Bringing my baby home - Some suggestions.
Eclectus are very shy and will probably feel scared when you first bring them home. Generally when Eclectus are scared they tend to fly away and hide, however some do lunge or try to bite. Be patient with them, use slow gentle movements and never hurt them if they nip, refer to the "don't bite" tab. They will also test you because you are new. Check out the "How does my baby grow?" tab for how they can try to "bluff" their new family.
If you have picked your baby up from the airport and just arrived home, place some fresh foods and water in their cage; and their transport box fits, pop the whole thing in their new cage with the transport box door open, and the cage door slightly ajar. Sit a few metres away on a chair or the floor and talk gently to them. Eclectus and most parrots live in communities without a real leader, therefore the role you need to play is a friend rather than boss. Unlike pet dogs where you must show dominance, most working relationships between human and bird are equal.
This slow patient quiet approach allows your new baby to come out when they are ready. When they do, generally they will sit on the cage door (offer your hand confidently, but gently) or fly to you when they are ready to meet you. At this time, their behaviour is unpredictable so it is best to move softly and keep them off your shoulders until you can effectively read their body language.
It may take a few weeks for your baby to get used to their new environment, talk to them constantly so that they get used to your voice. For the first few days it would be best if their cage is in the quietest room of the house - but not isolated, then slowly move them to the room you want them to reside full time. They may not like you handling them a lot straight away because they do not know you. It is important for an Eclectus to feel safe. They feel safe when they can explore and watch you go about your daily tasks, with you saying the occasional hello or acknowledging them. They will also feel safe in their cage or on their perch.
Get them used to climbing up on your hand using the command "up" give them a tour around the house showing them where all of the glass is. Some Eclectus need a lot of time and your patience to warm up to cuddles - they are not a cuddly species (in saying that my personal companion parrots can not get enough kisses). They also prefer to play and fly during the day and are more cuddly at night after dinner. You can tell when they are sleepy because they will begin to grind their beak they can also do this when they are with you and feeling safe and comfortable. I find it best to let them have a fly around for a while to expel that energy before trying to cuddle them. If you work, let your baby out to have a fly and play, then after their dinner you can work on cuddles before bed time. Eventually you will be able to cuddle during the day as you get to know each other. Birds like to go to bed around sunset so they get hungry between 5 and 6pm. With my birds, I call it feral hour because they all squawk at each other for their dinner, once they have eaten enough, they settle down and begin to talk.
As a new parent, let your baby get used to their new environment and you before trying to put the harness on. But have it in sight so they know it's there. I would give them a few weeks in their new home before venturing outside on the harness. Get them used to having you touch them all over and under their wings and lifting their wings, when you can comfortably do this, you shouldn't have any trouble with the harness. Remember spend time playing with and becoming familiar with how the harness works before trying it on your bird!
Try not to panic if your baby hits a window, maybe begin with them exploring smaller rooms to get used to your type of window. We have huge, fixed panels of glass at home and they have learned to avoid them, but it is scary when they are learning to fly. We begin them in small rooms where they can not pick up much speed. We find that the only time they do collide is when they don't slow down fast enough. Birds in the wild fall out of nests all the time, and we find that these minor set backs do not harm them and they are flying again within seconds.
If you have picked your baby up from the airport and just arrived home, place some fresh foods and water in their cage; and their transport box fits, pop the whole thing in their new cage with the transport box door open, and the cage door slightly ajar. Sit a few metres away on a chair or the floor and talk gently to them. Eclectus and most parrots live in communities without a real leader, therefore the role you need to play is a friend rather than boss. Unlike pet dogs where you must show dominance, most working relationships between human and bird are equal.
This slow patient quiet approach allows your new baby to come out when they are ready. When they do, generally they will sit on the cage door (offer your hand confidently, but gently) or fly to you when they are ready to meet you. At this time, their behaviour is unpredictable so it is best to move softly and keep them off your shoulders until you can effectively read their body language.
It may take a few weeks for your baby to get used to their new environment, talk to them constantly so that they get used to your voice. For the first few days it would be best if their cage is in the quietest room of the house - but not isolated, then slowly move them to the room you want them to reside full time. They may not like you handling them a lot straight away because they do not know you. It is important for an Eclectus to feel safe. They feel safe when they can explore and watch you go about your daily tasks, with you saying the occasional hello or acknowledging them. They will also feel safe in their cage or on their perch.
Get them used to climbing up on your hand using the command "up" give them a tour around the house showing them where all of the glass is. Some Eclectus need a lot of time and your patience to warm up to cuddles - they are not a cuddly species (in saying that my personal companion parrots can not get enough kisses). They also prefer to play and fly during the day and are more cuddly at night after dinner. You can tell when they are sleepy because they will begin to grind their beak they can also do this when they are with you and feeling safe and comfortable. I find it best to let them have a fly around for a while to expel that energy before trying to cuddle them. If you work, let your baby out to have a fly and play, then after their dinner you can work on cuddles before bed time. Eventually you will be able to cuddle during the day as you get to know each other. Birds like to go to bed around sunset so they get hungry between 5 and 6pm. With my birds, I call it feral hour because they all squawk at each other for their dinner, once they have eaten enough, they settle down and begin to talk.
As a new parent, let your baby get used to their new environment and you before trying to put the harness on. But have it in sight so they know it's there. I would give them a few weeks in their new home before venturing outside on the harness. Get them used to having you touch them all over and under their wings and lifting their wings, when you can comfortably do this, you shouldn't have any trouble with the harness. Remember spend time playing with and becoming familiar with how the harness works before trying it on your bird!
Try not to panic if your baby hits a window, maybe begin with them exploring smaller rooms to get used to your type of window. We have huge, fixed panels of glass at home and they have learned to avoid them, but it is scary when they are learning to fly. We begin them in small rooms where they can not pick up much speed. We find that the only time they do collide is when they don't slow down fast enough. Birds in the wild fall out of nests all the time, and we find that these minor set backs do not harm them and they are flying again within seconds.