Eclectus regurgitation

[Xolar]

This parrot is a two year old male. He was bought about six months ago by my sister. She complained that he would bite her hard often, but I never had a problem with him, so she's given him to me. He's well behaved, gentle, and has several tricks and words he knows. He's trained alert you when he's about to go as well, so he's different than the few birds I've messed with in the past.

There's only two real problems. When I first started to play with him, he'd naturally climb for my shoulder. After a while, he'd regurgitate onto my shoulder or ear. He also has an odd habit, when he does manage to get on my shoulder. He goes a bit crazy. Bobbing his head rapidly, popping his beak, and generally making a scene. Where as, when he's on my hand he's very quiet. Recently he started using this regurgitation as a means of escape. I let him out for atleast two hours a day. What he'll do is regurgitate onto his perch. Making noises, and gesturing towards it, till I come to clean it up, at which point he makes a break for the door. He can be out for hours, and he'll do this as soon as I put him back in. Recently I started berrating him for it, cleaning it and refusing to let him out when I do so. And then in return, when he doesn't for several hours, I let him out. Is this the most effective way to break him of this habit? He's been to the vet, and doesn't have any medical issues that we're aware of, and it seems very obvious he does it in such a way to get attention, and escape.

Oh, yes. One other thing, I'd like to ask about. His wings are very.. Shabby. He can't fly at all, and they've been that way since I've seen him. There isn't an unsual amount of feathers in the cage, and I've never seen him pluck or chew on them excessively. Considering it's been six months, are they permanently damaged? His tail feathers are noticably shorter than theys hould be I believe.

P.S. Resposting this from the Electus forums. After looking around, this seems the more appropriate place. Feel free to delete the other post, or to tell me how if it's possible for users.

[Cindy215]

Don;t admonish him, he's seeing you as his mate and it trying to bond with you. He cant help it it's a hormonal imbalance. But you're right it's not healthy to do that alot. Especially psychologically.

Caused by too long a day simulating spring/summer breeding season. I'll cut and paste from another post of mine how to help him.

Also I'd review his diet. Ekkies are different. I'd guess he's getting too much protein perhaps and vitamin e. Is he eating pellets? They are controversial with Ekkies. An all seed diet is bad, too.

Their diet in nature is quite different. He needs to be getting alot of dark leafy greens, veggies, some fruit and grains. He may also have an allergy to the pellets or something in your water. Use distilled for food, water and baths. Does he bathe regularly?

His feathers won't molt out until end of summer so hopefully it's not a permanent condition. Lack of flight can be never fledged properly.

When you went to the vet did they do bloodwork?

Do you see toe tapping? (wierd gripping movement of feet)

Google Laurella Desborough. She's a very expert Eclectus person. Especially diet and feather problems. It's against Birdboard rules to post other sites or I'd do it for you.

Here's where to start with helping them get back out of breeding behavior. It's the same for females but they get egglaying problems.

QUOTE:

[written for a hen but it's the same for a male]

It's not breeding season in the Northern Hemisphere so your bird is having a hormonal imbalance. That comes from the days being too long like simulating spring/summer.

If you follow a strict natural daylight schedule including dawn and dusk this wont happen. No artificial lights after about 3 pm. She needs to go to sleep in a darkish room, no human interruptions like tv, radio, computers , people talking etc. A cover really doesnt cut it. They have a sensor in the brain (pituitary gland) regulated by light that controls the hormones telling the body what "time of year it is". Thats how they make chickens lay eggs 24/7 in factory farms by leaving lights on all the time. Then they die about age 3.

Right now in Pa, my birds go to sleep at about 5:40 pm and wake up about 7 am EST.

You can simulate with a dimmer in a small lamp placed on the floor (to simulate the angle of the sun) but it's trickier. Walmart sells a dimmer you screw in where the bulb goes and has a dial to turn it down, down, then off. The ones you tap arent right they only have three options.

So essentially follow the light schedule that is going on in your state at all times of year. For people in extreme climates like Alaska you have to adjust I never had a bird there, though.

Also decrease protein (including seeds), and vitamin e, and raise the greens and veggies.

Also no stroking beaks, feet, back or butts. That's a mating signal.

Dont allow her to "nest" in dark spots like behind pillows, in shirts, in drawers, bookcases, under toekicks of the kitchen cabinets, in closets etc.

Move her around to brightly lit spots all day, encourage her AWAY from her cage (nest), get her to fly around and find enrichment to do not focus all day long on her hormonal urges.

Change the inside of the cage around, change toys, perches, swap food and water bowls etc. These things are subliminal messages that it's not a "safe" nest.

All these things together will work to snap her hormones back into place but the lighting is number one. Then when it's "really" breeding season, she'll have an easier time of it. I don't know her age but it will be a yearly thing in breeding season so you want to minimize her anxiety all year long so it's only a mild deal every year not something she is fighting all year long. Especially now since it's winter.

ENDQUOTE

[Xolar]

Sorry if I didn't say so, but the bird is a male. As for playing, he hates his cage. Can't wait to get out of, and off it. He's only active outside his cage, and generally only when he's on my shoulder. When he walks on the floor, he'll usually sit at my fight and stare. He's not very active to be honest, even though there are plenty of toys in his cage.

For petting, thanks. I'll keep that in mind. The main thing he enjoys is having the underside of his wings rubbed. Should I stop that as well?

The food she gave me was this Encore Premium seed. I throw in some Banana's here and there. He also likes bread, loves a little pizza(crust and sauce). Birds a garbage disposal pretty much, I just keep sugar away from him.

I've never noticed anything unusual about his toes, but he is rather clumsy.

