Eclectus parrot - Page 2

01-30-2007, 07:39 AM

*Tests performed by veterinarians on toe-tapping birds:
* CBC
* Gram stain
* Specific disease tests
* Metal toxicity tests
* Skin scraping
*Diagnoses made by veterinarians:

* The majority of diagnoses were general nutritional deficiency and calcium deficiency.
* The second most frequent diagnosis was excessive vitamin supplements.
* Spirulina was named by several vets as the specific problematic supplement.
* The onset of hormones was blamed in several cases.
* Zinc toxicity was diagnosed in several cases
* Food allergy was diagnosed in a few cases
* One vet believed that the leg band was responsible and removed it.
* One bird was suspected (incorrectly) of having a brain tumor or epilepsy.
*Treatments suggested by veterinarians:
* The majority suggested increased calcium, half injections and half oral calcium.
* Several advised increasing calcium foods.
* Approximately half suggested the use of Aloe Detoxifying Formula.
* Several suggested switching the bird to a pellet diet.
* Several administered chelation treatments for metal toxicity.
* Other treatments were:
Vitamin A & D injection, tranquilizers, removal of fortified seed mix, antibiotic injection,
nebulizer treatment and acupuncture treatments.
*Home remedies tried by owners:

* The majority of owners increased the bird's calcium intake.
* Nearly all owners gave Aloe Detoxifying Formula.
* Most owners changed the diet and removed pellets.
* Some owners removed fortified seeds.
* Several owners gave the bird chamomile flowers or tea as a calmative.
* Some owners increased aloe baths and increased the bird's hours of sleep.
*The foods and supplements believed to be responsible for toe tapping incident:

* Pellets
* Vitamin and mineral supplements
* Spirulina
* Fortified seeds
* Fortified table food
*Changes made prior to toe tapping incident:
* Added pellets
* Added vitamin and mineral supplement
* Added fortified seed mix
* Added fortified table food
* Gave antibiotic
* Stressful incident in the home

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT WHEN I TAKE MY NEW ECLECTUS TO THE VET FOR A HEALTH CHECK?
I'm sure you already know not to take your eclectus anywhere unconfined. There are too many accidents waiting to happen. Use a small carrier and take along a towel in case it is cold or drafty there, or as one of our clever list members suggested earlier, slip the entire carrier, if it is small enough, into a pillow case to possibly keep out airborne germs and prying eyes. I use the "under the seat" airline carriers for taking birds on short trips. You can place a folded towel or the nubby dog bedding that you can buy in discount department stores in the bottom of the carrier. He will not need a perch for the trip. While riding, it is easier for birds to keep their balance if they are sitting on the floor of the carrier.
If this is your first trip to an avian vet, I hope that you chose him or her carefully by getting references from friends or by inquring of pet shops and breeders in your area. To minimize the risk of exposure to disease, it is a good idea always to ask for the first appointment of the day, before any sick birds have been brought in.
On your first visit, arrive a few minutes early to fill out records on your bird. Be sure to take along all pertinent information from the breeder, such as hatch date, weights, species specific information*, diet, early medical records if applicable, and a list of any symptoms that Willobee might have. If you do not actually make a list of questions that you want to ask the vet, you are likely to forget some of them. You might ask the vet to show you how to clip wings and nails while you are there.
Many of us on the list do not like the idea of having our birds taken into a separate room without us being there to offer support to the bird. If your vet needs to take him into another room, ask politely if you may accompany him in order to help keep the bird calm.
Some of the things to look for in a good vet clinic are:
* Clean and inviting reception area
* Friendly and helpful staff
* Professional and knowledgeable assistants
* Vet should take time for a full history on the bird
* Vet should be willing to answer all questions
* Capture and restraint for exam should be done with minimal stress to the bird
* A hands on physical exam should be performed
* All diagnostic procedures should be explained thoroughly
* Fees should be discussed openly, with cost estimates given beforehand
* Follow-up care should be offered and provided
* Emergency care after hours should be available
Your vet will know what needs to be done. If you are concerned about any particular health problems, your vet might suggest a CBC and a blood chemistry profile. He will take blood from the bird and determine the health status by the test results. The CBC counts the various white cells, red cells, and platelets and can detect such things as infection, anemia, and blood protein level. A Blood Chemistry Profile measures enzymes, electrolytes, and cells in the blood, all of which are changed by diseases, and therefore give an indication of illness.
Blood tests can be used to diagnose some diseases such as:
* Psittacosis
* PBFD (beak & feather disease)
* Thyroid disorders
* Aspergillosis
* Heavy metal poisoning
Other tests that your vet might consider necessary are:
* Gram stain
* Culture and sensitivity
* Fecal analysis
* Urine analysis
* EKG
* Radiology
Often, if a bird appears perfectly healthy and the owner has no specific health concerns about it, and if the vet does not need to establish baseline readings on the bird, he will perform only a gram stain, as your vet has indicated he will do tomorrow. This measures levels of yeast, as well as "gram negative and gram positive" bacteria. If the ratio between these two categories is within normal range, it is an "indication" that the bird has no bacterial problems.
*Here is some species-specific information that you might want to print out and take to your vet. It was written by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM.

