Eclectus Parrot?

Question

I was meant to get a green cheek conure & when i went to pick him up, he was bitey and flighty and not a well bonded bird to humans so i trusted my instinct and left him behind, I was in the middle of getting a sun conure when i noticed the Eclectus Parrot. I dont know much about these birds.
Are they as friendly and playful as the conures?
Do they make a lot of noise?
Any info on these birds would so greatfully be appreciated.
Thankyou

Answer 1

If you can afford an Eclectus as opposed to a conure, you will be well rewarded. I have a male Solomon Island who is 4 years old now and he has been such a joy.

In general, they are far more friendly than conures but maybe not quite as playful. My little guy as well as many other eclectus I have met, are content to sit and watch. That said, they do enjoy the occasional toy to shred. In general they are far more cuddly and friendly than conures.

Eclectus in general make FAR less noise than conures. They are generally quick to learn to speak rather than scream which is a plus. Unlike other species of birds like cockatoos and macaws, they do not have a time of day where they need to scream. We got our little boy when we lived in an apartment and no one even knew we had him. He was so quiet! He does talk your ear off though - in four years time he's picked up quite the vocabulary. He says things like "hi bird", "I want out...now", "step up", "howdy" and so on - his vocabulary is well over 500 words.

Eclectus are also far more trainable than conures.

The downsides:
I would strongly caution getting this kind of bird if you don't have time you can spend with them. Conures like human attention. Eclectus need it. They can do just fine in a home where everyone works a full time job (mine did), but they do need social time when you are home. This can be as simple as sitting on the couch with them or letting him sit on a perch while you cook dinner. But, they do need to be out of their cage and they do need to be played with. Conures are more like cats. Eclectus are more like dogs.

Eclectus also require a more specific diet than conures and are often more sensitive about the kinds of food you choose to feed. Pellets are not a good option for eclectus unless they are natural and contain no dye. Eclectus are known for toe tapping and feather problems related to poor or overly vitamin fortified diets. This means that you'll spend more time cooking and cutting up fresh food for your bird if you get an eclectus. All birds do require fresh fruits/veggies/beans and meats, but it is even more important to an eclectus.

Also, because the eclectus is a larger bird, you'll have to buy a larger cage. There are several different subspecies of eclectus. Solomon Islands remain smaller and are probably the most popular. However, vosmaeri and red sided eclectus are growing far more common. These birds get quite a bit bigger - the size of an umbrella cockatoo even. Conures can do fine in a large cockatiel cage (about $100). An eclectus would be miserable in one. If you do get an eclectus I'd recommend getting the biggest cage you can keep and afford. A cheap cage will cost $300 to $400. And, because the eclectus lives 50+ years, I'd recommend buying a decent brand (kings cages and california cages are good).

Finally, overall committment is something you need to consider. Conures live about 15 to 25 years. An eclectus will live 50+ years. There are known eclectus who live well beyond this. I've met one who was roughly 65 years old. Keep in mind that an eclectus is a "will" bird. You will need to consider who will or could take care of him if something happens to you. For a conure, this might not be as big of an issue.

Anyway, I hope some of that helps. If you want to read more about eclectus, the best website out there is www.landofvos.com. I would suggest reading some of the postings on their board. You will quickly learn about some of their quirky behaviors and issues that some owners face.

Answer 2

A lot of good info has already been said, electus being lorridae need very large amounts of fruit, there diet is fruit with other things added not like conure which is mostly harder veggies with a little fruit, anyhow my point is that the poop of an electus is very runny and much more messy than a conure. Although mess in the cage in the end is maybe the same because a conure will bath all the water out of the dish and cause a flooded cage. just a thought

Answer 3

I've never been owned by an Eclectus but from my limited interaction with them (at a parrot sanctuary I volunteered for) and discussions with other people who have an Eclectus as a companion, they fit in to the companion role nicely. They are funny, playful and very talkative if that is important to you. As for the issue of noise, Eclectus' are parrots and therefore they sometimes make loud noises -- it comes with the territory. The Eclectus' I've dealt with are very loving and desperately want to be with their human companions; I've heard the same from other people who live with this very special bird.

