How Much Does an Eclectus Parrot Cost?

Last Updated on March 14, 2024
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

With their brightly colored plumage and remarkable capacity for speech, it’s easy to understand the appeal of Eclectus Parrots as pets. However, properly caring for these highly intelligent birds does require a serious commitment of time, effort, and finances.

What expenses should you anticipate when bringing home an Eclectus Parrot? Let’s break it down.

From the initial purchase price, housing setup, and supplies to ongoing costs for food, veterinary care, and enrichment toys, Eclectus ownership adds up. But devoted owners say the companionship and joy they provide are priceless! By understanding the costs involved, you can make an informed decision in welcoming this exotic pet.

How Much Does an Eclectus Parrot Cost?

Expect to pay a cost between $1,500 to $3,000+ for a well-bred, hand-raised baby Eclectus Parrot from an accredited breeder. Given the complexity of successfully breeding exotic parrots, health testing parent birds, and properly hand-raising babies, plan on investing in a price depending on the factors below:

• Age – In general, younger hand-fed babies under 6 months old command the highest pricing of $2,500+, while subadult or retired adult breeder birds often sell for $1,000 to $2,000.
• Gender – Vibrantly plumaged juvenile males frequently garner somewhat higher asking prices than females.
• Breeder reputation, experience, and showcase bloodlines – Awards and pedigree lineage increase cost.
• Hand-feeding during critical baby growth stages – Birds that are already eating on their own often cost less.
• Early socialization and basic behavior training – Positively trained young birds are worth more.
• Health guarantees and testing of parents – Clean avian veterinary screens ensure quality.

A Reddit user said that a healthy baby from a reputable breeder can cost $1,200 or more.

HereBird notes that prices for Eclectus parrots range from $1,000 to $2,000, with variations based on subspecies like Vosmaeri and Solomon Island Eclectus.

According to Pet Keen, buying from a breeder can cost between $1,000 and $3,000, with additional costs for initial setup and supplies like cages, toys, and vet visits.

Birds Now listings show prices ranging from $2,000 to $4,500 for Eclectus parrots of different ages and genders.

Macaw Parrot Shop offers Eclectus parrots for adoption with prices varying based on age, ranging from $1,300 to $1,900.

An Overview of Eclectus Parrots as Pets

Eclectus Parrots are medium-sized, stunningly bright-colored parrots, native to the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, northeastern Australia, Indonesia, and nearby islands in the wild. Some of their most distinctive traits include:

• Incredibly vivid and vibrant red, royal purple, iridescent blue, emerald green, and orange plumage. Males and females look distinctly different.
• Noticeable contrast of their bright red beaks and black eyes and legs.
• A specialized beak structure adapted for their fruit-based diet in the wild.
• Exceptional cognitive abilities, speaking potential, memory, and puzzle solving skills compared to other parrots.
• Long average life span of 40-60+ years with proper care, diet, and veterinary attention.

Their sheer beauty, sparkling personalities, and impressive intelligence are what makes Eclectus Parrots such an increasingly popular and sought-after, though certainly demanding, pet bird for the right owner.

Estimated Costs for Proper Housing

Providing an adequately sized cage and secure play area is absolutely crucial for active, inquisitive species like Eclectus Parrots to engage their minds and bodies. Plan to invest $500 to $3,000+ in outfitting their living space properly with:

• Spacious flight cage with varied perches, food bowls, and toys – $400 to $2,000+
• Playstands for supervised time out of cage – $100 to $300
• Variety of stainless-steel food bowls, baths, and high quality perches – $50 to $150
• Assortment of interactive puzzle toys – $50 to $150+

You might also like our articles about the cost of a Quaker parrot, an Amazon parrot, or an Indian Redneck parrot.

Proper housing for these intelligent, energetic birds is not cheap – but utterly essential for their welfare and your peace of mind. This major initial investment helps set them up for health and happiness.

Ongoing Expenses

Annual costs to anticipate:

• High quality pellets and fresh foods – $500 to $1,000
• Cage accessories and new toys – $200 to $500
• Routine veterinary care – $200 to $500
• Emergency medical visits – $500 to $5,000+
• Pet insurance – $300 to $700

Factor in $2,000 to $4,000+ annually for a healthy, enriched Eclectus Parrot. Making an expensive investment upfront is just the beginning – prepare for the long haul!

In addition to the substantial one-time equipment and accessory costs above, prospective Eclectus owners need to be prepared to budget around $2,000 to $4,000+ annually for recurring expenses like:

• High quality balanced pellet diet and fresh food – $500 to $1,000
• New cage enrichment toys, supplies, furnished perches – $200 to $500
• Routine avian veterinary exams and lab work – $200 to $500
• Emergency medical visits for injuries/illness – $500 to $5,000+
• Full coverage pet bird insurance plans – $300 to $700

The annual costs quickly add up for these birds, but are essential investments into their health and happiness. Exotic avian veterinary care is costly.

Training, Socialization, and Grooming

Some other optional but recommended expenses include:

• Obedience training and behavior courses – $100 to $400for a package of sessions
• Engaging outdoor flight aviaries – $1,200+
• Professional grooming – $50 to $100per visit
• Healthy treat subscriptions – $20 to $50 monthly
• Pet sitting or boarding when traveling – $15 to $50 per day

Maintaining these highly intelligent social animals requires ample time, patience, and resources. But owners contend it’s rewarding.

Final Words

In total, estimate spending around $5,000 to $10,000+ in just the first year when accounting for the bird’s purchase, proper housing, vet care, food, and other expenses – and $2,000 to $5,000 annually after that.

Caring for an Eclectus Parrot is not just a financial investment but also a commitment of daily time and dedication. For enthusiasts willing to provide the best possible life for these magnificent parrots, the companionship and joy they bring is invaluable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Eclectus parrots need?

They require excellent nutrition, sizable secure housing, abundant enrichment through toys/activities, frequent social flock interaction, grooming tools for their specialized feathers, attentive veterinary care, supervised outdoor flying time, and expert owners 100% committed to their complex needs for life.

How much attention do Eclectus parrots need?

Extremely social flock birds by nature, most Eclectus Parrots need at least 2-3 hours per day of direct human engagement, training activities, free flight exercise, foraging opportunities, and mental stimulation from puzzles and toys. Bored, lonely Eclectus can quickly develop harmful feather plucking or other problem behaviors.

How far can Eclectus parrots fly?

When allowed to free fly outside, Eclectus Parrots can readily travel several miles in a day searching for food and flock members as they possess incredibly swift, sustained flight power and endurance. They are capable of reaching heights over 1,000 feet rapidly, so meticulous recall training and flightedness lessons are vital for security.

What do Eclectus parrots like to play with?

Eclectus Parrots love shredding wood bark and rope toys, food puzzle feeders, swinging on boings and ropes, nesting in boxes, bathing daily, flying games and obstacle courses, and foraging activities allowing natural behaviors. Rotating new options prevents boredom. Ensure toys aren’t easily destroyed and ingested which can be hazardous.