01-30-2007, 07:40 AM

Stress-related leukocytosis is a frequent observation. It is not uncommon to see an estimated white blood cell count as 25,000 to 28,000 or even higher in birds that are stressed in the exam room. Physical demonstration of stress by the bird does not always correlate with these hematologic changes, however, and this makes the anticipation of a stress leukocytosis challenging following a stressful examination. The differential cell count usually remains normal in these birds, although some may shift either towards a relative and absolute lymphocytosis or heterophillia. No toxicity or reactivity should be noted in these cells if stress is the sole cause of the leukocytosis. Often, when these birds are examined under less stressful circumstances such as at the home or in the aviary, more normal parameters are seen--supporting our assumption of a stress-related etiology.
In layman's terms, this means that eclectus parrots can get upset about going to the vet and show a highly elevated white blood cell count. Some vets unfamiliar with the species might treat them with antibiotics as a precaution. Therefore, on your first visit to the vet, you need to be sure that he or she is aware of this "eclectus quirk".

MY YOUNG MALE ECLECTUS IS NIBBLING TOO HARD ON MY FINGERS. HOW DO I TEACH HIM NOT TO BITE ME?
The same methods don't work for every bird, so I'm not sure that a video or a how-to book would serve you as well as your own intuition, and a "whole lotta love"!
When my eclectus babies get old enough to play together, "beaking" each other is one of their favorite games. They like to beak wrestle, biting each other on the neck, wing, legs, feet and anywhere else they can reach. Usually it is playful, but just like kids in the sandbox, now and again they get a little aggressive. Xander probably is acting out this same playfulness with you because you are his flock. However, when he is older and learns the power of his beak, this could be a problem. Better to distract him now than to suffer painful bites later.
If Xander isn't trained to step up when asked, that's something you can work on to distract him when he's trying to chew on your hands. If he refuses, lift up one of his front toes. Once you have that toe off the floor or perch, he's yours. It could be because it breaks their grip with that foot, but holding a front toe in your hand will make all the difference in his attitude. You then can set his foot on your hand or arm, and the other foot will follow. There are other behaviors or easy tricks that you can work on with him when you need to distract him from beaking you. Notice games that he plays when he's alone and try to make them into games that you can play together.
While he is in this testing phase, carefully choose your times to work with him--not when he is hungry, scared, overstimulated or just plain tired and cranky. Work with him when he is fed, rested, and happy. I don't ever "force" compliance at any age, but by consistently working with them at the right times, somehow they all come around and become loving and cooperative birds by the time they get through adolescence.
We haven't discussed my *intensive love* method since you've been on the list, so I will detail it below. If you let Xander know what you expect of him when you work with him, and that YOU are the leader of the flock, and then let him know that you love him and that being loved by youis pleasurable, you soon will win him over. I get really good results by making the young birds "love me too much to hurt me." Sounds funny but it works....
When he goes after your fingers as you described, firmly tell him "NO" and he will know by the tone of your voice and the look on your face that you are serious. If he continues trying to bite your fingers or biting at everything he sees, try my "palming" method by cupping the palm of your hand over his head and eyes and gently but firmly holding his head still. I don't actually use force, but the darkness of having their eyes covered, and the slight pressure of my hand on their head seems to have an instant calming effect. Maybe it reminds them of being under their mother with the bare brood patch of her chest touching the top of their head. As soon as he gives in and stops trying to nibble or bite, let him up and give him a snuggle or a session of intensive love and then return him to his cage to settle down and eat and drink.
You must use whatever non-force methods you can to maintain your position as leader. Guiding him in step-up training or in fun and games can distract him from bad behaviors. Cupping your hand over his head immediately establishes YOU as top bird and in command, as it settles him down. You must act like the flock leader so that he will be confident in "following" you and doing what you expect of him.
By the time you get through this testing stage with Xander, you will know just how clever eclectus babies really are! He will test you to the limit, no less than a human toddler would test his mother. If you treat him as though he understands what you are saying to him, he soon will! Actually, I'm betting that he already understands a lot more than you would think.
If you use your intuition as you work with Xander, you will be able to determine the methods to which he responds best. Above all, don't give up on him...just when you think you can't handle anymore challenges, he will become exactly what you wanted him to be all along! You, as the loving flock leader, will have guided him to become a *good psittacine* and an enjoyable member of your flock!
©1998 Carolyn Swicegood. All Rights Reserved.
What is the "Intensive Love" method of taming?
Once upon a time, two of my young Eclectus males staged a coup in an attempt to become rulers of the roost. They were great buddies and experts at getting into trouble. These mischievous young hooligans became feathered thugs who tried to bully their flockmates, both feathered and human, with the threat of biting. After having no luck with the usual methods of dealing with biting, I experimented with what later was described as "Intensive Love" sessions. I was quite surprised at how quickly they started to "love me too much to bite me". This method wins parrots over with love, rather than controlling them through fear.

