Charming, eye-catching, and intelligent, eclectus parrots are captivating birds that make impressive pets. Their beautiful colors, talking ability, and loveable personalities have established this bird as one of the most popular pet parrots. This bird is one of the larger parrot species, and it does require the right owner with plenty of time and space to house this bird.
As far as red parrots go, few are as brilliantly colored as the crimson rosella. These medium-sized parrots generally aren’t easy to tame and require lots of handling to maintain a friendly demeanor. They’re not usually as cuddly as some other parrots, but social birds will happily perch on their caretakers. They’re also
Care & Feeding
Eclectus parrots are very active and need a spacious cage and plenty of out-of-cage time to interact with you. Be sure to buy the largest cage that your home and budget can afford — these birds can become restless and unhappy when confined. Playful by nature, an Eclectus parrot will need a multitude of toys designed to be chewed and destroyed, such as those made of soft wood. Be sure that your Eclectus gets plenty of attention and activity. Eclectus can keep themselves busy, but need you to offer the stimulating objects to give them “jobs” to do.
Ecelctus parrots have a longer digestive tract than other bird species, and some aviculturists believe that because of this, they especially need a low-fat, high-fiber diet that is not overly fortified with vitamins and minerals. This can help avoid fatty tumors from developing, as well as to prevent vitamin and mineral toxicities. Eclectus parrots generally benefit from more fruit and vegetables (especially those higher in Vitamin A) in their diet, as well as pelleted food. Many Eclectus enthusiasts recommend feeding pellets that are free of artificial colors/dyes. Lafeber foods offer a variety of nutritious daily diets, including Nutri-Berries, Avi-Cakes, and Premium Daily Diet.
Personality & Behavior
Eclectus parrots are intelligent, gentle birds that become welcome members of the family due to their tranquil nature. They are pretty good with children, though they will not tolerate frantic activity or constant disturbing noise. It will be important to teach children how to behave around the bird, rather than the other way around.
Female Eclectus parrots — even those kept as single pets — have strong nesting instincts and might be inclined to seek out nest sites in dark and enclosed areas around the home, such as in cupboards and underneath furniture. Females can be quite territorial, especially during breeding season. If you keep a male and female pair, the female will likely be the bossier of the two.
Speech & Sound
Eclectus parrots generally are not prone to excessive noisiness. They can be quite vocal, and are capable of developing an extensive vocabulary.