sara - 2008-09-05
I've got a pet red belly hen which I call Sweetums, and I also have a breeder pair that have produced 2 chicks in 2 different clutches. The latest chick hatched in March, I named him Raz and I decided to keep him for a "boyfriend" for Sweetums. He is in a cage next to Sweetums' and he's been doing a mating dance and he's only a little more than 5 months old. I'm hoping that they will bond. He's really a cute little guy and I hope that when he's mature enough that Raz and Sweetums will bond and start producing babies. I just don't know when I should put them together. Should I wait until Raz is at least 2 years old, or should I put them together now. BTW, Sweetums is almost 4 years old. My breeder pair were already bonded when I got them.

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steve - 2010-06-29
I just purchased a hawks head. It's so cute I'm hoping it's as sweet as I was told they are. I bring it home in 2 months.

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Christine - 2010-03-06
I never owned a bird before but my husband and kids are allergic to cats and dogs, so that sent me searching for a pet with out dander and such. I came upon the eclectus parrots and decided that they would make a good pet. We found a little boy on a parrot website that they had bought for their 12 year old son that just lost interest. Oh my, I could have never asked for a better pet, I have two children 5&6 and they play with him so well but always supervised. Keiko loves the girls and has never bitten any one just snuggles and kisses. His vocabulary is about 20 words and so unbelievably loud and clear its amazing, one thing he is great at it mimicing all kinds of silly noises, knows all the cell phone tones in our house, door bell,and kids silly toy noises. Keiko has the largest cage I could buy him 70" x 40" x 30" and he has free fly of our house in the morning when we are getting ready for work and school and all night till bed time, so he does interact with us alot so maybe thats why we have no screaching or bad behavior with him. I could not have been more pleased with any pet in the world and all my friends love him to death.
If you want a bird that eats well, plays well, showers, travels and even goes to me with work a couple days a week this is the bird for you.
Keikos one bad habit is he learned from his previous owners, he is a Dorito Junkie... I just open a bag and he flies over and gently tugs on my hair till I give him a tiny piece. He is just too cute!

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CONNIE - 2010-02-05
I have a red bellied parrot and he tries to feed me (regurgitate) every time I get him out. What can I do to get him to stop this? I had a female before this one from the same person and the same breeder pair and she died. A necropsy was done and she had waisting disease. She also tried to feed me, and I amd worried about my male. I was told there is no way to test for this till they die. Please can you help me with this?

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Caren - 2010-08-20
I have a female eclectus who I think is about 11 years old. I adopted her from a man who rescued her from a couple who could not cope with her. He had 27 parrots and could not give her the one on one attention she needed - she also has sprayed legs so she struggled to stand. I don't know the full story except that she hated the husband as he was aggressive. She took to me but bit my husband and my teenage children really badly. All she did was lie at the bottom of the cage and would mess all over herself because she would not stand up. At first I thought I would leave her alone to calm down and adapt to her new home but I slowly started taking her out and speaking to her and building her trust. She then let me was her in the basin and blow dry her which amazingly she loved. I let her walk on the wooden floor in my room for about an hour or two a day and she started getting stronger. She can now perch herself and even sits on the stand and ring unaided. She is so strong it is amazing.

One morning I woke up and she was making a terrible noise, I took her to the vet and he found she was egg bound and had to give her a sedative to help her pass the egg. She then layed another 2 eggs all by herself without trouble. I don't think she will ever speak but she does make a humming noise when she sees me and will scream if she can't see me. My hubby has tried everything being gentle and kind to her but she just shook - she now goes out of her way to attack him if her is anywhere near me, she has even bit me if he comes too close to me trying to bite him.