01-30-2007, 07:41 AM

I also use the method with birds that have never learned to enjoy being touched and stroked due to their fear of hands or close contact. Many birds are deprived for years of the pleasure of bodily contact with their human flockmates because they lunge at the owner out of fear, thereby making the owner fearful of being bitten. By gently covering the bird's head and body, the fear of biting is temporarily removed and the bird can then discover the pleasure of being petted. Work with your bird when he's most relaxed and receptive to interaction.
DIRECTIONS: If the bird will step up on your hand without biting, pick him up and bring him to a towel, baby blanket, or soft T-shirt on your chest. Fold the unused portion of the cover over the bird, covering him completely -- his head should also be covered so that he will not be able to bite you. If you cannot pick up the bird without being bitten, gently towel him and place him on your chest, completely covered. Once he's covered, stroke him gently through the cover and if he squirms, you can distract him by rocking your body back and forth or rocking in a chair. Singing or whispering softly to him is also reassuring. The first time that I tried this with one of the male Eclectus hooligans, he relaxed and actually started kissing loudly. Rather than continuing until he's exhausted, keep the session short and sweet. Several five-minute sessions daily are better than one ten or fifteen minute sessions because the bird will tire of it in that length of time, and you might too. Short sessions are just as effective and more enjoyable. It will be easier for both of you if the bird is first made comfortable with the cover that you use.
When a cover is used to remove the fear of biting, you will be able to show affection and once he realizes that you want to enter his personal space to show him affection rather than aggression, he will lose his fear and become comfortable enough to return your affection. The basic nature of the Eclectus is friendly and non-aggressive, and biting is nearly always a fear response. When they lunge at your approaching hand, it is usually an attempt to protect themselves. The Intensive Love method gives a fearful bird a chance to realize that there is nothing to fear from the owner. However, a bird with a phobic fear of being covered is not a candidate for this method! It will take longer to win them over but, steady trust building day by day will eventually achieve the same results.
MY THREE AND A HALF YEAR OLD MALE HAS RECENTLY STARTED TRYING TO MATE WITH ME, SCREAMING INCESSANTLY, AND BITING ME. WHAT CAN I DO?
If you are unable to contact a behaviorist in your area, I have a few suggestions for you. Although I am not a behaviorist. I have enjoyed my small flock of exclusively eclectus parrots for over ten years and therefore am somewhat familiar with their behavior.
DISTRACTION: The first suggestion is to try many forms of distraction for your hormonal male eclectus. These might include filling his cage with fresh clean and safe tree branches from which he can strip the bark and leaves. If he does not have ropes and swings already, provide him with those two toys which eclectus especially enjoy. Food toys such as millet sprays, shish-ka-bobs, and green foods threaded through the cage bars can help to occupy his time. Also, untreated pine wood pieces and small magazines such as TV Guides, minus the shiny pages, provide safe distractions from screaming and feather destruction.
I have had success in several cases of screaming by using the "ultimate distraction" of moving the bird's home. He has developed an unacceptable pattern of behavior in his familiar surroundings. If you move his cage to an entirely different area of the house, he may behave quite differently for long enough to break this pattern. You might have another family member take over much of his care for a short while, just long enough to break the pattern of screaming when he sees you. At his calmest time of day, you can begin brief visits with him again. Try to behave "differently" when you visit with him, in order to develop and define a new and different relationship. Try to project an image of yourself as"flock leader". Avoid doing anything that you know will trigger his sexual displays to you and his screaming.
If he is receiving any foods that contain extra vitamin E, wheat germ or wheat germ oil, you need to discontinue these to see if he is being over-stimulated by them. A small percentage of eclectus parrots also become hyperactive when given supplemental spirulina. This supplement is present even in the one brand of organic pellets. Also be sure that he is getting ten to twelve hours of sleep in a dark and undisturbed place.
Above all, do not give up on him. Many times, unacceptable behaviors are temporary and can be stopped by making a few changes. It is quite natural that you would feel disappointed and frustrated, but try to relate this genetically-programmed behavior to the inevitable trials and tribulations that we parents experience with teenagers. This difficult stage will not last forever. Try to keep your eye on the goal of successfully weathering the temporary hormonal storm and still being friends when all is calm again. Unconditional love and consistent guidance can see you through this trying time.
IS THERE A SOFT FOOD MIX RECIPE THAT ECLECTUS LIKE?
If you want to offer your birds a nutritious cooked food which they are guaranteed to love, read on! This food combination provides a complete protein--between the beans and the rice, all eight essential amino acids are present--and complex carbohydrates, all necessary to the health of our parrots.
If you've ever used any of the prepared soak & cook mixes like Crazy Corn, you know that it can be expensive but that your birds really enjoy it. If you make your own recipe, it can be tailored to the individual tastes of your birds. For instance, sweet potatoes are a wonderful food for Eclectus and they add color and a major boost in Vitamin A and other nutrients.
As Paula warned you, most of the ingredients expand to double or triple their original size after they are cooked, so keep in mind the number of stock pots or large cooking vessels that you have and the amount of freezer space available. If you have lots of birds and lots of freezer space, you may want to make a large amount as I do and then you won't need to make it again for weeks. If you have only one or two birds, you might want to start with one pound of whole dried corn or popcorn, one box of brown rice, one package of beans, and a couple sweet potatoes. When I make it for my little flock, I start with three to five pounds of popcorn, a large package of brown rice, several pounds of beans and four or five sweet potatoes. When you choose the beans, remember that Eclectus favor garbanzo beans (chick peas). My birds also like navy beans and lentils. Remember that the beans need to be cooked until completely done. My birds look forward to this warm "glop" every morning! Here is the recipe:
Soft Food Mix For Eclectus
Soak overnight half a large stock pot of dry shelled whole corn or popcorn. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat the next day for several hours, or until the corn is plumped and soft in the middle. Water will need to be added several times as it is absorbed by the corn, which more than doubles in volume.
Also, soak overnight your choice of dried beans. Eclectus seem to favor garbanzo beans (chick peas) and you can also use lentils, cranberry, pinto, lima, northern, chili, black beans or others. Cook the next morning for about an hour or until done, but before they turn to mush.
Cook one or two boxes of Uncle Ben's Original Brown Rice or a large bag of brown rice for approximately thirty minutes. For the last fifteen minutes of cooking time, add to the rice chunks of raw sweet potato. I dice the sweet potatoes large so that the pieces don't fall apart.
Optional foods to be cooked with the brown rice are raisins, currants, shelled sunflower seeds, shelled pumpkin seeds, wheat berries, barley, whole oats, pasta, or nuts. Cinnamon, cloves or ginger may be added for flavor.
Combine all ingredients in a large container, clean sink, or clean garbage bag. Mix and allow to cool. Seal in plastic freezer bags in daily portions, press flat for faster thawing, and freeze. To serve, thaw and bring to a boil. Allow to cool before feeding. For faster cooling, add frozen garden peas or individually frozen fruits, such as cranberries or blueberries, which act as mini-ice cubes. The heat from the mix will thaw the peas or fruits. Do not leave this mixture in the feeding dishes long enough to spoil.
HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE THE VOSMAERI AND THE SOLOMON ISLAND ECLECTUS PARROTS?
Both the Vosmaeri and Solomon Island subspecies have their fans. Some people do not feel comfortable with a big parrot but love the colors of the Eclectus so a Solomon Island is their cup of tea. The Solomon Islands have a shorter tail and neck which gives them a more "compact" appearance. They are approximately one third smaller than the Vosmaeri Eclectus, the largest sub-species available in the U.S. There is only one larger sub-species called the Macgillivray, native to Australia. To my knowledge there are only a couple pairs in this country and I have never seen one.

