new ekky owner

[oskar]

hello all i have a few questions hope somebody can help. my new eclectus called oscar is beautiful i have only had him for three days he is fifteen weeks old he steps up great still very shy and timmed he never squarks does make grunting noises he is drinking fine and eats seed but will not eat his fruit and veg should i leave him in his cage to settle and get used to his surroundings or get him out as much as possible i also have a sun conure and two cockatiels in the same room but doesnt seemed bothered by them some people told me it can take two weeks to four weeks for him to settle but play with him as much as possible which is hard cause he doesnt want to he looks like he wants to go to his cage all the time what would be a good way for him to be less nerveous around me he was raised by a carrer would he be missing her i do give him lots of attention but he still likes to sit on his perch for most of the day is this normal for a new eclectus any help would be great.

 

[Robyn]

Hello there ,
Im fairly new to owning my eclectus Jack, actually a first timer to owning any bird, well had a budgie when I was a teen. Jack was 14 weeks old when I got him, that was about Sept, so he would be roughly 6 months old or so.
I remember when I first got him, I was nervous as hell, as I never had a parrot in my life. You have sparked some early memories of my jack , what I see in your posting.
When I got him home, I took a couple of photos of him sitting on his new playgym, I think I posted these pics and also sitting on my daughters arm, this was his first few hours with us. My profile pic was taken just hours after we got him home, I couldnt wait to take piccys of him. He seemed quite happy to sit and not really go any place, Im guessing , checking everything out, new place , new faces. Jack really didnt eat much either, was terrified that I had made a mistake in getting him and would I be able to handle or look after him. I gave him grapes , which he seemed to take too quite a bit, loved them. he wasnt interested in toys either. So I thought I had a bird quite different from all the things I had read.
You have only had him 3 days , I really wouldnt panic too much. It does take a while before they start to become comfy in their new home. Talk to him often, offer grapes and see if he does take this , unsure if you have done grapes ?
My Jack loves to eat lots of things now and grapes it seems has gone down his list a bit. Jack loves snow peas, snowpeas sprouts, mini cucumbers, corn, celery, apple & bean sprouts ( I took new pics which I posted, he got caught eating in my fruit bowl ). He will eventually come round, he needs to feel secure in his new environment and one of the things you asked , Most definitely he would be missing the person who raised him or where you got him from. It can take a while for him to start to come round. But when he does, you will enjoy every second of him.
I would have your parrot out to get used to things, but that is really your choice, but I think keeping him in his cage in his new surroundings wont let him get used to anything, but if he chooses to stay in his cage, dont take him out.. But Im only new at this , I think just a little time he needs to get used to his new home and owners. Keep talking to him.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Yup just give him time. Give him the option to come out of his cage, but if he is more comfortable in the cage just leave the cage door open (if you are around) and let him come out on his own time.

Don't force anything, just offer attention, but if he's shy leave him be until he warms up to you. He will.

 

[oskar]

thanks for the reply as im typing this he is sitting on my shoulder just today he has had some grapes and biscuites and was playing on his hoops so slowly he is coming around thanks again.

 

[Robyn]

Thats very good to hear. Offer a variety of foods so he doesnt get bored with his food, he will start being loud if he gets hungry. People have different views about being on the shoulder, you will find the posts on here. I have Jack sit on mine only sometimes, just be careful , you dont really know for sure if he will bite your face, especially being new and it could be by accident.
Your baby will definitely come round, nice to hear

 

[oskar]

Yes i know i shouldnt let him on my shoulder so soon but its the only place he will sit on me without flying away.I have another concern he seems to be lunging at me when i get him out more than when i first got him he does bite but doesnt put any pressure behind it but he is biting me never the less. is he doing this because he is getting used to his cage cause he wont venture out by himselfe i leave the cage door open and the top of the cage with perch only when i know the other pets are outside and i am in the house but he seems happy in there. but at least he is eating different foods now any suggestions would be great.

 

[Robyn]

Im going by my own experience with Jack here . Its probably better to let him come out of the cage on his own. He isnt biting you hard only because he doesnt want to hurt you , but he is trying to tell you something. Sometimes though they are using their beak to feel their way before stepping onto something, so it might look he is about to bite but he is mroe or less just testing the strength before stepping. But you have said he is biting, maybe you should try a stick, something that you can use all the time for him to step up to when you want him. Dont keep changing the stick though, make sure it is the same one that he associates with you wanting him to step onto . I bought parrot perches off ebay and I kept one of them as a stick for him to step onto. Keep leaving the cage door open when you are able. I would still have him on your shoulder if he is comfortable there , just be careful of your face , being new to each other , u just have to be extra careful. If he is happy there , dont take him away. What I purchased off ebay I thought was a reallly goood thing for Jack, even the vet was impressed when he saw it and wanted to know where I got it from. I just placed the table top perch inside a cat cage when I took him to the vet to have him off the floor and the vet really liked the way I had him perched in the cage. Its a table top perch, you can just place it anywhere. Buy something like this , somewhere for him to perch outside his cage , his spot. Make some areas in the house his spot. Jack knows the table top perch is his and I can place it anywhere now in the house and he knows he can fly to it. But get something like that and leave it in one spot for now and put him there , maybe with food. Or if you can get a play gym on a stand, that I also got from ebay. Play gyms or play stands are a good investment, even if they dont play with toys, its a spot they can sit and be around, munch and just make their own little mess and be with their human family. Jack loves his play gym in the corner of our lounge room, my profile pic shows him sitting on it. If you havent got other spots that belong to your parrot other than the cage area, make a couple more if you can. I also purchased a swing and have it hanging off my ceiling , not in anybodys way and he always flys to it and hangs upside down and talks. But he has been with us 2 months, eventually yours will be interacting with you. Not sure if any of that is of any help to you ? Ebay is a really nice place for parrot stuff, my 2nd home lol. If you are still trying to work out what is wrong , let me know some more, and I will try to help. Im still new to my parrot , but mine has settled in now. You keep learning new stuff all the time. But not having him long, he will be missing who ever raised him or had him before you.

