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How many species of Eclectus are there?
The genus Eclectus is made up of the single species roratus with ten sub-species
of Eclectus parrots generally recognized. The nominate race is the Grand
Eclectus Eclectus roratus. The other sub-species are Solomon
Island Eclectus Eclectus roratus solomonesis, Red-sided Eclectus
Eclectus roratus polychloros, Macgillivray Eclectus roratus macgillivrayi,
Vosmaeri Eclectus roratus vosmaeri, Aruensis Eclectus roratus
aruensis, Westermani Eclectus roratus westermani, Cornelia's
Eclectus roratus cornelia, Riedeli's Eclectus roratus riedeli,
and Biaki Eclectus roratus biaki.
The four sub-species most commonly found in aviaries in the United States
are the Red-Sided, Grand, Vosmaeri and the Solomon Island.
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Where do Eclectus parrots come from?
Eclectus parrots are considered Old World Parrots. They are found in
the Cape York Peninsula area of Australia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and
Indonesian Archipelago islands.
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How can you tell the difference between male and female Eclectus?
Until early in the 20th century, the male and female Eclectus were considered
different species. Eclectus Parrots are sexually dimorphic which means
there is a vast color difference between the male and the female.
Males are predominantly a bright emerald green with bright red under the
wings and sides of the body. Their lower mandible is black and the upper
mandible is bright candy-corn colored yellow/orange.
Females are predominantly royal blue, maroon and red. A fully mature
female's upper and lower mandibles are black
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Which female sub-species have the blue eye-ring?
There are three sub-species that have the blue eye-ring, Red Sided, Solomon
Island and the Macgillivray.
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How can I identify a Solomon Island sub-species?
The Solomon Island is a regional variation of the Red Sided Eclectus and
is smaller than all other sub-species with the exception of the Cornelia.
The Solomon Island has a proportionally shorter tail and neck, giving the species
a more compact appearance. The Solomon Island sub-species are approximately
12 inches long.
The female's abdomen and lower breast are royal blue with a clear separation
from the red upper breast, head and nape. The female's back and
wings are crimson red.
The male Solomon Island is bright emerald green with a glowing appearance
and red side patches that are longer and wider than any other sub-species.
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Do Eclectus Parrots talk?
Hand-reared Eclectus parrots are normally excellent talkers. They have
the ability to say words and phrases in a clear concise voice. Their voice
is very pleasant and cute -- like a little kid. Eclectus also have
the uncanny ability to say the right thing at the right time. Many times
they appear to understand what you are saying. Eclectus also have a wide,
unusual range of pleasant sounding tones, coos, whistles, comic laughs and what
I call monkey noises.
Our Solomon Islands have picked up numerous words and phrases without any
speech training. They have even picked up various phrases straight off
of a television program or commercial.
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What do Eclectus Parrots eat?
The most critical element in the care of Eclectus parrots is
a well-balanced diet. The Eclectus digestive system requires a wide variety
of food rich in beta-carotene (Vitamin A) on a daily basis. Fresh fruits
and vegetables are extremely important. Examples include green peppers,
carrots, lettuce, corn, peas, apples, melons, oranges, grapefruit, beans, pears,
papayas, celery, cucumber, sprouts, sweet potatoes, asparagus, broccoli buds,
zucchini, etc. We also feed our Eclectus hard boiled eggs, pasta, rice,
and cooked chicken or fish. Cooked food should NOT contain salt or sugar.
Eclectus should also be fed parrot mix seeds/fruits, pellets and Nutriberries.
The Eclectus demands variety. They will let you know when you are feeding
them too much of the same thing.
DO NOT FEED YOUR ECLECTUS OR ANY OTHER PARROT CHOCOLATE, AVOCADOS OR SWEETS
OF ANY KIND. THEY CAN BE TOXIC TO YOUR PET.
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What should I do to make my Eclectus comfortable when I bring them home?
Eclectus are very intelligent birds. They will check things, sit quietly
and observe their new surroundings. It will usually take a little while
before they become comfortable enough with you to start being friendly and affectionate.