01-30-2007, 07:42 AM

The most commonly heard evaluation of the Solomon Island is that they are sweeter. I never have owned a Solomon Island Eclectus so I cannot evaluate this idea by experience, but I tend to think that personality may depend more on early socialization than on the sub-species. And now to the Vozzies--that's MY cup of tea! I'm a pushover for beautiful birds and Eclectus are in my opinion the most beautiful parrot in the world. I love the extra color on the Vosmaeri female Eclectus--that wide band of daisy yellow on the end of the female's tail is really striking! But, the Solomon Island females have a beautiful little ring of blue feathers around their eyes which looks like bright blue mascara! Also, I tend to like the large size of the Vosmaeri which in my opinion is a more elegant look, whereas the little Solomon Islands have more of a "cute" look. It is said that the Solomon Islands and Red-Sideds have more of a rounded head and the Vosmaeri have a flatter look on the head, but this is a subtle characteristic.
The most debatable difference is talking ability. Many owners feel that the Vosmaeris talk a little more and I do not disagree. But, again this may be an individual characteristic more dependent on how much speech training the bird has been given than on the sub-species. Perhaps this idea started because of the bigger size of the Vosmaeri, the idea being "the bigger the brain the smarter." I often see my Vozzies "plan" things, like how to get a toy from the floor, up a ladder, to the top of their tree perch! I can tell you from experience Vosmaeris are wonderfully entertaining. They invent games and play on ropes and swings for hours. They enjoy toys and especially enjoy having their owners play silly games with them, such as peek-a-boo!

