Trained Parrot BlogParrot Wizard Online Parrot Toy StoreThe Parrot Forum

Eckie questions

Chat about general parrot care and parrot owner lifestyle. Bird psychology, activities, trimming, clipping, breeding etc.

Eckie questions

Postby Fie » Sat Oct 22, 2016 7:53 pm

I have a question about my 4 month old male eclectus, who has been with us for about 3 weeks now. I've been reading quite a lot on this forum and internet but still unsure as to what is exactly going on.

Our little baby boy loves to sqauwk.... so much that he does it nearly all the time. I just can't seem to figure out why he's doing it, it's not annoying or anything, I would just really like to know why he's doing it. So far I figured out he's not doing it when he can't hear us and he's in his cage. When he can hear us or when he's with us he squawks. I'm not noticing a lot of other body language (then again I'm not a skilled bird body language observer.... yet): he just kind of looks at me, bows his head a little and sqauwks. Sometimes he sits quietly and then when I start talking to him, he starts squawking. He also does it when there's lots of noise, like music, but then it looks more like he just wants to "join in on the noise", it seems different.

My first thought was that he wasn't fully weaned: turned out he was only 3 months when we got him. So I started giving him some formula in the evening. He usually eats about two spoons and then doesn't want it anymore. Yesterday he just refused completely and just ate his normal food. He eats almost every fruit or vegetable that I'm offering and seems to be eating well. He doesn't stop the squawking after he's had formula.

Then I thought he might just want attention? So I tried ignoring him... but failed miserably, it's pretty hard to ignore a loud scream in your ear. So then I tried putting him on his birdstand when he starts squawking or screaming loudly, but then he just makes his way back to me. So I ended up spending my time picking him up and putting him back on his stand. It felt like I wasn't spending any time with him at all, so yes... I caved and allowed him to stay with me while squawking and doing my best to ignore him.

Then I read somewhere that he might be bored: so I rearranged his cage, got him some new toys and am trying to teach him how to forage. He spends about 4 hours outside of his cage during the week, more over the weekend. While in his cage he seems to be playing with his toys (judging by the way they look at the end of the day).

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!
Fie
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 13
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Male Eclectus
Flight: No

Re: Eckie questions

Postby dragonlady2 » Sun Oct 23, 2016 9:54 am

At 3 months, your Ekkie was not weaned. The squawking might be due to being force weaned. Ekkies will slow down with hand feedings at 3 months so as to lose some weight in preparation for learning how to fly. It looks like it is weaned because of the refusal, but it will return to handfeeding once flight starts. This happened with my Ekkie, although he didn't squawk a lot, he did have the "feed me" body position. I continued to handfeed him along with his regular food until 7 months. He didn't eat much, but it was clear he wanted a spoon or two in the morning and before bed. I also made warm oatmeal for him to eat on his own. Hopefully, your bird will reduce the squawking once he realizes he will be fed consistently.
He is still a baby, I think if you ignore him, you may create a habit that will be difficult to break. Keep giving him things to do in his cage so he will learn independence. You might have to try different things until you find what he likes
dragonlady2
Lovebird
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 34
Location: canada
Number of Birds Owned: 12
Types of Birds Owned: Alexandrine, conures, senegal, australian king, plum head, eclectus,Barrabands, parrotlets, canaries
Flight: Yes

Re: Eckie questions

Postby Pajarita » Sun Oct 23, 2016 12:33 pm

I agree with Dragonlady. Breeders always wean too early and, if you don't 'catch it' in time, you end up with a bird that has some type of abnormal behavior, be it an eating disorder or a behavioral problem so it's ALWAYS a good idea to give them a bit of formula as well as a couple of soft foods served fresh and warm twice daily.

