Time to bust the myth!
It is a common misconception that you need to hand-raise your baby bird in order to form a strong bond. This is a myth and there is no credence to the belief whatsoever.
Let’s think about this logically
In the wild Eclectus parrots form bonds with their parents until it’s time to leave the nest. Once fledged, they integrate into a flock, which consists of their siblings or unpaired adult birds, and they stay with them until they find a mate of their own. Forming an extremely strong bond with their parents would set them back developmentally, emotionally and even physically. It’s not natural for a baby bird to never leave home and the same applies to our hand-raised parrots. I often find my own babies pulling away from me emotionally when they begin to fledge, as if instinct is telling them to do so.
From a breeders perspective
We spend countless hours with our baby Eckies. It takes approximately 12 weeks to raise each parrot from neonate to weaned bird, and in some cases even longer. During this time, I watch them go through different developmental stages. As young babies they are completely trusting and dependent on me, but this gradually changes as they grow older. They soon discover a desire for independence. I liken this to a teenager preparing to leave home. Once the babies learn to eat by themselves they are no longer reliant on us for their feeds every day. I become less important to them and they turn to me less and less for nurturance.
Aviculture is a profession. As breeders we devote ourselves to researching every aspect of avian life. These are the people you want raising your companion parrot. Aviculturists have experience in recognizing potential problems before they arise and can counter them easily with no stress to the baby. They know how to raise a happy, healthy, large baby who is physically and emotionally ready to begin their life as a companion parrot.
Companion parrots have no say in the path their life takes. I’m sure they would prefer to stay with an experienced breeder until they are old enough to venture out into the real world. Please, save yourself the stress and potential heartache. Let the experts raise your baby. You will be doing both yourself and the parrot a big favor.
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