WHAT ARE THE FAVORITE FOODS OF ECLECTUS PARROTS?
One of the greatest claims to fame of the Eclectus parrot is EATING! No one has ever accused Eclectus of being finicky eaters. In fact, were it not for their penchant for fruits and veggies, and their love of any and all fibrous foods, I think they would have the obesity problems that other big eaters like Amazons sometimes have. Of course, if we fed them a high-fat diet, I'm sure that they could become overweight but most of the owners of Eclectus that I know are very conscientious about feeding the proper diet.
I have found that my Eclectus will eat almost anything but they also have definite favorite foods. Their all-time favorite is POMEGRANATE. This seedy fruit is loaded with nutrients and is considered to be an anti-viral food. I only wish that they could have them year-round but unfortunately, they are seasonal. They also love SEEDED GRAPES. There was a time when I believed that grape seeds may be a no-no, in spite of the fact that my birds always dug into the grape and ate the seeds first if there were any. Then came grape seed extract in health food stores, at an exorbitantly high price I might add, much research has proven it to be one of the most powerful anti-oxidants available. So maybe my guys knew what they were doing all the time when they searched out those little seeds! Another seasonal food which Eclectus really love is FRESH FIGS. Too bad their season is so short. Off season, we can reconstitute dried figs which is the next best thing, but many are treated with chemicals and all are very sweet so it should not be offered more than once or twice a week IF you can find untreated ones. Other favorite fruits are papaya, mango, guava, apple, cherries, nectarines and cactus pears.
As for veggies, my guys love CORN, CORN & more CORN! Any way I prepare it or raw, it's sought after daily! One of the ways they prefer it is "plumped", that is, dried shelled corn soaked overnight and then cooked until it swells up to triple in size and very moist inside. My Eclectus breeders always feed this to their babies in the nest. Fresh ENGLISH PEAS are relished by my guys too. I see them scraping bits of the inner pod to eat after they have devoured all the fat green peas. If your supermarket carries a strange looking round and light brown root-looking food called SUN CHOKES, slice that into your Eclectus' dish and stand back! They may run over you getting to this food too. Other favorite veggies are celery, pole beans, sweet potatoes, all sorts of beans, and ALL hot peppers.

01-30-2007, 07:43 AM

Other favorites of my Eclectus are hard-boiled eggs, shell included, chicken legs (they especially like the gristle and the marrow inside the bone), brown rice, shredded wheat and bran squares, and all fresh nuts, especially unshelled almonds and pine nuts.
Joseph M. Forshaw's PARROTS OF THE WORLD says:
"Eclectus Parrots feed on fruits, nuts, seeds, berries, leaf buds, blossoms and nectar procured in the treetops. They have been seen in causarinas eating new leaf shoots. Gut contents from specimens collected in the eastern Solomons comprised soft, mainly fig-like, fruit; and from other birds collected, fruit pulp and many small fruit stones."
This information certainly is in keeping with the favorite foods of my birds. They relish all sorts of fruits including figs, and they love nuts. They act as though they've found a treasure when they find seeds in grapes, and they eat all kinds of berries. They love Hibiscus blossoms and although I've never fed them leaf buds, shoots, or nectar, I'm sure they would like those too if I could provide them!

WHY IS MY ECLECTUS BABY SO SLOW TO WEAN?
Sometimes a bird that is slow to wean has a bacterial or fungal problem. In order to help you determine if a baby is ill, here are some of the signs of illness: inactivity, eyes closed most of the time, feathers fluffed most of the time, droopy wings, low posture on perch, falling off perch, lessening of vocalizations, noticeable and noisy breathing, frequent sneezing, nasal discharge, tail bobbing, soiled or pasted vent, and vomiting.
After four or five months of age, a baby does not need formula any longer. Once you stop giving them this very nutrient-dense food, their appetite for other foods may improve to the point that they will eat better on their own. However, a baby should never go to bed hungry. If it hasn't eaten enough food during the day to fill itself, even formula at bedtime is better than nothing.
One of the best weaning foods is my recipe for beans, corn, brown rice and sweet potato. All of my Eclectus eat this mix every day and the young birds especially love it. It is a complete protein food and very nutritious. It's my best weaning food.

HOW CAN I TELL IF MY NEW ECLECTUS IS SICK?
First, if he doesn't eat much, which may not sound serious in other birds, I would be concerned since I've never seen an Eclectus that didn't eat a LOT throughout the day. If you know that your bird was eating pellets before, even though my birds seem to do better on a diet of fresh foods, I certainly would make sure to offer him whatever he was eating before you got him. If you don't know what brand, size, flavor, etc. pellets he was eating before, try to find out and get them for him. Loss of appetite can be a major sign of illness.
Second, he might sit low on his perch. That posture indicates that he may be too weak to maintain erect posture. A healthy Eclectus looks very elegant with alert and upright posture, but sitting low, almost horizontally, on the perch is a sign of illness.
Third, if he makes no noise to speak of and appears frightened all the time, it also could be a sign of illness. All of my Eclectus vocalize quite a bit daily, even if it is just bird sounds and not talking. A sick bird could act scared because in the wild, they would be preyed upon. I recently sold a young Eclectus to a couple who own a tiny yorkie and when we spoke later, I hardly recognized the description as that of the bird I had raised. He was very guarded, did not talk, hardly played and didn't socialize as he had before. As soon as he was moved to a different floor from the dog, he seemed to relax.
Fourth, it is uncharacteristic of Eclectus to dislike bathing. I suppose that if an older bird never was given the opportunity to bathe, he might be a little set in his ways and dislike it because it is new to him. Or, perhaps if a bird is accustomed to bathing in a different way, he might refuse a new kind of bath. But this too could be a sign of an unwell bird.

01-30-2007, 07:43 AM

And fifth, a description of untidy feathers could possibly be that of a bird who is just about to molt, but along with other symptoms, it too may be a sign of illness. There are some pretty bad diseases that this could be a symptom of, especially if there are feathers that are malformed.
I certainly would have a good avian vet take a look at a new bird that appears to be unwell. If you have other birds, you need to be sure that their health is not being compromised by exposure to a contagious disease. Even if he already has passed a good health check, I think you should keep a new bird quarantined from your other birds for several months.

