in my care. The pet shop said that it was all our fault and that they should never have sold us the bird... although im sure that the tests will show different results as the vet said. She had been sneezing the same day we got her, i didnt know that was a bad sign. I feel terrible... horrified even. I never thought i'd fall so hard for a bird in such a small amount of time.
R.I.P Lolita Fox.
Thank you all for your help.
Jess

 

[Chris Winkler]

OMG Jess I am so sorry for this to have happened to you and Lolita! That pet store should be investigated. How could they not know this baby was not being fed correctly and not healthy.. Can you PM me the name of the shop please. I would like to do some looking on the web about their business.. {{{Hugs}}}

 

[Pedro]

OMG Jess this has upset me so much, I am truly sorry for your loss. "BIG HUGS"

My God when are these people going to learn not to sell sick & unweaned baby birds.

It doesn't say to much for the person that actually bred & hand reared Lolita & sold her to the pet shop. I am guessing that is what happened. How the hell can these people be stopped.

 

[Printer bird]

SO sorry to hear! That is just awful. I know what it is like to bring a sick bird to the vet and have it pass away. But please know that you did your best and that she was ill as a result of the handling of the people who were responsible for her before you brought her into your home. I doubt there will be any consequences to the petshop, how horrible of them.

 

[charliebrown]

It's horrible hearing about what happened to your baby girl, my heart breaks for you... I hope the experience doesn't turn you off from owning a bird though because as a new bird owner it really is one of the most rewarding pets you can own.

Heather

 

[jess]

The lady at the pet shop hand reared Lola herself, I have never come across such a heartless lady. She said that once the birds are out of their care, they have zero responsibility for what happens to them. She scoffed at the idea of even going halfs in the vet bill. Beyond rude. I have contacted the RSPCA and the fair trading department. Guess we will have to wait and see what happens. I'm afraid the whole experience has been so traumatic and costly (not that its about $$ at all!) that i wont be able to own another parrot at least for a good while. Thanks again for all your care and sympathy.
Jess x