Housing and husbandry
Eclectus Parrots are arboreal or Tree top dwellers, they forage for food in the canopy of the tropical rainforest . The diet of the Eclectus in the wild consists of mainly fruits, wild figs, unripe nuts, flower and leaf buds, and some seeds.
Eclectus Parrots can be kept as a single pet bird in a large cage and taken out daily into the home for at least 1 hour or in an aviary with another bird..
- Perches should be natural wood of varied diameters. and replaced once they are partly destroyed.
- Place feed and water dishes so that your bird will not contaminate them with droppings.
- Native Australian tree branches, gum nuts, grasses & greenery are excellent for behavioural enrichment & beak care. Change regularly.
- Avoid objects that might contain lead or zinc (eg some metallic toys, feeding dishes or wire ties).
They are very intelligent and need a variety of toys and foraging activities, and most importantly COMPANIONSHIP.
Diet for an Eclectus parrot
Dr Phil's Opinion : Any new diet should always be introduced gradually. Simply start as follows:
Eclectus parrots are slow eaters and relish in the soft, fleshy pulp of many fruits. The intricate process of eating is an important and essential part of their happiness in captivity and a major reason why . A daily routine should include fruit and vegetable in addition, pellets , seed, seed sprays and branches are provided throughout the day for additional foraging and occupation.
Feed the SIX food groups every SINGLE day
- Dark green or yellow vegetables - Eg Silverbeet, Spinach, carrot etc (Light green veg eg Celery, cucumber, iceberg are not nutritious)
- Limited Seed -making up less than 1/3 of the diet
- Pellets - like Harrisons, Zupreem and Pretty bird
- Low fat Low sugar Low salt human foods - eg Oats, wheat bix, rice, miltigrain bread, etc -"Share your meals"
- Fruit - see what your pet prefers -ag mangos, figs, guavas, bananas, any melons, stone fruits (peaches etc.), grapes, citrus fruits, pears and apples. Two favorite fruits are the pomegranate and the papaya (pawpaw)
- Also appropriate to offer the following occasionally in limited quantity - larger nuts like Almonds etc, a protein like meat or a bone to chew on.
So easy to feed a fun tasty and balanced diet !! Do not only feed seed
No chocolate, alcohol, avocado or caffeine
Common illnesses
- Toe tapping.
- Overgrown beak - from another diseases see Beaks- a mirror of Health Birds - usually liver disease.
- Heavy metal toxicity from chewing metallic objects.
- Egg binding.
- Foreign body ingestion.
- Feather picking - feather damaging behaviour.
This Male got the yellow stick caught under his tongue - penetrating the palate - it was safely removed , and Eckels went on to make a full recovery.
Health Care
We recommend a health check (with testing as appropriate), when you acquire your new pet and each year thereafter, to check for and prevent common illnesses listed above.Birds often hide signs of illness and may only appear unwell when they are very sick. It is important to seek advice early if your bird looks unwell.