ARE ECLECTUS PARROTS GOOD TALKERS?
When I first became "hooked on hookbills", few people had ever heard of Eclectus parrots and hardly anyone had ever seen one. It was generally thought that African Greys were the best talkers, and that Amazons were next in talking ability. The Yellow Nape Amazon was considered the best of these, followed by the Blue Front Amazon and others. Of course it is strictly an individual trait among the birds of any species as to whether or not they talk.
Even though Eclectus parrots have become much more popular, there still are many people who don't realize what wonderful talkers they are. I believe that they rival the Grey in talking ability and in clarity of tone. Among those who have Eclectus, they generally are thought to be in the top three in talking ability.
I often have babies who are saying HI and HELLO by the time they are weaned because I talk to them all the time that I'm feeding and playing with them. I have adult Eclectus who use many words, phrases and songs, AND quite often use language appropriately. All of my adults say "Wanna go out" but only when they want to move from one place to another. Another trait that Eclectus share with Greys is the ability to mimic interesting sounds. My Eclectus can mimic doorbells, dripping water, the "uh oh" sound of an incoming ICQ message, the microwave beeping, alarm clocks and many more.
Some of the things they say are:
Some of the things they say are:
* Hi, Hello, Hey you!
* What'cha doing?
* Pretty bird.
* Want some?
* Is that good?
* Ummmmmmmmm!
* That's good!
* I love you.
* MOMMY!
* Bill?
* Come here!
* What's happening?
* Who said that?
* What? What?
* I'm a dirty bird.
* Peek-a-boo!
* All the names of birds and people in my family.
When I hear a series of sounds repeated a few times, I sometimes have to record it and play it back to be able to tell what they are trying to say. I don't know why it's easier to figure out when hearing it on tape, but that really does work for me when they are learning a phrase but don't quite have it right yet. Once you know what she's trying to say, you can repeat it more often to help her along. Also, when I hear one of my babies saying something similar to a word, like "I", mirroring the word as HI and repeating it several times helps them to learn it faster. EH-OH can easily become HEL-LO if you repeat it frequently when the bird is attentive.
My first Eclectus, Kiwi, sings YOU AIN'T NOTHING BUT A HOUND DOG all the way through, many verses of OLD McDONALD HAD A FARM, the Mickey Mouse song, and several others. Then there are his many one liners. He will learn one or two lines of songs that he likes and never will learn the rest or act remotely interested if I try to teach it to him. The bottom line in speech or singing with most birds is that they learn what they like! I never have found speech tapes or records or any of the re-play gadgets to be of any help in teaching a bird to talk. Repeating a word or phrase at a time when the bird is receptive seems to be the way they learn best.

AS MUCH AS I HATE TO ADMIT IT, MY ECLECTUS IS FEATHER PLUCKING. WHY?
First let me say in response to your statement "As much as I hate to admit it, my male is feather picking" that we should NOT feel guilty and blame ourselves. Although this is a stressful situation for us to deal with, it usually is NOT the result of our negligence nor our lack of care.
The most important question is: Does he mutilate his feathers as a result of psychological causes, or does he act in what appears to be a psychologically maladaptive manner because of an underlying physical problem? Stress, which can be caused by many different things, is very often the cause rather than a physical problem.
Some birds pick only on their leg feathers and sometimes this starts as a result of a leg band irritating the skin or making the feathers sore by rubbing them against the direction in which they grow. In case Mojo does have sore or itchy skin on his legs, the first treatment of choice is to spray a solution of aloe and pure water on his legs. Just the fact that the feathers are damp for a good while several times a day will slow down his picking somewhat. If his legs are itchy, aloe spray could solve the problem altogether. I recently found a new product in the health food stores which makes mixing of your own aloe spray unnecessary. It is an eight-ounce spray bottle called "George's Pure Aloe Spray Mister" and it costs just less than five dollars. George's is one of the most respected names in aloe products. If you cannot find it, I'll send you directions for mixing your own. Spray the bird's legs several times a day until the skin is soaked. If he should start picking on the feathers of his chest, wings, or back, follow the same spraying protocol in these areas too.
You inquired about the Aloe Detox. This is a 200:1 concentrate of aloe with some very good herbs used to detoxify the liver and blood. Some vets DO use Aloe Detox along with antibiotics, especially in the case of severely ill birds or undiagnosed illnesses. If a bird has consumed a new food or a substance such as chemical vitamins, minerals, or spirulina and is having an allergic reaction to it, the Aloe Detox will certainly clear it from his body faster. I think it is a good idea to keep this product on hand at all times in case of illness. The echinacea herb that you mentioned is another frequently-used herb in parrot illness but you need the guidance of someone knowledgeable and experienced in its use. Echinacea never should be used daily on a long-term basis but a drop a day for a week as you suggested is an acceptable treatment. I'm currently researching another alternative treatment for feather picking called Pycnogenol, an over the counter plant-derived substance taken from grapeseeds and from pine bark. You can read some success stories involving the use of this natural plant derivative in Bonnie Munro Doane's excellent book, MY PARROT, MY FRIEND. Pycnogenol is available in most health food stores.