 

[ataraxia]

im far from being any expert but im coming from my experiences having raised 3 male eclectus and 1 female eclectus. id have to see what you mean by lunging and putting his beak on your fingers. mine will do that if they are anxious to get out. actually one of my males puts his beak on my hand before stepping up everytime. now, if he is lunging , grunting and biting. your gonna have to work with him. if he is new and your are pushing yourself on him. honestly give him time and some space. when you feed him hand feed him some fruit/veg or whatever he likes. you will win him over by his stomach. try picking him up with your forearm. once he is comfortable with this. while he is on your arm try picking him up with the other hand.

 

[oskar]

He steps up on my hand very easily but he does lung a little but not bitting me just nibble a bit he still shakes when i am near sometimes. he does eat grapes out of my hand and likes being on my shoulder he is exploring a bit more of his cage but will not come out.

 

[pepper]

At least he is better behaved than the sun conure, Baxter and how do I know this because it's your wife here....just reminding you that even wives, like birds like a bit of that special attention and being hand fed some grapes sound pretty good to me. I'll see you by the cages hun

 

[Robyn]

I cant help but laugh at the last post , sorry.

 

[Robyn]

Im a wife too and that sounds pretty good to me too.

 

[oskar]

well my little boy oskar is eating really good now but is still shy to come out of his cage by himself the only place he will sit is on my shoulder he still shakes a little though but we are making ground slowly but surely.I have perswaded him to come out with grapes on a stand which i put at his door.The funny thing is that when he eats or has a drink i can stand right next to the cage and he doesnt mind at all its when i go to get him out he goes a little shy.Thanks for everyones replyies it all helps.

 

[farmgirl63]

The way to an ekkie's heart is through the stomache- they LOVE food. When I brought my ekkie home (she is 2 years old) I let her get used to her cage and environment for a couple of days, speaking to her often when I went by her cage which is in a heavily used area of the house. She can see me even if I'm watching TV or reading, or on the laptop. I would open her door and offer some tasty treat from my hand which she always took. After a couple of days I left the door open and she came out on her own to get her treat. From then on we have been great friends and, in fact, the minute I sit down to eat anything she is over my shoulder to see what she can beg from me If I eat it she does, too. I have been eating much healthier these days as I don't allow her to eat junk food. We have bonded over the food bowl!

 

[oskar]

well thought i would update on oskar he is doing really well eating habbits are good he is exploring more and almost came out of his cage himself. I am confused though because when i have him out of the cage i can pat him on the back and was rubbing his neck today i was so excited but when he is in the cage he still lundges at me he lets me pat his beak but when my hand goes into the step up position he lundges doesnt bite he does step up after about two or three lundges if anybody could enlighten me on this behaviour as i am confused.Thanks again for all the replies to my thread it has been most helpful.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Most bird are very defensive of their cages, and I'm of the mindset that its not that bad of a thing. We should respect their space: don't reach into his cage when he is there. Yes we want them to be obedient and some owners think that a bird should never have a right to bite, but they are individuals not slaves to be beaten until their spirit is broken. Their cage is their space, their property, and we should respect that. We each surely have (or greatly desire) our own place where we can go to get away, where we know we are safe no matter how crazy the rest of the world is. We would not take kindly to anyone thinking they can just barge in there even if they are trying to be nice.

To get him out just open the cage door and wait for him to climb out.

 

[Eclectica]

Hi there oskar! I would reply but it would be one very long essay. Please look up my posts, i had so many problems with my first big parrot. You will see a lot of questions and answers to things you might have noticed from oskar. If you are uncertain about anything, feel free to ask. I am no expert but you will see through my posts i too had a difficult first year in understanding ekkies. Hope you find some of it usefull. Regards, Wilma!

 

[oskar]

thanks for that is there a heading to which i should be looking for as there is alot of posts have been looking through my little (or big boy as he is alot bigger than the ones i have seen)just wont come out of his cage by himself and still shakes i have only had him a week and a half now but he seems to be going backwards as he stepped up at first now doesnt so i am going back to basics with him and teaching him to step up and get used to my hand again so i am going to leave him in there till he wants to come out i do place my hand in there so he knows i mean him no harm and pat his feet and sometimes his belly when i am allowed and hopefully he will come to me any other ideas are welcome.

 

[shaun113]

Don’t what ever you do neglect the wife (they look after the birds when you are fishing or away at the football) but I would spend a few hours sat by the cage ignoring him until he decides to investigate you it is a two way thing. If you are too eager to pick him up and spoil him it may back fire. By all means attempt to interact but don’t push it. If he knows you are no threat and are not bugging him (or her) he will start to get interested in you and you can build from there. Only my opinion but I have found parrots/birds very inquisitive and will come to you if you are not trying too hard, just be ready but not too pushy they will soon bug you all day (if you are lucky)

 

[oskar]

I might have to try that i do have a question i have been watching training dvds and reading and the treats seem to be the way to go but the problem with that is he does not take his treats he will grab them but let go of it so how can i reward him if he wont take them?Maybe im pushing to hard as i have only had him a short while and people say two to four weeks to get accustomed to people and the new environment.Is that true?