does anyone else own an eclectus?

[vankarhi]

Just wondering if anyone else owns an ekkie?? I have owned mine for 14/15 months now -since she was 4 months old. She is just lovely - not a cuddle bug, but does love to be with me. I can scratch her under her wings and put her on her back and scratch her bellie now.

I have taught her a few tricks by clicker training her and she talks like nobodies business.

[loriluver]

Hi Tracey, Yep I have two, 1 male 1 female they are both parent reared and out in the aviary. The male (erick) although parent reared is getting pretty good and will step up and give me kisses though the wire, but on the other hand mrs Ecky is a nasty cow, just today I was putting the food bowl in and she came running along the bottom of the aviary head down charging me. This behaviour has only just started in the last few days or so. (would you like to swap birds)

This afternoon while hubby was distracting her I went to the nest box and well she has been very busy decorating with feathers and about half of the inside of the breeding box in shreds.

I hope this doesn't last too much longer, that beak looks rather scary when opened.

I am guessing this is normal behaviour but they are too young to be starting to breed, she has only just turned 12 months old.

Skye sounds like a darling compared to this witch.

[vankarhi]

LOL yep your girl is a "typical" female ekkie. ;D

[Smiley]

Even thu she is to young to breed..Sounds like a normal behavour if she was going to breed. I would not swap her..She sounds like a good bird to hold onto.

[loriluver]

She has been with her mate from about 3 months old so they are very bonded now. I wouldn't have the heart to swap her (Even though she is a witch) I think she could be a good breeder further down the track.

[Aussie1]

Hi, I also own a pair of Eclectus. I used to breed them years ago but sold up. I purchased this pair as a breeding pair recently to start up again, however it is only early days yet and the hen is working the nestbox; time will tell! Most hens are agresive when they have eggs or young and are usually the dominent bird. Putting feathers into the nestbox is normal behaviour and if you are VERY LUCKY they MAY go to nest in 18 - 24 months of age. Good Luck.

[ekkiemum]

hey there i am owned by a female SI, she is a little darl, i love her she is a baby only 10 weeks old so she is super cuddly and needy... which i love but cant wait till she is finished weaning! haha still a while to go anyway..... i love my baby and looking at getting a breeding pair next year or something...

[coltfire]

Hi there i own a pair of RS eccies,which are bring up one of the two chicks hatched a month ago ,unfortunatly today i had to take the oldest chick to the vet for a swollon toe,in which the vet had to cut it of before it turned gangreen,now i get to hand raise the chick.ive had my pair for 6 years now and love breeding them.

[vankarhi]

Oh so you could be the person to talk to if I decide to breed??? Do you have pics of your birds and your little chick???

[coltfire]

yes i do have pics, i just dont know how to put them up.

[vankarhi]

it has been a while since I have downloaded pics but I will try to explain.

you go into "reply" and you can see a browse button on the left. You click on that and then you find where your pics are on your pc. It is easier too if you have already downsized your pics a bit too. I try to downsize mine so that on the longer side of the pic it is only 800, then the other side automatically downsizes to about 600. then you click on "host it" then I think I normally click on the second thumbnail (I think) but I quite often just do a preview of the post to make sure the picture has come up properly.........if not then I click on a different link until I get the right one. Just give it a try ;D Can't wait to see pics ;D

[coltfire]

[starreys]

very nice pic Coltfire, they are obviously both very tame as they dont seem to mind you taking pics with the babies, they look very sweet,

[silvercloud]

They're very beautiful

[coltfire]

that pic was taken a day after i pulled the chicks due to i thought they had abandoned them but i brought the parernt in because they,the parents were going of there head ,the chicks were returned that night with no problems ,my birds live outside and they are very tame ,the female is a BIG sook and lets me do what ever i want to her and her chicks,i now have the 1st born inside since having her toe amputated,the other chick will be coming inside next week .

[vankarhi]

OMG how lucky are you to be able to do that with your chicks and the parents still look after them. And to have a female who allows you to do so. I hope skye is like that if ever I decide to allow her to have babies.

You said she...........so I assume one at least is a little girl. They truely are lovely looking birds aren't they??

[wilsta]

Just a question whats it like owning an ekkie? They look like a really nice bird.

[vankarhi]

I would not recommend a female once she has matured. I have heard the males are more placid then the females.

Skye was truely the best pet ever until she become a mature hormonal female. All the research I had done did not prepare me for what she did. Quite possibly she is still handlable, but no one in this family is game to handle her unless we put on welding gloves. Even then we are very nervous.

She is the best talker and whistler and phone imitator (some people have actually thought the phone was ringing but that I had put it onto a answering machine while they were visiting. LOL They were rolling around on the floor laughing when I told them it was Skye ringing).

I used to take Skye everywhere with us, camping, volleyball tournaments, dog trials, shopping centres etc to try to make sure she was properly socialised, but in the end the natural personality and hormones take over.

She is truely beautiful though.

[Phill]

It was a shame Tracey, i loved reasing all your stories and adventure's with Skye, although the last couple have been a bit said, and alot of pain for you. Would they be one of the most hormonal female bird's once mutare you think?

[wilsta]

Even thought about getting her a mate?