I'm truly sorry things didn't work out with your little Green Cheek. Green Cheeks can be nippy in their first six months of life but they are very easy to calm and make wonderful companions, especially for the first-time parrot owner. Our Green Cheek was a year old when we bought him. He was parent-raised and all of his socialization skills came from us. Within a week of our purchase, we were able to handle him completely. Now, 2 years later, he is loving but also a very independent little bird, which comes from being parent-raised. If the little bird you were attempting to bond with was nippy and flighty, he too may have been parent-raised.

If noise is an issue for you, a Sun Conure would not be an appropriate companion for your family.

Good luck with your Eclectus; they're truly beautiful birds with huge personalities.

Answer 4

Playful as a conure?? My white eyed conure was mean as anything to everyone but me....
The female eclectus is VERY pretty! The one I had been around was just pretty. Not as entertaining as my gray at all!
The male is a bright green....
I personally was not impressed with the eclectus, but for her beauty...But she was not mine and only taking care of her for her owner so....sometimes birds are so different with there owners...

The price of the two are VERY different, so make sure you want one before paying all that money for something you are not going to be happy with.....buy from the breeder. You know what you get...

Answer 5

There are several subspecies of eclectus parrots and the female feather color patterns in those subspecies vary according to the subspecies, from having a blue breast and belly ( E. r. aruensis, E. r. biaki, E. r. polychloros, and E. r. solomonensis), to having a lavender breast (E. r. vosmaeri) or purple breast (E. r. roratus). Males will also vary from a bright yellowish green (E. r. solomonensis and E. r. vosmaeri) to a dark emerald green (E. r. polychloros, E. r. biaki and E. r. aruensis).

DISTRIBUTION:

Eclectus parrots are found in Lesser Sundas, Solomon islands, New Guinea, and NE Australia. In the early 1980's they were found to be among the most common parrots in the Moluccan Islands. They are birds of lowland forests and clumps of tall trees.

BEHAVIOR:

These birds are strong fliers and on long flights, they fly high above the forest canopy. Calling loudly, pairs or small parties travel widely through the upper canopy in search of fruits, nuts, nectar and leaf buds. In the evening they engage in display flights before gathering in large groups of up to 80 birds to roost for the night.

They have two distinct calls. In flight a harsh, screeching is repeated three or four times. While feeding they have a wailing cry or a mellow flute-like call.

DIET:

Eclectus parrots feed on fruits, seeds, nuts, berries, leaf buds, blossoms and nectar, all of which are procured mainly in the treetops.

GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION:

The nest is in a hole in the trunk of a tall tree standing near the edge of the forest or in a clearing in the forest.

Two eggs are laid on wood chips lining the bottom of the hollow. The female, who sits at the nest, is fed at frequent intervals by the male. Only the female broods, and does so for 28 days. She leaves the nest about twice a day to be fed by the male. The young birds leave the nest at a little over 12 weeks after hatching.

Answer 6

contained in the U. S., you may purchase one from everywhere between $500–$2,000, usually. or maybe loose, if someone needs to hit upon a sparkling living house for his or her puppy eclectus for in spite of reason. yet you mustn't assume that possessing a parrot of any variety is "user-friendly". Parrots are literally not domesticated like canine and cats, they nonetheless have wild organic instincts, alongside with screaming VERY loudly (to communicate with different birds close by), biting even as they experience threatened, and mainly pooping anyplace they ensue to be each and every 15-1/2-hour. you may't prepare a parrot to be quiet each and each and every of the time, and if the parrot feels scared, lonely, depressed, or indignant, they could and could bite human beings (a large parrot can honestly bite a thick stick in 1/2 in a unmarried bite), pluck out their personal feathers (an illustration of misery), or only only scream even louder and extra oftentimes. Please do your study earlier procuring a parrot. they are oftentimes loving, extremely sensible pets, yet REQUIRE consistent care and interest, and intensely massive cages, toys, severe priced nutrients, etc.