How to Care for an Eclectus Parrot

Written by the Birdsville team. Last updated October 2026.

Eclectus parrot care comes down to four things: a fresh, fruit and vegetable based diet, a large cage, daily enrichment and time with your bird. Get those right and an Eclectus can live 30 to 50 years. Males are bright green and females are red and blue, which makes the Eclectus one of the most striking parrots you can keep. They’re intelligent, gentle and some of the clearest talkers in the parrot world. This guide covers everything from feeding and housing to the health problems Eclectus parrots are especially prone to.

Pair of Eclectus parrots, green male and red female — Male Eclectus are green and females are red and blue.

Eclectus Parrot Quick Facts

Scientific name: Eclectus roratus
Most common pet subspecies in Australia: Red-sided Eclectus, followed by the Vosmaeri Eclectus
Nickname: Eccy
Native range: New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, nearby islands and Cape York Peninsula
Adult length: around 35 cm
Adult weight: 430 to 550 grams
Lifespan: commonly 30 to 50 years
Diet: mainly fruit and vegetables, with pellets and a low fat seed mix
Grit: not needed
Minimum cage: 91 cm long x 61 cm wide x 122 cm high
Sexing: by colour, males green and females red and blue
Talking ability: excellent
Noise level: moderate
Experience level: intermediate

Eclectus Parrots as Pets
Eclectus Subspecies in Australia
Essential Supplies for Eclectus Parrots
Housing
Toys & Enrichment
Diet & Feeding
Providing Water
Calcium and Vitamins
Bringing Your Eclectus Home
Behaviour & Handling
Training
Common Health Issues
Visual Health Checks
Parasite Control
Health, Hygiene & Safety
Toxic & Dangerous Hazards
Sexing
Breeding and Hand Raising
Record Keeping
Holiday Care
Transportation
Compatibility with Other Birds
Frequently Asked Questions
Recommended Vets and Links

Eclectus Parrots as Pets

Eclectus parrots make calm, clever and affectionate pets for owners who can give them daily time and a fresh food diet. In the wild they live in small family groups high in the rainforest canopy. At home they want to be an active part of the family. They’re excellent talkers and often surprise owners with how clearly they pronounce their words.

Eclectus tend to be observant thinkers and less of a lap bird than a cockatoo. Our best advice from years of keeping them: spend time with your bird, not money on it. A bird that gets real company every day will always be happier than one surrounded by expensive toys and left alone.

Lifespan is the big commitment. An Eclectus can live 30 to 50 years, and Birdsville regularly rehomes adult birds whose owners can no longer keep them. If you’d consider an older bird, see our Sydney Pet Bird Rescue page (https://birdsville.net.au/re-homing-parrot-adoption/). For baby Eclectus, see our Eclectus Parrot for Sale Sydney page [Eclectus for Sale page link]

9 week old female Eclectus parrot with red feathers — A 9 week old Eclectus hen, already red and easy to sex.

Eclectus Subspecies in Australia

The Red-sided Eclectus is the most common pet Eclectus in Australia, followed by the Vosmaeri Eclectus. There are roughly ten subspecies, and they can be very hard to tell apart without a trained eye. Sadly, many buyers who purchase online think they’ve bought a Grand or Vosmaeri Eclectus, when the bird is actually a Red-sided. In our experience there’s no real difference in temperament between subspecies, so the care in this guide applies to all of them.

Essential Supplies for Eclectus Parrots

Housing

The largest cage you can fit and afford, at least 91 x 61 x 122 cm
Natural wood perches of different thicknesses
Separate dishes for seed, pellets, fresh food and water

What You May Consider

Passwell Hand Rearing Food for newly weaned babies and training (https://petsville.com.au/products/passwell-hand-rearing-food-300g)
Vetafarm Multivet (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-multivet-50ml)
BeakJoy Natural Signature Foraging Box, large (https://petsville.com.au/products/beakjoy-peak-play-natural-signature-blend-s)
Deluxe Parrot Carrier, click and collect only (https://petsville.com.au/products/bono-fido-deluxe-parrot-carrier)
Aviclens water cleanser (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-aviclens-water-cleanser-100ml)

Housing

An Eclectus needs a cage at least 91 cm long, 61 cm wide and 122 cm high, and there’s no such thing as a cage too big. Your bird should be able to spread its wings fully and move between perches without bumping toys or dishes. A bigger cage directly improves your bird’s wellbeing and makes problems like feather plucking and constant squawking less likely.

