My red side Male Eclectus named Ronin is 10 months old. He was in the pet shop for 9. I wish I'd gotten him right after he was weened, I think he would have been a little more cuddly. To be honest, I hadnt intended to get this particular bird. I never could even get near him in the pet store. This pet store keeps it's birds in plexiglass boxes that have access from above. The jury is still out on whether this acclaimates the birds better. The macaws and cockatoos they've had, are pretty tame. But some birds dont respond well to being reached at from above. The eclectus spent most of his time running. There was a lady who came in whom he loved. At the moment I was going to buy a greencheek conure I went over to the eclectus pen and offered him some food. He took it. Then the lady he liked got him to step up on me. After that I was intrigued with him. I spent the better part of an hour messing with the green cheeks then the eclectus, then the green cheeks,,, well you get the idea. He did have one annoying habit. He would bite you when you put him down, unless you did it fast(he doesnt bite me anymore unless I try to do something he doesnt like).He bit pretty hard too. Well the next day i had decided to get the green cheek. Then the store manager told me she would give the bird and half price on a Macaw cage. HMMMMM what to do. I went over and put my hand in front of the jogging eclectus, and I'll be darned he came to me and stepped up.(had to be a setup). Well i messed with him for an hour or so. I let him sit on my shoulder. I was mesmorized by his size(i have little sun conures remember). I wasnt used to looking up at a bird on my shoulder. Well I made the store a counter offer to include the tax in their price. Well,, check mate ,, she took it. So Sunday morning, I got the cage and bird and home we went. I wont go into all the little issues with him for dominance, but now I wouldnt trade him for anything. Today we took a road trip back to the store. The employees were overjoyed to see him and he talked a little and stepped up for everyone. He helped me eat my sandwich i got for lunch( in case you wonder he has a carrier that is seatbelted in when he rides). I'll do another article about the eclectus as a pet later, but for now he's a part of the family.