Aside from that, babies are never alone and that doesn't just mean he can see you, it means he needs his body touching yours (in the nest, they have their brothers and sisters with them all the time, even when the parents are busy looking for food). Have you tried putting him on your lap and resting your hand on him when he screams like that? Because that would feel similar to a mother bird laying on the baby in the nest and it might comfort him...
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Eckie questions

Postby Fie » Mon Oct 24, 2016 1:51 am

So I've tried the two handfeeds a day and a lot of contact, he was basically with me the entire day, also tried the "putting him on the lap and resting hand"-thing, and it's already improving. Now he's just letting out little content squawks. So I'll definitely continue with two handfeeds a day and see how it goes. Unfortunately tomorrow I have to go back to work so won't be able to give him as much contact as today :(
How do I know when I can stop with the handfeeding? Will he just stop taking it?
Fie
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 13
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Male Eclectus
Flight: No

Re: Eckie questions

Postby dragonlady2 » Mon Oct 24, 2016 9:07 am

In a couple of weeks, try giving him a warm mash in his bowl for breakfast mixed with his handfeeding formula. That will help transition him from the spoon to the bowl. Keep the evening hand feedings for a while longer and see if you can begin adding a little mash and then you can slowly transition that feeding to the bowl. The key is to take it slow and easy. Once he is totally weaned, you might find he will regress and want a handfeeding or two. It won't hurt him to give him those comfort feedings.
dragonlady2
Lovebird
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 34
Location: canada
Number of Birds Owned: 12
Types of Birds Owned: Alexandrine, conures, senegal, australian king, plum head, eclectus,Barrabands, parrotlets, canaries
Flight: Yes

Re: Eckie questions

Postby Fie » Tue Oct 25, 2016 2:34 am

But I can still give him some normal food to eat during the day right? I'm now handfeeding him morning and evening and additionally he gets fruit and veggies mashed in a bowl. He eats the mash from the bowl as well and seems to eat lots, but he also gulps down his handfeeds.
Do you give the evening feed just before bedtime or can it be earlier? He seems to be hungry by the time I get home, which is around 5 pm.
Fie
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 13
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Male Eclectus
Flight: No

Re: Eckie questions

Postby dragonlady2 » Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:03 am

Absolutely feed him his regular food during the day. My Ekkie gets 2 forty ounce bowls of chop a day along with a few nuts and his mashed sweet potato and red rice.
I would give him his handfeeding when you come home if he looks like he wants it. This is just my opinion, but when they are babies, parrots need to be abundance weaned. Let them eat however much it takes to fill them up, it will also give them a sense of security...they won't get anxious wondering when their next meal is coming.
dragonlady2
Lovebird
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 34
Location: canada
Number of Birds Owned: 12
Types of Birds Owned: Alexandrine, conures, senegal, australian king, plum head, eclectus,Barrabands, parrotlets, canaries
Flight: Yes

Re: Eckie questions

Postby Peetypie » Fri Oct 28, 2016 1:51 pm

Your little guy was most likely weaned too early. Does he bob his head up and down when squawking? If so this is a typical baby behavior and usually means he wants a feeding.
Peetypie
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 3
Number of Birds Owned: 5
Types of Birds Owned: Sun Conure
Congo African Grey
Budgies
Umbrella Cockatoo
Flight: Yes

Re: Eckie questions

Postby Pajarita » Fri Oct 28, 2016 1:59 pm

I always recommend giving them two kinds of soft food served warm twice a day when they are still babies all the way up to juveniles. The availability of warm, soft food will help with the weaning without creating any emotional trauma. Soft food is just that, food that is soft (think human toddler) - things like oatmeal or Irish oats, cous cous, polenta, pastina, etc cooked and mixed with pureed veggies and/or fruits.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Eckie questions

Postby Fie » Fri Oct 28, 2016 3:02 pm

I've been trying out the two handfeeds a day for a few days now and the screaming has dramatically increased! On top of his two handfeeds he gets heaps of fresh fruit and veggies throughout the day (of which he also seems to eat a lot) and then some warm mash in the evening with some cooked rice. He also gets a teaspoon of sprouts and in his foraging toy there's some seeds. He's doing soooooo much better, it's amazing. So many many thanks to you guys for the tips, they have most definitely helped!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Fie
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 13
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Male Eclectus
Flight: No

Next

Return to General Parrot Care

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests

Parrot ForumArticles IndexTraining Step UpParrot Training BlogPoicephalus Parrot InformationParrot Wizard Store