Bird Advice

[celium4relium]

Hello,

I have recently adopted my first ever birds! One is a quaker parrot, and the other a green-cheek conure. A friend of mine simply had too many pets including cats, a ferret, a scarlet macaw, a cockatoo, an amazon parrot, and these guys all living in his bedroom. Undoubtedly some were getting neglected, and he also happened to chain smoke right next to them which I know is not good at all for their little lungs. I offered to take them off his hands and get them out of that poisonous environment so I recieved these little guys for free cage and all!

I have some questions and concerns about them that I hope someone can help with. First off, the two birds appear to get along great and feed and groom eachother, but since they are completely different species is there a possibility they won't after they mature (I believe they are both 5-7 months old)? They live in a cage that is 24x17x13, is that big enough for the both of them? Do they get much bigger? Also do you think it would be a good idea to seperate them?

Both of them are very skiddish and the quaker is hostile to any intrusion in his cage, I have suffered many bites trying to give him treats and coerce him into coming out, unsuccessfully. I am trying to be patient with them since it is only day 4 in their new home and from what I've read patience is key. I have offered them treats such as banana, tomato, grape, oyster crackers, and strawberries but none of these seem to entice them that much. Are there any treats that birds really go crazy for? I have been talking with them as much as possible, do you think it is just a matter of time before they warm up to me? The most important issue for me is the biting, and I try not to react and make it exciting but somehow the quaker still gets a kick from tearing my hand apart. Any advice you can give is appreciated especially if you have experience with these two species together or seperate.

 

[suebee]

i do not know how birds will mature, but if they get on fine now i will leave it be, separating them will be stressfull at this stage

when offering treats let them take it through the bars! do not put your hand in a possition to be bitten, cos it hurts and the birds are smart enough to know how much pressure to chomp down with
but if you say they are nervous, they will not take treats from you at this stage, and yes patience it the key! so just sit about and let them get use to seeing you, if you go near the cage and they turn, then back off

are they flighted?? did your friend handle them much?? if at all, what are you feeding them? different birds like different foods lol but have they ever had these foods from your friend??

 

[celium4relium]

Thanks for the advice that makes a lot of sense actually. The thing is they're not always so agressive, at least the quaker has had a few nice spells. I think you're right though and I need to just chill its just hard cause they're so cool and I want to play with them! I don't think my friend really ever handled them cause he was more interested in the bigger more striking birds. but yeah my torn up finger will be my reminder to wait until they're ready

 

[suebee]

aww don't worry in time they will play, my nut was and canbe all beak at times, but now when she bites its never hard

just don't push them into doing anything for now if they take a treat its a big step for them, and generally i'd say do things without return, is easiest way to think of things,

 

[mtdoramike]

First off, 4 days isn't nearly long enough. Tiki was 11 months old when I got her and hand tame, but the previous owner didn't socialize with her for the last couple of months before she came to me. But I still have to give her space and didn't do much but give food, water and sit beside her cage and talk and sing to her. I aint no singer by any stretch. I figure that may have made her want to interact with me just to shut me up lol.

Try a piece of corn on the cob, my Senegal LOVES it and gets a piece of corn almost every morning. She also LOVES millit so I will give her millit stems throught the day. Open the door to it's cage and sit the corn cob or millit at the entrance to the cage and make the bird come and get it. DON'T PUT HAND IN CAGE, most birds are cage aggressive and look at the cage as being their safe place and only want your hand in there if your invited in. You will eventually know when your invited in or not. lol.

It can take weeks, months and sometimes years to build a bond with a bird. But also, sometimes no matter how hard you work at it, the bird will bond with another family member or person rather than you. If that happens, you jusy have to roll with it. I had a Cockatiel that I loved to death, but no matter how hard I tried, it wound up bonding with my brother who came over all the time. I did everything but stand on my head and NOTHIN. But let my brother come over and basically ignore her and that was all it took, the bird would go nuts and fly over to him and stuck with him until he left. I wound up giving her to my brother cage and all. I didn't want to stand in the way of true love. hahahahahaha.

 

[celium4relium]

thank you so much for the advice. I think they're coming around slowly but surely, the conure will take treats from my hand now. He actually came out of his cage for a few minutes too which was exciting! When I got these birds I had no idea how much work and perseverance was required I just took them because they were free and they looked cool. I'm beginning to understand them, they are so different than any other pet I have had. Very curious and interesting creatures. I think they will be much happier here with me as opposed to being ignored in a toxic environment of their last owner. I'm very glad this forum exists or I would have no clue how to go about raising them. thanks again

 

[celium4relium]

great news! they came out by themselves today and stepped up without any coercion! A very exciting moment for me.

 

[Miriam]

Thats great! And congratulations! When I first got our Quaker she was the same way...very nippy...especially in the cage...I would let her come out then try and work with her..stepping up and such....a few times I needed to use a towel to get her back in, but always gently and talking calmly .... it will take time, but since you are already seeing progress just know that eventually you'll forget how rough it was . I know, we have a new bird and I have to keep reminding myself that patience is a virtue!

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[suebee]

great news! they came out by themselves today and stepped up without any coercion! A very exciting moment for me.

awww congrats its fab when they do that of there own accord