Eclectus Parrot as a first time bird?
Category: Eclectus Parrot Forum
I am very interested in elcectus parrots.I am sort of an exprericed bird owner. I used to own a pair of cockatiels and a parrotlet. I have also taken care of friends parrots before. It would be the only bird in the house, so how loud would it be, the noise is NOT a huge factor al long as it is not much louder than a sun conure.I have done tons of research and i would be able to give him at least 4 hours of out of cage attention or more each day.I also do have some experience with birds, please let me know if an eclectus is right for me.
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Eclectus are a hardy bird, but they are BIG and voraciuos, be prepared for them to chew up everything in sight, including hands… they are also one of the longest lived parrots so be prepared to pass it on to kids if you take good care of them…
If this is your first large bird i would suggest something a little smaller and easier to maintain, african greys make wonderful first time birds if you have a lot of time to spend with them, amazons are a great choice as well, they do have some more aggressive tendencies, but they are tough as nails and will have a lot smaller chances of being neurotic.
I’d go for something smaller.
They need daily attention. Tons of toys. And they need a special diet, unlike other parrots they have unusually long digestive tracks. Because of this they can get nutritional problems a lot easier.
It is recommend they get 80% soft foods, veggie/fruit, soaked and sprouted seeds and many owners feed them baby food. This special diet makes them harder to care for then a beginner would be use to.
http://www.avianweb.com/eclectusfood.htm
In general, the eclectus parrot is more sensitive to a loud household then some other species.
They will Freeze up like a statue when they feel unsure.
So many people think of them as boring, slow moving, and unpredictable. But this isn’t true at all.
An electus in a home and with people it feels comfortable with will play, make noise and act goofy.
This is not a bird that feels comfortable in a home with fast moving children, other animals and loud noise.
The female of the species is notoriously aggressive. The aggression can be very hard to deal with if you are a person who isn’t use to handling a large biting bird.
I recommend you do tons of research.
But I think for you I would check out the senegal family of parrots, Or the larger conures might be more your speed.
http://www.avianweb.com/eclectus.htm
this website also lists other species.
I was pretty worried when I saw this question, but reading your info I wouldn’t exactly call this a “first time bird” for you since you’ve had a decent amount of exposure to birds already. The big difference in the Senegal and the birds you’ve had in the past is going to be noise. While cockatiels can get a little screechy at times, although I think they tend to whistle more than anything, and the parrotlets are more chatterers and chirpers. But the Senegal is going to be on a whole new level for you. Compared to a sun conure, which I assume you know are pretty loud birds, a Senegal is probably about the same. They are known for being one of the quieter parrots, but I always use that phrase with caution. I don’t want to give you the impression that they are “quiet” birds by any means. They are still loud, and certain times of the day are going to be worse than others. But if you can tolerate a sun conure, you can probably tolerate a Senegal. Just a disclaimer: a lot of it depends on the individual bird. There have been noisier green cheeks and quieter sun conures. Noise level can vary greatly from one individual to another. And finally, though I’m sure you already know this, the amount of interaction and entertainment you give your bird greatly effects the amount of noise your parrot will feel the need to make. All in all, I think a Senegal sounds like a pretty good match for you, especially for your first larger parrot. Just take your time and find the right individual bird. =)
Really only you will know if an eclectus is right for you & your home situation.
They’re a marvelous bird to own! BUT, in the wrong hands & without doing the correct research they can be a terrible bird to own.
The main thing you need to be clear on is their diet. they’re unlike other parrot species. They thrive on fresh soft healthy human food & do poorly on seed/pellet diets, so be prepared to prepare food daily. Believe me, once you get into the swing of it, it is very easy to do & you’ll find yourself eating a lot healthier too :)
Their noise level varies. Some can be noisy, others very quiet. As a general rule the eclectus prefers to talk than scream. They do not like a lot of noise & if in a noisy environment they will pick up screaming themselves. They also tend to vacate a noisy household & retreat to another room (eg: bird room) if it’s too noisy for them.
They can be noisy if they aren’t getting the attention they need. Eclectus tend to become noisy through lack of attention because being noisy gives them attention LOL They’re very clever birds & know exactly how manipulate their owners. You will become their slave LOL
Eclectus will also pick up noises in the household, whether it’s talking, toy noises, other pets. they will imitate them. My eclectus is very quiet & prefers to talk but our area has black cockatoos who’re very noisy. If he hears them he will scream like a black cockatoo.
An eclectus scream should be tolerable. if you can’t tolerate them screaming then there may be something wrong.
At LEAST 4 hours a day should be given. A toy basket loaded with toys. They love to rummage through toy baskets & play with what ever toy they choose. They’re fantastic in entertaining themselves if they have all the right equipment. If they’re left alone for too long, rather than screaming, they will usually come looking for you (if they can).
They’re a very social & curious bird. they will make friends with everyone & everything.
hormonal times can vary & female & male eclectus can both have rotten moods due to hormones. Luckily for the eclectus it is usually short lived so you don’t have to put up with it for long.
There is a lot more to know about them & even owning one, you will still find you’re constantly learning things about them.
Eclectus parrots are generally NOT chewers though you can get the occasional one that is a chewer. They do NOT chew furniture, hands, everything in sight. they’re not a cockatoo.
And some eclectus can lack in chewing to keep their beaks trim so need encouragement.
Please visit my eclectus website & forum & good luck in your decision.