2nd thoughts?

[Prissy]

Shame, the one I had spent time with recently was. But that could of been a one bird case.

[sidech]

What are you looking for in a parrot ? What personality ? What's good for me might not be for you.

[Prissy]

We want a larger to med size parrot (bare in mind we already have a huge cage and toys made for large beaks) that's highly intelligent. We want vocabulary but cuddly nature is important too. We have two young children 5 and 2 who loovvvve birds. Each time we went visiting breeders they gravitated to umbrella cockatoos, each and every time! But I worry about my allergies with them. I want a bird we can all interact with. I anyone every day and have nothing but time for a new family member.

[sidech]

I would reconsider very seriously getting a cockatoo, especially with children around. They are the most difficult specie to be kept in captivity, and the abandonment % is very very high. They are for the most experienced owners, and even then, most people can't deal with them once they reach sexual maturity, when they become territorial and full fledge attacks happen. You seriously don't want one of these wild animals in your house...

As for Ekkies, they fit everything you have written so far. I have severe allergies to bird dust, i've had to rehome my Brown head, and my Ekkie triggers almost no reaction. Well raised Ekkies will go to anyone, including children (with supervision of course). They are smart, calm birds, and most of them talk, although there is no garanty about that.

What you have to know : they are not the cuddliest bird, ie they love sitting on you, rubbing your cheek with their beek and kissing you, but don't really appreciate petting generally.

They have a special diet you have to follow, ie fresh veggies, fruits, sprouts, mainly and small bird seeds. No pellets or anything containing vitamins or coloring. You MAKE them food, you don't just buy a bag and feed it to them. Easy to do though once you know how.

They are VERY LOUD. usually they don't scream much, but there will be periods where they will, such as molting. Mine is loud in the morning. It is ear shattering, I'm not kidding.

Females can be difficult to keep. They can lay eggs all year round, and will be very territorial while doing so, ie they will attack anything coming near their nest, which can be any corner in your house or on the floor. With kids, I would stay away from the females and get a goofy male.

Please ask if there is anything else you would like to know. Most parrots are exclusive and not really appropriate for kids. Eclectus are not exclusive to one person, because in the wild, they mate with multiple partners all their life.

[GlassOnion]

All baby Cockatoos are wonderful and sweet. But just like human children vs. adults, the differences between juvenile 'toos and sexually mature adults are DRASTIC.

If you're seriously considering a 'too, please read www.mytoos.com

[CinnamonParrots]

That's fantastic! I was on page 2 of this thread and I was thinking this whole time "I think he needs an ekkie" I would gravitate towards a male more than a female, for the sole purpose of their natural behaviours. I think to own a female ekkie may require a more experienced handler because if you get a chance to watch "Parrots Land of the Oz" they describe and actually show eclectus nesting behaviour, which is very different than most "monogamous" parrot pairs, as female ekkies actually allow multiple males to breed with her in order to secure food, she is brightly coloured in red so that the males who fly to her will see her in the nest hollow, and warn off other females who might try to steal her nesting site. Male eclectus are green so that they camouflage with the surrounding tree canopies as they fly for miles and miles visiting multiple females to feed - but the same female for the most part always has chicks from only her dominant male partner.. THAT'S SO INTERESTING! I was in awe when I saw this, because I never expected parrots to display this behaviour, I know many other species of birds do, but didn't realize parrots do as well!

This in turn affects the behaviours of male vs. female ekkies, I've heard that females may be more difficult to motivate to learn to forage and fly compared to males because they spend a lot of time staying put in their cage, which may also bring up the possibility of cage aggression or nest guarding somewhere in your house...I'm sure someone will correct me if my information is wrong about this, but that is what I have gathered in general on eclectus parrots.

I believe a male ekkie would be very suitable for your home! And they are just wonderful to be around!

[liz]

We want a larger to med size parrot (bare in mind we already have a huge cage and toys made for large beaks) that's highly intelligent. We want vocabulary but cuddly nature is important too. We have two young children 5 and 2 who loovvvve birds. Each time we went visiting breeders they gravitated to umbrella cockatoos, each and every time! But I worry about my allergies with them. I want a bird we can all interact with. I anyone every day and have nothing but time for a new family member.

Don't let your children decide your next child (and it will be another child in the house). You are the parent and must decide what child you want to raise.

[Zanizaila]

Very very true. Especially kids and toos - NOT a good combination! The most likely outcome will be a cockatoo who bonds to one member of the family, then viciously attacks everyone else, and they don't care how small the person they attack is, they just see an enemy.
http://mytoos.com/misc.shtml
http://mytoos.com/cuddles.shtml
"This is why I stress not having these large birds around children especially, (as one man has already found out the hard way when he posted that a Moluccan had removed his 8 month old daughters index finger). Never forget that these "cuddly" creatures can change in a split second, no matter how long you've had them."

I'm not saying this for the sake of the people, but for the poor birds who will get rehomed again and again, regardless of what the people say and think when they get them. Over and over, I see the most good, caring people, who may have had their birds for years, say - "I will NEVER get rid of my, bird, EVER! No matter what happens!" - and not long after, they don't have the bird anymore. I am the same.

[liz]

We want a larger to med size parrot (bare in mind we already have a huge cage and toys made for large beaks) that's highly intelligent. We want vocabulary but cuddly nature is important too. We have two young children 5 and 2 who loovvvve birds. Each time we went visiting breeders they gravitated to umbrella cockatoos, each and every time! But I worry about my allergies with them. I want a bird we can all interact with. I anyone every day and have nothing but time for a new family member.

Don't let your children decide your next child (and it will be another child in the house). You are the parent and must decide what child you want to raise.

What I was meaning is you have a 5 year old and a 2 year old. Are you really ready for another child. They completely depend on you for the rest of their lives. And what if it hurts one of the two kids. Do you discard the third. What if one of your natural kids hurts the 3rd. Do you say "well it was just a bird".


Please wait until the 2 year old is at least 6 before you adopt your 3rd child. Then choose the one that connects with you. Long after your kids are grown and leave home it will still be a kid.