Set the cage against a wall in a room where the family spends time, out of draughts and direct afternoon sun. Fill it with toys your bird can chew, swing on and climb.

Sydney seasonal tip: In summer, fresh fruit and vegetables spoil fast in the heat, so offer smaller portions and remove leftovers within a couple of hours. In winter, keep the cage away from cold windows and doors, and cover part of an outdoor aviary against southerly winds.

Toys & Enrichment

Eclectus parrots need daily enrichment to stay mentally healthy. Toys, foraging and new experiences all count. Before taking over Birdsville, Ash worked as a zoo keeper, where every animal had to get varied daily enrichment, and he says a pet parrot is no different. Perches, food and water alone aren’t enough. Birds given enrichment are much less likely to develop feather plucking, self mutilation or excessive squawking. They also end up calmer, friendlier, less fearful and easier to train.

Good options include chew toys, shreddable toys, leather, wood, rope, acrylic, swings, ladders, bells, balls, cardboard, small boxes, wicker baskets, food kabobs and a tray of wheat grass. Our Natural Bird Toys page (https://birdsville.net.au/natural-toys/) has more ideas.

Free enrichment works too. Hide treats inside pine cones, or offer twigs and bendy branches. Safe flowers include bottlebrush, grevillea, eucalyptus, melaleuca, hibiscus, marigolds, dandelions (leaves and all), roses and violets. Collect only from unsprayed areas and wash everything well before it goes in the cage.

Rotate toys every week or two. A toy your bird hasn’t seen for a while feels brand new.

Diet & Feeding

An Eclectus diet should be built mainly on fresh fruit and vegetables, with quality pellets and a low fat seed mix. Eclectus parrots have a longer digestive tract than most parrots and absorb nutrients very efficiently, so rich, fatty and heavily fortified foods affect them more. In the wild they eat fruit, figs, flowers, buds, seeds and nuts high in the rainforest canopy, and many will happily accept a little cooked meat when offered.

Seed

Our top seed pick for adult Eclectus is Birdsville Blends Healthy Parrot (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-healthy-parrot-500g). We designed it specifically for Eclectus parrots. It’s lower in fat, low in iron and contains no sunflower seed. For babies up to about 6 months old, a richer mix with some sunflower helps them grow, such as Birdsville Blends Tropical Large Parrot (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-tropical-large-parrot-1kg). Switch to the lower fat adult mix before your bird is 6 months old.

Birdsville Blends are bagged fresh on site with a high turnover, so they never sit on a shelf going stale, and buying from the people who mix the seed means better value. Steer clear of many chain store mixes. Their low quality grains and filler seed affect the health and vitality of your bird. Read more on our Large Parrot Seed page (https://birdsville.net.au/seeds-grains/large-parrot-seed/).

Pellets

Vetafarm Paradise Pellets (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-paradise-pellets-2kg) suit Eclectus best. They’re made for fruit eating birds and are low in iron.

Feeding Tip From Our Team

Use separate dishes for seed and pellets. It’s more cost effective and lets you see what your bird actually eats. For adult Eclectus, don’t refill either dish until both are empty. Given the choice, an Eclectus will always eat its favourite seed first and leave the pellets.

Fruits & Veggie Guide

You can’t give an Eclectus too much fresh fruit and veg.

Fruits

Rockmelon, honeydew, apple, pear, banana, pomegranate, stone fruit and figs.

Vegetables

Sweet potato, carrot, corn, broccoli, capsicum, zucchini, spinach, leafy greens, cucumber, green beans and chilli. Frozen peas and corn, thawed, make an easy addition. Orange vegetables like sweet potato and carrot are especially valuable, because they supply vitamin A in its natural form.

Protein & Treats

Sprouted or soaked seed, a small piece of cooked lean meat, edible flowers and the occasional nut.

