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www.EclectusParrot.co.uk
All contents of this site are the sole copyright of Parrotism © 2012
Behaviour Challenges There   are   a   number   of   behaviours   which   are   particular   to   eclectus   parrots   which   the   new   owner   needs   to   be   aware   of   and   at   some   point   you   are   likely   to experience   these.   Whilst   I   am   no   authority   on   training   and   dealing   with   behaviours   I   have   experienced   some   of   these.   The   majority   of   the   issues   outlined below can be dealt in the same way however there is different schools of thought about how these issues need to be tackled. Terrible   Two’s   -   Basically   this   is   a   stage   very   similar   to   human   baby   development.   In   eclectus   it   occurs   anywhere   between   two   and   six   months,   in   some cases   it   can   take   longer.   The   young   bird   generally   misbehaves   and   tests   the   new   owner   and   hand   in   hand   with   this   stage   is   a   strive   for   dominance.   During this   stage   the   bird   may   become   possessive   of   everything   under   it’s   ownership   i.e.   food   bowls,   cage   etc.   Lunging   for   you   with   the   intention   of   nipping,   biting etc.   are   all   mechanisms   the   bird   uses   to   assert   it’s   authority.   The   majority   of   advice   on   the   internet   and   in   books   advocates   the   owner   to   assert   the   alpha position   and   not   to   let   the   baby   get   away   with   thinking   it’s   the   boss.   This   technique   does   work   and   although   punishment   is   totally   forbidden,   there   is   the issue   of   forcing   the   bird   in   doing   what   it   does   not   want   to   do.   So   if   the   bird   is   lunging   for   you   as   you   want   it   to   step   up   on   your   hand,   this   technique advocates   getting   the   bird   onto   your   hand   regardless   of   the   consequences.   I   on   the   other   hand   take   the   opposite   approach,   if   the   bird   is   in   this   mode,   then I   leave   it   be.   I   have   had   very   young   babies   in   the   past   which   have   been   absolute   nightmares   as   they   lunge   and   rush   at   you   every   time   you   enter   their space.   Trying   to   take   them   out   is   no   easy   task.   However   I   have   found   that   by   ignoring   them,   leaving   them   in   the   cage   and   allowing   them   to   come   out themselves   changes   the   dynamics   entirely.   If   left   alone,   the   eclectus   baby   can   remain   dominant   over   it’s   food,   toys   and   cage,   it’s   desire   for   power   is   not being   challenged.   Whilst   if   you   were   constantly   putting   your   hands   in   the   cage   and   trying   to   get   it   out   then   in   effect   you   are   challenging   it.   I   personally   feel this   is   the   reason   why   some   birds   remain   in   this   state   for   quite   a   while.   If   left   totally   alone,   I   believe   the   transition   is   much   more   natural,   less   stressful   for both   parties   and   allows   a   closure   of   this   stage.   The   first   technique   only   reaches   closure   when   one   of   the   parties   gives   up.   With   my   technique   not   only   do you   completely   ignore   the   bird   you   leave   it   in   the   cage   for   a   week   or   two.   The   next   step   is   to   leave   its   cage   door   open   and   allow   the   bird   to   make   the transition   in   approaching   you.   Having   a   bowl   of   favourite   food   will   help   to   attract   the   bird   to   you.   I   hope   the   reader   can   understand   that   all   it   is,   is   a psychological power struggle. Puberty    -   Virtually   same   as   the   terrible   two’s,   the   baby   eclectus   around   1-2   years   starts   to   enter   adulthood   and   there   is   a   rush   of hormones.   The   behaviour   and   how   you   deal   with   it   is   the   same   as   above.   There   is   additions   such   as   males   rubbing   themselves on   the   owners,   females   trying   to   build   nests.   With   males   you   can   either   let   them   fulfil   there   natural   urge   or   place   them   back   in the   cage   when   they   display   such   behaviour.   