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Looks like he's alot older - I would say at least a year by the color of his beak. Try giving him veggies and fruit. Also, check the classifieds, the owner is problably sick when they came home with their bird missing. it may also be microchipped. Call vets and humane society in your area to see if they could check for a chip.

I wouldn't be surprised if it happened while they were out at a party and the baby/house sitter opened the door and the bird flew out.

Good luck.

I don't know ekkies, so can't speak to what his appearance indicates about age, but his behavior has me thinking he's an unweaned baby who is VERY hungry and doesn't recognize the food you're offering. If you can find anyplace open today, you need some handfeeding formula to feed him on a small spoon -- and instructions on how to mix it and at what temp to feed it.

If nothing else, perhaps he would eat some hot oatmeal. I hope someone with weaning experience will see this and help you feed him until you can get him back home. Thank you so very much for rescuing the poor baby.

Paca

He's probably dehydrated and stressed. I would refrain from offering food for the first day. Put him in a small cage in a quiet room and cover two sides of the cage, put some water and one perch in the cage. After a day or so, you should offer a huge variety of foods until you find what he does eat.

If you have other birds, please maintain proper quarantine procedures for at least a month.

BirdBrained wrote:He's probably dehydrated and stressed. I would refrain from offering food for the first day...

Do you say this because you too recognize signs of maturity in his appearance? If not, I hope someone who knows ekkies will confirm whether he is a baby. If he is, withholding food another 24 hrs would be so unfortunate.

Paca

CMoney wrote:Hi!

Last night, on New Year's Eve my family and I were at a New Year's Eve party. An Eclectus Parrot flew into their tree in the backyard. After a while, my dad went up to the bird and put his finger there. The bird climbed on. We put the bird in the car, he slept their while we were at the party, and at the end, we drove home with him. Thing is, he keeps squaking. He seems very young and whenever you put your finger next to him, he just opens his beak and sucks your finger. He does not open is beek for food though. He seems very young, about 2-3 months old. I have some photos of him. He always flies to everyone, sits on your shoulder, and squaks very loud. When we give him water, he drinks alot, but hardly eats. You have to force the food to his beak so he can eat.

Here are some photos of him:

I'd suggest that you get him checked out by an avian veterinarian in the morning .. you never know what he's picked up while at large. His beak suggests that his age is more along the lines of at least 1 year, not a couple of months (baby ekkies have pink beaks, but juvenile males have dark beaks, and they don't loose that dark coloring until about a year [give or take] of age when the beak color goes to the "candy apple" color of adulthood - see http://www.eclectusparrot.com/papababy.shtml for more info).

As for feeding, I agree with feeding him early & often, but try for high energy soft foods like sweet potatoes, corn, peas, baby food, and that sort of thing - even soaked pellets are ok if he'll take them (just don't leave them out long because they spoil easily). Choose foods that he doesn't have to work hard at digesting, and can absorb easily ... at least at first til he gets stronger. I disagree with withholding food for 24 hrs - stressed birds need 3 things early: heat, fluids, and energy. In vet clinics, if parrots (with an intact GI tract) cannot eat, they are gavage fed with appropriate mixtures in critical care situations (but don't do this unless you have the equipment and expertise!!!!). The exception to this is emaciated raptors - they have to be refed carefully ... this doesn't apply for your little ekkie. So, keep him warm (80 degrees F minimum), offer him various foods that are high in fluids & easily digested (that's key), and see how it goes.

I also echo what others said about contacting various avian vets & humane societies in an effort to find his owners. I'm sure SOMEONE is frantic about their missing ekkie. I'd be!! Maybe even put out notices.

I hope he does well ... he looks like a very sweet bird.

Skye/Deanna

I agree with some of the others here. He looks older than a baby, but I'm sure his parronts are frantic that he's gone. He probably didn't go far, but you need to not only check the classified, check phone polls for flyers and contact every animal rescue and vet's office to help find the owner. If he doesn't get food or begin eating soon, it will be too late.
a

He is definitely not a "baby" per se...but he could be about a year or a little younger. The male Eclectus babies beaks are black and then slowly start turning that candy corn color. I dont see any black in his beak. He is probably weaned but the stress of being lost and in a strange place is one of the reasons hes not eating. Definitely get him to a vet and also advertise when and where you found him...Im sure his owner is frantic. Good luck and keep us posted.

Not all ekkies start with black beaks. Those that do don't lose the black until about 2 years old. His beak is duller like a young ekkie. Eddies was exactly the same & didn't go into the bright candy corn until just under 1 year old. His under beak isn't all black also so he is young.

He does look about 1 year or just under. His feathers are a little rugged which is usually an indication he's under 2 years old.

He could also be screaming because he wants mum & dad back & his usual routine that he knows is gone & has him upset. As others have said take him to the vet.

This is Eddie at 11 weeks old. He looks the same except his feather colour a little darker.

This is Eddie with the same feather brightness at about 5 weeks (yours does look much older than this though)


Hope this helps

I was looking through some old posts and saw the lost Eclectus. Have you found his owners? I have two Eclectus of my own and they are beautiful, wonderful birds.
Thanks!

hi, i have just got my own baby ekkie and she is my first so i don't claim to know much but just try this and if he starts squaking and lunging at spoon to feed he definetly hasn't been weaned or at least finished. hold a teaspoon just in front of his beak with a mixture of 2 parts heinz beef and veg baby food and heinz pureed apples baby food on spoon and watch his reaction. also please make every effort to find his mum and dad as i can't imagine the heart ache if rosie was lost. if you can't find them, you've gained an amazing companion who be just as loving as any dog or cat. good luk to you and the little man, anastacia

Most are normally weaned around 3 months (give or take a bit). It isn't recommended you pick up a weaned ekkie under 4 months of age. Most by this stage are fully weaned & any younger than this & you do run the risk of buying an unweaned baby. Unfortunately some people are more interested in selling for money than the proper care & weaning of a chick.

If an ekkie is already weaned they shouldn't be getting 'baby' food spoon fed to them. Lunging at a spoon isn't necessarily a sign of not being weaned. Usually for a baby ekkie it is because it is in unfamiliar territory. He has basically been taken away from the home he knows & placed into a completely different home. If you're trying to feed him & he is weaned & lunging, then don't try feeding him.

If he's eating well on his own then he may be fully weaned however, a sign of an unweaned ekkie is can be screaming, but it can be other things also.

Ekkies are also very fussy about who they allow to feed. they don't cope with change very well & although may be hungry & wanting a feed, can reject a feed from a stranger or if he's being fed in a different way or with different formula to his previous owner.

The heinz baby food is an OK thing as a comforter or treat. It isn't proper food & if the new ekkie is still on feeds then he will need proper formula for ekkies. If you don't give him this he will become malnourished & dehydrated. He can also be tried on some warm mash veggies, rice & egg. This would be a bit more substantial than heinz.

You could also try adding the warm food in his bowl & letting him eat it himself rather than trying to feed him. if he is weaned he may not accept a spoon & will accept a bowl. Or offer him some from an open hand.

www.eclectusparrots.net