Viggo in a Nutshell - the day to day stuff

What's life like living with a parrot? Hmmm it's ever changing much like life with young kids.

Viggo is curious, funny, sometimes he challenges and it reminds me of my days with a teenager pushing the boundaries. He's smart, very smart! He gets into things like a toddler and knows when he does as he gives me a look before he does and then will open or toss whatever it is he's getting into then laugh and take off. It's alot like when he tosses his mushed food 8 feet across the room to my wall and then does this cackle which is a direct indication that he did something he knows I don't like. I think he gets as much of a kick out of me as I do him.

Viggo mimics our laughs and friends laughs, sounds off the TV like light sabres and laser beams. He hums and makes sounds from music he's heard. Viggo also has quite the vocabulary! We have one friend and when she comes over he says "Pretty Girl". Smooth isn't he? He asks for kisses, makes sounds of blowing kisses. He says what, whatcha doin, whatcha do, love you, big bird, big boy, pretty boy, boom boom, bye bye, awe, Yuuuup <---thanks to Dave from Storage Wars. He's said "Yack yack yack" in the past while I'm on the phone. His favorite game is to lean his beak down to fingers tilting his head slightly to look up then says "No biting, uh uh uh!" My favorite is always during the hockey season when my hubby yells at the TV, Viggo will say very clearly "Ass-ho". What a character eh? He also has an abundance of different whistles and clicks and so many more words and sounds that he does. All the time we hear new words and phrases and sounds.

Our days start when I get up. I've never ever kept a solid routine with Viggo because I don't want him to scream at 6am every day for breakfast. I vary the times I feed him and will sometimes feed him when I am up at 6am, sometimes I get myself a coffee first, or enjoy my own breakfast before getting his. This also allows me the chance to sleep in on weekends when I can. Sometimes I even let him out for a bit before feeding him. I know he's hungry if he heads right to the fruit bowl. If I'm not fast when he goes for the fruit I will have multiple little bites out of my fruit.

Don't get me wrong, Viggo does have his moments and does do screams during the day, he is still a bird. In comparrison to many though he is very quiet for the most part. Perhaps it's because he has never come to expect anything on a specific schedule, or maybe it's because he's always sponging in and soaking up everything in the busy house and our busy days but I'm happy that he's not a screamer.

There's been mornings when Viggo perches on my head while I make his breakfast. More often than not it's on the weekend when I have more time. I have to be careful when I allow him to perch there as he has used my hair as a rope to lower himself like spiderman to his food dish and snatch a bite of food. Why careful? When perching on a head I've had 2 things happen in past. One, strawberries and banana mushed into my hair and two was when I went to put a piece of fruit into my mouth and almost got nailed with a bite when Viggo attempted Spiderman to steal the fruit. He never actually connected but could have.

I have never recieved a real chomp from Viggo. He's bitten me and it's bruised but never hurt or brought tears to my eyes. He's never broken skin. He could though. I think over the years we have developed a respect for one another. Viggo has never ever attempted to bite my husband, but has gotten both of my daughters with a light pinch to their forearms. His bites have never scared my girls off and they still happily give his beak kisses.

I have been bitten in the past by another male Eclectus as well and that one didn't break skin either. Females on the other hand...WOAH!!! It's like they go to break bones and draw blood! Anyone with a male or female Ekkie want to weigh in or add to the male/female chomp?

After he has his breakfast and depending on the day and what I have planned I will let him out. This is when he will go through cleaning off his beak, toss toys off the top of his cage, untie the night cover from his cage, zip around the house for a bit and then when called he will come and sit on my shoulder and preen my hair or eye lashes for a bit. This preening always precedes his breakfast burp. Yes he lets out quite the low man burp and always right in my ear. I think that's his way of complimenting his delicious food.

While I work he hangs in his cage and listens intently. This is where I think he picks up a lot of words and music. Sometimes my little peanut gallery even adds his 2 cents throughout the day. "Yack yack yack" or "Uh huh uh huh uh huh" can often be heard even if it's only mumbling he makes it clear enough.

If it's the weekend I will put him outside to enjoy the sun, in a cage on the deck partially covered if he wants shade or we head out to walk the dog where he rides along in his pak-o-bird carrier. That's another thing he says, "Wanna walk the dog?" He likes walks as much as our dogs. He gets more outdoor time on the weekends but on nice evenings after work I will take him out to walk the dogs.