With   females   it   is   better   that   if   they   do   attempt   to   make   nests,   it’s   in   the   cage rather   than   outside.   Obviously   a   female   eclectus   selecting   a   nest   place   which   is   outside   a   cage   will   mean   that   is   where   she considers her new home. Adulthood   -   The   male   will   display   no   significant   change   in   behaviours.   The   female   however   will   at   some   point   go   through   the motions   of   reproduction   and   end   up   laying   eggs.      Ideally   she   will   seek   a   dark   area   especially   a   box,   she   will   chew   paper,   wood   and may   line   it   with   feathers.   She   will   lay   two   eggs   and   then   incubate   them   for   28   days.   When   they   do   not   hatch   she   will   either   eat   them or   discard   them.   This   is   her   natural   urge.   She   will   try   and   seek   out   a   dark   space   and   if   she   establishes   one   she   will   try   and   claim   it, being   absent   from   it   and   locked   in   her   cage   will   create   anxiety   hence   why   its   better   to   give   her   a   box   in   her   cage,   line   it   with   wood   shavings   and   the   way   I see   it,   if   that’s   all   it   takes   for   us   to   allow   her   to   fulfil   her   natural   instinct,   what’s   the   harm.   She   may   for   a   month   have   more   focus   on   her   box   than   you,   she may   be   entirely   engrossed   in   lining   her   nest,   then   laying   eggs,   then   incubating   them   but   once   she   has   done   that   her   urge   should   be   satisfied   and   you   can be   re-united   again   as   pet   and   owner.   Your   bird   may   well   become   defensive   of   her   box,   that   is   entirely   natural   especially   when   she   has   eggs.   If   you   find   your pet   has   laid,   fully   incubated   and   then   starts   all   over   again,   it   is   probably   wise   to   remove   the   box   after   the   first   set   off   eggs   have   been   sat   on   and   she   has abandoned them. If you struggle with any of these behaviour area’s, contact me for further advice or search the net for articles written by eclectus owners.
www.EclectusParrot.co.uk
All contents of this site are the sole copyright of Parrotism © 2012
Behaviour Challenges There   are   a   number   of   behaviours   which   are   particular   to   eclectus   parrots which   the   new   owner   needs   to   be   aware   of   and   at   some   point   you   are likely   to   experience   these.   Whilst   I   am   no   authority   on   training   and   dealing with   behaviours   I   have   experienced   some   of   these.   The   majority   of   the issues   outlined   below   can   be   dealt   in   the   same   way   however   there   is different schools of thought about how these issues need to be tackled. Terrible    Two’s    -    Basically    this    is    a    stage    very    similar    to    human    baby development.   In   eclectus   it   occurs   anywhere   between   two   and   six   months, in   some   cases   it   can   take   longer.   The   young   bird   generally   misbehaves   and tests   the   new   owner   and   hand   in   hand   with   this   stage   is   a   strive   for dominance.    During    this    stage    the    bird    may    become    possessive    of everything   under   it’s   ownership   i.e.   food   bowls,   cage   etc.   Lunging   for   you with   the   intention   of   nipping,   biting   etc.   are   all   mechanisms   the   bird   uses   to assert   it’s   authority.   The   majority   of   advice   on   the   internet   and   in   books advocates   the   owner   to   assert   the   alpha   position   and   not   to   let   the   baby get    away    with    thinking    it’s    the    boss.    This    technique    does    work    and although   punishment   is   totally   forbidden,   there   is   the   issue   of   forcing   the bird   in   doing   what   it   does   not   want   to   do.   So   if   the   bird   is   lunging   for   you as   you   want   it   to   step   up   on   your   hand,   this   technique   advocates   getting the   bird   onto   your   hand   regardless   of   the   consequences.   I   on   the   other hand   take   the   opposite   approach,   if   the   bird   is   in   this   mode,   then   I   leave   it be.   