I'm getting an Eclectus parrot.

[SamDavis]

Noise wise, it very much depends on the individual bird/owner, training and their environment. My daughter had one of our young cocks in an apartment for a while. He was extremely noisy whenever he was in his cage, loved to scream at her boyfriend and in the end they couldn't keep him anymore. When ours were kept in the house they were generally fine noise wise, but we work from home so they were out of their cage most of the time roaming the house. Used to play with my son, have showers with us, even eat our dinner (and poop on everything). Although our boy eccie decided that imitating the phone continually after it rang was a great joke - made it near impossible to talk on the phone. They certainly have the potential to make a heap of noise, but If they get sufficient attention/training then noise is not a huge issue. I'd say Corellas and Sulphur Crested Cockatoos are capable of making far more noise (and can be much more destructive).

As pets, people definitely prefer males (much easier to sell) but I don't think this is necessarily correct. Hens can make great pets and can talk just as well. In my experience, when pet eccies reach maturity the hens can get a bit nippy, and the cocks will bond to a single owner and keep trying to do the business with your hand.

The decision to buy an eccie is a big one, you're making a committment for the next 20+ years. Much like deciding to have a toddler in your house for the next 20 years.

[VR1Ton]

I live on small acerage & a freind 4 doors down, about 250 meters away can hear her, but can't hear the Longbill Corella.

[Nathan Morleyy]

I have had a fair bit of experience with hand reared parrots,
I have had a cockatiel and an Alexandrian parrot before. My Dad will have to work so will it be ok if he gets attention before and after work?. Because I want to get a hand reared parrot that’s different and exotic that not every one else has.
Sam,
So do you think I should get a male?.

Thanks Nathan

[SamDavis]

I live on small acerage & a freind 4 doors down, about 250 meters away can hear her, but can't hear the Longbill Corella.

We're also on small acreage. When the pairs were housed some distance apart (about 50m) they'd sqwark a bit to each other, but not continually or overly loud. I've just recently put the 2 pairs together in a large aviary (there's a thread on here that shows the aviary build) and they rarely make much noise. They chat away to each other and give a bit of a sqwark every so often - usually when they're squabbling amongst themselves, but not an issue. Is your hen screeching continually? If so then I'd say something's not right.

I have had a fair bit of experience with hand reared parrots,
I have had a cockatiel and an Alexandrian parrot before.

Nathan, can I ask what happened to the cockatiel and alexandrine?

[wagga]

Nathan, question cock or hen as a pet. I have had both as handraised pets. These birds were raised from 14 days old chicks until weaned, thats another topic in its self. I found that the cocks talked a little better but the personality of my hen compensated for that. They bond to one person normally, in my case my wife, which is great until they reach sexual maturity. Previously stated.
The NOISE is the major problem indoors or out is nearly the same. When they screech or call out to you when someone comes home or as parrots do morning / late afternoon times the noise can be not always be ear piecing. For example a friend on a farm has 3 pr macaws, 10 pr black cockies, ringnecks, alexs etc and 1 pr Eckies/ When he arrives at the front gate some 800m plus from the house with the aviaries located 100m behind the house. The eckies can be heard slightly above the macaws. The eckies have a higher pitch and the macaws area deeper sounding screech.
The point is they are loud and I would hate to see you or anyone hand raise a pet only to have the local council come in and make you get rid of them and/or fine you for noisy birds.

[Nathan Morleyy]

Sam,
The cockatial Died of old age and we sold the alexandrine parrot.

Thanks Nathan

[jusdeb]

Ok heres the thing that concerns me ....

I follow and support the Parrot Rescue Centre In Qld and every newsletter has some sad tale about yet another large parrot being rehomed and going through all sorts of trauma due to separation and dramatic changes to its lifestyle.

The way I understand it is this ...these birds are very intelligent , they can have the personality and brains and emotions of a 5 or 6 year old child and we all know how emotional 5 year olds can be .

We humans drag them out of the nest with good intentions (hopefully ) , we humanise them and take away any wild characteristics that we find annoying .

These birds go to the new human parents and they fall in love . Their whole world revolves around these new human parents which is all fun and games until the humans come back down to earth and settle back into the normal routine ...It is at this stage that things can go pair shaped , a bird that has been trained to live with humans and also is capable of entertaining itself whilst alone will fit and usually not be a problem however a bird that doesn't cope will start screaming , feather plucking or a few other bad habits may begin .

This is when human says ENOUGH and moves the bird onto some place else ...what does this do to the bird ?

It removes its confidence , emotionally breaks the bird and often means the problems accelerate and then the bird is moved again and again and blah .

Some of the lucky ones end up with the Parrot Rescue Centre ...the unlucky ones I can only imagine a life of misery .

Parrot handling classes which are available at a lot of vets / pet stores before you buy the bird may help , certainly cant hurt .

OK big speel I know but really I'm thinking your 14 , you have cars , girls , parties , marriage and children all in the lifespan of this bird ...is it fair ?

And in all honesty ..Im 50 , my kids are grown up and Im basically free to do what I want ...I have a hand reared Corella that I would not have bought but rather we rescued her and thus she is here to stay BUT I tell you some days I just want to ring her neck .

I dont always want to entertain her , I often want to do other things but in fairness to the bird I have to let her out to graze the yard and I have to stay and watch her , I have to cuddle her even when my hay fever is driving me nuts ..I dont always want to and she is often hard work when I feel like this .

Have a big think mate .

[SamDavis]

Well said deb. Agree 100%, large pet parrots are a huge committment for anyone, let alone a teenager. And Nathan, an eccie may seem exotic to you now, but in a month or so the novelty of an exotic parrot will have well and truely worn off. Think very carefully Nathan and let the idea be just that for a while.

[Nathan Morleyy]

Deb,
It will be at my dads house and he has grown up with large parrots all his life and he will look after it when I'm at my moms house he lived in dubbo and had a massive parrot aviary and he has had all sorts of large parrots and he has Evan hand reared some. He had great breeding succes with them. So we do have some experience with large parrots. And I used to breed small parrots.

Sam,
I am 100% sure that a eclectus parrot is what I want to get it's not a fade.


Thanks Nathan

[toothlessjaws]

nathan.

if your dad is such a pro at breeding large parrots - why on earth are you on here asking people whats its is and is not okay to feed them?

if you are 100% sure that an eclectus parrot is what you want and this is a well thought out decision then why have you no idea as to even what sex you want? (they look radically different) and why have you never mentioned your plans for for this bird before?

could it be because this is another of your impulse buys?

i don't know where a 14 year old keeps getting the money for these birds and in all honesty i seriously question the truth to your experience - because all i see here is a 14 year old kid who refuses to take advice and learn a thing or two and a couple of weeks ago was trying to sell off the parrots he already owned and was bored of.

nathan what your doing is irresponsible and potentially cruel- with all the advice people have repeatedly given you here - you should know A LOT better by now.

if true - i seriously hope your dad is A LOT more aware of what he is doing than you are.