As far as nesting, as I said he appears to hate his cage. The only place he'll sit for a while, is this wooden tree I have. It's out in the sun though, and a lot of times he jumps off of that and he'll come to find me. It's just when he runs up to my shoulder. He bobs his head, goes a bit crazy, considering how passive he is. He also makes loud screeching noises, which are painful for me.

He doesn't like to step up, so I usually have to grab and lift him. He's not fond of the other residents, unless they can get him into another room.

[Xolar]

I should also say. It's been a while since he's regurgitated on my shoulder. When he starts getting crazy, I make him get back on my arm, but that is almost instantly when he's on there. So they main problem, is he appears to be doing this, just to get out. If he's on the tree I mentioned, he doesn't do it. If I'm holding him, he doesn't do it. He will do it on the dome top of his cage if he's left there.

[Cindy215]

Yes I got that he was male. But the advise is the same for both genders who are in breeding mode. Yes I'd stop stroking under the wing. Behind the head on the neck is about all I'd do with him.

Regurgitation is something they do to the females. He's seeing you as a mate. They feed their mates when the hens are sitting on eggs. What he's doing with you is a pre breeding ritual. Trying to feed you. He just doesnt understand that you're not his species and it's never going to happen.

So you could say it's for attention. But it's not that he is trying to get human attention, he loves you and is wanting you to breed with him. Also a sign of he was probably very lonely and happy now. But a bit misdirected.

I'd give him a ton of time out of the cage on play areas. Try some "foraging" toys it uses their minds. Maybe hang a boing and other new stuff around to go visit. Gotta keep him busy/enriched.

Please read all about Eclectus on Laurella's site. She's very good. And his diet...please add dark leafy greens , broccoli , carrots, squashes, and all kinds of veggies, chopped in various interesting sizes even small in the processor, some fruit. You can read all about it on Laurella's site. Only leave it in there or wherever he eats, for 2 hours it gets bacteria and not mixed with seed.

Diet is REALLY important especially in Eclectus. He may have some deficiencies if he's only been given seed for a long time. So it's good to get him some good food and a vet visit. Vitamin deficiencies can result in all kinds of illnesses and acute problems. Like not being able to walk all of a sudden or infections similar to pneumonia in severity from vitamin a deficiencies. You're lucky he wants to "get out". It's not healthy to be in the cage all the time they can get cage bound an sorta crazy. Or nippy. I'd redirect him. Take him out alot, then offer a big plate of ihealthy nteresting foods to fool around with and eat.

If your a guy (or girl lol) who doesnt really want to cook, you can just wash them with veggie wash or clear water, chop or pull apart and toss on a plate since he's a larger bird and can eat big pieces.

A salad bar would work but usually there are chemicals on the food there, so it's better to do it yourself.

No onions, avocado, chocolate, apple seeds and some people say no rubarb or eggplant too.

It's great he found someone he loves and who cares about him too. Just try and tweak things and he'll be fine. A vet visit would be good though, to learn about his vitamin and mineral needs before an emergency happens. I'm sure laurella has that on her site. If I remember correctly she is against man made vitamins as am I, but I give them (calcium and Nekton s once a week) because I cant be sure my diet is giving 100 % of what they need right now.

[Xolar]

I'll get some of that and see how he likes it. Thanks.

Basically, if I alter his diet, and balance his day light schedule, he'll grow out of this in time? Should I give him a chance on the shoulder every now and then? Or is that also making things worse for the time being?

[Cindy215]

Basically, yep. But actually he won't grow OUT of it he's growing INTO it LOL. As he reaches sexual maturity and goes through stages it's forever. But not all year long and not if you follow a strict natural daylight schedule religiously all year long. He may get hormonal every spring till about July 15th or so, but yeah. Usually with a full fledged hormonal bird you're seeing symptoms of aggression, eye pinning, tail flairing, moodyness, unpredictability, and then trying to mate on your body parts or toys and stuff.

So might as well what to do nailed down now so it's easier on him. (and you lol).

Some people think it's cute when they're regurgitating all over the place like it's some badge of honor that the bird loves them but it's not healthy to barf up your food and be in unrequited love mode all the time.

If he's occupied off your shoulder then I'd leave it at that. I never encourage that anyway. Hopefully you can dream up some other stuff to do to keep him focused on his brain, playing, exploring, etc... not you.

My two Parrotlets are on my shoulder as I type and they're getting a little riled up from being under my hair, so they're about to get dumped onto their boing right now lol.

[Cindy215]

I forgot to say there's another good site Land of Vos you can go on with alot of info, too.

[Xolar]

My sister just mentioned that site to me earlier, when I spoke to her. According to her, although I wasn't aware, he does chew his feathers, and that's where the damage has come from. She did complain that he would mate on her, when she could get him up on her shoulders or arms. I haven't noticed it to much.

One other thing, if you wouldn't mind shedding a little more light on things for me. She bought him off a couple and they treated him well. When she first got him, he had a few other words he liked to say. "I'm a good boy", and he did an immitation of a bomb dropping.. The whistle, and boom. Seems he's lost interest, and now he sticks to saying "hello" when someone arrives. He does a "What's up?" from time to time. The 'Woo!" which I understand is pretty common among these birds. Did I just not encourage him to make those sounds enough? Why did he drop them? Also, the one unique trick he's picked up, and I'm not sure where. To much history channel perhaps? Well, he snaps to attention on command. Unusual?

[txbird]

Speaking of Land of Vos, Carolyn (Land of Vos owner) occasionally gives some cheese to her birds too, no problems. (Oops... wrong thread!)