Anytime between 5-7pm I feed him his dinner. Like breakfast I vary the time so he doesn't come to expect meals at certain times. After he is done he's out again while I change the paper in his cage and wipe the bars around his bowl. Word to the wise...do this daily and it takes 5 minutes, literally. If I don't all the mushed food caked to the bars like cement takes forever to remove. Poop Off is a lifesaver with an Eclectus. It breaks down caked on food on bars like a power washer and makes wiping dried food off walls a breeze. I have also used Poop Off in my carpet cleaner instead of the chemical cleaners to clean berries and other foods out of the carpet, white carpet no less. Works like a charm!! I should buy stoke in Poop Off.

I do a very good clean of his cage once a week, wiping all bars well, as well as his perches and any toys that have food on them. 2 times a year I powerwash his cage.

I tend to move a toy or two around each time I do the full cage clean (once a week), but I never ever move his sleep perch or his food perch. I've learned with the sleep perch if I move it from the top of his cage he will still go to the top and cling in that area to the bars. Sleeping on a perch as difficult and uncomfortable as it appears seems so much better than bar hugging.

Evenings are our chill time. This is when he follows me as I do evening chores. If I vacuum he flies to his cage and jumps in his water bowl. Why parrots do this is beyond me but I hear of it often from others. If I fold laundry he sits on the side of the basket watching, he just really likes being involved and a part of the family. After any chores we enjoy our time on the couch watching a show or two. I've heard Eclectus aren't that cuddly but Viggo is, he's like a green cat and will cuddle against me under my chin or curl in my lap. He loves having his back stroked and patted like a cat. Sometimes I can flip him on his back for tummy scritches. He loves scritches, especially on the head and under the wings.

I never thought a bird or parrot could be like this. What I expected was a bird that would maybe learn to talk and do some tricks, scream and fly but thankfully he's so much more then I ever thought he would be. There's so much intelligence and character packed into that green feathered package.

At his bed time I give him his seed or almond and a beak kiss then put him into his cage and cover it. I could listen forever at his content beak grind sounds and soft hums as he settles in for the night.

When it comes to showering him, Viggo gets 1-2 showers a week. I always seem to do one on Sunday and that never fails, early morning after breakfast. He'll stretch and fan out his tail and wings. It's a fantastic display. He has a shower perch that he goes on and I do shower with him. It's in the shower that he's most talkative. I get out before he does and watch through the glass door at his endless displays with his wings and tail and the brilliant color. He's a hoot to watch! Even more if there's music playing. I think in the climate I live in that if a bird was showered daily it's too much and would dry his skin, thus why I don't shower him more than 1-2 times a week.

Eclectus are very aware of feelings, I've noticed this over the 8 years with him. If I have a headache and feel crappy or I'm sick it's like he's worried and will scream and point from his cage. It sucks when I am under the weather but my husband generally lets him out and he comes right to me to snuggle and is quiet. Doesn't matter if I'm curled up on the couch or in bed he will find me. Even with a headache I find myself smiling and playing peek-a-boo with him and a blanket. If I am stressed Viggo rocks and seems uneasy. Sometimes he will scream and take a wild flight as if on edge. If we are packing bags to travel he gets very quiet and watches intently and if out of the cage he tries to stay as close as he can to us. If I am sad I hear ongoing long drawn out "Awe's" but he doesn't tend to come to me when I am sad. It's rare but I've noticed over the years when I have lost loved ones and more recently my old cat. I can open his cage and wait but he stays in the cage and watches me. I think that's the male in him.

Viggo really is a part of our family and is always a part of whatever is happening. We've had some big get together's over the years as I coach my daughter's ringette teams and in the past after winning cities we've had the parents and girls all over to celebrate. That's a pretty full house. Viggo LOVES when the house is alive and busy with activity and will become very vocal adding words, showing off, mimicing laughs. He loves when the girls do karaoke. I've recorded the girls in the past on video singing only to watch later and hear Viggo singing loudly in the background. Not word for word but he will pick words and sing them over and over and loud and drawn out. I will attempt to post videos sometime.