Avoid Entirely

Avocado, chocolate or anything containing cocoa, caffeine, alcohol and onion. Our team also leaves out lettuce, which offers little nutrition, and grit or shell grit, which Eclectus don’t need.

Providing Water to Your Eclectus

Fresh water must be available to your Eclectus at all times. Change it daily and scrub the dish each time, because fruit and food scraps quickly turn water dirty. Aviclens (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-aviclens-water-cleanser-100ml) helps keep water clean between changes. Many Eclectus love a bath, so offer a shallow dish or a gentle misting, especially on hot days.

Calcium and Vitamins for Eclectus Parrots

Eclectus parrots need a steady calcium source but no grit. A calcium perch, or Calcivet (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-calcivet-50ml) added to the water a few days a week, covers calcium. Our Calcium and Iodine Perch page (https://birdsville.net.au/calcium-iodine-perch/) explains more.

A regular vitamin boost such as Vetafarm Multivet (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-multivet-50ml) helps, especially for birds eating more seed. Eclectus can react badly to too much of a supplement, though, so follow the label exactly and don’t stack several vitamin products together. If your bird starts toe tapping, cut supplements back and read the Common Health Issues section below.

Bringing Your Eclectus Home

The first few weeks set your Eclectus up for life, so keep things calm and keep it eating.

First 3 days: let your bird adjust to its new home. Don’t handle it much or let it get stressed.

First 6 weeks: offer an all you can eat buffet of seed, pellets and plenty of fruit and veg. We normally prefer pellets over too much seed for any Eclectus, but a newly weaned bird in a new home can slip back into baby behaviour and stop eating, and that’s dangerous. Whatever gets it eating comes first.

Our team’s tip: keep some hand rearing formula on hand, such as Passwell Hand Rearing Food (https://petsville.com.au/products/passwell-hand-rearing-food-300g). Most young Eclectus will happily eat it off a spoon if they go off their food. Eclectus love the taste, and Ash uses it to train his own birds to come to him. It’s a great way to build a bond with a new bird.

Behaviour & Handling

Handle your Eclectus firmly but gently, and never flinch or show fear. A bird that senses it can push you around learns to use that, and bad habits follow. Handle your bird somewhere quiet and relaxed, and keep early sessions short so it isn’t overwhelmed.

Eclectus are sensitive birds that bond best with calm, consistent owners. Young birds raised with plenty of people may become less interested in other birds once they reach breeding age. If biting or squawking becomes a problem, see our Parrot Biting (https://birdsville.net.au/parrot-biting/) and Squawking (https://birdsville.net.au/screaming-and-squawking-parrots-how-to-stop/) pages.

Training Your Eclectus

Eclectus parrots learn fastest with positive reinforcement. Reward good behaviour with treats, praise and attention, and your bird will tame up much quicker. Never hit or punish your bird. A bird hit for biting almost always becomes worse, because it loses trust in you. Trust is everything with an Eclectus, and the more time you spend with your bird, the better it becomes. Our How to Train Your Parrot page (https://birdsville.net.au/pet-bird-advice-and-training/bird-training-clicker-training-parrot-body-language/) covers step up, tricks and more.

Common Health Issues in Eclectus Parrots

Toe Tapping and Wing Flipping

Toe tapping is a repeated clenching or twitching of the toes, and wing flipping is a sudden flick of the wings. Both are seen far more in Eclectus than any other parrot. They’re usually linked to diet, most often too much of a vitamin supplement, heavily fortified foods, artificial colours or preservatives, or a particular food your bird is sensitive to. An avicultural article co-written by avian vet Dr Brian Speer notes that Eclectus do best getting vitamin A naturally from beta carotene foods (https://watchbird-ojs-tamu.tdl.org/watchbird/article/view/1805). Simplify the diet, cut back supplements and see an avian vet if it continues.

Obesity and Fatty Liver

An Eclectus that fills up on sunflower seed and nuts gains weight and can develop fatty liver disease. Signs include a heavy body, an overgrown beak and less energy. For a bird that’s overweight or has been diagnosed with fatty liver, we often recommend Birdsville Blends Healthy Parrot (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-healthy-parrot-500g) mixed with Birdsville Blends Budgie Gourmet (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-budgie-500g). Have an avian vet confirm fatty liver first, as it needs a proper check up to diagnose.