The male Eclectus is usually more affectionate, and will acclimate quicker than
the female gender of the species. Female Eclectus are generally more cautious.
Every bird is an individual. Love and affection is the best way to ensure
your bird will be a loving and affectionate member of your family. When
you are getting your new Eclectus used to you and your family, speaking softly
and directly to him or her is the best reassurance you can give.
The rule of thumb is to talk to your bird and hand him or her gently.
Treat your bird like it is a very special member of the household.
Always be gentle! The way you handle your bird will affect the way
your bird treats you. In the wild, approaching predators are stealthy,
quiet and staring. Most birds respond instinctively with fear to such
an approach. Talk to your bird. Use a soft voice.......try
not to make fast moves....... talk to your bird when you approach him or her.
Say hello. Ask your bird what it is doing -- does it want to come out?
Speaking to the bird sends the message that it is important to you. You
want them to think that you are fun to be with.
Once you are buds, just talk to your bird when you enter and leave the room,
stop and give it a pat. That is usually all it takes to keep your Eclectus
a happy camper.
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How should I handle my Eclectus?
GENTLY! Always be gentle and soothing with your parrot. If you
treat them with gentleness and respect, they will treat you the same way.
Baby Eclectus can be quite clumsy and slow. They use their beaks to
balance and steady themselves. Don't be alarmed when they appear to be
reaching for you with their beak, it is only to balance themselves in order
to step on to your hand or arm. Sometimes, it can take a considerable
amount of time to step up. They give the appearance of thinking
about it, but eventually, they step up. As they mature, they can
become quite agile. They are able to quick jump. Some of ours are
able to make very agile jumps and short flights even with clipped wings.
Most Eclectus parrots would rather avoid being scratched or pet on the head.
Don't do it unless you are on good terms with your bird. They would rather have
you gently scratch their belly or under their wings.
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Will my Eclectus bite?
As stated previously, the most important thing is to treat your pet gently.
All parrots will bite occasionally. Eclectus parrots are a very gentle
species and will rarely bite unless threatened or defending their food!
An Eclectus baby does not yet know the power of its own beak; however, they
will exercise it regularly to find out. If you are playing with your baby
and it unintentionally starts biting hard, try to attract the birds attention
elsewhere. If it bites hard on purpose, say NO in a firm voice and remove
your hand from where the parrot can bite. Try not to make sudden or threatening
movements, as this usually just gets the bird more excited. If they bite
you again, tell them NO and put the bird up in its cage for a short while.
It is a kind way to let the bird know that it has to behave a certain way to
enjoy the privilege of living in your house. Sooner or later, your parrot,
no matter what species, will try you out. We call it the terrible 2's.
Just stay firm and loving. Eclectus parrots are very smart.
Your parrot will get the idea.
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Can I potty train my bird?
Eclectus parrots make excellent candidates for "potty training." Be
aware of when the last "poop" was when you pick up your bird. Most
Eclectus can hold it a long time before the next session. If they get
restless or try to fly off of you, they usually need to poop. Be aware.
If you know your bird needs to go, put him or her in an acceptable place for
his business --- when he or she is finished --- tell it what a good bird they
are and make a fuss. They will get the idea.
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How can I keep my bird safe?
!) Do not cook with teflon! Your bird can die in seconds from
the fumes if teflon is heated above a certain temperature.
2) Do not use pesticides anywhere near your bird. Make special
arrangements to board your pet or keep it by a friends if you have to fumigate.
Even if you spray in another room, the fumes can be spread by your heating or
air-conditioning system.
3) Do not clean your oven with an oven cleaner of any kind with your
bird in the house.
4) Beware of subjecting your bird to fumes of any kind. They
have very tiny lungs which can absorb toxic fumes very easily. One
of our babies was needlessly lost due to the owner carelessly spraying a cleaning
solution for her boots in the room with her birds.
5) Do not cook with your bird loose in the kitchen. Accidents
happen.
6) Supervise your birds at all times when guests are in your house.
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