New Baby

[EsJ87]

Hello all -

I posted a few weeks ago about deciding on a new FID.
I finally decided, and found the new family member.
She is a beautiful female Ekkie ~ 3 months old. She is not fully weaned yet, so she may not be home for another month (possibly longer). However, I've paid a deposit to hold her, and plan on visiting her once a week until she is ready to come home! ((I'd visit more often, but she is 90 min drive from my home))

I was looking for any and all advice on how to prepare before bringing her home!
I'm a little undecided on a cage. I like the ones with play gyms on top, but hear some females can get rather aggressive if they spend too much time up there, and become defensive. Also unsure on the size... "better is bigger" I know, but I can't really afford anything over 400$ so want to make sure i get the biggest I can for the buck. Used cages are a big no-no right?? I've found several huge ones at 300$ but am fearful they are not properly cleaned etc... One of my requirements is that it has tall "legs". I have 2 dogs, and they are 100% inside dogs, so I want Ekkie to feel secure in that the cage isn't at floor level with the pups. Any recommendaiton?

Where is the best place to place her cage? I plan on putting it in the living room since that area gets the most traffic in our home. But should I put it near/next to a window, or should i put it up butted-up against a corner?

Any Ekkie Care books you guys recommend?

Also should I start Avian Harness training straight away or should I wait a few months ntil she's comfortable in her new surroundings?

So many questions Any and all input appreciated. I have plenty of time to worry about the homecoming lol.

 

[sunnysmom]

Congrats on your new baby! A corner for her cage would give her the most security until she settles in. Near a window later might be nice but you have to be careful of drafts, etc.

 

[WendyN]

Congratulations!

 

[Milo]

If there's no rust on the used cage and you don't have your bird yet, just scrub it down with a 10% bleach solution and that should take care of even the nastiest viruses. Make sure you're getting good contact time with the bleach solution (10 minutes) and I wouldn't worry. Throw out any wood/porous things that come with a used cage, but the metal can be disinfected. Bigger is totally better. Rosco uses every inch of his cage, I have him in one of the large King's corner cages.

 

[Tyrion]

Huge Congrats on the new baby ..I have bought used cages before and I just washed and F-10 them and they have been fine

 

[EsJ87]

Thank you to everyone that has replied - I am so exciting and can't hardly wait for her to come home. I think we've actually decided on the name Harley. . . my Runner ups are America & Poppy.... My husband also provided Red (real creative LOL), Commie or Marx, and Hot Donna (thats 70s Show). This is why i don't let my husband name the pets!

 

[Lwalker]

I love Poppy for a name.

 

[BirdGuy21]

When we got our Eckie we were debating a new name back and forth, and solicited opinions from family. My mom was set on the name Poppy, what a coincidence that you came across that name as well. Congrats on your Eckie though! We've only had our girl for a month but are in love with her. For cages, go biggest that you can afford. We have a 36'' cage and it is a decent size, but bigger is always better. As everyone else mentioned used cages are okay provided they are in good condition and you properly clean them.

 

[Aggie]

When we get our girl eventually we are going to call her phoenix. Hubby's choice cos he loves superheros and red thing.

 

[EsJ87]

We settled on the name Poppy ! I get to pick her up today !!! We ended getting a 500$ cage that is PLENTY large.
I am so excited !!!

 

[BirdGuy21]

Congrats! Let us know how she settles in.

 

[Tyrion]

Love to see pictures of your new baby

 

[WallyLoopey]

I love the name! Can't wait to see pictures of your new baby, congrats

 

[EsJ87]

Will post Pics tomorrow for sure. Stay Tuned folks <3

 

[EsJ87]

She is home!!!
She's beautiful &
i can't wait to be her best friend.

Surprisingly she was a pretty call me entire way home. She even took a nap and then proceeded to eat on the 90 minute drive. Since we've been hello my left turn her small carrier cage for about two hours while sitting next to me while I worked. I just now took her out of the cage and she's fighting very hard but I'm assuming that's just because she's getting to know what's okay and what isn't... she is currently doing a lot of beak Grinding which I don't recall my mom's African gray doing a lot of when we first got him.

Introductions to the dogs will be long and hard as she's already showing a lot of nervousness around them. I plan to put her in her nice new big cage while me and my husband watch TV and observe the dogs react to her in the cage. Unfortunately, I think that our 1 neurotic dog's barking is going to spook quite a bit in the beginning... But as with most things, I suppose she'll get used to that in time as well.

Any tips for 1st night home procedures????

 

[Milo]

Don't push it. Eclectus tend to internalize a lot of stress. Don't force her to come out of her cage if she doesn't want to. I'm not sure what you mean by fighting very hard, but whatever she's fighting, stop.

I also want to caution you very strongly against any sort of interaction between your dog and the new bird. Keep them as far away from each other as you possibly can. You don't have to look too far here to see tales of tragedy when predator species and prey meet

Give her space and some time, she'll come around!

 

[EsJ87]

Sorry I had to Voice-to-Text as she didn't want to step off my hand.

So I'll just re-type it all . . .

TAKE TWO

Surprisingly she was a pretty chill birdy the entire way home. She proceeded to eat and even took a nap on the 90 minute drive. Since we've been home.... I left turn her small carrier cage for about 4 hours while sitting next to me while I worked. Just to try to get her acclimated to my presence. I just now (Around 645PM) let her step out of the carrier cage on her own. When asking her to step up, she bite very hard but I'm assuming that's just because she's getting to know what's okay and what isn't... (As in...Is it safe to step up here?) She seems very sweet, and is currently doing a lot of beak grinding which I don't recall my mom's African gray doing a lot of when we first got him home a few years ago. She appears to sit pretty contently on my hand for about 20 mins, without me forcing any extraneous touch on her. Even stretched each of her wings on 1 foot etc...

I went ahead and set her in her bice big cage for some unfettered alone time while me and my husband watch TV. I'm planning on going to the store to get her some entertainment toys as I TOTALLY forgot to purchase those earlier today.

Introductions to the dogs will be long and hard as she's already showing a lot of nervousness around them. We'll observe the dogs react to her in the cage, and monitor at all times. Otherwise she'll either be with me in my office, of when out of the house the dogs will be left in the garage as is our usual practice anyway. Unfortunately, I think that our 1 neurotic dog's barking is going to spook a bit in the beginning... But as with most things, I suppose she'll get used to that in time as well.

Any tips for 1st night home procedures????

 

[Denice]

Congrats on your new birdie Poppy! She is very pretty.

 

[Patty Girl]

Hi Esther! OMGosh! What a sweet bird, she's so beautiful too! I didn't know what type of parrot she'd be as I'm not familiar with what you said she was..haha, anyway she is so pretty. When I first got my baby Linnies this Christmas, one of them was doing that sound too, must be when they're unsure of things. I don't hear mine doing that anymore. AND I love the name "Poppie" or Poppy. Suits her to a "T" Enjoy!!

 

[EsJ87]

Thank you all - I just finished outfitting her cage with some rope for perching and a few toys to keep her busy.
She'll have some time to acclimate to her surroundings in peace tomorrow as I'll be on Campus from 7AM-12PM.

I'll be working on getting her used to me by hanging out in my office with me while I work the rest of the day...

She's been weaned onto a mostly seed diet - So I am going to go purchase some pellets and look up mash recipes tomorrow to try and start switching her in the coming week or two.