Feather Plucking

Eclectus can pluck from boredom, stress, poor diet or a cage that’s too small. Enrichment, a fresh diet and daily company prevent most cases. Our Feather Plucking page (https://birdsville.net.au/pet-bird-advice-and-training/feather-plucking/) explains causes and solutions.

Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD)

PBFD is a viral disease that damages feathers, beak and the immune system. Watch for deformed or missing feathers and a flaky or overgrown beak. There’s no cure, so any bird showing these signs needs testing by an avian vet.

Psittacosis

This bacterial infection can pass from birds to people. Signs include fluffed feathers, sleepiness, eye or nose discharge and green watery droppings. See an avian vet promptly. For more conditions, see Common Bird Illnesses (https://birdsville.net.au/common-bird-illnesses/).

How to Visually Check Your Eclectus Is Healthy

A quick weekly look over your Eclectus can catch most problems early.

Chest muscle: run a finger along the keel bone down the middle of the chest. If it sticks out sharply and your bird feels light, visit a vet.
Eyes: clear, bright and free of discharge.
Feathers: in good condition, allowing for some untidiness during a moult.
Feet: strong grip, with no swelling or sores.
Droppings: consistent in colour and texture from day to day.

Parasite Control for Eclectus Parrots

Worm an Eclectus every 6 months. A newly weaned baby should be wormed a few weeks to two months after it comes home, and our team will tell you when when you buy your bird. Because Eclectus have a long digestive tract and absorb more than other parrots, our team uses half the dose recommended on the wormer label.

For lice and mites, spray your bird, the whole cage, perches, nest box and toys with Avitrol Mite & Lice Spray (https://petsville.com.au/products/fidos-avitrol-bird-mite-and-lice-spray-125ml). Remove food and water first and avoid the eyes and mouth. Our team also uses a half dose for Eclectus.

Keep any new bird in a separate cage for 4 to 6 weeks before it meets your other birds.

Health, Hygiene & Safety

An Eclectus eats a lot of fresh food, so cage hygiene matters more than with most parrots.

Daily: change water, remove uneaten fruit and veg, and wipe feeders.
Weekly: wash perches and dishes and change toys.
Monthly: fully clean and disinfect the cage with Vetafarm Avicare (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-avicare-rtu-500ml) or F10 Veterinary Disinfectant (https://petsville.com.au/products/f10-veterinary-disinfectant-200ml).

Don’t let old food build up in the cage, on perches or in feeders. For nails, calcium or cement perches help keep them worn down, or our team can trim your bird’s nails in-store. If you trim them yourself, take great care not to cut the quick. See our Wing Clipping and Nail Clipping page (https://birdsville.net.au/wing-clipping-nail-clipping/).

Toxic & Dangerous Hazards

For foods to avoid, see the Avoid Entirely list in the Fruits & Veggie Guide above.

Around the home, the biggest dangers to an Eclectus are fumes from non stick (Teflon) cookware, aerosol sprays, scented candles and plug in air fresheners. Other risks include ceiling fans, open doors and windows, hot stovetops, electrical cords, lead or zinc objects, toxic plants, and cats and dogs. Always supervise time out of the cage.

Sexing Eclectus Parrots

Eclectus parrots are easy to sex by colour: males are bright green with an orange upper beak, and females are red with blue or purple and a black beak. The difference shows as soon as the first feathers grow in. That’s why even 9 week old Eclectus babies can be identified as males or hens at a glance.

Breeding and Hand Raising Eclectus

Eclectus parrots are reasonably easy to breed with a good diet and the right setup. For breeding detail, see our Eclectus Parrot for Sale Sydney page [Eclectus for Sale page link].

When we hand raise baby Eclectus, none are taken from their parents before 3 weeks old. In our experience, those first weeks with the parents let a baby pick up important good gut bacteria, giving it a stronger resistance to disease for life. Over the next 2 months of hand rearing, the babies learn to trust people and gain confidence fast.

