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I have a few questions.

dovemom

Meeting neighbors
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Haley
I'm going to be straight up: I have cared for many many species of birds, but no parrots other than budgies.
However, a neighbor of mine just moved away and their new place doesn't allow birds, so they asked me if I could take their male Eclectus parrot and female blue-fronted amazon. I've always wanted an Eclectus parrot, but I have some questions first before I make my final decision.
I know they can be very loud, and need a specific diet.
What types of nuts and seeds do Eclectus like? What type of parrot food would you guys recommend? What foods should I avoid?
The previous owners said that they feed the birds everything they eat, including meat. I don't like feeding meat to herbivorous birds, I don't want to risk illness. Would these birds be fine with the loss of the protein the meat provided?
Both birds are about 20 years old. How much longer can I expect the Eclectus to live?
What kind of toys should I provide them with?
 

SumitaSinh

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Gigibirds

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:bump4:
 

Budgie33

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Laura
I love reading about ekkies as they are my favorite type of parrot, but I really think someone that owns an ekkie would know more than me.

What types of nuts and seeds do Eclectus like? What type of parrot food would you guys recommend? What foods should I avoid?
Ekkies thrive on a diet of sprouts, fruits, and vegetables. They have longer digestive tracks, so higher fiber and orange fruits and veggies are a must. Here is a basic chop ratio:

20-30% Sprouts

70-80% Fruits (Cantaloupe is a good staple fruit) and Veggies (Carrots and cooked yams are good staple veggies)

RATIO OF FRUITS TO VEGGIES: 2:3

They aren't great with pellets, and they have a 97% fresh food diet.

Avoid fruits and veggies other parrots can't have. An all seed, pellet, and nut diet will lead to feather destructive behaviors and overall lower health, especially with ekkies.

The previous owners said that they feed the birds everything they eat, including meat. I don't like feeding meat to herbivorous birds, I don't want to risk illness. Would these birds be fine with the loss of the protein the meat provided?
Ekkies are the type of parrot that eat bugs in the wild. Red meat isn't really good for them, I would raise your own mealworms/dubia roaches to feed to them.

Both birds are about 20 years old. How much longer can I expect the Eclectus to live?
Ekkies haven't been in captivity for very long, and their diet is still being figured out. I would estimate a lifespan of 25 years on the lower end and 60 on the higher end. In the wild, they are reported to live up to 80 years.

What kind of toys should I provide them with?
Lots of natural, destructable toys. ParrotJOY and Things For Wings have some good ones. If the bird really likes the toy, they can destroy it in a day! I spent 200 on toys last month and I have a budgie!
 

AussieBird

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CaliEckies

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We personally provided fresh veggies, fruits, sprouts and a mixed variety of nuts etc from Omar's it wasn't a specific blend but it had 0 things with dye in it. SOME people feed the pellets I don't like it. I don't care what the reports say when I pulled all our fosters off pellets they stopped their wing flapping and toe tapping.
None of ours were ever loud and I have had hummmm about a dozen. They do a flock call which is a scream but I don't even notice. My Mom though when she came to visit was alarmed when they did this. Not much screaming like the Macaws we have had etc.
Avoid anything with dye and added vitamins etc - they can't process the man made foods like that and their body retains it and causes neurological ticks including plucking.
I have never fed our birds meat including our Toucan... they don't really need it when you have cleaner options in captivity.
So our rescues have never lived a long time. I take them in to the Vet and most have many issues from being fed crap their entire lives. By a long time I mean they have lived another 15 years or so. I have never known the age of ANY of our birds though. Being in rescue and seeing many come through our doors we have found most are lucky to live 40ish years. Very few make it to a much older age and mostly just bc we didn't know what we know now about what they can't eat and so for YEARS they were given the wrong diet.
Ours never had what I call a "hard beak" by that I mean while the Macaws and Greys will demolish a hard wood toys our Eclectus like balsa wood toys, paper toys, finger traps etc but none have been that into toys etc not like a Grey or a Macaw.
To note I am a big believer that you shouldn't trim wings... that is my person preference obviously but when we stopped with the man made food, stopped trimming wings, allowed them to be outside in the sunshine and not just inside etc all our fosters stopped plucking. Not saying this will work for everyone of course! I dont have the map to stop plucking lol but just from my experience thats what we do.
We also do the iron reduction tea... once again not sure if this is NEEDED but we do it for our Toucan and it cant hurt.
 
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