Help with Ekkie

[Nim]

Hi everyone. We recently got a female eclectus parrot from a bird shop at the start of May. The bird shop wasn’t able to tell us her age but we believe she’s still a bit young because the tip of her beak isn’t fully black. Anyways first couple of weeks have just been adjusting (for her and us) - she’s an absolutely lovely bird - comes to everyone and really gentle. In the first week and half she ate any fruits and veges we presented to her. We’ve decked out her cage with lots of toys and spend quality time with her on a daily basis. Long story short - last week she was sleeping extensively like awake for about 5 hrs and napping quite a bit. We thought she was molting (there’s little white feathers) and that’s it’s a natural part of the process. Another note I should mention here is that we had her seeds available to her in a bowl throughout the day and fruit and veges in another - but have noticed she’s stopped eating the fruits and veges entirely - was just on seeds. Having done extensive research on the topic at the start of this week we decided to make a vege chop mix and mixed a few spoons of her seed in it so she would get her vege and fruit intake and took away her full seed bowl. She’s still going for all the seeds and chucking out the veges but were happy that’s she’s getting some veges into her. However the main change that’s happened now is that she doesn’t nap as it in the last few days and she’s become quite active which is great. The negative aspect is that we have a blanket ban on her being on the shoulders (the first day we got her she climbed up on our shoulders and took our earrings off which we managed to get out of her beak but let’s just say it was an traumatic experience for all) but now all of a sudden she doesn’t want to stay on our hands but rushes up our shoulder - we don’t let her so it’s a constant battle of getting her on the other hand and vice versa and putting her down. She’s started to dig her claws in and it hurts and sometimes even bites when u stop her from going up the shoulder. I’ve tried doing step up training with her but she struggles and escapes. We’re at a bit of a loss so any advice or help would be appreciated. I have been quietly putting her down and walking out of the room when she’s claws in and rushes up my arm but so far nothing is working.

 

[Nim]

I should also mention that she plays with her toys a little but wants constant human attention now. Last week she would ignore us if we came and started talking to her because she would be napping. Now she’s climbing all the bars of her cage wanting me to take her out but she hurts me when I do so I’m quite hesitant to do so. Is this because of the diet switch? Should we go back to giving her her seed bowl at her disposal - I’ve just been reading how bad it is.

 

[Sula]

From my own experience, I can say that our Ekkie girl, who has just turned 6 months old, has also become more demanding. She is currently in the process of molting and also wants more attention. It was similar with our ekkie boy, but when he was 1 year old, he became calmer. I wonder, however, whether it will be the same with the Ekkie girl, since females often have a different character.

 

[Nim]

Thanks for the response Sula - any advice on how you’re handling/dealing with your Ekkie girl these days? We think it is a phase as well. Just being stern with the no going on shoulders and we think once she realise it won’t work she’ll stop. If anything she’s eating her veges now which has been an upside and she’s not starving.

 

[Sula]

i try to distract her with something, for example a toy or go to another room that she doesn't know very well. most of the time she is distracted and behaves better. Febe also had a phase in which she always wanted on my head, I just kept pulling her down until she didn't try anymore. all in all, she is much more stubborn than our male but also more adventurous. When it comes to food, she often changes her mind, sometimes she likes bananas, sometimes she doesn't. etc. and when she doesn't get her will, her screams get louder and louder, very hard to ignore. but when all is well she is really very quiet. what weight is your ekkie?