I don't know how we lucked out with such a wild crazy wonderful and sweet brat, but he landed in the perfect place for crazy ;)

Big Green Flying Machine

To be flighted or not to be flighted?

This is a very personal choice. There are dangers to having a flighted parrot, such as escaping from the house, flying into windows, flying into open toilets, fish tanks, or over pots of cooking food and much more.

I wanted a flighted bird for the health benefits. Additionally....it's a bird, he has wings and was created to fly. Just my feelings. When I started looking for a breeder that was my initial question, "Can you keep the baby Eclectus flighted?" He made his way to us flighted and has never been clipped.

 As I have dogs and a cat in the house it's also a benefit that he can fly to move from danger. That being said I am very very careful when he is out and watch him and the other pets closely. When he is out our large dog is either outside or in her crate as she has shown interest and I'm sure could jump and nab him from mid flight. I've seen our big dog almost snatch a magpie or two in our yard. I also keep our cat in the basement when he is out as she does stalking behavior and still a kitten loves to chase.

In our home we have set rules from day one with Viggo being flighted. Doors to outside are closed and locked and my daughters know not to go in and out of the house if Viggo is out of the cage. He's very good at flying and making turns and I've heard of many flighted birds slipping through a door and escaping outside.

I keep our blinds down but open so that Viggo avoids windows. Additionally toilet lids are kept down and Viggo is put in his cage when we cook.

I love watching Viggo and his brilliant colors when he is in flight. Being flighted allows him to go from his cage to his stands, he can go from upstairs to the main floor, and do turns to find me in my room. It helps release pent up energy. I've seen birds that cannot fly do what I refer to as a lean and point where they indicate where they want to go, with their wings tucked in they do a little flapping and sometimes scream to be moved by their owner to the place they want to go. I didn't want that.

Clicker training helped with teaching Viggo the ropes around the house, we taught him recall (<--- a must with a flighted bird) and to only come to us when called. Before we taught him to come when called he would always fly to us and I wanted him to be a little more independant and use his stands, plus if I had my hands full or was doing something where I didn't want him he would always come to me. So I used the clicker to train him to stay unless called.

When Viggo goes outside with us it's either in his pak-o-bird carrier for walks with us or into an outdoor cage. I also used the clicker to train him to go into his carrier, as that was an initial struggle for us, he refused to go in for the longest time. No issues now, he happily goes into his carrier. I've considered trying a harness and still might one day, although I have heard people talk of hawks swooping down and snatching a parrot right off their shoulder. We live very close to a river and huge park where I see Eagles and Hawks daily on my walks.

The downside of having a flighted bird...Viggo has had times where he gets pretty bratty and flies up high where we cannot get him, or opts not to listen to recall. Only once have I ever had his wings trimmed and it was very slight. The reason I did was because of a similar situation. When we did, Viggo had been flying all over and in our front foyer we have high ceilings 16ft with a window. Well after not returning when called he zipped all over literally laughing at me, and took off to the window. He hit it square and fell to the floor below. Thankfully he wasn't hurt, just stunned. The next day he again zipped all over being a stinker and did a pass by the window only to land by the ledge way up and would not come down. So I had his wings slightly trimmed to keep him in a safe zone and in a way show him who was boss. He could still fly, so I hadn't removed his ability of flight, just took his ability to gain height. Since that one time he has never again gone wild with flight and not returned when called. Now when we do his recall he comes, no issues. I would never guarantee recall if I allowed him outside however. Despite our bond and the fact he listens 99.9% of the time with his recall there is too many dangers and too much uncertainty.

If I was to get another parrot, it too would be fully flighted. The benefits are far too great. My suggestion to others considering a bird would be to ask the breeder to allow the bird to fledge and develop strong flight. That way even if the bird comes with a slight clip or full clip it has learned to fly and the option of allowing flight later is possible. If they never learn it's not the easiest to train later if at all.

The Green Cow - DIET

Pig, Cow...he's a big green eating machine! Seriously, Eclectus LOVE to eat.

When Viggo first came he toe tapped and wing flipped. This is like a clench and release of the feet and a constant flipping of the wings. It was out of his control. Being a new parrot owner I didn't know what to do aside from read and call up friends with Eclectus for diet help. If you are considering a pet Eclectus read EVERYTHING and then read more, diet especially!

