From Breeding to Companion – Red’s Story

At the beginning of this year, Kirsten made the decision to give our breeding parrots a break from breeding. Some of our kids had been breeding for over a decade and while they’ve enjoyed some breaks throughout the years we felt that a longer term hiatus was needed.

Even before I became involved in the breeding side of Kirsten’s work, I was always amazed at the relationship she had with all of her breeding parrots. One of the things that fascinated me about her breeding technique was that it was ‘unconventional’ in the sense that she would interact with her breeding pairs. Because of this interaction, she knew each and every one of their unique personality traits. This in turn gave her the ability to match the personalities of their parrot babies with her approved clients.

Red was always one of our best breeders. She would consistently hatch and raise three Eclectus babies when she bred. After about 3-4 weeks she would tell Kirsten “I wanna come in for a shower”. This ‘call’ was Red’s way of telling Kirst that she was ready for her babies to be picked up and for Kirst to take over the rest.

Every time we pulled babies from her nest box, Red would always watch us while Sprout – ever so curious – couldn’t resist the urge to hop onto our shoulder and watch what we were doing close-up. Once we gently placed her babies into their mini carrier, we always showed Red that her babies were okay – and we always made it a point to thank her. We respect the work and effort that all of our breeding kids put forth.

We’ve never treated our breeding parrots like machines and we honestly believe that they can understand this.

When we pulled all of the nest boxes, the majority of the hens adjusted to this change quite easily. We stocked their flight with plenty of toys and fresh parrot-safe branches and they have been getting along quite happily.

Eclectus hen enjoys a snack of popcornRed on the other hand showed a great deal of interest in where ‘Mum & Dad’ lived and soon began lifting her foot up and looking up at the house when we would visit with the kids. We brought her a travel carrier which she stepped into quite happily and we brought her inside with us. Ever since then she has been an amazing pet. She helps Kirsten cook meals, prepare the fruit and veg that we feed the kids every day and she quite happily perches next to us when we work inside. She showers regularly with us and her vocabulary has grown amazingly!

So what makes all of this newsworthy? Red has been breeding for over 10 years. Typically when a breeding bird is retired, if they are sold as a companion parrot, the transition from ‘work’ to ‘play’ can be quite difficult for birds to adjust to. If the breeder has spent little time with their breeding parrots then suddenly being put into a situation where they are surrounded by people can be extremely difficult for them to handle.

Eclectus parrot henKirsten has tried very hard over the years to balance her breeding technique with an insight into what the parrots experience. Being empathic is a good way to live not just when it comes to human relationships. While her method may be non-traditional from a breeding standpoint, the results speak for themselves. We both have the most amazing companion parrot in part due to the way Kirsten has raised and cared for her all these years.

Red is just one story, but each of our kids has their own equally unique story. Our hope is that over time other breeders who share this same level of care for their birds will also enjoy the success we have.

Eclectus Parrots – How Do You Source Reliable Information?

Over the years, we have helped hundreds of people with their questions on Eclectus Parrots. Everything ranging from Eclectus diets and behaviour to hormones and emergency care. Having bred Eclectus for over 11 years now, Kirsten has a unique perspective that  has proven invaluable to not only Parrot Haven clients, but for people  all over the world.

The internet is rife with “info” about Eclectus Parrots-and some of it is even true. Don’t always believe what you read. That is sound advice especially in the copy+paste internet age where bad advice can spread like a wildfire. Information repeated has the tendency to become fact when it shouldn’t. Accurate information is extremely important especially when the difference can mean life or death for your precious bird.

If you can’t get an impression of the person providing advice on their own website, chances are there is a reason for that. Be careful. People experienced in a breed of parrot are easily identifiable

Where to go for advice?
The responsibility for gleaning sound advice rests on your shoulders. Do your homework. Before taking anyone’s word for it-find out who they are. There are a lot of websites on Eclectus Parrots but sadly many of them plagiarise information in the attempt to sound like an authority when they are really nothing more than hobbyists who are ill-equipped to provide sound follow-up advice. There is nothing wrong with being a parrot lover and wanting to help, but often when people have to make someone else’s work look like their own, information becomes distorted. Suddenly advice on where to place your new Eckie’s cage goes from ‘a quiet area of the house’ (which is sound advice) to ‘a busy area of the house’ (which is not sound advice).