I   have   had   very   young   babies   in the   past   which   have   been   absolute nightmares   as   they   lunge   and   rush at   you   every   time   you   enter   their space.   Trying   to   take   them   out   is no    easy    task.    However    I    have found   that   by   ignoring   them,   leaving them   in   the   cage   and   allowing   them   to come     out     themselves     changes     the dynamics   entirely.   If   left   alone,   the   eclectus baby   can   remain   dominant   over   it’s   food, toys   and   cage,   it’s   desire   for   power   is   not being     challenged.     Whilst     if     you     were constantly   putting   your   hands   in   the   cage   and   trying   to   get   it   out   then   in effect   you   are   challenging   it.   I   personally   feel   this   is   the   reason   why   some birds   remain   in   this   state   for   quite   a   while.   If   left   totally   alone,   I   believe   the transition   is   much   more   natural,   less   stressful   for   both   parties   and   allows   a closure   of   this   stage.   The   first   technique   only   reaches   closure   when   one   of the   parties   gives   up.   With   my   technique   not   only   do   you   completely   ignore the   bird   you   leave   it   in   the   cage   for   a   week   or   two.   The   next   step   is   to leave   its   cage   door   open   and   allow   the   bird   to   make   the   transition   in approaching   you.   Having   a   bowl   of   favourite   food   will   help   to   attract   the bird    to    you.    I    hope    the    reader    can    understand    that    all    it    is,    is    a psychological power struggle. Puberty    -   Virtually   same   as   the   terrible   two’s,   the   baby   eclectus   around   1-2 years   starts   to   enter   adulthood   and   there   is   a   rush   of   hormones.   The behaviour    and    how    you    deal    with    it    is    the    same    as    above.    There    is additions   such   as   males   rubbing   themselves   on   the   owners,   females   trying to   build   nests.   With   males   you   can   either   let   them   fulfil   there   natural   urge or   place   them   back   in   the   cage   when   they   display   such   behaviour.   With females   it   is   better   that   if   they   do   attempt   to   make   nests,   it’s   in   the   cage rather   than   outside.   Obviously   a   female   eclectus   selecting   a   nest   place which   is   outside   a   cage   will   mean   that   is   where   she   considers   her   new home. Adulthood   -   The   male   will   display   no   significant   change   in   behaviours.   The female   however   will   at   some   point   go   through   the   motions   of   reproduction and   end   up   laying   eggs.      Ideally   she   will   seek   a   dark   area   especially   a   box, she   will   chew   paper,   wood   and   may   line   it   with   feathers.   She   will   lay   two eggs   and   then   incubate   them   for   28   days.   When   they   do   not   hatch   she   will either   eat   them   or   discard   them.   This   is   her   natural   urge.   She   will   try   and seek   out   a   dark   space   and   if   she   establishes   one   she   will   try   and   claim   it, being   absent   from   it   and   locked   in   her   cage   will   create   anxiety   hence   why its   better   to   give   her   a   box   in   her   cage,   line   it   with   wood   shavings   and   the way   I   see   it,   if   that’s   all   it   takes   for   us   to   allow   her   to   fulfil   her   natural instinct,   what’s   the   harm.   She   may   for   a   month   have   more   focus   on   her   box than   you,   she   may   be   entirely   engrossed   in   lining   her   nest,   then   laying eggs,   then   incubating   them   but   once   she   has   done   that   her   urge   should   be satisfied   and   you   can   be   re-united   again   as   pet   and   owner.   Your   bird   may well   become   defensive   of   her   box,   that   is   entirely   natural   especially   when she   has   eggs.   If   you   find   your   pet   has   laid,   fully   incubated   and   then   starts all   over   again,   it   is   probably   wise   to   remove   the   box   after   the   first   set   off eggs   have   been   sat   on   and   she   has   abandoned   them.   If   you   struggle   with any   of   these   behaviour   area’s,   contact   me   for   further   advice   or   search   the net for articles written by eclectus owners.