Neat article about eclectus myths

[Jtbirds]

So I have know about this article for awhile, but thought I'd post it on here for any new eclectus owners or maybe even owners that have had there's awhile and may not know these common myths.

Article link:Eclectus Myths

It's a really nice article and really provides some ideal thoughts about our so beloved eclectus, tell me what you think about it


*all credit is given to the author Carolyn swicegood.

 

[moni.k]

Aww, the article was so sweet. I totally agree with the "feathered monkeys" hehe Nalani loves hanging upside down and acting silly. Thank you for sharing!

 

[drlisaort]

I LOVE this article. No matter how many times I read it I smile! I'm so homesick for my Ollie Ekkie...

 

[c3honey84]

Oh my goodness I love this article. It says everything perfectly!

 

[Tami]

For those of you that have female ekkies do you have much trouble with them biting? Many of you know that I am getting a 6.5 yr old most likely next week. I had a very long talk with the current owner and he said that she is nearly the perfect bird until she gets hormonal, ready to lay her egg, and then she will bite really hard, but a couple weeks after she lays it, she's fine. At first I thought he said she goes thru this about 3 or 4 weeks out of the year. Today he corrected me and said she is like that 3-4 months out of the year. Yikes! He had her as a chick, he's a hobbyist, weaned her and sold her to a woman who just sold her back to him due to her health issues. He said that the woman came back to visit Carli and came upon her from behind and scared her. Carli bit her on the cheek and she needed 3 stitches. He says it was definitely the womans fault for sneaking up behind her but now I'm a bit shaken by this . She had also bit a couple other people during her season. Comments please. Should I rethink adopting her out is this normal and I'll just learn to read her moods?

 

[sodakat]

For those of you that have female ekkies do you have much trouble with them biting? Many of you know that I am getting a 6.5 yr old most likely next week. I had a very long talk with the current owner and he said that she is nearly the perfect bird until she gets hormonal, ready to lay her egg, and then she will bite really hard, but a couple weeks after she lays it, she's fine. At first I thought he said she goes thru this about 3 or 4 weeks out of the year. Today he corrected me and said she is like that 3-4 months out of the year. Yikes! He had her as a chick, he's a hobbyist, weaned her and sold her to a woman who just sold her back to him due to her health issues. He said that the woman came back to visit Carli and came upon her from behind and scared her. Carli bit her on the cheek and she needed 3 stitches. He says it was definitely the womans fault for sneaking up behind her but now I'm a bit shaken by this . She had also bit a couple other people during her season. Comments please. Should I rethink adopting her out is this normal and I'll just learn to read her moods?

Eclectus females are unlike other species. I know one owner whose vet calls them the sex fiends of the parrot world. Then there is a long time parrot keeper who recommends giving cardboard boxes to females, "except the heavy breathers, like Eclectus."

So it is safe to say that females are dedicated to procreation. Next to survival, reproduction is probably the strongest instinctual drive in most species. With Eclectus, especially the females, their instinctual drive is strong. This is one of their attributes, to me. They can be the sweetest and yet most determined/single minded bird you will ever meet.

If given the chance, an Eclectus hen will sit in or near a nest year round. They guard the nest more than their chicks! So, if there is ANYTHING they perceive as a suitable nest and if they are allowed to sit there and get in the zone where they are not paying attention to anything except the "nest" they will strike out if interrupted.

I don't know where Carli was that her ex-owner's face was in striking range, but I would never try to touch a bird who was not looking at me and until I had the bird's attention.

Personally, I don't think its a given that she will be moody or nesty or whatever you want to call it for several months out of the year, especially if she isn't allowed to sit in dim areas. If she leads an active, stimulating life there will be no reason for her to think its a good time to lay eggs.

Now, if your lifestyle requires that she sit alone all day in a cage there is a good chance she may begin to look at her cage as a nest, to a degree. In this case you would need to move the cage frequently, especially keeping in mind where the best lit areas are in the room throughout the year.

Clipped birds and especially hens who have been clipped their entire lives, or floor walkers as I call them, are much more likely to be determined nest hunters. It can be challenging to keep a clipped bird up off the floor and the floor is where they find the tempting spots to claim.

The more she is taken places and stimulated to do things beside sit, the happier you both will be.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Great article, I didn't know they were first imported in the 70's, no wonder less was known about them compared to to other parrots.

 

[Tami]

Sodakat, thank you for your clear explanations and info. I feel so much better. I really want to learn all I can so we have the best relationship possible. Is there any reading material our websites I should be checking out?

 

[Cowtown]

Thank you for posting that.... I love my Abby.... she just like the article described, she loves to eat fresh foods.... she is very busy in her cage with her toys, she will climb up one side hang upside down... attack her toy bells and climb to the other side down it run across the bottom of her cage and start all over again..... and she is a talker....
I love you, kiss kiss, tickle tickle, bye bye, nite nite, Abby is a pretty girl, Hello, she has been trying to say new words for a couple of days, I can not make them out as she has that soft southern voice. ....

 

[Peeker]

Sodakat nailed it. I would never reach for one of my birds unless I had their attention as well.

I know my birds and read their body language.
I have two that will always step to me when I approach the cage. My male can get overstimulated and I can see it all over him, so know to be careful when this happens. His eyes pin and he will be jumpy or hyper focused on Ruby so I know I need to watch him carefully at those times.

