Eclectus!
April 4, 2006 9:04 PM Subscribe
Parrot Filter: After a long study, I have decided that the Eclectus seems like the best parrot breed for me. I was wondering if any one has any experience with this breed of parrot.
I have heard that they are relatively quite and self contained. That part sounds good. I am interested in how smart and or cuddly they are. Or, any experiences people have had.
I have heard that they are relatively quite and self contained. That part sounds good. I am interested in how smart and or cuddly they are. Or, any experiences people have had.
Not that you asked, but cockatoos are very cuddly. My mother's spends hours with his wings wrapped around her, loves to have his head rubbed and be scratched under his wings. I don't know anything about the Eclectus.
posted by necessitas at 8:26 AM on April 5, 2006
posted by necessitas at 8:26 AM on April 5, 2006
Interesting enough, in the early days of an internet startup, I shared an "office" (just a room in my partner's house) with my partner's wife's Eclectus parrot! (Phoenix was the name.)
The parrot was beautiful, I remember in the mornings she would run her beak along the bottom of the cage until it was time for her breakfast. She also started mimicking the sounds of my keyboard and also said hello a few times every time I picked up my phone after to rang ;)
I do, however, remember a problem later on where Phoenix decided to start picking at all her feathers, and did that for years. Poor bird was filled with plucked feathers except for her head which was still quite beautiful.
Have you looked into African Greys at all? I hear that are remarkable birds....
posted by punkrockrat at 10:15 AM on April 5, 2006
The parrot was beautiful, I remember in the mornings she would run her beak along the bottom of the cage until it was time for her breakfast. She also started mimicking the sounds of my keyboard and also said hello a few times every time I picked up my phone after to rang ;)
I do, however, remember a problem later on where Phoenix decided to start picking at all her feathers, and did that for years. Poor bird was filled with plucked feathers except for her head which was still quite beautiful.
Have you looked into African Greys at all? I hear that are remarkable birds....
posted by punkrockrat at 10:15 AM on April 5, 2006
Response by poster: Cockatoos are incredibly loud and needy. I can't be around all the time to provide the attention they would need.
African Grey's are one person birds
Plucking is a sign of neglect, anxiety, or some form of insanity; and is very very difficult to correct (unless you are lucky and it is mites or something)
posted by Infernarl at 6:24 PM on April 5, 2006
African Grey's are one person birds
Plucking is a sign of neglect, anxiety, or some form of insanity; and is very very difficult to correct (unless you are lucky and it is mites or something)
posted by Infernarl at 6:24 PM on April 5, 2006
African Grey's are one person birds
That is one of the reasons Eclectus' seemed perfect, that they bond with a flock instead of a person.
Can't imagine spending the next 40 years of my life with a bird despising someone in my family, or possibly even me. :P
posted by phox at 8:04 PM on April 5, 2006
That is one of the reasons Eclectus' seemed perfect, that they bond with a flock instead of a person.
Can't imagine spending the next 40 years of my life with a bird despising someone in my family, or possibly even me. :P
posted by phox at 8:04 PM on April 5, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
I, too, am very interested in getting a Solomon Island Eclectus. Have been for years, but it's difficult to find ekkies at all in my area, let alone breeders.
It's all pretty dependant on the personality of the bird for cuddling, I suppose, but I heard that they do not generally like their head touched, or to be scratched like some birds enjoy.
I have met 3 before. One in a pet shop, two from breeders. They all seemed shy. The one breeder tried to even talk me out of an Ekkie, because they aren't "beginner" birds. Yet, all research I've done on them tells me they're perfect!
Good Luck with your parrot hunt ;)
posted by phox at 2:52 AM on April 5, 2006