I want an Ekkie SOOOO BAD!!!

[MusicalFeathers]

Hello everyone,

I am currently the mother of three children; a grey cockatiel, a blue crowned conure and a yellowsided GCC.
My cockatiel is very independent and gets along with my GCC just fine. My blue crown is pretty anti-social for right now. She even attacks her mirror image! She is a sweet heart otherwise.
I've recently taken a sharp liking to Ekkies. I have been discussing it with my boyfriend...still waiting for his clearance financially. I also like the females....but it is more common for them to be hormonal I hear?

I would really love personal opinions, advice, recommendations from those who personally own one! Any comments would help.

Thanks guys....

[Liezlmd]

You can read all about the dietary requirements of Ekkies etc.. at Land of Vos. There is also a TEC mailing list and an Ekkiechat list on Yahoo Groups, where you can ask more bout them from Ekkie breeders.

[Amie]

Just know that an ekkie isn't going to be like your tiel and conures. Conures remind me of little macaws. . .they're goofballs and clowns. Ekkies are a little more low key. Mine just hangs out, and she's 12. She changes the location of her hanging out, will move from this perch to that perch or sit with us on the couch, but for the most part she's just there with us.

Or, you'll get the goofiest ekkie on the face of the planet.

My female is not hormonal. She gets a little anti-social when she's molting, but that's it. Otherwise, she's a mama's girl.

[Bela]

Diet is greatly important, especially with these guys. Land of VOS is very helpful.

I have a male and love my little green guy to pieces. He is only 16 months old and thinks he's a monkey. He is a handful - him just sit? Oh, heck no. I think maybe that has something to do with him still being young. He hasn't learned how hard he can bite with that beak either - and I hope he never figures it out b/c it CAN hurt (and bleed).

[Amie]

Originally Posted by Bela

Diet is greatly important, especially with these guys. Land of VOS is very helpful.

I have a male and love my little green guy to pieces. He is only 16 months old and thinks he's a monkey. He is a handful - him just sit? Oh, heck no. I think maybe that has something to do with him still being young. He hasn't learned how hard he can bite with that beak either - and I hope he never figures it out b/c it CAN hurt (and bleed).

Yeah, Scarlett was a monkey until puberty. Now, she only releases her inner monkey right when I come home or when I wake up in the morning. You know, the "YAY MAMA IS GOING TO OPEN MY CAGE AND LOVE ME!!!!" times.

She's an attention hog, don't get me wrong, but not in the same way a macaw is. She has to see us, has to be hanging out with us. But she doesn' thave to be playing with us. . ..hard to explain, but it's true.

I love my ekkie, and will always have one, I think. My ekkie is a nudist and has been since our CAG died. But she's getting better with lots of help. Just be aware that some of them pluck for no known reason. We go to the vet regularly and are following EVERY bit of advice we've ever gotten. She still won't leave her chest feathers alone. (This isn't solely an ekkie problem, though. All of the sensitive species like Toos, Greys, and Ekkies can go through it)

[bigwahoo]

My Ekkie Rocky, reminds me of a cat. He's kinda of self sufficient. He's quiet most of the time. Just quietly watching the daily activities of the house, but when he wants attention he turns it a little nut job. He's starting to talk and he'll start yakking and hang up side down in his cage. He will finally hang on the cage door making it clear he wants to play.

[MusicalFeathers]

Well compared to my loud and rowdy conures, I'm sure an ekkie would be a bit more laid back.

That doesn't sound so bad to me since I have a handful already.
Anyone harness trained their ekkie?

MY GCC is harness trained but trying to get the others. I guess only in time.

Definitely if I get an ekkie (baby), I will attempt to harness train. It is such a rewarding experience for the bird and owner!

[loyallyroyal]

I wouldnt describe my Dewey as catlike, he is too clingy for that. He loves being the center of attention! Land of Vos is really the place to learn about ekkies, good luck on deciding between a male and a female!

[Bela]

My Picasso (SIE) is the only bird I can get the harness on, but we also started right away with him!

Bela, one of my greys, I can maybe get it on her, but getting it off is horrible....I almost need to "cut" it off of her.

My advice, start young! lol.

[Amie]

Do you mean having them fly with the harness on? Scarlett wasn't fledged properly and can't really fly (we're working on it and making LOTS of progress!) but she lets me put a harness on her with little fight because she knows harness + Scarlett = walking around neighborhood perched on Mama's shoulders and apparently that's the thing she looks forward to the most each day. When I grab the dog's leashes out of their puppy box, she gets on her front perch and sticks her chest out at me and says "Up up Mama! Up up now!" (Which is different from her usual "Up up!" with her foot stuck out in my direction!)

We didn't put a harness on Scarlett until she was 10. She couldn't fly at all before then, so there was no need, but once we got her wings strong enough to glide, harness went on, and she was okay with it. Didn't like it at first, but she figured out really quickly what it means - but DON'T try and put that harness on her and keep her inside. You'll lose an eardrum, and it's the only time shre really acts up!