Thinking of buying a female

[Carlagracie]

My husband and I went to a pet store and we found a female vos marie eclectus She is so sweet. The owner of the store said that the guy he got her from was not very nice to her but we held her and pet her she was so nice she would go to anyone who would give her attention, she would whisper in our ear. She is 3 or 4 years old. They are only asking $250 for her cause she is plucked.

We have them holding her for us until tomorrow. I wanted to ask you guys what your opinion is. She has plucked her whole chest, looks like she has stopped cause all the down is growing back. There are a couple really small bald spots. do you think all her feathers will come back or will the spots be completely bald all the time.

 

[triordan]

She could have follicle damage and they would not grow back, do you have any pictures?

 

[Carlagracie]

I just called the pet store and the woman working texted me a picture. I hope this helps

 

[Carlagracie]

Either way we are getting her tomorrow. I think most of her feathers should come back in where her down is already growing back.

 

[sonja]

I love, love, love female Vos. The first time I saw one a million years ago, I was blown away by how beautiful they are. At that time, the price tag was $5000 and I figured I'd never have one. Well, years later, one came into the animal shelter that I work at and I immediately claimed her as mine. She lived with me for 15 years before she died, likely of a stroke the vet said. She was a big beautiful meany! But, I loved her so much. She would pluck her chest each fall, then let it grow back over the rest of the year, only to pluck again the next fall. She gave me the worst bite I have ever received from any animal, and I have the beak-shaped scar on my arm to remember her by.

After Shelby died, I knew I had to find another Vos to love. I found Haley in a rescue a couple hours away from me. She is also a big beautiful meany! She plucks just a bit now and then on her chest---just the colored feathers, not the down. If I give her a chance, she will give me a scar to match my other one.

Both girls talked fairly well, not learning a whole lot of words, but sounding INCREDIBLY human when they did talk.

I also have an SI girl, and she is much sweeter, easy to handle and side by side with the Vos, amazingly smaller in size. I didn't realize how different the two locales are in size until I saw them next to each other.

Good luck with your girl!

 

[Carlagracie]

We seen her in the cage at the shop and she was sitting so pretty and looked so Innocent. I asked to see her and they opened the cage and she stepped right up on the womans arm. She came to me climbed up on my shoulder and started to whisper something in my ear. She climbed back down walked across the counter and up another customers arm and did the same to her. Like we said her original owner was a man that wasnt nice to her and according to him she would always bite him. She was great with my wife and I so maybe she will be ok with us. Will post more pictures tomorrow when we bring her home.

 

[Chikoo]

I think its great that you are giving the bird a new and wonderful home. But don't have any hopes that her feathers will grow back in. I certainly hope they do, but they very well may not. She may continue plucking and never become a fully feathered bird. I have had my female for quite some time now, I feed her a perfect fresh food diet, give her lots of love, keep her flighted for exercise, and she has a wonderful home with lots of fresh air and sunshine. And yet, I have never seen her chest become totally blue. I have never seen her fully feathered. I have basically lost hope that I ever will and have just come to accept her as she is. Why does she pluck? Who knows. But if you are bringing home a plucked bird, then be prepared to live with the bird you have brought home, without expectations for dramatic change. She may be a very sweet bird her whole life and still pluck away. They make excellent companions and pets, and I love both my birds dearly, so wishing you the best.

 

[Carlagracie]

Yea the bird shop has had her about 3 weeks and they said when she first came in all she was fed is seed only. I was told that she looked alot worse when she came in and they switched her to a good pellet and fresh veggies and fruit. They said after 4 days they haven seen her pluck and she has become quite a joy to have around the shop. She does say quite a few words I have personally herd her say hello. The down on her chest wasnt there when she first arrived and now as you can see by the picture alot has came back. We are so excited!. She will be out of her cage everyday until its bedtime. There will be only 2 or 3 days a week when she will be in her cage a good 8-9 hours. She will have a wonderful home where she will be fed a wonderful diet and be loved.

 

[MikeyTN]

Yea the bird shop has had her about 3 weeks and they said when she first came in all she was fed is seed only. I was told that she looked alot worse when she came in and they switched her to a good pellet and fresh veggies and fruit. They said after 4 days they haven seen her pluck and she has become quite a joy to have around the shop. She does say quite a few words I have personally herd her say hello. The down on her chest wasnt there when she first arrived and now as you can see by the picture alot has came back. We are so excited!. She will be out of her cage everyday until its bedtime. There will be only 2 or 3 days a week when she will be in her cage a good 8-9 hours. She will have a wonderful home where she will be fed a wonderful diet and be loved.

Depending on what pellets they are feeding her, I would be very cautious feeding just any pellets to a Eclectus. They would cause most harm then good. I still give my birds minimal seeds every night, a Tbsp to share between my pair. Mainly small seeds such as millets. But they get their fresh fruits and veggies daily. We also cook for them such as egg with shell, chicken breast meat, lintels, sweet potatoes, etc etc. Just make sure you feed her stuffs high in beta carotene such as carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, etc. It is very hard to get her to stop plucking cause my female is the same way.