I had done a TON of reading prior to getting Viggo, I'd joined chat groups and had listened to owners talk about diet, what works, what doesn't, how some owners are against pellets all together, and some enjoy sharing their food (pizza crust ect) as a snack with their Eclectus. Just like the book "What to Expect When You Are Expecting" you cannot always go by the book or what works for others.

Eclectus parrots have the longest digestive tract of parrots, thus food stays in their systems and get absorbed more so than other parrots.

Despite diet changes Viggo was still toe tapping and wing flipping. This tapping and flipping made it hard for him to perch and very obviously scared him. He was just a baby when he came to live with us. It obviously scared him, new home, and these terrible issues beyond his control.

Being a mom I had journaled a little when my youngest daughter would get rashes. She has sensitive skin, but food was the trigger which I later found out after making notes, and looking back and then having her tested. The journal was excellent to help pin point the trigger. So I decided for my new baby bird I would do the same. I'm glad I did, it helped Viggo, myself and our vet.

I would start with very basic foods and after a few days if all was going well I would introduce a new food and feed for another few days before introducing new foods. If he showed signs of tapping or flipping we went back to basics and what he was fine on and cut out the food we thought might be a trigger. If having introduced it more then once with the same response from Viggo I would red flag the food in the journal and put it on the 'Foods to Avoid' list. I learned anything for people, cereals, bread, bits of pizza crust would cause tapping and flipping. It seemed anything with vitamins and minerals made for people he could not tolerate. I also learned the same about pellets. To this day the only pellet he can handle in small doses is Harrison's Lifetime. I vary this pellet for change between the course and fine, and sometimes I'll buy the super fine to sprinkle on organic bird bread I make for him.

I kept the journal for a few years and learned of many more triggers. My green boy was super sensitive. I learned it was easier to keep it simple to be safe.

Journaling led us on a path that works for Viggo. It's also brought healthier eating to my family and myself as I tend to snack on the fruits and veggies as I prepare his meals.

Now Viggo's daily meals consist of fresh sprouts everyday as well as fruits and veggies. I don't cook most of his veggies. I like feeding raw when I can. Sometimes I'll cook yams or sweet potatos and mash them with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or cinnamon. I also cook spaghetti squash. Everything cooked is always cooled and tested for hot spots.

Here's a look at a breakfast dish:

This is not an everyday breakfast. I always vary his meals. On this day he was given a variety of fruits (strawberries, pineapple, papaya, mixed berries-raspberry, blueberries and blackberries in with his Red River Cereal) and veggies (carrots, red bell pepper, broccoli, green pepper) I also fed about a teaspoon of scrambled egg. Nothing was added to the egg.

I know I said human foods like cereals caused Viggo to toe tap and then I list Red River Cereal. This is the ONLY cereal I have found that Viggo can eat without reaction.

I also, but in moderation feed Viggo meat (chicken & salmon). He doesn't like bones (drumsticks). I have offered them as I heard they are a great source of nutrients for birds as they clean the marrow out of the bone. Viggo has never shown an interest yet still I will offer once in a while a cooked drumstick, rinsed after the meat is removed. I know I have developed new tastes for foods with age and have cut out others so I always offer even if he passes on it.

Generally Viggo is not picky. Sprouts, fruits, veggies, almonds, pine nuts, budgie seed, Harrison's, these are his main foods. Treats fed occassionally are egg, meat, a small amount of plain yogurt on fruit, bird bread. The Harrison's he does not get daily, I feed Harrison's instead of seed every few days through spring and summer and even then not much. I feed a tad more through the winter months when he can't go outside.

Since my brat is active and fully flighted I feed a bit more than a bird that is clipped would eat. He eats twice a day, morning and night, and gets snacks during the day which is usually a slice of apple or kale put into a foraging toy. Generally it's about a cup of food in his dish per meal. Seed I give at bedtime before I cover his cage and it's either an almond or a teaspoon of seed. Anything dropped from his dish is cleaned up off the paper on the bottom of his cage. I started putting paper over the bars when I watched Viggo trying to reach food through the bars on the bottom of the cage with his foot. Now he eats whatever drops and it's easier to clean the bars and in much less time. No scrubbing. <--- great little helpful tip, that is if your bird doesn't shred paper.

