update

[chris_lynn]

:x >: :mad: :evil: :x yep thats pretty much how its going. lately ive got this habbit of walking in this bird store and watching this GORGEOUS male eclectes.
i already here you saying "NONONONONOOOOOOO christina NO BAD girl BAD!!!"
but anyhoo ive completely fallen in love whith him. im NOT going to buy him im NOT. besides ive found these people who live in colorado who breed eclectesus and THERES are hand tame. and about 500,000,000,000,000,000 dollers.
ooooohh... but the babies are soooooo cute!!!!! Bebo is doing ok. i have gotten him on my finger once. but i think he a little scared about that soo im just gonna let him recouperate from "sitting on the evil claw of doom" :D ah well i guess thats pretty normal. by for now

[Eliza]

I <3 ekkies, particularly the male Soloman Island eclectus. GORGEOUS! I've wanted one for years but I worry about their dietary concerns and noise level. They are SUPPOSEDLY quiet parrots but I've heard males and female both let out QUITE a honk now and again.

I've found that in my area, hand-fed/socialized ekkies are cheaper than bird store ekkies. Go figure.

If you haven't already you might want to check out the Land of Vos wesbite :)

Hats off to little Bebo! He's making progress!

-e-

[Christine9]

I LOVE ekkies. They are so beautiful, especially the females (of course, my favorite color is purple, lol). But big beaks scare me, so I'll just admire them from afar. :D

[chris_lynn]

I LOVE ekkies. They are so beautiful, especially the females (of course, my favorite color is purple, lol). But big beaks scare me, so I'll just admire them from afar. :D
thats why i was hoping to get a hand tame one from a breeder. im terrified of beaks THAT big:p

[Janie]

We have a member here, Jeremy, who has an ekkie and he's crazy about that bird. :) I'm sure he'd be the first to tell you to do your research (lots of research) before getting one. Very different from a lovebird in size, diet and behavior.

[jknezek]

Janie you hit the nail on the head. ekkies are unusual (i'd say unique, but I think all parrots are unique). the Land of Vos website is fantastic. And the email list associated with it has many breeders in many states, most of which are active, and helpful, contributors to the TEC list.

Ekkies, by and large, are quiet birds. But that's a general statement and we all know that it is bird by bird. Some people on the list have loud birds, some quiet. My SI male is quiet. He talks, he mumbles, he whistles, he wines and, rarely, he squawks. The more activity in the house, the louder he is. Vacuums, loud music, and lawnmowers are sure to elicit squawks. But he is well trained (and it took us a few months) to teach him inside voices versus random yelling. It's a hard concept for parrots, but with consistent teaching, some can learn. I'm lucky that Kiwi did. He is allowed his loud times, but he has learned that random squawking earns him a timeout. His contact calls are whistles and they are ALWAYS answered immediately.

As for the diet, the main thing is that it is EXPENSIVE. You will be buying tons of fresh vegetables every week. Fresh fruit as well, and it is generally not cheap fruit like oranges but kiwis, mangos, pomegranates, etc. Pellets are very difficult to feed ekkies because they have so many food allergies. The only pellets Kiwi can eat without adverse affects are Foundation Formula and TOPS, organic rolled pellets that are very expensive. Table food is almost always a big NO as it is enriched or fortified or who knows what else that causes a major reaction.

So there is a lot to think about. Ekkies are, however, wonderful birds. Smart, beautiful, CALM, they don't chew very much so they aren't overly destructive, relatively quiet. There isn't much more you could ask for in a large parrot except cuddlyness (not a word, but we'll survive). Most ekkies don't like scritches, cuddles, or petting. They are a little aloof, but it also makes them a lot more independent. Which I think is a wonderful feature for a family that is active or with two working parents.

But there is a lot to think about. The hormonal stage is a lot more difficult in larger parrots. We can laugh at lovies trying to do the happy dance with your head, but when a larger parrot does it, serious damage can be inflicted on both of you if you don't address it correctly. Female ekkies, especially, seem to have strong hormonal cycles. They can be very difficult in these times and I would definitely ask on the TEC email list about it before adopting or buying a female ekkie. It absolutely ruled out a female for me.

Let me know if you have any questions. They are wonderful birds and I recommend them to the right people without hesitation.

[Janie]

Jeremy, thank you for your reply! The advice and information you have provided can't be beat. :)

[chris_lynn]

thanks!!!! we buy soooooo many fresh vegies and fruit already since we have 6 family members 3 birds and a hamster!! i can understand why you guys are afraid of people buying a parrot and not doing there reserch!!!! yes i did do PLENTY of reserch before i bought any of my birds! ive only done a little on eclectesus because im not actually planning on buying one...yet :) but if you keep on telling me about them im shure ill collapse at some point and go but one! :)