Update

[sodakat]

He's likely thinking, "whew, took me long enough to train these blokes how to cook"!

Tart apples and celery chopped into little chunks are in my daily chop. Many Eclectus love baked sweet potato or even lightly nuked sweet potato cut into chunks but it is a high calorie food so I don't feed it too often. Instead, winter squash is what I buy if I can find it since it also a good source of Vit A. I've found frozen cooked winter squash in the frozen veggie section of the grocery.

Do look into some kind of green. Bok choy and cabbage don't have the same nutrients as a really dark green leafy product like collard greens or mustard greens or even kale.

What works for me is to rinse then dry the greens really well. Then I chop the entire bunch really fine with a knife. I have used a food processor but sometimes they liquify in the processor and I don't want that. The chopped greens then go in a large ziplock bag and I press the air out then freeze. If the greens are dried well before chopping they stay loose in the freezer and I can grab a small handful and toss it in the chop.

Some birds will chew on a leaf if you clip it to their cage bars. Try different ways until Loki gives eating greens a go.

Great job on figuring out the puzzle of what your little guy needs!

 

[Joshuwaaa]

I was determined to help Loki and I'm so glad for everyone on here who helped me figure it all out. Being able to write it out helped me evaluate and try and find solutions.

Now everything is just brilliant. Still. After a few days too. He isn't waking me up in the morning, he isn't shouting.

Il look into getting some kale, I'm sure we must have that. My local supermarkets aren't very good when I'm looking for something specific

hope your all well

x

 

[drlisaort]

Keep the great news coming Josh!!!!!

 

[Joshuwaaa]

So Loki is getting on great, just a quickie though.

got him out today for lunch and he seems a little aggressive with it? Is this normal? Should he come out for food more often?

hope your all well,

x

 

[sodakat]

What did he get aggressive with? The food dish? Your hand? Your lunch?

I feed soft foods inside the cage in one of the built in bowl holders as well as in a lock crock on the outside of the cage with a perch beside it. It's just a habit of mine which I started long ago. I feel it allows the birds to make some choices, regardless if they are served the same thing in both dishes. I also have large dog-type crocks that I set on some smaller stacked cages which used to be my outside cages until I built the aviary. These crocks are heavy enough a bird can perch on the rim without it ever tipping.

This is my version of foraging!

If you are talking about him nipping at you when you asked for a step up from inside the cage, consider using the folded end of a rope perch presented to him while you hold the ends with the caps in one of your hands. Teaching your bird to accept a transport perch enables others to move your birds without fear of getting bit. I like rope perches because they can ge offered straight on, unlike hard perches which must be offered with your hand from the side.

 

[Joshuwaaa]

He was just making some growls and aggressive hisses at us both when we were putting food into his dish.

He was flinging food, an nipping each time we got close.

Was fine after and before eating though, quite loving actually lol

x

 

[Joshuwaaa]

Messy face lol

Hopefully it isn't just me who can see the green pushing through on his head

 

[sodakat]

He looks GOOD. Definitely molting and growing new feathers.

My most loving birds sometimes growl when I mess with their food dishes. I always ignore it. I do make sure I hold something between my hand and their beak if they are acting territorial because I don't want to give them the opportunity to bite. I interpret this behavior to mean, "hurry up and quit fooling around".

 

[Crackseed]

Just curious as I've never seen that before - what are the much darker/blackish feathers on Loki? Are those stress bars?

 

[sodakat]

No, those aren't stress bars. For some reason his baby feathers are dark. As he molts they are being replaced with normal green feathers. Sometimes certain pairs produce chicks with odd colored feathers. I don't know if this was the case with Loki, whether it was diet related (parents or hand feeding forumula) or environmental but even his dark colored feathers look normal in every other way. By the time he's about 15 months he'll likely be just a normal looking fellow and this will only be a memory.

 

[Joshuwaaa]

Thanks, he does look much better.

The vet believes its a mixture of poor diet, stressful birth and poor parent diet. That's why he was born poorly coloured. His breeder fed seed based diets an the home was loud, full of numerous bird species all shouting for food and calling each other.