Another snapshot of a dish of food.

This dish shows his fresh sprouts, romaine lettuce, broccoli, red pepper, strawberries, carrots and jalapenos. Mmmm I can tell you I munched lots making this dish. All my faves. Our sprout recipe comes from a friend who taught me a lot when it came to feeding an Eclectus. She has multiple Eclectus parrots and has had years of experience through her flock to learn about good over all diet.

Sprouts are a morning food. I don't feed them with dinner. Additionally in the warmer summer months if Viggo has leftovers in his dish after a few hours (rare if ever) I remove the dish to avoid fruit flies or spoiled food.

This is a bird safe food list:

Cooked grains - can also be sprouted

• Millet
• Quinoa
• Amaranth
• Whole Oats
• Hulless Barley
• Spelt or Kamut
• Brown Rice
• Wild Rice
• Buckwheat

Cooked legumes - or sprouted with 1/4" tails

• Adzuki
• Mung
• Sprouting Peas
• Lentils
• 13 Bean Soup minus Spice Packet - must be soaked for 8-12 hours over-night then properly cooked - CANNOT be sprouted

Vegetables - Fed fresh, lightly steamed, or even frozen (thawed) out of the frozen section in grocery store

• Pumpkin
• Carrots
• Acorn or Butternut Squash
• Red or Green Pepper
• Kale
• Dandelion Greens
• Mustard Greens
• Collard Greens
• Turnip Greens
• Broccoli
• Celery
• Cucumber
• Romaine or other dark leafy lettuce
• Jicama
• Peas
• Zucchini
• Green Beans
• Tomatoes
• Cabbage
• Chinese Cabbage
• Bokchoy
• Carrot Tops
• Okra
• Spaghetti Squash
• Cauliflower
• Radish
• Brussel Sprouts
• Escarole
• Endive
• Corn
• Beet Root

Fruits

• Papaya (Viggo loves the peppery seeds)
• Mango
• Any type of berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc)
• Pomegranate (freeze the seeds and feed frozen for less of a mess)
• Kiwi
• Oranges
• Melons
• Nectarines
• Cherries
• Apricot
• Grapefruit
• Banana
• Pears
• Apples
• Figs
• Pineapple
• Lemons
• Limes

Do not feed pits or seeds of cherries, peaches, mango ect.

Other Foods

• Whole Wheat Pasta (I have tried organic and if fed in very small amounts Viggo is ok)
• Whole Grain Breads (I make my own so I know what goes in)
• Bird Bread (again I make my own)
• Cooked Eggs
• Sprouted Seeds
  
  Avoid the following foods[/color]
  -Avocados
  
  -Dairy Products(Except Yogurt)
  
  -Fruit Rinds
  
  -Rhubarb
  
  -Raw Meats
  
  -Onions
  
  -Garlic
  
  -Chocolate
  
  -Salty/Sugary Foods
  
  -Alcohol
  
  -Fruit Pits
  
  -Peanuts
  
  -Uncooked Rice
  
  -Uncooked Beans
  
  -Seeds of: Pears, Oranges, Papaya, Grapefruit, Grapes, Apples & some Melons
  
  -Mayonnaise products
  
  -Caffeine
  
  
  And here's an imcomplete list of seeds you could feed: safflower seed, white millet, oat groats, buckwheat, canary grass seed, sunflower seeds, hemp seed (human grade), whole wheat, rolled barley, pumpkin seeds, shelled peanuts, almonds, pine nuts, pistachios, red millet, nyger

Diet is a pretty big deal in this house for Viggo. As this blog grows I will add recipes we love, a list of the stuff in the sprout mix as well as how to sprout. It's super simple.

One big reason I call Viggo my brat is because he is a lot like having a 3rd child. Between his talking, singing, getting into things, screaming for attention, he also flings food! The worst is mushy banana on the wall. Somedays I find it 8ft from his cage!!!! <---this I will show in a picture one day.

