However, even with all this technology to make the job of hand-raising easier, you still have to be prepared to get out of a warm bed on a cold night to feed your baby parrots and to make sure that they are emptying out all right. Chicks can be hand-fed by using a crop tube, crop needle or a bent spoon. Some aviculturists prefer a crop tube or crop needle as this can make the job of hand-rearing quicker and cleaner. I find if the chicks are cleaned after each feed they will be weaned just as clean as a crop-fed bird. Click here for weights of young Eclectus roratus polychlorus Feather Plucking Eclectus Parrots are prone to feather plucking which can occur because of a number of things.
Nutritional imbalance can be one of the main causes of feather plucking.
Stress is also another contributing factor and can be brought on by many different situations including the cage or aviary being too small or too cold, a bossy partner, strangers in or around your aviary complex, the breeding season, change of diet, or even boredom can also lead to feather plucking. This, however, can sometimes be overcome by placing tree branches in their aviaries as this entices them to chew leaves and branches instead of their feathers, at the same time providing natural vitamins and minerals which are essential to their natural feather condition. Some Eclectus Parrots feather pluck more than others, and some birds will only pluck at certain times of the year, but it is very important that once a bird shows the first signs of plucking every effort should be made to eliminate the habit. Poor feather colour or abnormal feather colours can also indicate health, nutrition or stress problems. Summary The Eclectus Parrot is a great aviary bird and a delight to keep in one's collection, however, a considerable amount of time is needed daily to care for these birds.