Feedback on a potential Eclectus adoption

[Elizabeth]

I'm considering adopting my first large parrot. I'm taking the approach of letting the bird pick me, and today met a male Eclectus I really liked.

I'm a bit concerned about his health and maintenance. He's 20+ and his labs showed the potential beginnings of liver problems (low bile acid, high LDH, normal CPK). His beak also looked a little on the long side. He isn't plucked, but his feathers seemed dull and maybe had early barbering. He's been at the rescue for 4 months after being displaced from his home of 20+ years, so very possible that's just stress.

I've ready that Eclectus are tricky health-wise as it is and this guy has some trouble signs, so I'm concerned about what I could be getting myself into with this guy. Any thoughts from Eclectus people?

 

[expressmailtome]

Bump.

 

[Pixiebeak]

The liver and overgrown beak are a common eclectus issue, as is barbering /plucking. Many struggle with this . Their diet needs to be very special. This definitely has a possibility of being an expensive issue.

Since you are interested in so many of the species at the rescue. I would not rush . Take the time to dive deep into each species and really learn about them. We have the good bad and the ugly pages under most species on the species forum .
Then because it's always so easy to find the pro stuff. I try to research Google , you tube ECT the bad stuff, I search screaming plus the species, biting plus the species, hormonal plus species, behavioral issues. You can usually start seeing trends with the species and common problems people run into . Then I decide if I can live with that at it's worst.

I would also research ABCs of behavior, behavioral modification, Pamela Clark has a lot of different behavior blogs and articles.

 

[sunnysmom]

Definitely research Ekkie diet. It's important that they are fed properly. You could talk to the vet about the liver issues and ask if it's diet related and will improve with proper nutrition.

 

[Elizabeth]

The liver and overgrown beak are a common eclectus issue, as is barbering /plucking. Many struggle with this . Their diet needs to be very special. This definitely has a possibility of being an expensive issue.

Since you are interested in so many of the species at the rescue. I would not rush . Take the time to dive deep into each species and really learn about them. We have the good bad and the ugly pages under most species on the species forum .
Then because it's always so easy to find the pro stuff. I try to research Google , you tube ECT the bad stuff, I search screaming plus the species, biting plus the species, hormonal plus species, behavioral issues. You can usually start seeing trends with the species and common problems people run into . Then I decide if I can live with that at it's worst.

I would also research ABCs of behavior, behavioral modification, Pamela Clark has a lot of different behavior blogs and articles.

I laughed out loud when you said to search species + scream on YouTube. My GCC is a YouTube quasi-celebrity for one such video!! 89k views and counting!

Green cheek conure screaming

This is what a GCC at full volume sounds like. I can hear him from outside of my house, about two doors down.

youtube.com

In seriousness on the Eclectus, I’ve done more reading and it seems like this might not be the bird for me. It’s not the money or commitment that scares me. It’s the emotional roller coaster of chronic health problems.

I’m also a horse person, and had to deal with a bout of chronic lameness - which could still come back now or in 10 years. Or never. It was awful, not because I couldn’t ride him, not even because of the vet bills, which were killer. It was because I had to watch my baby be in pain and have treatment after treatment fail. It’s an awful feeling.

Part of animal ownership but something I would like to minimize if I can.

 

[Pixiebeak]

That's what my GCC makes as an alarm call , only rarely used here.
Was she alarming over something? What's the back story from little miss notorious?

Ya I understand wanting to limit dealing with suffer and health issues

 

[Elizabeth]

That's what my GCC makes as an alarm call , only rarely used here.
Was she alarming over something? What's the back story from little miss notorious?

Ya I understand wanting to limit dealing with suffer and health issues

He wanted to go to bed. His cage was through that door in background and he’s flighted, so I was encouraging him to be independent and fly in on his own.

He did not like that plan and wanted a ride! If I remember correctly he flew off in a huff shortly thereafter!