Please help a first-time owner; how can I know if I'm getting a good bird?

[DMP13]

Hi all, I'm new here. Decided to join because of the amazing depth of knowledge I found on here.

I've considered all the work involved in caring of an Ecky, and I've decided I definitely want to take it on. Most people tell me their diet and food needs to be carefully prepared and monitored. Having A LOT of food allergies myself, I usually say "so does mine, we can eat together "

So I've found a breeder selling baby grand Eckys. They're currently about 5 weeks old, and said he can release one to me in another 3-4 weeks (at which point they'd be almost weaned). So I've had to put a small deposit down. However, some people have told me to watch out for careless or rushed sellers who might not raise the babies correctly. I've spoken to one enthusiast who told me he had a very bad experience buying birds from the same breeder I'm getting my Ecky from. However, this sounded more like a personal gripe.

But how can I be sure I'm getting a properly raised bird? The breeder has agreed to let me visit and check their progress whenever I want, and he can also send me pictures every week. Doesn't sound like he's got anything to hide. A few concerns I've got:

1. He keeps all 3 babies in a small tray (about the size of a standard milk crate). It doesn't look like they've got much room, but they're yet to even start walking or moving properly because they're still very young. They seem very dazed or paralyzed, spending most of their time laying sideways with their head down. I'm assuming this is normal for their young age?

2. He uses a syringe to feed them. Assuming he knows what he's doing, is this ideal?

3. When I get a hold of one, it will be about 9 weeks old. How hard are they to care for at this age, for someone who's never done it before? He said they'll be OK with solid foods by this time, and only require 1 spoonfeed a day.

I just want a healthy and happy bird by the time he releases it to me. It's costing a lot of money so I want to be sure. What are some signs I should be looking for when I check up on them? And, what are the potential effects of not raising the babies properly at this young age? Is there a chance that they could get sick and die early on if not properly cared for by the breeder?

Sorry about the long post and all the questions, but clearly I'm very anxious (and excited) to get my grand eclectus. Would be very grateful for some early advice. Thanks a bunch!

 

[Captsteve]

First, I am not an Ecky pro.

Personally I think that the baby will be a little young yet for an inexperienced birdie momma. weaning can be tricky and some birds will revert to needing to be syringe fed for a time. I would suggest waiting a few more weeks until it is on a solid diet.

 

[ChrisWink]

I agree nine weeks is to young to be weaned. My baby umbrella cockatoo is 14 weeks old and still taking two feedings a day. I have always used a syringe to feed. Weaning should be on the birds timeframe only. This can take several months to occur.

The diet with an Ekkie is so very important! Here is a link that gives awesome info on highly nutritious food for your Ekkie.

fruitandveg

Also only feed these pellets for they are designed to give higher nutrition that the Ekkie needs.

Pretty Bird Eclectus Species Specific Pelleted Mixes | Pet Food Direct

I can't stress enough how important the diet is for an Ekkie!

I lost my Toby last January. I had thought I was doing a good job and when he started to have behavior that indicated he wasn't I switched him to a mash diet using the above link. His behavior went back to normal however I figured it out to late and lost him about two months later.

 

[DMP13]

OK - I'll definitely be keeping an eye on the ability of the bird to eat solid foods itself. If it requires spoon/syringe feeding any more than once a day, I'll tell the breeder to hold on to them for a little longer.

Thanks very much for the helpful links! I was also searching extensively for a diet list but there's a lot of conflicting and unclear info out there. Unfortunately I won't be able to cook more than once or twice a week for my Eckie, so I'll be sure to feed him a balanced and varied mix of mainly fruits and vegs while throwing in the occasional snack of nuts or seeds. The link says that carrots should ideally be slightly steamed to get max nutrition, but I'm assuming most fruits/veggies are fine raw?

Thanks very much for your help! Diet is definitely one of my biggest concerns so I'm doing a lot of research on how I'll be able to keep up while working a full-time job (luckily someone will always be at home to provide mid-day snacks or affection).

 

[ChrisWink]

Yes most everything is raw except for beans they need to be soaked for a good 8 hours before eating. The easiest way to do it is to make up a huge amount of them and freeze them that way you con only have a few days worth in the fridge at a time. You will see it called mash or chop.. I make enough to last a good two or three months at a time. That way you only have to devote one day at a time making their diet. I store it in large ziplock bags and only thaw out what I need for no more then 3 or 4 days. By doing this you won't have any of their veggies get old and thrown out.

Are you getting a male or female?

 

[ChrisWink]

I don't give any seeds at all my guys get walnut and almonds NO PEANUTS. I also give banana chips as a treat. Read this link and see why. Aspergillus ? Are Peanuts Safe for Parrots | Parrot Parrot

Post some pics as soon as you can!

 

[DexMom]

Unless you have experience with hand feeding, you should wait until the bird is completely weaned before taking him/her home. I'm surprised the seller isn't insisting on it. They are harder to hand feed the older they get and monitoring their weight daily during the final stages of weaning is very important to make sure they are eating enough solid food to sustain and continue developing. Perhaps the person who had negative feedback about that breeder is worth listening to. At the very least, make sure that the seller is giving you a health guarantee and will take the bird back and give you a refund if you bring it to the vet and find that it's not 100% healthy.

 

[DMP13]

Are you getting a male or female?

Male grand eckie. I hear the females are a little naggy and hormonal :09:

Thanks for all your tips. I'll be sure to take note!

I've attached a photo of the babies provided to me a few days ago. Still very young and not fully colored yet...Any thoughts?

@DexMom, the seller has warned me about the difficulty of caring for babies, but he insisted I should be OK with it when it's about 10 weeks. I'm sure he'll be understanding if I leave it in his care for a little longer, doesn't sound like he's eager to push them onto me unlike some others I dealt with.

I'll definitely be taking it to the vet to get checked out (and vaccinated/wormed if needed). I'll try doing this before I take them home and assume responsibility. My worst fear is also getting a bird which isn't at optimal health and ends up getting sick or dying within a few weeks. Thanks for the heads-up

 

[drlisaort]

Although I purchased Oliver when his very first green feather sprouted, I did not take him home until he was five months old and totally weaned. I had no issues adjusting to him or visa versa but I believe it's because first I visited him weekly from the start and then when I brought him home he was completely on his own eating. I never give him anything but real food...and no more than a tbs. of seed in his wheel every
other day for foraging ...

 

[Anansi]

Congratulations on your soon to be new family member!

I'm not thrilled with your breeder's assurances about how far along your baby ekkie will be as far as his weaning is concerned. Unless his name is Nostradamus, he shouldn't be so comfortable throwing out such blanket assumptions.

Ekkies tend to take a little long to wean. Unless, of course, they're being force-weaned. Which is less than ideal. I've seen ekkies take 12 weeks. My first ekkie took maybe 18 weeks. And another of mine took as long as 7 months!!!

Now, while 7 months isn't typical, it just goes to show that every bird is different and you can't approach weaning with a cookie-cutter mentality.

Another thing to look out for is if this breeder allows the babies under his care to fully fledge and learn how to fly. Whether or not you intend to clip, this is a very important step that so many breeders dismiss as unnecessary.

As for their diet, the fruit and vegetables link provided by ChrisWink leads to an exceptional site. And yes, many of their foods can indeed be served raw. Raw carrots are great for nutrition as well. And sprouts are the most nutritionally dense natural foods you can give them, so definitely look into making them.