eclectus behavior

[Pharoh]

Ok I have another question about my new Pet.
It seems she does not know how to hold food with her feet, is this something
that only eclectus do? I have had 4 parrots and this is the only one who does
not eat with her feet. She never holds food with her foot to eat it. I don't know if she knows how to eat this way. I thought that maybe if she watched my U2 eating by using his foot that maybe she would learn how to do this.
I just assumed that eating in this way was a natural thing for parrots. Like instinct or something. She is a very strange parrot. I think maybe she is upset about having to leave her home to come live with me. will she get over it? I try to make her life here as comfortable as possible. I think she is unhappy, she doesn't play she jus sits all day. I keep her with me where ever I am in the house. I do not work out of the home so she is never alone. She seems to be most happy jus sitting by the window. its kind of sad. I hope she's not sitting by the window hoping to go back to her other home. She has lived with me since oct. 3.

[The Outlaw]

I'll handle this question for I have an ekkie. Mine doesn't hold her food with her feet either. However, she usually eats over her bowl so as not to drop anything.

I think that since Ekkies seem to have a lighter grip than many other birds, it may have to do with safety while perching.

[Pharoh]

Oh good, i'm glad to hear that its not jus my parrot.
I didn't consider that she may not have as strong a grip as my U2.
That makes sense. I jus assumed all large parrots ate in this mannor.
thank you

[Vankarhi]

I too own an ekkie and she does use her feet to hold food. she learned to do it at about 7 months.

The first pic is of her just "hanging around" and eating a cracker. The second is when she started to hold food with her foot. I was one proud mummy when she did this.

[felisdomesticus]

Mine eats both over her bowl and standing on a perch holding something with her foot. She'll actually take it out of her bowl with her beak, climb off of her bowl and over to a perch, and then stand on one leg while eating whatever it is and holding it with her foot.