Angry Quaker?

[Hannah098]

Hi all,

I am new to this forum and would appreciate any advice that you all can give me. I got a 4 month old Quaker parrot yesterday, he is not tame. He seemed to settle well yesterday although he screams if we go near him, I expected this as he is not tame. However today he just seems furious! Since we took his cover off his morning he has just screamed at us all day. He is pacing his cage, biting the bars and screaming repeatedly even when nobody is near. He keeps climbing to the bottom and pacing before going back to his perches etc. I think this my be food related as he was on a primarily seed diet with a lot of sunflower seeds and peanuts and we have mixed in pellets but he isn’t touching them. He is eating his fruit and vegetables happily though.

Any advice on how to tame him is also welcome, we did a lot of research before getting him but would appreciate any tips.

 

[HeatherG]

He may be very hungry. It almost sounds like he’s running around his cage looking for food!

You need to change a bird’s diet slowly because they may not realize that pellets are food when you first put them in the cage. And sometimes you have to try more than one type of pellet to find one your bird will eat. Just replacing old food with a new food may not work because the bird could starve.

Also, Quakers are often protective of their cages. Not always, but usually, a Quaker Parakeet will be bitey around his cage. You need to give them space in their cage and step the bird up and remove it from its cage area if you want to hold or work with the bird. Otherwise he will be distracted by trying to guard his cage.

 

[Laurasea]

Its difficult to know without seeing set up , more background on your home environment and other pets . And experience level with parrots.

We have threads here that are at the top of each subgroup called sticky threads as they will always be at the top and are highlighted . Its worth going through those and read them all, in behavior, and quakers

Quakers are not tolerant of spending all day caged . But if you only got him yesterday there is a bit of adjustment going on . Size of cage and cage placement , number if perches and a visual retreat can increase or decrease comfort.

I'll link some stuff. And as Heather stated , diet changes should be slow.

Tips for Bonding and Building Trust

Parrots rarely bite each other, because they convey their feelings beforehand or fly off to avoid physical contact. If it feels cornered and frighten then need to bite will be from the natural instinct of self -preservation. The cage is the Parrot safe haven and any attempt to enter, add or...

www.parrotforums.com

So, you want to get a parrot for the first time?

I have read so much about the wonders of living with a parrot. From the majestic macaw, to the gentle african grey, to the cheeky amazon and the sweetness and joy that is a cuddly conure. I can tell you - yes, it is all true. Those magical stories of bonding, love, cuddles and lifetime...

www.parrotforums.com

Bond forming

"Many members often ask similar questions so perhaps a preemptive strike against some of them would be in order. There are several issues that are no problem to re-explain fresh to each new parrot owner - but then there are others where it feels like a little part of me dies each time I read...

www.parrotforums.com

Stress Reduction for Companion Parrots – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.

To put it bluntly, keeping companion parrots is similar to trying to pound a square peg into a round hole. The fact that they do as well as they do is testimony more to their adaptability than it is to our husbandry efforts.

lafeber.com

 

[Laurasea]

Sharing your life with parrots will make you a better person if you let it. You will learn tolerance, to read non verbal communication. That relationships are a continous LIVING thing, taking committed time together, shared experiences, positive affirmation, proving your trustworthiness every single day, Sharing, negotiating, compromise. Working through squabbles and then letting it go.

Parrots are highly social and dependant on each other and the flock society. And like humans their social structure is complex , individuals forming their own friendships and alliances, choosing their own mate based on their criteria.

So a big portion of their brains and life is dedicated to relationships.

A big part of that is communication! Studies show they name their babies, have regional dialect, accents.

So they are vocal , they contact call, they alarm call, calls for letting others know the found food/resources ...and much more.

But they also need to be able to communicate without calling the attention of predators. Or in the midst of a loudly shouting foraging/roosting flock . So they have highly evolved non verbal communications. Unlike any other species on earth, due to their intelligence, complex social structure, and prey status. Yes all creatures communicate nonverbal, but not to the extent/artform that parrots do.

Some of these communications are with feathers, how tight of fluffed they are from their body, flatting some or raising some, and ruffle others especially, especially nape or crest feathers, or around the beak. Also with tail feathers, flared, wagging, position raised, lowered, relaxed. Wings too. Changing the reflectivity, flashing colored feathers, changing the ultraviolet level during breeding possibilities of other as well. They can also adjust the sound their feathers make in flight. Doing stealth flying, or loud feather/flight sounds. To sneak in to steal something, avoid detection. Or to loudly announce they are coming in for a landing. Or to to be intimidating. Or loudly exploding in flight for alert alarm, confusing the predators

Eyes, many are probably familiar with eye pinning and they can control pupil size, looking with one or both.

