Actually, the lovely Eclectus is known to pull out their feathers leaving their beautiful plumage in a heap at the bottom of their cage. So what do you do if your Eclectus is prone to feather plucking? Your first step is to take them to the avian veterinarian to rule out any medical issues. Once any medical issues are ruled out, your next step is going to be to play detective.
Your Eclectus Parrot is a kind and gentle bird. They’re very sensitive to changes in their environment. They do not do well with loud sounds, noisy areas, or chaotic environments. As you’re trying to determine why your beautiful Eclectus is pulling out its feathers, take a look at its environment first. Here are some common environmental causes of feather plucking and self-mutilation:
Improper or cramped housing
Too small of a cage and your Eclectus can feel trapped. They won’t be able to stretch their wings or exercise and feather plucking can result. More Eclectus cage info. Fear is a common cause of feather plucking. Has your Eclectus been properly socialized? Do they trust you to care for them? Trick training is a great way to develop a bond of trust.
Improper lighting
All parrots need natural sunlight or artificial full-spectrum lighting to create vitamin K which they need for healthy skin and feathers. Not enough sunlight can cause feather plucking.
Changes in the environment.
If you have a new person or animal in the home, you moved the furniture, or maybe you moved homes. All of this can cause incredible stress in the sensitive Eclectus Parrot. Even something as simple as a lighted Christmas tree can upset them.
While you’re trying to figure out what is causing the feather plucking, give your bird plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, make sure you spend plenty of time with them, and give them things to chew on so their beak is busy.
Does the Eclectus Parrot bite or scream?
All parrots bite or scream when they’re unhappy. This is particularly true when they’re reaching sexual maturity. The worst thing you can do when your bird bites or pretends they’re going to bite is to pull away, shriek, or throw water on them. This extreme reaction only serves to reinforce the behavior. It tells your parrot – “Hey, you win.”
Instead, train yourself to not react. For example, if you’re reaching in to retrieve your bird from its cage you can position your hand in a manner that your bird is unable to bite it easily. If your bird does get some skin, rather than yell and pull away, you can actually gently push your hand toward your bird. This will most likely cause them to let go because you’re behaving in an unexpected way. While you’re training yourself not to react to your bird’s aggression, begin training your bird.
Tricks like stepping up are an excellent way to avoid biting incidents in the first place. Additionally, begin to learn your parrot’s behavior. Do they pin their eyes before they bite? Do they puff out their feathers? Do they make a certain sound just before they lunge? Learn your bird’s body language and you can avoid getting bitten. Screaming isn’t a common behavior problem with the Eclectus Parrot. While they’re capable of making a large variety of sounds, they’re generally pretty quiet birds and are considered good apartment birds. That being said, they can and will make loud noises when they’re upset.
If they feel threatened or in danger they can emit a very loud call. If your bird is making this type of noise repeatedly, it is very important that you examine its environment and make sure to remove the threat. For example, if their cage is positioned near a window maybe a dog outside is upsetting them. The solution would be to move their cage from the window.
For the most part, the Eclectus Parrot is a well-behaved bird. Your biggest problem is likely to be feather plucking. It can be heartbreaking to watch, however with careful attention to their environment and their health and with proper training, you will be able to eliminate the behavior.