Female Eclectus Parrot - Orange Feather Discoloration

by Pam Eversole
(Alpharetta, GA)

Our 3-Year-Old female Grand Eclectus parrot is showing small patches of orange discoloration on her red head & neck and dull olive color on her back and tail. We have her under a full-spectrum light for at least 8 hours a day. The only change is that she had become bored with her previous pelleted diet and refuses all of the several new pellets we are offering, AND she is now bored with her carrot-corn-greenbean-pea veggies we feed daily and is no longer eating those. Diet she accepts now is Eclectus Mix, Safflower mix, dried veggies, walnuts, almonds, peanust, pasta, and a few other items. Is the plumage change due to a nutritional deficiency? What do you recommend?

Comments for
Female Eclectus Parrot - Orange Feather Discoloration

Click here to add your own comments

Jun 12, 2012

Eclectus with feather discoloration
by: The Avian Vet

I suspect that your bird is getting to much treat food. I feel like that she is eating all of her treats then is not hungry when it is time to eat her pellets. Then she holds out until more treats come.

I think that the changes you are seeing are related to two issues: 1) nutritional imbalances, and 2) too much full spectrum lighting.. I recommend that you feed her 65-70& pellets, and the remainder in healthy treats. Keep pellets in the cage at all times, preferably in foraging feeders. Then feed treats 2-3 times daily in small amounts, not ad lib.

For wet foods, give only enough that she can eat within an hour and take away the rest within 2 hours. Even dry treats should not be in the cage for more than an hour or 2. I recommend that you feed Harrison's pellets, the Adult Lifetime or the Pepper flavor. Another good pellet is Roudybush.

For the full spectrum light, be sure that it is at least 18-24 inches away from your bird and you should have it come on in the morning for a couple of hours (three max), and go off, then come on in the afternoon or evening for another 2-3 hours and go off before sun down. You can do this with a time that can be set for multiple times.

Finally, it is very important that you have your bird examined by an avian veterinarian annually for check ups and vaccines. This will establish normal values and screen for any problems that are not apparent on physical examination.

Find an Avian Vet
Dr B

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask the Avian Vet