Ruby is the one that can bite!--it's been a few years now but I have a good memory lol! She is my more difficult bird. If she wants to step up she will move towards me. If she doesn't want to, she will stand still or move away slowly. If she stands still, I am allowed to touch her. I am careful now to touch the top of her head or her feet only and avoid her back even though she is posturing for me. Girl is really hormonal right now! I had checked her four nights ago because I thought she was eggnant. Sure enough a couple days ago, Jax kept on screaming and Ruby was laying an egg.

We've been through this before so I know the pattern. She does this a couple times a year and drops them right from the perch. I removed the egg and put a couple almonds in her dish for later when she was feeling up to it and reminded her I loved her. I know better than to press at these times.

Ruby is one that craves any potential nesty spot. She goes crazy if I bring in a box from UPS this time of year. :20: I think the problem is compounded because Jax really wants to get with her too. :32:

On the other hand Tina is a sweetie. She doesn't go through a huge hormonal flux. She wishes I were her boyfriend and will try to solicit love touches, but as long as I avoid touching her back and lots of cuddling she is a total sweetheart year round!

I agree that Ekkie females can be very determined to breed. It's a challenge sometimes!

 

[Tami]

Thanks Peeker. That helps put even more into perspective. The owner also said that another lady was considering buying Carli until she bit her. NICE!!!!So, I questioned him about the biting and he said that he simply wanted to warn me that she can bite hard. :/

Well I hope you guys don't mind if I call on you for answers and suggestions. Being totally new to the Ekkie world, I am finding this to be a wonderful and interesting challenge. From the research I've been doing, falling in love with the breed was the easy part. I can't wait to get her home. I sure wish that cage would get here!!!

 

[coltfire]

what a great article, hit the nail on the head,and just think for over 50 years they thought the male and female where total different species, the one thing i would like to know is how long they live , ive heard so many things about how long they live.

cheers
Steve

 

[Jtbirds]

what a great article, hit the nail on the head,and just think for over 50 years they thought the male and female where total different species, the one thing i would like to know is how long they live , ive heard so many things about how long they live.

cheers
Steve

Well the issue is people don't know about there speacial diet needs and so on so there life span has been lowered to like 30 years because of that, but if you give the right diet and so on and what an eclectus needs you should be able to get 50+ years IMO. Our female is apparently in her 30s from what the rescue she came from in new York had stated. If this aticle and other great eclectus owners have stated would be followed the life span would increase soooo much.

 

[coltfire]

what a great article, hit the nail on the head,and just think for over 50 years they thought the male and female where total different species, the one thing i would like to know is how long they live , ive heard so many things about how long they live.

cheers
Steve

Well the issue is people don't know about there speacial diet needs and so on so there life span has been lowered to like 30 years because of that, but if you give the right diet and so on and what an eclectus needs you should be able to get 50+ years IMO. Our female is apparently in her 30s from what the rescue she came from in new York had stated. If this aticle and other great eclectus owners have stated would be followed the life span would increase soooo much.

well see ive been told they live up to 100, and if it comes down to diet, well while im alive they will only ever get the right diet, they cost me about $90 a week now, and i would go hungry before they missed out.

 

[drlisaort]

Wow, 50+ years, sheesh most of our bird kids will far out live us. I'm already working on my sons and their inheritance. )

 

[Jtbirds]

@coltfire i dont think 100 would be possible i mean honestly if you look in the records of the united states and even other places on with companion parrots seeing a capative parrot live in its 80s is rare. I believe in USA there was a major mitchells named cookie that lived to be 88 and that was the longest recorded so i kinda doubt the 100+ years comments on any species of bird. And wow that is great you really care a lot they look like happy birds.

 

[coltfire]

@coltfire i dont think 100 would be possible i mean honestly if you look in the records of the united states and even other places on with companion parrots seeing a capative parrot live in its 80s is rare. I believe in USA there was a major mitchells named cookie that lived to be 88 and that was the longest recorded so i kinda doubt the 100+ years comments on any species of bird. And wow that is great you really care a lot they look like happy birds.

here in Australia i know of 4 cockatoo's in there 80s

 

[Jtbirds]

@coltfire i dont think 100 would be possible i mean honestly if you look in the records of the united states and even other places on with companion parrots seeing a capative parrot live in its 80s is rare. I believe in USA there was a major mitchells named cookie that lived to be 88 and that was the longest recorded so i kinda doubt the 100+ years comments on any species of bird. And wow that is great you really care a lot they look like happy birds.

here in Australia i know of 4 cockatoo's in there 80s

Ill look in to and see what the longest recorded is, but life span is so hard in captivity as so many have messed with genes through bad breeding and so on you never know what your gonna get at times. That's why going to a good breeder is a must if you really truly want a long lived and healthy parrot.

 

[sodakat]

I've been browsing the internet forums for about 4 years; didn't even think about it until my pair had their first clutch and I went online seeking info on parent raised chicks. I used forums for other interests, but not parrots, prior to that.

Anyhoo, I know of 1 person who has an Eclectus that is for sure over 30 and can prove it, but otherwise the oldest I know of is in their 20s.

Much more frequent to hear of a young Eclectus dying, especially from fatty liver disease.

I don't think any wild birds have been monitored long enough to give an indication of "natural" life span.

Also, just because one Eclectus somewhere in the world lives to be 40 years old in captivity does not mean that all other Eclectus will. Same with any species.

I think 35 is a reasonable goal.

 

[coltfire]

need more than 35 years, i cant out live my babies, it would kill me if i did.