How much do Eclectus eat in a day?

[Les charlson]

Hi. I ask because I see so many people showing pics of large bowls of food and just one bird eating it. I am a worrier and confused.Its a bit like Instagram pics. Are they real. My birds eat different amounts due to their ages. One is a baby, weaned too soon by seller and had to revert back to the start again. One is 3 yo.
All my birds are well covered with a soft breastbone you can feel and the vet says they are fine. They get a veg mix in the morning after I clean their cages so they can forage for dropped bits on a clean floor. It has at least 6/8 varieties of veg with grains, sprouts and whatever is growing in the garden. During the day they are hand fed various pieces of thistle or green grass with seeds that I grow and at night they have fruit with a couple of nuts and some soaked seed. They have access to some vetafarm pellets and some amazon pellets but are not fans. I have an Alexandrine, Moustache parrot, Lorikeets and finches. I am careful with iron so less spinach for some, for example.
I have been told a dessert spoon full is enough for breakfast but they clean that up within a couple of hours. Thanks in advance

 

[Aggie]

I give my eclectus much more than he really needs in my opinion. He gets a full bowl twice daily of mixed fruit and veg. He always has seed available but rarely eats it and a sphere filled with green leaf once a week to forage in. If im going to be late i make a fruit/veg skewer as well. I think he knows he gets offered too much food so will drop lots on floor. He also will get treats from our food like a toast end etc

My boy is very lean but AV say hes healthy. He has explained that he is like an athlete, lots of muscle not much fat. We have a very large open plan living so Echo gets lots of good flying. He can do 20 laps straight picking up some very fast speed. He usually does this twice daily and then some flying in between. If im home he plays all day long. If in cage he mostly chills but does play a bit. On top of it hes energy requirements change on some days. Little guy burns heaps when in harness and out hiking for 12hrs etc or when a litle windy and he holds on tighter. He also has taught himself not to eat much first up in morning in case he goes in car (ge gets car sick but loves going out in it). If on a big hike he doesnt eat much as too busy checking everything out and again car ride home. He also has limited his own intake when we are away (not much flying, lots of harness time and car rides). But for next few days in usual routin he is a bottomless pit lol

Breeders i know have explained to me that housed birds are all over fed and picky. Their avairy birds get 1/4 of what i would offer and eat everything and are never underweight or have health issues. He explained that by over feeding we are giving more choice to be fussy and eating too mch of a particular food that bird likes that can cause health issues.

While i do agree with them, i do also pay close attention to how my boy eats (easy when you only have the one feather child). I notice order of preference is always sprouted chickpeas followed passionfruit followed by pomegranite and then whaterelse ive put in there vegetable wise. If i throw an unusual item in like a lychee or cherry he goes for that first. Eventually only thing left is stuff he doesn't really want to eat but should and has no choice cos he's hungry. I just control how much he gets of those favorite things. But pretty happy he loves sprouts as a staple in every chop.

Personally, for you....if your birds are healthy and at a good weight what you are doing is fantastic. Your guys have learnt to eat around the way and amount of food you give them. Some birds like mine are always lean no matter how much food and type i give him. He was no different when i brought him on a predominantly sunflower seed and vegtable diet from breeder.

So to answer your question it really varies based on his activity level for day. I control the naughty indulgent foods and offer heaps more of stuff i want him to eat more of. I offer too much but hes not an overeater anyway and always on lean side. He fluctuates in his intake that much on some days that i just always give more to be safe. God helps us if i have a hungry bird in the house... the whole house knows about it!

 

[Les charlson]

Thank you @Aggie, mine adore chickpea, mung bean and sunflower sprouts for when they are moulting . I feel better now. My birds never seem to eat as much as other people say theirs do. There are not a lot of Eclectus people around to get many responses and advice, although they are fabulous birds. I read they don't over eat but didn't know for certain. My Alexandrine is slim but eats more than the Ekkies, he just demolished a wedge of pumpkin. I will just keep going as I am going but up the flying as my birds are puffed after 3 or four laps. Thanks for the reassuring response.

 

[Mizzely]

Birds tend to eat 15 to 20% of their body weight daily

Most people do over feed. While not an eclectus, my quaker definitely gets pickier the more food is available, because he can afford to be. When I started feeding less, he ate more. I only offer 1 tbsp of dry mix a day now, and then I give about 1 tbsp fresh veggies/grains.

 

[Aggie]

No problem @Les charlson! Im happy to share my experience any time.

Ive had to find my own feet with my guy and gone against AV advice on diet. My boy use to toe tap so basically kept a log for 4months on everything. I learnt what to do based on what he told me through behavioyr response. I also incorporated all the ideas from good breeders i know. As they say it ain't broke dont fix it.

Extra flying is great idea!! It will burn more calories but most importantly improve cardiovascular health. Have you thought about a micro clip? My AV explained it as taking only 2 feathers each side. Bird still flys and lands as normal. Has to work harder at getting height. Its commonly done for aviary birds to keep them healthier. We decided not to for echo as hes a big flyer. He also does many manovers such as flying sideways through half shut doorways, swooping, flying at a walls then slamming his wing breaks on (its actually amazing he hasnt broken his neck tbh). I will however consider it later in his life if he becomes a potato.