I now notice she is lying at the bottom of the cage where she has chewed up her paper. Do you think she is going to lay more eggs? I have heard you can have your bird sterilized - which I think is a good idea for her since she struggles with her disability. Love your site -

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MYRNA - 2010-07-08
I have a 5 yr old eclectus parrot female that has started laying eggs. She searches out behind the couch and stays there on her egg. I have taken them away and she lays more. She is not eating well anymore and when I do put her on her perch to feed she makes the little chirping noise constantly. I read that this is the noise they make to get the male to feed them on the nest. She has lost weight and I need some help. No avian vets in my area. Any suggestions?

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Joy Welsh - 2008-12-25
I am the third owner of my Senegal parrot - Nubbie. At the time I named him that, I didn't know it would be-come him! He can leave you with "nubbie" fingers. I knew my work would be cut out for me when I got him. But I could tell he was depressed. The pet store had him caged on the floor! A big no no for birds. He had no toys to play with. The owner said he fought with the bird every day for a year at just trying to get food in his cage. Nubbie immediatly liked me & stepped up on my finger. The owner was amazed. I worked with him for a year & was getting pretty discouraged. I did not experience the territory behavior that the previous owner had. I made sure he had the biggest cage available. I felt that maybe he missed being around other birds. I ended up bringing him to a bird store to see if they could find him a companion. He stayed there for 2 months. I couldn't sleep at nights worrying & missing Nubbie. I went & picked him back up. He has been so much better behaved since then - BUT - I changed MYSELF. I did a lot of thinking as to what I was doing wrong. I would take him out of the cage at 8 in the morning & keep him in my work room with me until about 6 in the evening. I realized that I may have been over stimulating him & not giving him his own space in his cage. So now he stays in his cage until 2:30 when we go ride in the car to pick up a grandchild at the bus stop. He loves this! He goes back in his cage about 5:30. We now have a much better relationship. I work hard at "reading" his body language. Things are so much better between us. That is not to say that he doesn't have his moody problems. But who doesn't? When he is like that - he is telling me - "back off" I want to be left alone. I love this bird! He makes me so very happy.
The bird store called & told me they had a Senegal parrot who needed a home, as his former people gave her up. So, once again - here I go! I hope to be able to bring Baby to the same relationship that I have developed with Nubbie! I have had her for 4 days now, I can put my hand in the cage to touch her head. Hopefully she will get comfortable enough to step up on my finger soon! I want to give her a kiss!

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paula reeder - 2009-06-21
My eclectus, clementine, was beautiful. was. she has picked almost every feather she has. she has been bare chested for nearly 2 to 3 years. she has also been short on her other feathers elsewhere. what has happened?

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Irene - 2010-04-23
I'm hoping someone out there can help me. My problem is that I don't have any money to take my red-sided Eclectus parrot, Sierra, to a vet right now. She appears healthy otherwise, is eating and drinking with no problem, her feathers are still brilliant colors, and she is behaving fine. Her left eye is fine, but her right eye seems to have lost the tiny "eyelashes" that make up the "red-sidedness" of her. She is blinking a lot and sometimes holding her eye closed for a second or two. Her eyes are not red or watery and there is no discharge, so I don't think it's conjunctivitis. She is not around any other birds and eats a pretty balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts. Does anyone know what I should do? Perhaps a home remedy? Thanks for reading!

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jeff - 2009-01-21
This February (2009) my Senegal named Tobias will be 30 years old. I have had the pleasure of his companionship for 28 years. He also trusts only one person and tolerates everyone else. He is generally calm yet he has his moments. There have been times he has bitten me well enough to break the skin. This usually happens when other people are around and this may be his way of telling me he doesn't like sharing me with anyone else. After so many years he knows me and every movement I make in the house wanting attention constantly. As I arrive home from work down the driveway he knows it's me and I can hear him vocalize wanting out of the cage and his head feathers rubbed backwards. After all these years the routine has not changed much which consists of a lot of attention. I guessed as he grew older he would slow down, not so! It seems he requires more attention as the years go by. I love it. He picks up on what goes on around him and mimics what he can. I get a special kick on how my Son taught him to grumble. I have not regretted one moment since I

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