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Feeding new ekkie difficult

CarmieJo

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Hi Gail! Howard, our green boy, prefers many veggies cooked instead of raw. If Jacks continues to do so maybe next summer when you are putting food up from the garden you could try blanching veggies before freezing them. I can sneak some raw veggies that he generally wouldn't like in if they are finely chopped.
 

EkkieLuv

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philae21

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Well, I've tried just about everything...cooked in small pieces, in large chunks, puréed, ditto for blanched, ditto for raw. Pulses get no excitement so today I tried sprouted pulses...hasn't touched them. THE SAME GOES FOR FRUIT!

At least he comes out on his "porch" (cf picture above)...He spends a lot of the afternoon chirping away so he's not too unhappy. Just not friendly at all!:(:depressed:
 

aooratrix

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It can take a lot of time and frustration befor a psittacine tries new foods. It took me 10 years to get Morgan to try natural pellets. As for not being friendly, yet, eclectus can take a long time to adjust to change, I've heard. Give your bird time. Rarely does positive change occur quickly with parrots, IME. And you may have a bird that will only ever appreciate ambient attention. Time will tell. One day at a time and hang in there.
 

philae21

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Oh well....today he flew around the living room for the first time then returned to his cage...barely clearing my head which to me seems like good news. I'l going to try to weigh him today. I'm just so frustrated. Have tried everything...At least he's eating seeds (Habitat bird food...Oceanie mix for Australian parrots).
 

philae21

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Just weighed Jacks...380gr. He's gained 80 gr in a little over a month (2.8oz) Is that okay? He really doesn't like the box! a plastic sand box for the grandkids.
 

zoo mom

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I am not an ekkie expert but I believe any weight gain is good. If he was losing his weight then it would be time to worry. Just keep trying the fresh food.
 

EkkieLuv

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You are doing just fine. Really. Stop stressing out so much! Regarding the box for weighing.... IMO if it is stressing him out, it's creating a negative experience for him and since you're the one making him go in it, he could connect the scary box to you which doesn't help with trust. It is important to keep an eye on their weight but it sounds like he is gaining so you could probably wait awhile before weighing again as long as he's eating. Is there a perch on the scale or is it just the flat thing? My boys will not get on the flat surface of a scale so I bought one with a perch attached and they go right on. Maybe something to consider. You can also buy small portable perches that would just sit on the scale you already have. It would be less scary than a box.

On the eating - given the opportunity to eat, he is not going to starve himself! You're doing a great job offering different foods. I would definitely offer something consistent as well as a few things to change it up. If he likes chop, give him a spoonful of chop every day so you know he'll eat that even if he ignores new things. Make sense? Also, try offering the new things 1st meal of the day when he's likely to be the most hungry. And do try showing him yourself that these things are good. They do learn that way! I would also maybe sithhold the seed mixes until a nighttime snack after he's had the opportunity to eat the fresh foods. Seeds are not bad but kind of considered addictive and I know my boys would eat a bowl full of seeds before they'd touch anything else if I let them!! Since they're so favored, I keep them as treats/bribes/etc. and not a part of their daily meals.

Overall, keep being patient. Give it time. It can be frustrating but he's learning so many new things right now! Most of all he should be learning that you are trusted and safe and everything else will fall into place.
 

philae21

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Thanks ,EkkieLuv.
Well, today Jacks ate half a passion fruit and nibbled on a section of apple :faint:I usually mix a few seeds in with his food (one day he likes mush, the next he doesn't)....:rolleyes:. I give him some seeds at night when I cover him for early morning or late night sustenance:lol:I'll just keep on trying things out, I guess. I'll weigh him once a month. I have the perfect perch I can put on the scale but I don't know if he'll stay on it. I'll try that, too.
 

EkkieLuv

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Excellent that you have a perch to try on the scale! Get him used to it being around. When you open his cage (it's a platform, right??) you could sit it up there for him to check out. If he goes near it, praise him! Any positive move toward getting on that perch he should get a small treat. Once he's comfortable with it, move it NEAR the scale, repeat the praise/treat process. Then put it ON the scale and repeat. Almonds are the grand prize at our house so when they go onto the scale perch they get an almond and that keeps them there long enough for a weight.

Have to offered green peas or sugar snap peas? My boys love things they can peel the skin off of or anything with seeds in it, like poms or kiwi, etc. How much seed are you giving daily?
 

philae21

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He won't take treats from me...tries to bite me and NOT the treat, unfortunately.

I'll try that with the perch...I give him about a fistful...maybe 2 tablespoons of seeds in all.
 

EkkieLuv

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He won't take treats from me...tries to bite me and NOT the treat, unfortunately.

I'll try that with the perch...I give him about a fistful...maybe 2 tablespoons of seeds in all.
Ok, to avoid the bite, try putting the treat in a spare food bowl and offer to him that way.
 

philae21

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Well, Jacks is starting to eat cooked carrots, bananas and winter squash mashed separately with nuts and seeds mixed in...but not too many seeds. He also eats passion fruit and pomegranate (less than a quarter of the later a day) However he is still as "wild" as ever. I tried putting him into night cage but he's really hard to handle but once inside he's fine...eats, sleeps...It's so frustrating not bonding! Hard getting him out too.

He comes out of his cage when he wants to for the moment and goes back in readily. When I need to go out I "catch" him to put him back in. Bonding...nyet!

Oh well. I'll keep trying.

Thanks everyone for your help.
 

Laura729

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That's great that he's eating the healthy stuff you mentioned above!! I STILL can't get Charlie to eat bananas, among several other things, without sneaking them into his food!! :rolleyes:

I'm still not sure about his seeming lack of bonding. I wonder if there was some trauma (not necessarily intentional) experienced at the breeder before he came to live with you? Ekkie's can be STUBBORN so maybe he's still working out how he feels and some trust issues. I know it can take a very long time to establish trust and a bonded relationship, but since he is very young, hopefully he will come around soon. :heart:
 

philae21

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Thanks Laura729. Today he barely ate. Just when I think he's coming around...

As for bonding, I'm trying the "Power pause" rewarding him by giving him more space when I approach. Hope this will help (I don't have a clicker so I use my voice!!!!!) explained below. It seems to work.

t Power Pause Parrot Training Technique
 
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