Was not a family home, but instead a house just for bird breeding

I hate even thinking about it, it's an example of how poor treatment can effect a bird.

Now the improvement in diet, sleep and life he deserves are bringing out better colours, at least that what I like to think. x

 

[Jtbirds]

I believe you are correct even though we have a multiatude of birds our house is different as they are all socialized and trained. I mean I walk out and do a hand motion and they all stop what they are doing. so better diet some good sleep and so on does attribute to there overall being IMO.

Breeders homes unless they care about there birds are just so horrible sometimes. I've walked into some really nasty places to rescue some very beautiful and great birds.

Sounds like he is doing great and you are doing everything right

 

[Joshuwaaa]

Hey everyone,

Hope your all okay, ive been checking in but have been so caught up with work and uni.

I was looking at getting Loki a new cage but wanted some opinions. Ive saved quite a bit and it has just been my 21st birthday so I have some money an wanted to get Loki either a new cage, or a huge play gym, java thing we can have in the front room for him to play on an be out more.

His cahe isnt a bad size but id prefer bigger, but would an outside big playgym be better so he could be out more? I want him out all day everyday.

Hope your all well

Josh x

 

[natv]

I'm no sure of the size of his current cage, but assuming it's not too small, I'd say if you plan to keep him out most of the day then I'd go for a large playstand/gym.

If he's out most of the day then likely he sleeps when in his cage or when you're not home.

 

[sodakat]

You can build a fabulous play stand for a lot less money than purchasing a ready made java tree stand. The wood doesn't have to be fancy. Branches that grow near your place are fine. Or combine them with lumber. All you need is screws and some creativity. And the thing about building a stand is you can add to it and change it around once you see what he likes best.

If you build a stand you can use the money you have saved towards a large cage.

BTW, I think it is really nice that you are willing to spend your birthday money on Loki!

 

[Joshuwaaa]

I do like the idea of making one, because I know what I'm looking for and I could make it to how I want it. Without spending so much too, that's a good idea.

Some rope and lots of wood, just finding nice perch wood I can use? Wonder if there is any places I could get some which is clean and safe.

Also, I'd be slightly worried about the safety of what I made myself, but with Jack, some DIY and some nails and screws in the right places I'm sure its do-able.

I do love my little Loki, all my 21st would happily be spent on him haha

x

 

[Joshuwaaa]

Hey,

So I ordered a huge metal play stand for Loki in the hope it will give him some out of cage playtime, I think I need to make sure that I make the new stand a positive place to be, and not somewhere he gets ignored an is boring to him.

There are some desired outcomes I'm looking to achieve with more out of cage time.

Less cage aggression towards jack and others. More social skills and time listening to words as to talk. More energy burnt off so hopefully less nibbling, biting and odd screeches at me and jack. Less clingy when out the cage.

Also, is anyone else's eclectus reluctant to touching? If I stroke or touch his back, head or breast I get bitten, not aggressively but like a get off me, move my hand with his beak. I don't mind not being able to stroke him, but when I'm trying to look for pin feathers or the vet is trying to look under feathers I'd like him to be okay. Anyway I can encourage this?

Hope your all well,

Josh x

 

[Joshuwaaa]

Oh also, Loki wanted to wave hello

 

[sodakat]

What a sweetheart!

The only one of my Eclectus who allows touching like you described without trying to stop me is Jackie when he is randy.

Eclectus do not need help preening which is one reason they don't care about being touched. It is rare you see Eclectus touch each other except when mating or feeding.

Consider the structure of their head and neck feathers. No feather sheaths to strip on those hair-like feathers and that is the only place that other species *really* need help because they cannot reach the area themselves.

You can train him to allow you to lift his wings just as you train him to do other things, but as far as petting I would not go down that route. You MIGHT be lucky and not have him think you want to be more than friends, but most males misinterpret that type of touch.

 

[Joshuwaaa]

Hey Kathy,

Maybe I should accpet petting as a no-go and just appreciate his company and cuddles. He can be lovely and cuddly sometimes. Just hoping this play stand will take up some energy an allow him to be out more

Hoping he will become more loveable and less of a working project lol

X