Body movement /postion. Crouch, leaning, bobbing, stylized strut. Bouncing, jumping perch to perch.
snake neck or neck weaving, giraffe neck telescoping neck, or drawing it in a lot like a turtle, wing shrugs, wing cupping, wing twitches/tics, alternating wing rubs ( settling, relaxing, contentment), wing droop, varying tightness of wings to body, wing flapping/ drumming . Head height, head position, head tilted, head movements ( rapid head twitching in a gcc excitement or anger). Preening.

Beak positione, level of beak openess, tongue postion, tongue movements, letting tongue hang out a little( in gcc happy bliss), grinding , clacking, rubbing. Beak tip touching ( explore , taste) , beak clasping, beak grabs, beak sparing, beak banging, beak stabilization, yawning, beak bite intensity, beak pushing away ( hands, object) beak holding, and bites, scrape. Preening.

Feet, toe Tapp, lifting, reaching, shuffeling touching, grip intensity, drumming with object( black palm cockatoo for one),
Flashing/ flushing skin patches.

And so much more!

Make the effort to learn this. Practice. Observe. Video interactions and play back to see what you missed in real time. Watch YouTube or video of parrots. Some of us are naturals at this, and some of us are going to have to practice, all of us need to make the efforts.

Because miscommunication is a big problem between people and parrots. And they will turn more to biting if that's all we are understanding. And reading them helps with training, behavior modifications. Introducing people or other parrots.

So I will link some articles

Pet Bird and Parrot Behavior – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.

Pet bird and parrot behavior information.

lafeber.com

Reading Parrot Body Language: An Essential Skill

Why is it so important to be able to read your parrot’s body language? Because a finely honed ability to read body language is necessary to a relationship that works. Body language is the only way …

blogpamelaclarkonline.com

 

[Laurasea]

Hi Hannah,
Hows it going today? Little more settled in?

The links are good reads, for all. I've gone back over time to read again myself.

 

[Hannah098]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for all the information sent through, it has been very helpful!

He was hungry! I contacted the breeder and the food they sent him home with was not what he had been routinely fed as soon as I gave him the 'correct' food he tucked straight in. His cage is in the lounge so he isn't isolated. We also have two other pets, a 14-year-old cat called Norman and a 13-year-old one-eyed chihuahua called Tilly, both mainly ignore him, though they haven't been too impressed with the screaming.
He is still very skittish of us which is expected as he is not hand tame but we now have a bit of a routine. I have been giving him some veg soak mix with his fresh veg in the morning and he loves this and is very vocal when I'm late with it . I have been spending time with him every day and he is creeping closer but still screaming and growling on and off. He has started playing with his toys in the cage which is lovely to see. He has been stretching his wings and a leg occasionally when I talk to him, I believe this is a good sign?

 

[HeatherG]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for all the information sent through, it has been very helpful!

He was hungry! I contacted the breeder and the food they sent him home with was not what he had been routinely fed as soon as I gave him the 'correct' food he tucked straight in. His cage is in the lounge so he isn't isolated. We also have two other pets, a 14-year-old cat called Norman and a 13-year-old one-eyed chihuahua called Tilly, both mainly ignore him, though they haven't been too impressed with the screaming.
He is still very skittish of us which is expected as he is not hand tame but we now have a bit of a routine. I have been giving him some veg soak mix with his fresh veg in the morning and he loves this and is very vocal when I'm late with it . I have been spending time with him every day and he is creeping closer but still screaming and growling on and off. He has started playing with his toys in the cage which is lovely to see. He has been stretching his wings and a leg occasionally when I talk to him, I believe this is a good sign?

Yup. The wing and leg stretch is one way birds show they’re happy to see you.

Poor guy didn’t understand that he had food, I guess.

I had the worst time finding a pellet that Willow would eat. He’s quite addicted to avicakes, too, but he picks the seeds out of those and drops the pellets.

I have had a Quaker in my home for 28 years. They are so smart and attitudinal and funny. My Quakers have all been snugglers . Your bird may decide to build little structures in his cage if he finds any chopsticks, pens, coffee stirrers…