If you can’t get an impression of the person providing advice on their own website, chances are there is a reason for that. Be careful. People experienced in a breed of parrot are easily identifiable. Take a quick tour of any breeder’s website and get a feel for who they are. If you have trouble doing that then you should probably move on.

What makes good advice?
When Kirsten is approached by a parrot lover in need of help, she not only provides advice, but she explains the reasoning behind the advice. This is extremely beneficial for two reasons. First, it helps people understand the difference between the alternatives – why one method is better than the other. Secondly, it helps make advice memorable. People remember information that they understand.

When people have questions about why their Eclectus is behaving differently, Kirsten is able to explain the various phases of development that all Eclectus parrots have. She is able to do this because she has bred them for over 11 years and keeps companion Eclectus as well.

Help spread good information
For as efficient as the internet is for spreading misleading advice, it can be a wonderful tool for delivering good information too. Back when we setup our first website, our goal was just that – to help dispel so many of the myths about Eclectus parrots and educate people on the best ways to care for them. We have been elated to have helped several people reunite with their lost parrots through our blog. The Parrot Chatter forum that we setup two years ago has also been a fun way for us to keep in contact with our wonderful clients and other parrot lovers we’ve had the honour to meet.

We are working hard to help get the right information out there. The best way to help is to arm yourself with the right advice and repeat it. Information that is repeated has a habit of becoming fact and when it’s the right information then everyone wins – especially our Eckies!

Heavy metal poisoning in parrots

Heavy Metal Poisoning

I have received many calls over the years from people whose parrot died suddenly and for no apparent reason, leaving the owners baffled and distraught. After questioning them about the symptoms and the events leading up to the parrot’s death, it’s often clear that the most likely cause of death was heavy metal poisoning (HMP). Sadly, many people don’t know or understand the very real dangers that heavy metal poisoning (or heavy metal toxicity) poses to parrots.

HMP occurs when a parrot ingests a particle of heavy metal.  Once ingested it begins to poison the parrot, affecting the kidneys, blood cells, intestines and nervous system. This makes the parrot very ill and can cause rapid death. Continue reading “Heavy metal poisoning in parrots”

Hand Raised Eclectus Parrots

Meet Parrot Haven’s latest baby boy ‘Jasper’, baby of gorgeous Cletus and Peggy Sue.

Hand Raised Eclectus Parrot

Hand Raised Eclectus Parrot

ABOUT US

All our babies are raised in a loving family environment, spoon fed and they spend hours socialising and playing with us. We raise only babies born here at Parrot Haven (we are a closed aviary, we do not take in other breeders eclectus babies and raise as our own) and all of our breeding birds have been chosen for their gorgeous natures and temperaments that they pass onto their babies.

Our website and blog is filled with a great deal of  information about these magnificent parrots so please take the time to read through my articles as becoming a parrot owner is a lifelong commitment and we only sell to the very best homes.

We have our own forum dedicated to Eclectus lovers and we  welcome new members, its a great place to meet other Parrot Haven baby owners, chat about what its like to own an Eclectus Parrot and see our Testimonial Page on our website to hear our success stories.

We offer full follow up service for our babies

Feel confident in buying an eclectus from the Top Eclectus Parrot Breeder in Australia.

Hand Raised Eclectus

Here at Parrot Haven we specialise in gorgeous hand raised Eclectus Parrots

We have over 11 years experience specialising solely in Eclectus Parrots and take great pride in selling only the very best hand raised Eclectus available.

ABOUT US

All our babies are raised in a loving family environment, spoon fed and they spend hours socialising and playing with us. We raise only babies born here at Parrot Haven (we are a closed aviary, we do not take in other breeders eclectus babies and raise as our own) and all of our breeding birds have been chosen for their gorgeous natures and temperaments that they pass onto their babies.

Continue reading “Hand Raised Eclectus”

Hand Tamed Eclectus Parrots

Here at Parrot Haven we specialise in gorgeous hand raised Eclectus Parrots

We have over 11 years experience specialising solely in Eclectus Parrots and take great pride in selling only the very best hand raised Eclectus available.

