New Guinea Eclectus

[Renee's Birds]

Both of my ekkies are Red Sided although our vet thinks Lucy may have some Vos in her because of her size. She is bigger than Sergei and she weighs 560 grams while Sergei stays around 490 grams.

Best advice: Don't let all that fruit sit in the cage too long! I take it away and dump it after a couple hours and scrub up the mess both in their cages and on the walls daily. Leave it even overnight and it smells rotton. Summer is hopefully approaching now so Fruit Flies will invade very quickly and are awful to get rid of. I wipe everything each day with warm water and vinegar to make sure any splattered fruit juices aren't left behind to attract the fruit flies or ants. It sounds like a lot of work but it becomes routine and it's no big deal!

Lucy is big. The hens are so beautiful, both the boys & girls are stunning parrot's. The feathers look like velvet, bright & vibrant, they are so unique. I can't wait to touch & hold my boy. I know I must go slow & give him time to adjust. I hope he comes to me on his own. I will just see how he is & go from there.

Renee

 

[Renee's Birds]

Neither Lucy nor Sergei will eat it. They crave their fresh fruits and will only occasionally eat anything else. I make a weekly batch of birdie muffins, no flour, loaded with veggies and they will nibble on those. I use unsweetened fruit juice and applesauce instead of any water so they will eat their veggies.

Unsweetened fruit juice is a great idea. I'll look for the juices native to New Guinea, mango, passionfruit, guava, pomegranate (Chinese apple) pomegranate stains terribly. Pom fresh juice is unsweetened, it's very concentrated.

 

[EkkieLu]

Lucy is large but her weight is on target. They like their fruits ripe. If it's still a little green they won't touch it! Lol I serve a variety of berries, diced bananas, and thinly sliced apples for breakfast, a veggie muffin and fresh kale and/or spinach leaves for lunch, and then steamed veggies like sweet potatoes, acorn squash, carrots, etc for dinner. Grapes, cranberries, kiwi make great bedsnacks! I generally have to change their water at each meal. They each have bowls for packages mixes. I get several different types and pour them together in a plastic canister so there is a wide variety of pellets, nuts, dried fruit, etc if they want it. They always check it out and may nibble a bit, but how much they actually eat I can't say. Just remember that ekkies HAVE to be eating a variety of fresh fruits each day, it's NOT an option with them!

 

[EkkieLu]

Awwww thank you so much. I'm so glad I found this forum.

All of us are very grateful for AA!

 

[Renee's Birds]

Lucy is large but her weight is on target. They like their fruits ripe. If it's still a little green they won't touch it! Lol I serve a variety of berries, diced bananas, and thinly sliced apples for breakfast, a veggie muffin and fresh kale and/or spinach leaves for lunch, and then steamed veggies like sweet potatoes, acorn squash, carrots, etc for dinner. Grapes, cranberries, kiwi make great bedsnacks! I generally have to change their water at each meal. They each have bowls for packages mixes. I get several different types and pour them together in a plastic canister so there is a wide variety of pellets, nuts, dried fruit, etc if they want it. They always check it out and may nibble a bit, but how much they actually eat I can't say. Just remember that ekkies HAVE to be eating a variety of fresh fruits each day, it's NOT an option with them!

Ok. I will have a variety of fruits
Fiber - what are you finding they like better? Quinoa, chickpeas, red beans, brown rice, pinto beans & how are you including?

 

[EkkieLu]

I put chickpeas in the food processor when I make their muffins. I also will put some in their dinner bowls a couple times a week. Watching them peel them is so cute! I've had no luck getting them to eat the other beans and I don't even offer them rice.

 

[EkkieLu]

I haven't found a mash yet they will eat. I've tried a ton but they just fling it at the walls and make a huge mess of it. Other than the muffins, they like chunky foods.

 

[Renee's Birds]

I put chickpeas in the food processor when I make their muffins. I also will put some in their dinner bowls a couple times a week. Watching them peel them is so cute! I've had no luck getting them to eat the other beans and I don't even offer them rice.

They peel them? That's adorable. I found dried chickpeas, I'm so glad I did. I'll soak & rinse them & cook them. You are cooking the chickpeas? That's a good idea to zap them in the food processor to add to their muffins, it insures they are gettget it. Do they like the muffins? I suspect that's a good place to hide & include the important foods like the fiber. I bought lentils also, will be interesting what he likes & what he'll throw at me! LOL

I wanted to ask you about the water, I was going to give him what I drink which is distilled. Distilled is just water from condensation, it has no minerals, vitamins, flouride, chlorine or other funk. It used in bottling so there's no clogging build up from funk when it's boiled. Birds drink rain water most of the time, before humans get their hands on it.

 

[Renee's Birds]

I haven't found a mash yet they will eat. I've tried a ton but they just fling it at the walls and make a huge mess of it. Other than the muffins, they like chunky foods.

They won't eat sweet potato/yam mash? Are you cooking carrots & sweet potatoes? Or raw? I hear they really like carrot tops. I haven't heard anything on beets one way or another. Are beets not used? I know what not to give him, anything questionable I won't give him either.

There's a debate on tomatoes which I've heard it's only the leaves that are toxic. A friend of mine has a macaw and tomatoes are his favorite. I won't give my boy anything questionable to stay safe.

I've read the ingredients on Zupreem Natural pellets, sugar & iodized salt!! I couldn't believe they add those.

 

[EkkieLu]

My babies won't eat tomatoes at all. Anything resembling "mashed potatoes" they just fling around. They seem to prefer softer things like ripe fruit, so I steam all their veggies or they just drop the chunks to the floor. I've tried beets but they wouldn't eat them (and that juice ruined the walls paint job). I use Harrison's ground up like flour and add it to their muffins.

 

[EkkieLu]

They all LOVE the muffins! I can share the recipe they like best. I started with some recipes my vet gave me to try and I've tweaked them so my babies really enjoy them! And yes, I "hide" extra veggies in them!
I just use tap water for them. Sergei is 28 and doing fine on it. I have a regular bowl in their cage as well as a water bottle, then on the play top of each cage I have a shallow 8" wide bowl too for bathing or a quick drink.

 

[EkkieLu]

Chick pea (garbanzo) I actually buy the unsalted canned version. Get the organic brand. Sometimes soaking left the centers hard and it made me nervous! I also try to keep carbs to a minimum. Ekkies get a ton of calories from the natural occurring sugar in fruits. Keep tabs on your little guys weight. Their "droppings" also look different too. A little more runny than other birds. But that's to be expected with their diet.

 

[EkkieLu]

I just want you to know that I am sharing what works best for Lucy and Sergei. Each baby is different. Please don't think that "My way is the only way" it's just what I do to keep them healthy and happy. Lucy won't eat steamed carrots while Sergei loves them. Keep tweaking his meals and figure out his likes and dislikes. As long as fresh fruits are the main component of the daily menu, you'll do just fine!

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

welcome

 

[EkkieLu]

Did you bring your baby home yet? Can't wait for pics!!!