We feed our babies with a crop needle, which we find more hygienic, especially as chest feathers grow in. The needle isn’t inserted into the crop. The babies feed from its rounded tip. Spoon feeding also works well, and we’ve seen good results from both methods. While growing, our babies are handled by different people, men and women, and get used to everyday noises like vacuum cleaners, phones and music. Read our Hand Raising Baby Birds page (https://birdsville.net.au/hand-raising-baby-birds/) to learn more.

Record Keeping

Keep a simple diary for your Eclectus: worming and mite treatment dates, vet visits, weight checks, and any changes in droppings, behaviour or toe tapping. It helps you spot patterns, such as a food that triggers toe tapping, and gives your vet useful history.

Holiday Care

An Eclectus needs fresh food, clean water and company every day, so arrange for someone to visit at least once daily while you’re away. For longer trips, see Bird Boarding in Sydney (https://birdsville.net.au/parrot-bird-boarding-sydney/).

Transportation

Always move an Eclectus in a secure, ventilated carrier. Keep trips short and the car at a comfortable temperature, and never leave your bird in a parked car. Our Carry Cages page (https://birdsville.net.au/carry-cages/) has more options.

Compatibility with Other Birds

Introduce a new Eclectus to one you already own slowly. They can take time to accept each other. First quarantine the new bird in a separate cage for 4 to 6 weeks. Then place the two cages side by side, so the birds can see each other for at least a month before they share space. Only house Eclectus with birds of a similar size.

9 week old male Eclectus parrot with green feathers — A 9 week old male Eclectus, green from his first feathers.

Eclectus Parrot Frequently Asked Questions

Are Eclectus parrots good pets?

Yes, for the right home. Eclectus parrots are calm, intelligent and excellent talkers, and they’re quieter than cockatoos. They need a large cage, a fresh food diet and daily attention, and they live 30 to 50 years. They suit owners who want a gentle, observant companion more than a cuddly lap bird.

Do Eclectus parrots talk?

Yes. Eclectus parrots are known for clear, well pronounced speech, and many learn a large vocabulary of words and phrases. Both males and females talk. Speaking to your bird often, repeating words in context and rewarding every attempt with praise or a treat all help it learn faster.

How long do Eclectus parrots live?

With good care, Eclectus parrots commonly live 30 to 50 years, and some live longer. Your bird may well outlive you, so it’s worth planning for its future. Birdsville regularly rehomes adult Eclectus whose owners can no longer keep them, which shows how long the commitment really is.

Are Eclectus parrots loud?

Eclectus parrots are moderately noisy. They’re much quieter than cockatoos and most conures, but they do make loud calls, especially around dawn and dusk. Daily attention, foraging toys and plenty of fresh food to work through help keep calling to a level most households are comfortable with.

What should Eclectus parrots not eat?

Never feed an Eclectus avocado, chocolate or anything with cocoa, caffeine, alcohol or onion. Our team also leaves out lettuce, which has little nutrition, and grit or shell grit, which Eclectus don’t need. Limit processed foods with artificial colours or preservatives, as Eclectus are often sensitive to them.

Why does my Eclectus toe tap?

Toe tapping is a twitching or clenching of the toes seen mostly in Eclectus parrots. It’s usually linked to diet, often too much of a supplement, artificial additives or a food your bird is sensitive to. Simplify the diet, cut back supplements and see an avian vet if it keeps happening.

Visit Birdsville for Eclectus Supplies

Everything in this guide, and plenty more, is available in-store at Birdsville, 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney. Visit us or call (02) 9669 1766 and our team will help you set up the right cage, diet and toys for your Eclectus. Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BirdsvilleRosebery/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/petsvillesydney/) and TikTok [TikTok link] for live updates.

About Birdsville

Birdsville has been trading in Sydney since 1985, and we believe we’re now the oldest bricks and mortar bird shop still open in Australia. Owner Ash brings experience from vet clinics and from zoo keeping at the Rainforest Habitat in Port Douglas, now Wildlife Habitat. We’re a small business that does things in a big way. Nobody tells us how to run things, so we keep our products the best of the best.

Sources

Toe tapping and natural vitamin A: Desborough and Speer, AFA Watchbird
Eclectus care: The Unusual Pet Vets Eclectus care sheet
Diet, housing, enrichment, worming, hand raising and handling advice: Ash and the Birdsville team
Product details: Petsville product listings