01-30-2007, 07:46 AM

Regarding your question about the lack of bathing being a possible cause, I certainly think you are on the right track here. Lack of humidity and itchy dry skin probably account for more feather problems than we realize. It would be good to keep him in an area with the highest humidity possible, and even a humidifier running in dry areas and during Winter time indoors would be helpful.
A good soaking drench in the shower every few days, with misting in between showers, is a good way to keep the skin and feathers hydrated. The only times you should not give these soaking baths are when the bird is ill, when it is extremely cold, and when the bird doesn't have time to dry before bedtime. I never give soaking baths to my birds after three or four o'clock in the afternoon and when they take late rain showers, I watch to be sure they are dry before nightfall.

HOW DO I GET STARTED MAKING SAFE SPROUTS FOR MY ECLECTUS?
It's really wonderful to see so many people starting to make sprouts. This is such an easy and inexpensive way to give our Eclectus a more nearly natural diet with real "live" foods! If you want to see for yourself how much your Eclectus will LOVE sprouts, just soak some whole unshelled sunflower seeds in water overnight, rinse & feed the next morning, and watch them pick all of them out first! I suggest mung beans as your first starter batch of sprouts. They grow the fastest and are problem free. It really is not necessary to buy someone else's mix. I buy mung beans, wheat berries, alfalfa seeds and others from health food stores. I buy all sorts of beans and lentils from the super market. Simply soak the seeds or beans or lentils in water overnight. Rinse and place in a colander to sprout, and rinse several times daily. You may feed them when you can see the tails peeking out or let them grow for another day or two. Refrigerate or feed them before they become bitter. Trial and error will teach you just how long each can grow.
Instead of buying the protective additive for sprouts that many use, I buy what I believe to be the same thing, but much less expensive, from the health food store. It is called Nutribiotic Liquid Concentrate, a Standardized Extract of Grapefruit. This contains "Citricidal", a natural quaternary compound synthesized from the seed & pulp of certified organically grown grapefruit. What a versatile product! It actually is marketed for people to take internally but it is a wonderful safe disinfectant! I use it to wash the fruits and vegetables that I feed my little flock and I use it with sprouts if I don't ozonate them.
The following is a very safe method to use in sprouting. This should eliminate any concern you have about molds in sprouts. They come out squeaky clean and very fresh smelling. One note of caution: when using the ozone system, use it in a well-ventilated area away from your birds and do not inhale the ozone yourself. But don't let this scare you away from this very safe system of sprouting. After the first time you do it, it will seem so easy and you never again will have to worry about contaminated sprouts!
As detailed in a back issue of The Electronic Eclectus by Dr. Simmons: Rinse the beans and seeds in clean water and place them in a stainless steel rice steamer and fill with water. Then take the smallest aquarium type ozone lamp attached to an aquarium pump with an airstone attached to the end of a plastic tube and place that in the water containing the seed. Let this run twice a day for about thirty minutes, draining and rinsing before each set up. Leave the water on the seed for the first 24 hours and after that drain after each ozone treatment.
This system also can be used to sterilize delicate toys such as music boxes or whatever else you cannot immerse in water. Use the same ozone lamp that you use for making sprouts. Place whatever you want to sterilize in a plastic bag and press all of the air out of it. Then fill with ozone through the air stone and seal the bag. Leave for an hour or so and the item should be sterile.
You can buy this equipment from larger aquarium stores or from a place called Pet Solutions. Their phone number is 1-800-737-3868. If you do not want to wait to receive a catalog, here are the numbers and prices:
25mg. Coralife Ozonizer #96300770 price--$74.99, 8 ft. ozone-resistant tubing #96300778 price--$6.99, Hagen Elite 801 Pump #15510801 price-- $5.59, and a Ceramic Airstone #10812535 price--$2.99. Then just hook it up according to the diagram that is included with the Ozonizer. Total charge from Pet Solutions with shipping and handling is $100.55.
Happy sprouting! Your Eclectus will thank you with happy eating sounds, gorgeous feathers, (and maybe more babies too)!

01-30-2007, 07:46 AM

IS MOLTING STRESSFUL FOR AN ECLECTUS?
Molting is a very stressful time for a parrot. In the wild, they would become more susceptible to predators due to their lessened ability to fly. THIS LACK OF SECURITY COULD CARRY OVER TO PET BIRDS TOO! Perhaps this is just an instinctual feeling but nonetheless, very real to your bird. It is good to minimize stress during molting and to allow for extra rest. Anything you can do to increase your bird's feeling of security would be a plus. A smaller cage, or covering half of his regular cage so that he can feel hidden, might help him feel safe from predators, even if there are none. Good nutrition is especially important during molting. It takes a good diet to create all those new feathers. I always increase the protein offered during this time. Also, a molting parrot could use some grooming help about now, which also can strengthen your bond and his trust in you. If you help him remove the sheaths from the new feathers, you are performing one of the mutual grooming functions of a mate. He may even rearrange your hair in return!
Besides showers, spray baths, and gently pinching off the dead sheaths that are ready to shed, you could try using a toothbrush. I recycle my family's toothbrushes by putting them through a couple dishwasher cycles to be sure that they are germ free. The used ones work better for grooming than the new ones. Your bird will learn to love being gently "brushed" which will smooth the feathers and remove the dead sheaths too. This works especially well on the small feathers on the head, which is where birds need the most help. This is the one place they cannot reach. Parrots have two or three THOUSAND feathers so they can use a little help from a friend!
If he is a little cranky during molting and doesn't want any help or doesn't want to step up and come out of the cage, this is a good time to treat him as a friend who's a little under the weather and give him a little extra space and quiet time. Molting is a very stressful time, and I've always wondered if they might feel like an "inside-out pin cushion"!