More babies keeping us busy here at Parrot Haven

Meet Wendy’s gorgeous little girl named ‘Bug’

Eclectus Parrots from a reputable breeder

Here at Parrot Haven we specialise in gorgeous hand raised Eclectus Parrots

We have over 11 years experience specialising solely in Eclectus Parrots and take great pride in selling only the very best hand raised Eclectus available.

Hand Raised Eclectus

Hand Raised Eclectus

Hand Raised Eclectus

Hand Raised Eclectus

Hand Raised Eclectus

Hand Raised Eclectus

Hand Raised Eclectus

Hand Raised Eclectus

Hand Raised Eclectus

ABOUT US

All our babies are raised in a loving family environment, spoon fed and they spend hours socialising and playing with us. We raise only babies born here at Parrot Haven (we are a closed aviary, we do not take in other breeders eclectus babies and raise as our own) and all of our breeding birds have been chosen for their gorgeous natures and temperaments that they pass onto their babies.

Our website and blog is filled with a great deal of  information about these magnificent parrots so please take the time to read through my articles as becoming a parrot owner is a lifelong commitment and we only sell to the very best homes.

We have our own forum dedicated to Eclectus lovers and we  welcome new members, its a great place to meet other Parrot Haven baby owners, chat about what its like to own an Eclectus Parrot and see our Testimonial Page on our website to hear our success stories.

We offer full follow up service for our babies

Feel confident in buying an eclectus from the Top Eclectus Parrot Breeder in Australia.

Hand Raised Eclectus

Here at Parrot Haven we specialise in gorgeous hand raised Eclectus Parrots

With over 11 years experience specialising solely in Eclectus Parrots we take great pride in selling only the very best hand raised Eclectus available.

Hand Raised Eclectus
All of our Hand Raised Eclectus are given a great deal of love and affection

Hand Raised Eclectus
One of our Hand Raised Eclectus ‘Tilly’ enjoying nap time on the bed with mum
Hand Raised Eclectus
Everything tastes better when you eat it with your foot !
Hand Raised Eclectus
Zen loving her daily protein fix

Hand Raised Eclectus
Jellybean enjoying his new toy
Hand Raised Eclectus
Look mum, Im learning the alphabet !!

Hand Raised Eclectus
Lady and the tramp eat your hearts out

Hand Raised Eclectus
Da, na, na, na, na, na BATBIRD !!!
Hand Raised Eclectus
Errrr, you have a little something right there. .. .
Hand Raised Eclectus
Yum???
Hand Raised Eclectus
Jellybean devouring the lamb bone

Hand Raised Eclectus
I reckon I can eat my weight in watermelon . . . .
Hand Raised Eclectus
Nothing better than a gourmet breakfast . .

Hand Raised Eclectus
Billy and Jez, enjoying their daily shower !

We pride ourselves on raising the most confident, healthy and happy companion Eclectus possible. We have been breeding Eclectus for over a decade and have carefully chosen our eccy pairs for their personality and temperament which is passed on to their babies. We take great pride and care in matching each of our babies with their perfect owners getting to know our clients before we choose their perfect feathered kid.

Take a look at our forum to see more photos of our Parrot Haven babies and learn what it is like to share your lives with these amazing parrots. If you are interested in becoming a Parrot Haven baby owner, feel free to email me and we can arrange a time to chat: info@18.218.225.189

Hand Raised Pet Eclectus Parrots

Here at Parrot Haven we specialise in gorgeous hand raised Eclectus Parrots

With over 11 years experience specialising solely in Eclectus Parrots we take great pride in selling only the very best hand raised Eclectus available.

Hand Raised Eclectus

Hand Raised Eclectus

Hand Raised Eclectus

Hand Raised Eclectus

Hand Raised Eclectus

Hand Raised Eclectus

Parrot Haven kids sharing dinner time with Dad

We pride ourselves on raising the most confident, healthy and happy companion Eclectus possible. We have been breeding Eclectus for over a decade and have carefully chosen our eccy pairs for their personality and temperament which is passed on to their babies. We take great pride and care in matching each of our babies with their perfect owners getting to know our clients before we choose their perfect feathered kid.

Take a look at our forum to see more photos of our Parrot Haven babies and learn what it is like to share your lives with these amazing parrots. If you are interested in becoming a Parrot Haven baby owner, feel free to email me and we can arrange a time to chat: info@18.218.225.189