What works for Viggo would likely work for any Eclectus, some are more tolerant than others however. Some have peanut allergies. Viggo is in perfect feather and has never plucked. Plucking can be caused by many things, one  of which is diet. As diet is important for our over all well being so can be said for our feathered friends or 'fids' as some call them. Fid = Feathered Kid.

Hormones....these suck!

So this is the very reason I decided to write a blog. Viggo and his hormones. As previously mentioned he is 8years old and fully mature. Being that Viggo is our only parrot or bird for that matter he does not have a companion of the feathered kind. Viggo bonded to me from the get-go, kind of expected since I feed him, clean his cage and shower him. He does enjoy the company of everyone in our home (hubby and two daughters) as well as visitors, but I am his favorite person.

Favorite went to a whole new level recently when Viggo decided that not only did he love me but wanted to show me that he wanted me as a mate. One day in spring of this year he decided to 'hump' my arm. Yes I said it....hump! I know, I know, he's a bird right...birds shouldn't do this...dogs do! I can hear it now...'ewwwww'. I said the same, trust me. In the past he would 'hump' the couch, and I didn't make a big deal as I had read about this. However when he decided I would become his mate I needed to stop it before he felt it was okay. Persistant brat he is!

Initially I changed his diet as I know how diet/weight can trigger hormones. I cut back on the protein and offered mainly fresh raw fruits and veggies, with sprouts of course. After about a month that hadn't made a big difference.

So I tried offering stuffed toys as I read that sometimes parrots will release their frustrations by doing the 'dance' with the toy. Viggo wouldn't have it. In fact he screamed at the toy. I tried a few different ones hoping one would catch his eye but nadda. Then when he would attempt the deed on me I would offer the toy, hoping that he would draw a connection and leave me alone. Zilch.

I have tried cold showers to chill off his hormones (not cold but warm). He will preen after and that keeps him busy for a bit, but then...BAM he is right back to me and wanting to love me. Sigh...this is where the frustration comes in.

I have tried putting him back into his cage for a cool off period but it never fails, as soon as he's out, it is right back to me, or he screams at me wanting out. Of course I ignore the screams so I don't encourage this behavior and only reinforce positive behavior when he is quiet. I understand birds will make noise and trust me he does but I never give attention to screams of this nature.

I should mention that Viggo and I did clicker training years ago. I found it helpful for teaching recall as Viggo is fully flighted, I also used it early on to help with his stepping up without biting. When he went through his toe tapping he would bite when he stepped up and through clicker training I was able to teach him to come without the bite. Happy lady I was.

I have always made it habit since initial training that when he flies to me I bring him back to his cage or stand until called. I must have made 25+ trips to his cage in less than 2 hours today.

I googled 'hormonal parrot' after locking Viggo in his cage. By this point he'd landed on my head, grabbed firmly to my blonde hair and proceeded to try and do the do with my head. I had to find a solution. I found there was more information about female parrots than males however I did read that by using a night cage, smaller and covered and put into a dark and quiet room for a solid 12 hours of sleep can help with hormones. I've never used a night or bedtime cage for Viggo. In fact I never covered his cage for years as he would scream endlessly when I tried. I did manage to get past that and I do now cover his cage at night but we have the cage in the hub of activity zone. I can always hear him behind the cover doing his 'closet talking' or 'peanut gallery' as we call it.

So this is what I am trying next. I'll post updates. My fingers are crossed that it helps. If you are following this blog and have a parrot that has been through anything similar I would love to hear what if anything has worked for others.

The Big Green

I was frustrated today. Why? My big green brat as I often call him is hormonal. Viggo is my male Eclectus parrot. He hatched April 30th 2004 on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Now 8 years old he's already reached sexual maturity and I am faced with a handsome male eclectus in love with who else...me!

That being the case I decided to start a blog to write about not only life with a parrot but also things I face along the way. I kept a journal when Viggo first came to me in regards to his diet. It helped me and our vet greatly as he had extreme toe tapping and wing flipping to the point he could not perch. The journal helped me to realize triggers for his toe tapping and I learned I have a boy with many food sensitivities. I will write more about this later in a diet post.

My hopes are that this blog may work as a place I can refer back to for solutions much like a journal and also help others with an Eclectus or other parrot facing similar behavioral, hormonal or diet issues.

So here I go, my first step and Viggo's first flight into the land of Blogging.....