YES! I have seen improvements in Viggo. The most noticeable has been hormonally. For anyone with a hormonal parrot I highly recommend a sleep cage and ensuring 10-12 solid uninterrupted hours of sleep. What a difference this has made and it was most noticeable when I slipped off our routine when our dog passed away. He reverted almost immediately to the hormonal ass-ho! Like a teenager they need their sleep or bears they can be!
The full spectrum has done wonders and I continue to use it daily, increasing the light a tad for spring. I've noticed renewed vibrancy, and it seemed to help induce a molt. That in addition to diet and we've welcomed new healthy feathers and an even more handsome boy. I look forward to seeing even further improvements all in due time of course.
Diet plays a huge part in the over all health of our beloved feathered friends. Starting them out right will allow for a healthier life, better feathers and happier bird. Fruits and vegetables are key for Eclectus, in combination with good clean seed in moderation, nuts and sprouts and a quality pellet - dye free (in small amounts). Removing cooked foods seemed to also help enormously with Viggo's hormones. I stuck to less fruit, more veggies and sprouts and cut out cooked foods. I also cut back on pellets. Even before the sleep cage and full spectrum light I noticed improvements having done just diet modifications. This is surely a starting point for any parrot, especially a hormonal one.
We've been flight central still. Lots of zipping around the house showing off new maneuvers. First thing he zips up and down the stairs from his cage to the kitchen, back and forth repeatedly until his breakfast is served. Dinner time he again does the same and really pushes himself until tired. After dinner without fail lately he will zip into my room to his sleep cage. Talk about nice...I don't know many pets that pretty much put themselves to bed. Sunday mornings we always do a morning shower as the sun comes through the skylight. He's most talkative Sundays for his showers. He's been flying into the bathroom as well if I delay or put it off at all. I guess we all get set in our ways with age. ;)
I've had lots of foraging and puzzles for Viggo offered in his cage and have been feeding larger pieces of food as well that take time to eat and break down. He seems to get more enjoyment out of his food this way and I think he prefers it this way. Oddly even though he throws the large pieces to the base of his cage he seems to eat more and I have less waste and mess for that matter. He loves when I weave Bok Choy, Kale and other leafy greens through his cage bars as well. If they are wet he plays with them before destruction begins.
As for the harness...we're taking steps...slow steps. Once he gets outside in it I think he will see why I put him through this and he will be okay...even excited. For now that isn't the case. He only seems to allow for so much and to get his treat. More or less he appeases me. So in the interim he's enjoyed a small amount of outdoor time in his new travel crate and enjoyed even just the small amount of nice weather we've had.
So much to come ahead and I cannot wait to share it all! Especially our first camping trip with Viggo. Just around the corner before that though he will go and spend just over a week with one of his favorite people and to one of his favorite places...our bird sitter. Calgary's own Bird Lady! He adores her and enjoys the company of other feathered fids where I am told that he chit chats with and is quite comical. He jumps at the chance to go and gets right into his carrier knowing it means he gets to go socialize.
