Stan
Checking out the neighborhood
I've read a few of the posts, and see some that remind me of my eclectus, that I've lived with for 20 years. Picking, plucking, wing flipping, are results of a species that lives in an artificial environment that their parents didn't. Dry climate is one-they are from tropical regions. Boredom. Wild parrots are social. Sitting in a cage during 80% of their day creates behaviors that they never experience in the wild. Diet. Wild Eclectus live in the canopy and rarely venture top the ground. Prepared foods contain grain. Eclectus throughout their evolutionary history consumed plants, fruit, seeds found in the upper regions of the canopy, not plants (grains) from the northern hemisphere, halfway around the planet. Grains have anti nutrients (phytate, gluten, sapinons etc.) that are produced by the plant to protect itself. These anti nutrients create digestive issues and allergy problems in birds. Pellets invariably contain genetically modified grains, artificial colors, and chelated minerals. The key is to house birds in an environment where they have a large enough area to move around and be social. Feed them food as close as to that of their ancestors. Provide them with an environment with adequate humidity. Forced air heaters create a lot of dust and allergens. Get an air purifier. Birds expect you to be one of the flock, and thus 100% of their time. If you can provide them with all of the above, they will have a better chance of thriving..
