Few questions about ages??

[failurebydesign]

Few questions about ages, and learning. Tell me about your experiences with your eclectus!

What age did they stop the hungry squawk if at all?

What age did they learn to hold toys or food with their feet?

What age did they say their first word or noise?

What age did they get more active?

Today I saw Tiki fumbling around with his feet while playing with his toys.
I'm REALLY waiting for him to start holding things!

Are there any who haven't done any of these yet?

Tiki is a bit over 5 months old I think, he was born June 9th I believe.
To lazy to check and do the math right now LOL

[New Ekkie Mom]

Originally Posted by failurebydesign

What age did they stop the hungry squawk if at all?

What age did they learn to hold toys or food with their feet?

What age did they say their first word or noise?

What age did they get more active?

My boy was about 4 months old when he stopped doing the baby squawk. He had been weaned for about 3 weeks. I suspect this age depends on the individual bird and the way it was handfed/raised, but I don't know for sure.

He started using his feet some to hold food/toys at around 6 months of age. He uses his feet more now (at one year old), but he still doesn't use his feet as much as a macaw or a cockatoo would. Eclectus are not known to be very foot-savvy birds. Some don't use their feet to hold things at all, ever.

Cyrano started mumbling to himself shortly before he was 4 months old. I am sure he did it before this, but I brought him home at about 3 1/2 months old, and he was pretty quiet while he got used to the new home. When he mumbled like this, he sounded just like Charlie Brown's teacher to me. Lots of soft, pleasant mumbling, but not words/letter sounds. He started to say what sounded like "hello" at around 5 months old, and it became clear at around 7 months old. Now he says (clearly) "peek a boo", "how are ya", "i dunno", "hello", "MWAH!" (like a kissy noise), "I love you", and "You're a good boy!" He turned 1 in July. Every bird is different with talking though. I have heard some people say their Ekkies clearly said hello before they were even weaned, and I've heard of others with Ekkies who are several years old that have never talked. Some only talk when no one is around to hear them.

Cyrano started getting more active in his cage (climbing around on the bars, hanging upside down, attacking toys, etc.) at about 7 months old. I think for those first few months, they are still pretty clumsy and unsure of themselves. I have been told that having clipped wings can make them less active as well, for the same reason...they are more afraid of losing their balance and not being able to save themselves from a fall. Cyrano's wings are clipped--not severely, but they are clipped.

If Tiki is still only 5 months old, he has a long way to go. Just remember he is still a baby. Even Cyrano at one year old is still a baby, really. Enjoy this stage, just as you would enjoy a newborn human. They may not be as active or entertaining as a toddler or older child, but they have a sweetness all their own that will never be the same once they hit maturity...just like people. He will hit his milestones when he is ready. In the meantime, cuddle him, love him, teach him that the world and you are awesome things, and watch him learn every day. He may not be doing a bunch of cool things yet, but I can guarantee you, he is absorbing EVERYTHING around him. He is learning and making associations. What he experiences now will have a huge impact on his confidence and personality later.

Congratulations on your little guy! He is adorable!

Danielle

[failurebydesign]

Tonight was the first evening he did not do his hungry squawk.
Today I also left more seed in his cage. So I think I will be leaving more seed from now on.
Now I feel like I have been starving him! Really he does eat alot though!

We have heard him Laugh

Like I said today he was fumbling around with his feet picking them up like he was going to grab the toy with them, but he didn't lol.

I said hello like 500 times to him today!


I had a quaker parrot a long time ago, but I don't remember him going through any growing up stages even though I bought him right after he was weaned.
Do smaller birds "grow up" faster?

[LADY_DEBRA]

I have a 2 and half year old Eckie named KC I brought him home with me from the breeder at 6 months old and he was talking up a storm lol he still talks alot when he wants to and other days he can be quiet, he will play in his cage but he prefers to be on top of his cage , he has a playtop on top of his cage with all his foot toys and a bucket with foot toys so it keeps him busy but his favorite game is toss the toy off the cage and watch mommy pic it up lol he does that alot as far as him holding anything food or toys with his feet he very seldom does once in awhile though he will

[jimpierce7]

What age did they stop the hungry squawk if at all?

Sophie had stopped this before she came home at 4 months old.

What age did they learn to hold toys or food with their feet?


not all Ekkies do this. I remember being told that it is actually out of character for an Ekkie to use their feet like this. BUT, Sophie has been doing it since she was about 6 months old. I think watching my Sennie played a big role in this.


What age did they say their first word or noise?

first noise? Not long after I met her. lol Sophie was slow to start talking. Almost 2 years old before she said "hello"




What age did they get more active?


Sophie has been on the go from the beginning. She is now at 4 y/o and has been since the beginning my most active bird.

[New Ekkie Mom]

Originally Posted by failurebydesign

Do smaller birds "grow up" faster?

I think so. Even among the different Eclectus varieties, the smaller subspecies, like SI, hit sexual maturity at around 2 yrs old. The larger subspecies, like Vosmaeri, don't hit sexual maturity until closer to 4 yrs, from what I understand.

I have heard/read in multiple places that it is perfectly fine, and even a good idea, to leave some sort of food in the cage 24/7 for baby birds. They are growing so fast that they aren't likely to overeat. When you say "seed", do you mean just seed? Or a dry mix with all kinds of different grains, seeds, and dehydrated veggies and fruits?

[failurebydesign]

It's a mix I made myself. It's a few different seeds, some dry brown rice, few kinds of nuts, few dried fruits, dried corn, few pellets, few pasta.
It's all from an organic grocery store. And he doesn't eat that much of it. I don't feed pellets, other than the few in my mix.

[New Ekkie Mom]

Originally Posted by failurebydesign

It's a mix I made myself. It's a few different seeds, some dry brown rice, few kinds of nuts, few dried fruits, dried corn, few pellets, few pasta.
It's all from an organic grocery store. And he doesn't eat that much of it. I don't feed pellets, other than the few in my mix.

Sounds good. :) As long as he is still willing to eat his fresh veggies, I think it is a good idea to leave something in his cage all the time. With the dry mix, you don't have to worry about it spoiling. Fresh, raw veggies usually last a while too, so you could try hanging some kale leaves, pieces of carrots, etc. in his cage to forage on as well.

[lotusflower777]

I would love to find a site with pics and videos etc of different stages of their lives.... Would be great to know along the way what to expect and how YOUR Fid is advancing.

[failurebydesign]

I didn't think of hanging Kale leaves around his cage, how long do you think they can stay out?
Thanks for the idea