WHY IS MY THREE YEAR OLD ECLECTUS REGURGITATING TO ME?
There's good news and more good news! Your bird probably is not sick AND he loves you! Of course this is only a guess from someone who has not seen your Eclectus, but this is a very commonly asked question. At this age, he is beginning to mature sexually and for now, you are the object of his affection! This natural behavior can be directed at a toy or any other object.
Regurgitation is the backward flow of undigested food, usually from the crop. Vomiting is the forcible expulsion of digested food from the stomach through the mouth. Since birds have a crop, it's rare for them to actually vomit. So regurgitation is what normally occurs, not vomiting. Although it can indicate a crop infection or a blockage in the upper digestive tract, if Shamrock has no symptoms of illness and does it only when interacting with you, I really believe that in this case it is a normal sign of courtship. Rather than encourage it, I always use distraction when this happens so that it doesn't become a habit.

01-30-2007, 07:47 AM

WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MY ECLECTUS WEAN?
How about trying the "oatmeal trick" to get him finally weaned? Instead of feeding him with the syringe, make some oatmeal and add a little formula for taste and make it thick enough to stay on your finger. Offer it to him in small bites from your finger. When he is well into his little feeding frenzy, move your finger with the oatmeal closer and closer to the bowl with the goal of getting him to take it from your finger in the bowl so that he is eating out of the dish. You cannot leave anything with formula in it in the cage because it will spoil in less than half an hour, but you can make plain oatmeal, cream of wheat, soaked shredded wheat squares, or a soft food mix and leave a bowl of that for him to eat free choice. You can flavor the soft food with whatever his favorite food is in order to tempt him.
Be sure to give him lots of love and attention, because it may be that he demands the hand feeding in order to get you to spend more time with him. The first few times doing the oatmeal trick may take as long as a regular syringe feeding, but once he discovers eating from the bowl, you are home free!
Just one more thought....I'm sure you remember never to put a bird to bed hungry. If a bird refuses to eat enough soft food from your finger or from the bowl, it would be better to syringe feed him at night than to let him go to bed hungry. It is natural for them to lose some weight at weaning time so don't worry if he loses a few grams.

WHAT CAN I FEED A YOUNG ECLECTUS THAT IS REFUSING TO WEAN?
I like the idea of giving weanlings pasta, and of offering Nutriberries--all my babies learn to like those right away! Also, "plumped" millet sprays and sunflower seeds are irresistible to birds of any age. I've described the process in some tips I'm including below. And how could any of us wean babies without cooked corn on the cob? All of my babies will eat it first.
If I had this situation, the first thing I would do is substitute finger-fed hot wet foods for the formula feedings. I believe that since she is nibbling regular foods, she is ready to wean but her begging is more of a dependency issue which originated in her rough start early on.
When she begs for her formula, arrange everything just as though you were about to feed her the formula as usual. Instead, flavor some other hot wet foods with the formula and feed her from your fingers. It's messy but it works! As soon as she accepts these foods, leave off the formula altogether as she is already a month past the time that she should have given it up. Soon I believe that she will be diving into the dish of hot wet foods on her own, and from there you can gradually minimize the hot foods and maximize the regular foods until you're home free!
Some of the hot foods that you can use are oatmeal, cream of wheat, polenta or corn mush made just as you would make cream of wheat except that you use corn flour instead, soaked shredded wheat squares, soaked whole grain breads, baby foods thickened with formula or bread crumbs, mashed white or sweet potatoes, warm scrambled eggs, and others.
For more tips for finicky eaters, please see my article Tips for Finicky Eaters

IS IT SAFE FOR MY ECLECTUS TO HAVE MY CARPETS SCOTCHGUARDED?
Although I have no experience with Scotchguarding carpets because I have tile, I personally would not add ANY chemical to my family's or my birds' environment unless I thought it was absolutely necessary. Time and again we have seen some chemical concoction used by the American public for years before discovering the deadly effects of it. I do know that many people have been made very ill by "toxic carpets" and the effect would be much more devastating to a bird. I was shocked to see the list of chemicals that carpets are treated with....such as anti-mold, anti-mildew, anti-static, anti-stain, flame retardant, and on & on. I'm sorry to sound like a fanatic but adding yet another chemical to an already overtreated carpet sounds like a recipe for disaster. Personally I would prefer to clean the carpet more often, not a bad idea anyway here in Florida.